2018 Mediterranean Sailing

The expedition goal for the four Imperial students was to complete a six-week sailing expedition to examine the distribution of plastics in the Mediterranean, one of the most affected regions of the world with regards to plastic debris, particularly microplastics. Over September to mid-October the group travelled in a clockwise loop of the Aegean Sea, from the northern town of Kavala to the most southerly point of Santorini, and back. The research focused primarily on sampling the seas around the uninhabited islands of the Aegean, collecting wet samples using a self-constructed microplastics trawl. The members also engaged in trail and mountain running, sport climbing and deep-water soloing along the route.

The yacht was collected at Kavala on the Greek mainland and the first stage was to sail to island of Thasos, then onto Limnos. They then journeyed to Lesvos with a visit to the town of Mitilini, where the harbour was full of migrant rescue ships from several countries, followed by a visit to the island’s petrified forests. Strong winds delayed the next stage to Oinousses, which provided an encounter with of a pod of dolphins, before then sailing to Chios. This was followed by a night sail to the island of Samos, the most northern of the Greek islands in the chain known as the Dodecanese. The route passed through the Samos Strait towards Fournoi and then onto Arki, where the team discovered caves where quite an amount of rubbish had collected. This allowed the group to clean up some of the ocean plastics in the area.

The next destination was a group of islands off the coast of Lipsi, famed for sea caves, underwater tunnels and huge cliff wrapped rock pools, before heading to Kalymnos via Leros. They then travelled to Kos and onto Nisiros, at which point the group experienced a tear in the head sail and attempted to repairs it themselves. Whilst on the island the team explored the rim of a caldera that bounded an active volcano, which involved a difficult lava climb. The group were able to sail to Astipalea and then to Santorini, which allowed a visit Oia, where white houses with blue roofs were scattered across the island’s volcanic rim.

It was then onto Ios where they sail was repaired, before a dash to Milos before a sub-tropical storm known as a medicane arrived. The yacht remained in sheltered mooring for three days before the next stages to Paros, and Skyros in heavy seas. Travelling to Skopelos and Skantzoura it was then onto Alonissos, where the group encountered and were able to pet a friendly monk seal, before arriving at Athos on the mainland. Over four days some of the group visited and resided at some of the 20 Orthodox Christian monasteries around Mount Athos. The group then journeyed to Thasos before returning to Kavala.

During the expedition the group were able to rock climb the Lesbos volcanic gorge, the Fournoi sea cliffs, the Arki sea cliff, the Makronisi pool, various sea arches, and areas in Kalymnos, a world class climbing island. There was also some scree running on Chios Island. The expedition covered 1,100 nautical miles, with the longest passage being 100 nm from Limnos to Lesvos, and visited 24 islands, and attained the highest altitude at Mount Athos, (2,033m).