Following the success of the first underwater exploration project "Lavrio Mines Underwater" (2019-2020), which resulted in a book and a very well-received documentary film, the team decided to take on a new challenge - exploring the underwater part of the Sklives mine. Their goal was simple but fascinating: to uncover the secrets that had lain underwater for nearly fifty years since the mine's closure and flooding.
During the initial exploration of ten water-filled mines in the Lavreotiki region, the team gathered priceless information from a handful of former workers. These stories created a narrative about a forgotten engine and various machines, abandoned when the mine was swallowed by water and ultimately cut off from the world.
Searching for information led the team members to the archives of the Lavrion Technological and Cultural Park. However, the materials they found were very sparse, making their mission to locate the so-called Sklives Shaft even more tantalizing. This shaft is one of eleven historical and preserved mining wells in the Lavreotiki area. Engineering plans from the archives show that the Sklives Shaft reaches an impressive depth of 202 meters below the surface of the earth.
Direct access to the shaft is no longer possible. The team had to transport their equipment over a kilometer through the dry tunnels of the neighboring Mine 80, then proceed to underwater exploration. The remote and demanding diving location further complicated the task.
The team members managed to achieve three main goals of the mission and also develop and test a new tool for underwater mapping, Vplotter. The significance of mapping arcades and mining works underwater adds a new dimension to how researchers perceive the mine, adding missing information and images to this important historical site.
Despite the challenging conditions, the team documented their progress. In 2022, in collaboration with 8Film, they transformed their discoveries into a fascinating documentary film. By 2023, the film was shown and appreciated at various film festivals around the world:
To achieve our goals, we had to develop new methods and tools, some simple, such as light lowered from the surface of the shaft, and others more complex, like the Vplotter.
Access is difficult because most of the approximately 1500 meters that need to be covered to reach the submerged section is along a steep slope with a 40-degree incline. Erikos Kranidiotis, Explorer
01.2021 - 12.2022
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