Nereids were 50 divinities (sea nymphs) of the ancient Greek mythology, related to the water. They were Ocean’s granddaughters, and the most known was Amphitritis, the God of the Sea, Poseidon’s wife. They were very beautiful and always ready to help Gods or humans in need, they were helping the sailors by calming down the tempests. They were always in company with dolphins and Tritons. Tritons were sea monsters represented either like large cetaceans, or like half-cetacean half human cretaures. They were taking care of the char of their father, Poseidon. According to all indications, they correspond to a mythic representation of sperm whales, that were certainly living in the Greek seas also during the ancient Greek era. Naturally, Nereis was the most adequate name for a research boat, born to float on Greek waters on the side of dolphins and sperm whales, in order to study and protect them, the way they deserve.
The construction of the research vessel "Nereis" began on 2003, in the shipyards "Ocean Peanias" according to plans of the Pelagos Cetacean Research Institute. It was first launched on 2004 and measures 14 meters net length, or 16 meters if the rear platform and bow pulpit are included. It can host 12 persons, 4 of them being the scientific and sailing crew in usual missions.
The construction of the R/V Nereis was completely funded by the Institute's big donor Kostas, who did not request any advertisement or even mention in exchange. His desire and the only thing he asked from us since the beginning, was to do our job correctly in order to significantly contribute in the conservation of the cetaceans of Greek Seas. The magnitude and kindness of this touching donation, which is rare nowadays, gave us the opportunity to open up much bigger "flippers" and, to widen the potential of our research. We hope that we have already contributed significantly to the conservation of cetaceans, not only in the Greek Seas and the Mediterranean, but at a global scale as well. We will keep working in this direction as much as we can, in order to secure the protection of cetaceans in officially created Marine Protection Areas also in Greece. This will be eventually the best "Thank you", we can say to Kostas.
