Cape Araxos (Greek: Ακρωτήριον Άραξος), also known as Cape Pappas (Άκρα Πάππα), is a cape in the northwest of the Peloponnese in Greece. It is the northwesternmost point of Peloponnese and separates the Gulf of Patras from the Ionian Sea. It lies at a distance of 30 km (19 mi) west of the city of Patras and very close to the village of Akrotirio Araxou. In 1877 a stone lighthouse was built, but it was destroyed during the Second World War and a modern lighthouse was installed after some years. The waters in the area are dangerous because of the continuous additions of sediments, eroding from the uplands of Aetolia-Acarnania via the rivers Acheloos and Evinos, The waters are quite shallow in some parts.
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During World War II, the area close to the cape was a naval minefield, and there were many losses of ships and human lives.[1] On 29 May 1945, the Dutch cargo ship Mars hit a mine and was sunk. Today it is one of the most well-preserved shipwrecks of the Gulf of Patras.[2]
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The land around the cape belongs to the Greek Navy which operates a small naval base (Araxos Naval Fort)[3][4] so the access to the area is restricted same like the navigation without permission closer to a distance of 450 metres (0.28 mi) from the coast.[5] The base hosts the Naval Radio Transmitter Facility of Araxos (Κέντρο Εκπομπής Αράξου).[6] According to Hellenic Coast Guard, in the area operates the cape Pappas RSS (Remote Site Sensor)[7][8] which is a remotely controlled sensor and radar facility of the national Vessel traffic service system of Greece (Officially called Vessel Traffic Management and Information System).
References edit
- ^ Article about the minefield of gulf of Patras in the blog "The unknown gulf of Patras"
- ^ Information about the shipwreck of Mars, ioniandivers.gr
- ^ Ionian Naval Command organization
- ^ Visit of the chief of the Navy General Staff to Araxos Naval Fort on 20/03/2018
- ^ Government Gazette regarding the restrictions in navigation near cape Araxos, ΦΕΚ 163Α/28-06-05
- ^ Naval Radio Transmitter Facility of Araxos
- ^ "Hellenic Coastguard, Technical specifications and description of the Greek National VTMIS system (pdf in Greek)" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2021-02-04. Retrieved 2018-04-30.
- ^ "Hellenic Coastguard, Modernization of Greek National VTMIS system" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2018-04-26. Retrieved 2018-04-30.
External links edit
Media related to Cape Araxos at Wikimedia Commons