Greeks of the Sea

Nikos arrives in Athens and meets his mentor, Captn Makis. Makis teaches him to contextualize Greece's current economic woes and encourages him to travel to Kythera and Salamis. There Nikos learns more about the historic and social basis of Greece's maritime mastery. He also learns some family history which reveals why the Greeks have such a profound respect for the sea and their seamen.

Nikos boards a Greek superferry meeting the captain and crew. Arriving in Syros, Nikos goes to work with the Port Police and local shipbuilders - the latter, he learns, are struggling in the current economic crisis. He then travels to Paros and meets one of the island's hero fisherman responsible for saving hundreds of lives after a recent ferry crash.

In Naxos, Nikos meets the flamboyant local harbour master and a billionaire property tycoon with a magnificent cruiser. He tries his hand at windsurfing and spends a crazy 24-hours on the party island of Ios. From there he travels to stunning Amorgos to dive for pirate treasure and learns why the seamen of Greece have a special spirituality.

Our host then arrives on the island of Fournoi, and is welcomed into an endearing fishing family. Nikos sees first-hand the results of overfishing in The Aegean. He then confronts the captain of a supposedly-illegal super trawler. From there, Nikos travels to Samos to meet the renowned wooden boat builders, and learns of their struggle to survive.

Nikos meets one of Greece's billionaire shipowners who takes him to the island that he and other, often reclusive, ship owning families call home. From there, Nikos travels to Agathonisi and goes on patrol with the Hellenic Coast Guard to intercept asylum seeker boats. Next, under the guidance of a seasoned skipper, Nikos learns to sail a 50ft yacht.

Aboard a spectacular 50ft yacht, Nikos and his crew travel to Kalymnos to meet the island's famous sponge divers and lean about their perilous trade. Then, Nikos hops on the spectacular Star Clipper square-rigger sailing cruise ship, visiting the intriguing island of Patmos to learn about the inspiration many have sought from The Aegean.