Captain Giannis Soldatos spoke on “Fair Winds & Following Seas” on Voice of Greece, sharing vivid memories from his life at sea.
He recounted a tragic incident that occurred on Christmas Eve of 1981, when a ship took on water in the Hudson River, New York, resulting in the death of three crew members. He also shared another story from a voyage to Colombia, when his 60,000-ton vessel encountered indigenous people in the waters of the San Juan and Rio Orinoco rivers — the crew offered them food and empty barrels in goodwill.
Reflecting on the new generation of seafarers, Captain Soldatos stressed the importance of using new technologies responsibly:
“Young sailors must learn to handle modern tools, but they should also know the old methods — including the sextant — for any possible situation,” he emphasized.
Produced and presented by Antonis Karagiannakis