Master Manolis Magiorkinos from Kasos took the helm of the show “Fair Winds and Following Seas” on Voice of Greece, offering a fascinating recount of Kasos’s maritime history and the island’s golden era during the 1960s, 70s, and 80s.
Reflecting on a time when most men from Kasos went to sea for a better future, he remarked, “Around 90 to 95% of the male population of the island joined the ships. One encouraged the other, and Kasos thrived during that period. That’s why we had the beautiful mansions, the captain’s houses, the fine porcelain wares, and overall prosperity. Kasos was one of the richest islands of the Dodecanese.”
He went on to describe the deep connection between Kasos and the sea:
“The life at sea is a life of happiness! We, the people of Kasos, cannot function if we don’t board a ship. Our lives and souls are imbued with the salt of the Aegean.”
Sharing his personal experiences, he recounted his first voyage as a trainee engineer aboard the M/V Eleni of the smaller Mavroleon family, traveling from Piraeus to Romania and then to Italy. He continued his journey on the M/V Alesandra of the larger Mavroleon family. His longest voyage lasted 22 months, during which he completed his service and sat for the exams to become a third engineer.
One unforgettable adventure was aboard the M/V Mount Tifris, carrying construction steel, rice, 20 tanks, and 10 Cadillac cars from Newport, USA, to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. “We got caught in a storm, and chaos broke loose,” he vividly recalled.
To be continued…