Cape Araxos Explained

Cape Araxos (Greek, Modern (1453-);: 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 30km (20miles) 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.

Naval minefield and shipwrecks

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]

Hellenic Navy and Hellenic Coast Guard installations

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 450m (1,480feet) 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

https://patraikosgulf.wordpress.com/%CE%BD%CE%AC%CF%81%CE%BA%CE%B5%CF%82-%CE%BA%CE%B1%CE%B9-%CE%BD%CE%B1%CF%81%CE%BA%CE%BF%CF%80%CE%AD%CE%B4%CE%B9%CE%B1/ Article about the minefield of gulf of Patras in the blog "The unknown gulf of Patras"
http://www.ioniandivers.gr/%CE%BA%CE%B1%CF%84%CE%B1%CE%B4%CF%85%CF%84%CE%B9%CE%BA%CE%BF-%CE%BA%CE%B5%CE%BD%CF%84%CF%81%CE%BF/%CF%83%CE%B7%CE%BC%CE%B5%CE%B9%CE%B1-%CE%BA%CE%B1%CF%84%CE%B1%CE%B4%CF%85%CF%83%CE%B7%CF%83/%CE%BD%CE%B1%CF%85%CE%AC%CE%B3%CE%B9%CE%BF-mars/ Information about the shipwreck of Mars, ioniandivers.gr
http://www.hellenicnavy.gr/en/organization/fleet-headquarters/fleet-headquarters-commands/hellenic-navy-command-ionian-hnci/organization.html Ionian Naval Command organization
http://www.hellenicnavy.gr/el/enimerosi/deltia-typou/item/10111-episkepsi-tou-arxigoy-gen-sto-naftiko-oxyro-araksou.html Visit of the chief of the Navy General Staff to Araxos Naval Fort on 20/03/2018
http://www.et.gr/idocs-nph/search/pdfViewerForm.html?args=5C7QrtC22wHrZvzjsKBkq3dtvSoClrL8Tq6rbLkT5HR5MXD0LzQTLWPU9yLzB8V68knBzLCmTXKaO6fpVZ6Lx9hLslJUqeiQsbsOQmt1_A6KeZUSnVHIp3WqEXicg6J3mMXpSn9BvSw. Government Gazette regarding the restrictions in navigation near cape Araxos, ΦΕΚ 163Α/28-06-05
http://www.hellenicnavy.gr/el/organosi/aneksartites-ypiresies/stratigeio-dioikiseos-anatolikis-mesogeiou/organosi/kentro-ekpompis-araksou-axaias.html Naval Radio Transmitter Facility of Araxos
Web site: Hellenic Coastguard, Technical specifications and description of the Greek National VTMIS system (pdf in Greek) . 2018-04-30 . 2021-02-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210204051708/http://hcg.gr/sites/default/files/docs/archive/texnikesprod.pdf . dead .
Web site: Hellenic Coastguard, Modernization of Greek National VTMIS system . 2018-04-30 . 2018-04-26 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180426144355/http://hcg.gr/sites/default/files/docs/archive/vtmisprdiav.pdf . dead .

External links

38.216°N 21.377°W