📅 Date: 29/6/25 — 10:00 & 15:30 – 2 groups

📍 Departure Location: Porto Rafti (exact location will be sent to participants)

💪🏻Get ready to experience a UNIQUE shipwreck adventure with our captain Antonis Grafas, the renowned shipwreck explorer and founder of GrafasDiving. We will have the honor to hear directly from him about his exploratory dives to these wrecks.

ℹ️Learn more about Mr. Antonis Grafas’ biography here 👉🏻 https://www.grafasdiving.gr

🚢⛴️Together, we will explore two of the most fascinating shipwrecks in Attica, in an experience that combines history, adventure, and top-tier diving.

✍️The excursion, of course, bears the signature of Diveness:
✔️ Professionalism
✔️ Quality
✔️ Safety
✔️ Enjoyment

…accompanied by our experienced instructor Ioannis Angelakos, who guarantees guidance and teamwork every step of the way—as you well know and trust!!

✅Let’s take a look at the structure of the day and the history behind the wrecks.

🟢Departure from Porto Rafti

🟢First stop
ℹ️ M/S KASSANDRA Shipwreck
The story of the ship’s sinking

Motor ship KASSANDRA, gross tonnage 469 tons and net 244 tons, 170 feet long, built in 1918.
🚢The vessel, captained by Giakoumis Chalkias and crewed by seven people in total, departed on February 27, 1973, from the port of Volos with 580 tons of cement destined for Patmos, Kalymnos, and Kos. Around 20:15 on the next day, 28/2/73, while sailing through the South Euboean Gulf, following a course between the Euboean coast and the islets of Dipsa and then Akio or Platourada, the captain went below deck for dinner, leaving the helm to Ioannis Krassas, who served as a deckhand on the vessel.
However, half an hour later, upon returning to the bridge, the captain realized that the ship’s heading was 130–135 degrees instead of the correct 175 degrees, and at the same time, he spotted rocky shorelines about 150 meters away. He immediately turned the helm hard starboard and reversed the engine, but it was too late—the ship grounded on the rocky seabed near the islet of Akio or Platourada. Initially, the vessel remained watertight, but later it listed 20 degrees to the starboard side and began to take on water in the hull and engine room, eventually becoming partially submerged.
On March 2, 1973, the crew abandoned the vessel after tying it to the shore with two bow ropes to prevent it from sinking. Nevertheless, both the cargo and the ship were destroyed.

❇️Maximum wreck depth: -28m, minimum: -20m. It lies on a heading of 210 degrees (stern), 30 degrees (bridge).

🟢Second stop
ℹ️ KLEIO Shipwreck
The story of the ship’s sinking

Kleio departed from the port of Piraeus on the evening of Monday, January 5, 1904, heading for Volos with intermediate stops at Lavrio, Chalkida, Limni (Evia), and Stylida. It made its first stop to pick up passengers in Lavrio, and after midnight on Tuesday, January 6, it was sailing at 11.5 knots toward Chalkida.
The ship lost its course and ended up crashing into the Dipsa islet.
Two versions of the incident exist. The first claims that Second Officer Argyris Pappas, who had taken command of the ship from the main captain D. Katsoulis after departure from Lavrio, fell asleep at the helm, causing the vessel to veer off course.
The second version suggests that due to many metallic objects positioned in front of the bridge, the ship’s compass was not functioning accurately. Kleio struck the rocks of Dipsa heavily and its sinking became just a matter of time. The captain tried to secure the vessel onto the islet, but the engine failed, and being unable to stop the ship from sinking, he tried to tie it by the bow to the islet. Then, he maneuvered the vessel alongside the rocky shore so that passengers could disembark safely onto Dipsa—which they did.
Most passengers were asleep at the time of the crash, and panic ensued. Many chose to jump into the sea and swim to the islet, including the wreck’s sole victim, Vasilis Kourousopoulos—one of the nine first-class passengers—who tragically died when the ship crushed him against the rocks.
The captain then ordered the crew to build a makeshift bridge between the ship and the islet, allowing the rest of the passengers and crew to abandon ship safely.
Two hours after the impact, Kleio bid its final farewell to the surface. It’s said that during her sinking, the ship’s whistle, located on the smokestack, continued to sound until it vanished beneath the waters of the Euboean Gulf.

❇️Kleio rests on a heading of 180/360 degrees.
With a minimum depth of 24m and a maximum of 28m, it’s waiting for us to explore its history.

ℹ️Sources:
Antonis Grafas 👉🏻 https://www.grafasdiving.gr/shipwrecks/ms-kasandra/
& “Shipwrecks in Greek Seas 1951–2000”, Vol. B, by Christos Dounis.

❇️Our trip to and from the dive spots will be by RIB (rigid inflatable boat), and we will be able to accommodate 2 groups of 8 certified divers each.

❇️One group will depart at 10:00 from Porto Rafti, and the second at 15:30.
‼️You will choose your group within the registration form, based on availability.

💰 Cost: €95 per diver

🔵The price includes:
• Participation in two wreck dives
• Tank & weights
• Boat transport
• Guidance from expert wreck explorer and instructor Antonis Grafas and Ioannis Angelakos
• Snack and water on board

🚫Not included in the cost:
➤Nitrox (optional: +€3)
➤Full equipment set (for those without personal gear): special price +€10 for full SCUBAPRO set. For individual items, standard rental rates apply. See here —> http://www.diveness.gr/scuba-equipment-rental/
➤Dive computer (optional: +€5)
➤DAN Dive Insurance (not mandatory; for those without insurance, we can issue a one-day policy for €7)
🔦Dive torch (optional rental: €5)

✅ Participation Form
‼️‼️Filling out the participation form is MANDATORY to reserve your spot and assign groups 👉🏻 https://www.dnapp.gr/…/eURYMUlnV1VNRk9sNEl0Y0hNb3pZZz09

ℹ️Additional Info:
• Minimum participants: 6/group
• Maximum participants: 8/group
• Max dive depth: 32m

‼️This excursion is open to Advanced Open Water divers and higher certifications.
✅Certified Wreck Divers will be allowed penetration into accessible areas.

🆘Diveness Dive Center reserves the right to change the dive sites for safety reasons if weather or conditions do not allow the original plan, or to cancel the trip altogether if conditions are deemed unsafe!

🆘ONLY in such cases will cancellations be accepted and refunds issued.‼️Please make sure you are confident before securing your spot.

🚢A one-of-a-kind double wreck diving experience awaits us. Get ready for memories that will last a lifetime.⛴️

🤿HAPPY WRECK DIVING TO US – Enjoy your dives!

You asked for it? We’re doing it!!

🐟The DivenessBoard 2025 will absolutely blow your mind!!!

🐠On a 33m luxury Maldivian wooden yacht, consisting of 3 decks plus an additional lower deck with cabins, we will sail into the DREAM, into the best week of our lives!!

🛥️This yacht won the Maldivian award for BEST Dive Safari in 2018, 2019, and 2022, and of course, DIVENESS wouldn’t offer you anything less in this life-changing dive trip! 🛥️Its 15-member crew will leave you speechless with their services, and the group we are forming for this adventure guarantees success!

🐡Now, let’s start talking seriously about the CRAZY experience we’re going to live!

🐙Let’s talk about DIVING!! Throughout the week, we will dive 3 times a day, up to 24 hours before our return flight.

🐬We’ll follow an itinerary that will offer us the best “Maldives” experiences you could ever have: colorful coral reefs and large pelagic creatures.

🦀In the center of the Maldivian archipelago, from east to west, lie 4 of the most famous atolls: North Male, South Male, Felidhoo, and Ari.

🦑The cruise usually starts from the south, allowing guests to get accustomed to the water temperatures with an easy check dive on Saturday morning. Starting from the second dive, we’ll fully immerse ourselves into the true underwater Maldivian landscapes: the fisherman’s island of Gurahidoo surrounded by dive sites that offer “rivers” of currents, called “Kandu” in Dhivehi, attracting large predator species like the classic white-tip sharks and grey reef sharks.

🦈It’s not uncommon to spot large Napoleon wrasse and green sea turtles (Chelonia midas) among the outcroppings of Kandooma Thila or Guraidooh Kandu. When the current is excessively strong, we’ll opt for a flawless colorful wreck dive.
Between dives or even during dives, our yacht will move and anchor at new dive sites, offering us fresh places to explore daily!

🐬Large pods of dolphins often accompany us as we cross the atolls.

🦞On Monday, we will likely move from the South Male atoll to the Felidhoo atoll.
In Felidhoo, on the first day of our cruise, we may do a night dive at one of the most famous dive sites, Alimatha, offering us a beautiful “night sea life show”: nurse sharks, stingrays, huge jackfish, and more will steal the show.

🪼Arriving at the Ari atoll, we’ll have the opportunity to dive in waters characterized by Rowley shoals dives, known locally as “Thila.” 🪸These are especially renowned for the abundance of fish and coral gardens colonized by both hard and soft corals.

🐋In fact, the Dhangheti area to the south of this atoll is famous for spectacular dive locations, like 5 Rocks, with stunning gorgonian corals, and Kuda Raa Thila, with large schools of squirrel fish and yellow-striped blue snappers, soft corals, and long black whip corals.

🦐Before we set sail for the central dive area, it’s essential to try to see, safari-style, the big boss of the area, the Whale Shark.

🐚In the western part of the atoll, when northeastern winds blow, there are many spots where we can easily encounter the large manta rays coming close to the reef to enjoy the cleaning stations, as well as the lagoons rich in plankton.

⛴️The journey continues north, among large coral reefs and famous shark-spotting sites like Moofushi, Fish Head, and up to the Maayafushi area, where night diving is a unique and unforgettable experience (one of the top 10 in the world!!!).

🐠Leaving the Ari atoll, our boat usually stops for a dive at Bathala Mhaga Kanthila, where we will dive into coral reefs rich in large sharks and eagle rays. The last dive will take place after we return to the Male atoll on Saturday. Several dive sites are available here, such as Fish Tank or Banana Reef.

🐟The last afternoon will be dedicated to Male, the capital of the Maldives, to enjoy the vibrant colors of the fruit and fish markets. We’ll also learn some historical and cultural aspects about the “people who live without land.”

🐙Every decision during our trip will be made with the best interest for our cruise. The route may change depending on weather conditions, and each decision will need to be approved by the captain.

🛥️But now, let’s get down to the specifics with some initial explanations about our yacht and dive cruise:

🛥️ All cabins are furnished and have air conditioning, private bathrooms with shower boxes (soap, body wash, and hairdryers available), mini-bar (snacks, soft drinks, and alcohol), and fire safety systems. All cabins have windows with portholes, and some on the upper deck have regular windows that open.
🛥️ On our boat, there are: Radar, Depth Sounder, GPS, Radio VHF/DSC/SSB, Lifeboats, Firefighting System, Oxygen, First Aid Kits, Satellite & mobile phones, Bilge pump alarm, Searchlight, Engine room CCTV.
🛥️ The entire crew is certified in first aid. Additionally, our boat has an emergency plan.

✅Services included in the cruise price:

🛥️ An air-conditioned indoor restaurant located on the main deck, with buffet service, providing 3 full, exquisite meals a day, with water, coffee, and tea available at any time of the day for free.
🛥️ An indoor coffee corner inside the restaurant.
🛥️ A fantastic panoramic lounge bar, the Dhoni bar, located on the captain’s deck.
🛥️ A relaxation area on the main deck.
🛥️ A spacious sun deck with loungers, jacuzzi, and a shower.
🛥️ A CD and DVD monitor in the restaurant.
🛥️ 3 independent hi-fi systems on each deck.
🎣 Fishing equipment on board.
🧖‍♀️ Beach and bath towels that are changed twice during the week.
🔌 Adapters for plugs.
🍽️ Dinner on the beach (weather permitting).

🚫Extra services NOT included in the cruise:

🚫Medical and dive insurance (can be arranged with DAN insurance directly on the boat for $35,00 for the duration of the trip) Dive insurance for the trip is mandatory to be active.
🚫Wi-Fi internet access on demand: 5GB for 2 devices per person at $50 – Optional.
🚫Tips for the crew (recommended $150.00 minimum per person). Tips are generally mandatory.
🚫Soft drinks and alcohol: excellent selections of Italian and international drinks are available for extra charges. Optional.
🚫Nitrox 55€ Mandatory.
🚫Full dive equipment rental from DIVENESS for the whole week €100, while on board it’s $170.
🚫Computers from DIVENESS €35, while on board it’s $50. Optional for those with their own equipment. Choose one of the two above methods if you don’t have your own, and let us know your sizes.
🚫Private island trips (usually, these islands charge a small entry fee of $5-$15).
💳💵Payments made on board are accepted in dollars, euros, or MasterCard and Visa with a 4% commission.

⛴️To further improve the already high standards, the boat is equipped with a large and super-comfortable dive Dhoni boat with a powerful engine.
⛴️Dhoni is the name of typical Maldivian fishing boats now used for easy and quick access to dive sites.
⛴️Dhoni are also used for other activities like fishing, snorkeling, and long-distance trips.
⛴️On the Dhoni, we will find:
• NITROX compressor
• 2 COLTRI 16mc/h air compressors each

• 26 aluminum cylinders (int/din)
• 3 steel cylinders 15 lt. (additional charge – €67 per week)
• Weights, belts, and buoys
• Medical Oxygen

💰The cost of the trip is €3140 (calculated for 21 participants with the current exchange rate and applicable charges; if there are fewer than 21 participants, the price will increase by €100 per person – minimum participants to confirm the trip: 16), and includes the following SUMMARY:

✈️• Flights to and from Male
🍴• Full board, including water, tea, coffee, juices, snacks between meals, and after dives
🍹• Soft drinks
🙆‍♂️• Diving guides for each group
🛥️• 7 nights on the boat
🌞🌚• Minimum 17 to 18 dives (including one night dive)
🚌• Transfers to and from the airport
⛽️• Fuel

🚫NOT included:
• 15 lt cylinders (€67 per week)
• Nitrox (€55 per week)
• Crew tips (€150)
• Alcohol such as beer and wine
• Wi-Fi 5 GB (€50)
• Dive insurance (€35)
• Travel insurance
• Green Tax (€84)
• Extra dives (€60 per dive for anyone wishing to do more than 17-18 dives – requires a minimum of 4 participants to proceed. Payments on board in € or with the previously mentioned cards)

Payment and cancellation terms
📝The payment schedule is as follows:
• €600.00 as deposit and reservation fee (by 31/05/25)
• €750.00 as deposit for our boat in the Maldives (by 18/07/25)
• €510.00 as deposit for the flight ticket (by 31/08/25)
• €500.00 as final payment for the flight ticket (by 20/09/25)
• €780.00 as final payment for our boat in the Maldives (by 15/10/25)

🆘Due to the reservation of flight seats and diving, there will be no refund of funds.
🆘Bank transfer fees are exclusively borne by the depositor.
🆘Deposit account details will be provided to the final participants.
🆘Places are secured ONLY with the first deposit by 31/05/25.
🆘MANDATORY participation form: REGISTRATION FORM

… and we will contact you for further organization.
🆘No late payments will be accepted, as the total amount is already divided into convenient installments to assist participants.
🆘Note: All the above prices are per person.

✅Participants are required to have:
✳️• Advanced Open Water Diver certification (PADI or equivalent with at least 50 dives)
✳️• Enriched Air Diver certification (PADI or equivalent)
✳️• A passport valid for at least 6 months after our return date, 28/12/25.

You’ve probably seen videos and photos from our previous Maldives trips… if not, scroll through the Diveness photos for actual shots…

😘Your dream has just begun: welcome on board…!!!🙏