Dive· Patroklos (Gaidouronisi)· Greece — Cyclades
SS Oria Wreck (Patroklos Island, off Legrena)
37° 38.7′ N · 23° 57.6′ E · approximate
The steamer Oria sank in a storm on the south-east rocks of Patroklos island, off Legrena, on 12 February 1944, killing about 4,100 people, most of them Italian military internees; it is Greece's worst maritime disaster. The remains were found in 1999 by Greek diver Aristotelis Zervoudis, and a memorial stands near Cape Sounion.
Practical
Patroklos (also called Gaidouronisi) is a private, uninhabited islet about 850 m off the Attica coast between Thymari and Legrena, about 3 km west of Sounion; it rises to 253 m. Wikipedia gives the wreck position only to the nearest minute (37°39′N 23°59′E), so this coordinate is approximate: placed in the water off the islet's south-east rocks. Depth, condition and any diving restrictions were not verified. Treat it as a war grave, dive only with a licensed Attica dive centre that knows the site, and take nothing. The islet is privately owned, so do not land. For snorkelling at Legrena itself, note that Greek Wikipedia warns of submerged ledges along almost the whole beach: approach by dinghy, not by yacht.
Best for
Experienced divers on a guided trip; a sobering history stop when passing Patroklos
Season
Calm weather only; exposed to southerlies
Nearby
- Legrena Bay Anchorage1.8 NM away
- Archi Islet Anchorage (Sounion, southerly winds)2.6 NM away
- Sounion North-West Anchorage2.8 NM away
- Sounion Anchorage (Ormos Sounion)3 NM away
- Sounion Rocky Shore Snorkel (Cape Sounion)3 NM away
- Sounion Beach & Dinghy Jetty3.1 NM away
- Sounion East Anchorage (below the temple)3.1 NM away
- Temple of Poseidon, Cape Sounion3.1 NM away