‘Kapetan’ Giorgis Matthaios from Andros is Antonis Karagiannakis’ guest on the weekly special edition of the show Fair Winds and Following Seas.
Giorgis Matthaios, ship captain and painter from the village of Syneti in Andros, talks to us about his beloved Andros, his unforgettable childhood, about the sea, seafaring, ships, and the reasons that pushed him to become a captain, as soon as he finished the naval high school, in 1968. He tells us beautiful and incredible stories from his long seafaring career, involving helms, lines, holds, great Greek sailors, storms, derricks, ports, kourabies pastries, and… left shoes.
He also tells us about his hobby, painting, which has accompanied and inspired him since he was a small child. Even during the long, difficult voyages, Captain Giorgis would find time to paint his beloved sea, the seagulls, the ships, the waves, the ports, and the people who were with him on his travels, both literally and figuratively. “Painting used to relax me and help me continue my ocean voyages.” My works were from all that I saw and encountered at sea, the waves, the ports, the people, and I stored them deep in my head.
Curated and presented by Antonis Karagiannakis
Broadcast: Saturday 16 September 2023, 08.00 (rerun at 23.00) Athens time.