Ιστορικές φωτο της Αλεξανδρούπολης [Historic photos of Alexandroupolis]

[Nicholas Peppas]

In http://www.nautilia.gr/forum/showthr...943#post168943 I already commented on the subsidized route to Alexandroupolis and Kavalla before World War II, in the 1950s and 1960s. I mentioned that the line was served in the 1950s and 1960s by the black Typaldos ship Ionion (built in 1893 in Norway, 811 tons and 184 ft long, scrapped in 1962) until 1962.

Ionion1.jpg

My best source of information for this route, Lefteris P. of Wilmington, Delaware recalls the trip with Ionion. She was a nice ship but not as kalotaxido as Georgios F (more about her later). Passing Cavo d' Oro was a particular experience... He believes that after 1962 the ship serving the route was either Kolokotronis or Kanaris.

I will be talking about Ionion's history (with lots of pictures). She was a great Norwegian ship and she has been included in many sites. See http://www.ads.no/fleet_old.html

Also http://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/DS_%C2%ABDronningen%C2%BB

Here is a nice site with a picture of Ionion in the dry dock.
http://www.kefalonitis.com/plugins/p..._articleid=295

By the way the Web site http://androspoets.homestead.com/cycladeships.html is wrong about Ionion. It was not Japanese...

See also http://www.sjohistorie.no/skip/d/dronningen

D/S Dronningen

Kallesignal: JVPQ - LDGY
Flagg: Norsk
Reder: Arendals Dampskipsselskap A/S
Hjemmehavn: Arendal
Klasse: DNV1A1
Mål
Lengde: 186,6
Bredde: 27,0
Dyptgående: 20,1
Tonnasje
Brutto Tonage: 661
Netto Tonage: 400
Toppfart(knop): 12
Verft
Bygget ved: Fevigs Jernskibsbyggeri, Grimstad. Norge
Byggeår: 1894
Byggenummer: 12
Leveringsmåned: Januar
Motor
Motortype: Triple 3 cyl.
Motorstørrelse: NHK 133
Andre opplysninger
Rutefart Oslo - Bergen
Historikk:Haakon Larsson-Fedde,Farsund
D/S"Dronningen"
6/1894: A/S Arendals Dampskibsselskab,Arendal "DRONNINGEN"
11/1940: Det Helgelandske Dampskibsselskab,Sandnessjøen
10/1947: Ole T. Flakke,Kr.sund N.
1/1948: Haralambos Typaldos,Pireus "IONION"

[Ellinis]

Την γραμμή Πειραιά-Αϊ Στράτη-Λήμνου-Σαμοθράκης-Αλεξ/λης-Καβάλας μετά το ΙΟΝΙΟΝ εξυπηρέτησαν σίγουρα το ΜΥΡΤΙΔΙΩΤΙΣΣΑ, το ΚΑΝΑΡΗΣ, το ΗΠΕΙΡΟΣ αλλά και το ΛΗΜΝΟΣ των Τυπάλδων.

Αναρωτιέμαι πόσες ώρες να έκανε το ΙΟΝΙΟΝ να φτάσει στην Αλεξανδρούπολη...

[Nicholas Peppas]

Αναρωτιέμαι πόσες ώρες να έκανε το ΙΟΝΙΟΝ να φτάσει στην Αλεξανδρούπολη...

I will ask Lefteris P and let you know

[Nicholas Peppas]

I will ask Lefteris P and let you know

'

Here is the answer (5:00 pm CST, USA 7/2/09) from Lefteris P as he remembers things.

Ionion schedule: Departure from Kastro Lemnou (Myrina) late in the morning, arrival in Alexandroupolis around 4:00 pm, departure at 5:00 pm, arrival in Kavalla 11:30 pm to midnight. And he remembers the captain taking the doudouka and shouting. "Now you have an hour and a half to go and eat souvlakia in Kavalla and be back at 1:00 am so we can leave for Lemnos"!!!


Unforgettable details, memorable times, axestes epohes.

Lefteris will register with us and start giving us his memories in a few days!

Stay tuned


PS: he believes that between Ionion and Kanaris there was another ship. Also he recalls that in teh 50s and 60s other smaller local ships were doing just Alexandroupolis-Myrina-Alexandroupolis. Finally the route Alexandroupolis-Samothraki-Alexandroupolis was done only with kaikia. Saos Lines came much later

[Nicholas Peppas]

The first postcard should the town in the 1970s, the second in 2000

Alexandroupolis.jpgAlexandroupolis2.jpg

[Nicholas Peppas]

The renown lighthouse of Alexandroupolis in 1963. The photograph is from the second volume of Leonidas Kouvaris' Nea Eikonografimeni Geografia Atlas tis Ellados (New Illustrated Geography and Atlas of Greece, Syropouloi bros and Koumandareas, publishers, Panepistimiou 44, Athens)
Alexandroupolis 1963.jpg

[Nicholas Peppas]

I have been always fascinated by the subsidized routes (the agones grammes) that kept our islands and far away ports connected with the main Greek centers in the early days of the nation... Sometimes, these routes connect that most unimaginable ports in the most unusual sequences..

So, look at this route that was done by Kronos in 1929: From Pireaus to Syros, Chios, Kardamyla, Volissos, Psara, Lemnos, Aghios Eustratios, Samothraki, Alexandroupolis... The port of calls of Volissos and Kardamyla were truly unexpected.. And Psara was just not in the schedule in those days.

By the way, Kronos was a ship of the Aktoploia tis Ellados, a wonderful little ship, a yacht-type. I have a picture but it is under a strict copyright, so I cannot produce it here. Kronos was built in 1882 as Rover, a 424 ton yacht for the Earl of Eglinton. She was built by Ramage & Ferguson in Leith and launched on January 21, 1882. She had a length of 175 ft, breadth of 27.5 ft and 85 HP.

After several owners and names, she was bought by Diakakis Lines in Greece in 1923 and named Kronos. In 1929, the Diakakis Lines became part of the Aktoploia tis Ellados. She became Skyros in 1933 belonging then to the Elliniki Aktoploia. The ship was scrapped in 1939.

Agonos grammh 072029.jpg

[Ellinis]

Εξαιρετικό το ιστορικό του Κρόνος, φίλε Νίκο. Σήμερα μάλιστα, κάνοντας ανασκαφές στα "ναυτικά χρονικά" της δεκαετιας του 30, βρήκα μια αναφορά οτι το 5/40 το Σκύρος περιήλθε στο Ταμείο Εκκαθάρισης Εθνικού Στόλου για να διαλυθεί.

[Nicholas Peppas]

Εξαιρετικό το ιστορικό του Κρόνος, φίλε Νίκο. Σήμερα μάλιστα, κάνοντας ανασκαφές στα "ναυτικά χρονικά" της δεκαετιας του 30, βρήκα μια αναφορά οτι το 5/40 το Σκύρος περιήλθε στο Ταμείο Εκκαθάρισης Εθνικού Στόλου για να διαλυθεί.

Well Ari, if you are allowed to scan and produce the photo of Kronos from Tzamtzis' 1997 insert in Efoplistis, that would be great and would complete the whole article. She was such a pretty ship!

Ari Could you please provide some information about the Ταμείο Εκκαθάρισης Εθνικού Στόλου that you have mentioned several times? How was the decision made? Were the ships sold to other countries, scrapped, and where? Does your reference have the list of all passenger ships that were withdrawn?

[Ellinis]

Στο βιβλιο "Η Ελληνική Επιβατηγός Ναυτιλία" του Α.Ι.Τζαμτζή, υπάρχει εκτενής αναφορά στην "απόσυρση" του 1932.

Νομίζω το παρακάτω απόσπασμα περιγράφει καλά το τι συνέβη.
Απ'όσο γνωρίζω κανένα πλοίο δεν πωλήθηκε για να συνεχίσει να ταξιδεύει αλλού και τελικα διαλύθηκαν, ορισμένα μετά από καιρό.

1932 retired.jpg