What a surprise! The legendary ship Rainbow Warrior of the GREENPEACE Οrganization in Elafonisos!...

By Enrico Toja | Jan 2022

Recently, Kostas Miras, member of the Elafonisos Eco Association (https://www.elafonisoseco.org/) noticed in the rough sea a special vessel... It was the legendary ship RAINBOW WARRIOR of the GREENPEACE environmental organization!

Its flagship, synonymous with the exceeding of limits and the fearless campaign, which has been registered since 1978, and today's sailboat has been patrolling the world's oceans since 2011, supporting expeditions against whaling, seal hunting, etc., was located a few miles into the sea in front of our eyes…

 Kostas immediately informed the President of Elafonisos Eco, Mr. Enrico Toya in order to inform the other members.

At the same time, Mrs. Vini Filippi, Consultant on Sustainable Development issues and member of our Association, together with her Arcadian husband who is painter and sculptor Dimitrios Kouros, had just arrived in Punta, the port opposite Elafonisos.

They were there in order to participate in an initiative for the collection of plastic waste from the beach around the port of Pounta, organized by Rafaela Valentini, yoga teacher and member of our Association.

 Elafonisos Eco is a non-profit association created as a result of the love for Elafonisos (*). As our Association shares some common principles and values with those of GREENPEACE, we thought it a good idea to get in touch with MIKE FINCKEN, their captain.

But how could we contact him?

We first tried to contact GREENPEACE GREECE and GREENPEACE INTERNATIONAL offices and then the Port Authorities of Laconia in order to have their permission to approach the ship.

Kostas asked his good friend Captain George Stylianakos, the Captain of the Ferry Boat MARILENA, anchored in ELAFONISOS to support us. The communication via VHF (from boat to boat), was the only way to communicate with each other.

But because the weather was very bad and windy, we could not approach the boat.

Monday morning 17/1/2022.  Weather was still not great, but a little bit better.

Good news: Captain George, after repeated calls in VHF, managed to contact his colleague Captain Mike, in order to give us his permission to approach the ship Rainbow Warrior. Vini now had the permission to give them the presents of our Association.

 But she only had one hour at her disposal to do this, because Rainbow Warrior was ready to depart for Heraklion, Crete!

 Immediately, Vini contacted the local sea-taxi to approach Rainbow Warrior, but no luck... The sea-taxi was in Neapolis and would return late in the afternoon.

Captain George, who had been deeply connected with this mission, contacted all his fisherman friends to take Vini to Rainbow Warrior, but all of them were fishing away from Elafonisos.

 Time was running and Vini was still on the Ferry Boat MARILENA in the middle of the sea...

When she arrived some time later at the dock of Elafonisos, she run to her car and driving fast, she reached the small port where the fishermen anchored their fishing boats. She asked for help from two local fishermen, Giorgos Liarou and his wife Theodora, who happened to be there at that time. They decided to help her and went directly to the café where most of the fishermen of the island usually visit.

Mr. Pavlos Kapsalis, owner of a small but very fast speedboat, the "Agia Paraskevi", in collaboration with the fisherman Giorgos Liarou, decided to get Vini there!

Giorgos knows some “secret route” in the shallow sea water that they could follow to reach the Rainbow Warrior as soon as possible!

Captain Pavlos drove his boat like crazy (under the speed of 40 nautical miles/hour!) and the waves were hitting the boat very harshly too.

 “Run baby, run!!!!….”

They managed to approach the Rainbow Warrior, but the strong waves prevent them from approaching the vessel in a safe manner. The engine of the boat stopped unexpectedly and the little boat hit the strong vessel of the “Warrior”. They realized then how “strong” someone needs to be in order to cope with all these difficult duties and missions they often undertake!

 Fortunately, for a moment, the strong winds that were blowing over the Rainbow Warrior created a shelter on the opposite side for the little Agia Paraskevi boat and were finally able to approach. A small door on the left side of the boat opened and a member of the ship appeared. They tried once again and this time they made it! The gifts were now on the Rainbow Warrior!!!

 Unfortunately, due to the strong winds, Vini could not go onboard but she managed to give the gifts to the crew of the Rainbow Warrior.

 With the generous support of the local inhabitants of the island, "Mission accomplished!”.

We are grateful that we managed to be so close to this legendary ship and that there is now something from our Association travelling with them.

 See Video here: https://youtu.be/TRZe032paLA

 When Vini returned to the port of Elafonisos, she received a very friendly message from Captain MIKE:

"Dear Vini,

What a lovely gesture to Rainbow Warrior, so welcoming, thank you. We anchored off Elafonisos to shelter from the NE wind and waited for a good sailing wind to take us on to our destination, Heraklion. I am so pleased you made contact and thanks so very much for the T-shirts and the cotton bag. I’m sorry I missed you though – I had a little gift ready in return but the sailor who greeted you did not report into the bridge and so I missed you. I have checked your website and cannot find a postal address – please send that to me and I will post it from Heraklion.

 We set sail a half hour after your visit.

 Fair winds,

Mike"

 It was indeed a very exciting adventure!

When the ship left, a natural rainbow appeared over Elafonisos, saying goodbye to The Rainbow Warrior!

May the sea always be serene for you great "Warrior" to succeed in every mission you undertake!

Enrico Toja

President of the Elafonisos-Eco Association

(*) Strategic objectives of the Elafonisos Eco Association are the protection of the natural environment and the flora and fauna of Elafonisos Lakonias and neighboring areas, the improvement of the quality of life of the residents and visitors of Elafonisos Lakonias, the sustainable development of the area  and the improvement of its infrastructure in harmony with the natural environment,the preservation and revival of the Laconic traditions of Elafonisos, the improvement of the cultural heritage of the local residents and the general development of every cultural activity as well as the promotion of the natural and cultural wealth of E