Everything is ready for the Argo to begin its voyage again from the feet of Pelion to the quest of the Golden Fleece. The ship will sail the Pagasitikos waters and bring its rowing passengers one step closer to Jason’s heroic story and legends.
Both Greeks and tourists from around the world are looking forward to live the experience of the Argonauts on a ship made solely of wood and sails, according to the detailed descriptions of ancient writers on ship craftsmanship from 1500 BC surviving to date.
The President of the Argonauts’ Association, Kostantinos Kechaidis, said he firmly believes that the Argo could sail the waters again like it did back in 2008 when the newly-reconstructed vessel sailed from Volos and harbored in 28 ports completing a voyage of 650 miles after two months. The construction of the prehistoric ship began in 2004 and was completed two years later.
“We began our voyage as a group of 74 people on June 14th, 2008. We were narrowed down to 52 people coming from Greece, Canada, Sweden and Georgia. Everyone had their own reasons for participating in the voyage. I personally love history and mythology and have a deep interest in my hometown’s history, Volos. That’s where the legend of the Argo was born,” Kechaidis told the Greek news agency ANAMPA.
“Reconstructing the vessel and sailing the seas with it once again was a unique chance to promote both the town of Volos and Greece internationally for its cultural past,” he added.
The modern Argonauts of 2008 were ordinary people from around the world who volunteered to spend two months aboard. These 52 modern Argonauts, who were honored during an event last week in Volos, expressed their hopes that Argo will soon sail the seas of ancient Greek mythology again instead of being kept unused in the town’s harbor.
“Our association is willing to offer tour guides of the vessel within a voyage bringing together the past and the present, the ancient and the modern. The municipality on its behalf could launch a co-operation with private initiatives to promote a general project allowing the public to visit the vessel and even sail with it just in the same way the ancients did,” said Kechaidis.
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