Dreams come alive in the Cyclades

Natural and Cultural Treasures of the Aegean Sea. We are a group of small private and non-profit field schools and organizations devoted to increasing ecological awareness of the marine environment and studying the unique ecology, biology, geology, archaeology, art and history of the Aegean Sea. 

The Aegean Institute a not-for-profit organization, offers courses in underwater archaeology, marine biology, geology and ecology for study abroad college/university students and interested individuals as well as groups with a special interest in these subjects.  The Aegean Institute is a beneficiary and proposer, in close cooperation with the environmental organization, Mediterranean SOS for a development project regarding the establishment and management of a natural and cultural heritage network of marine and coastal areas around Paros and Antiparos (LIFE-Environment, NATURA 2000 cooperating with the Cycladic Municipalities of Paros, Naxos, Andros, Sifnos and Milos as partners).

Aegean Diving College caters for novice and advanced divers with a keen interest in marine ecology, underwater archaeology and wreck diving, geological cave diving and underwater photography (see the video). 

Octopus Sea Trips runs sea discovery programs for children, young people, families and schools. The Aegean Center for Marine Environmental Education (ACMEE) is involved in coordinating events to sensitise locals and visitors regarding the protection of coastal and marine ecosystems in the Aegean. For the past ten years we have been actively involved in running a series of unique hands-on marine environmental education programs for schools on many islands of the Aegean Sea under the Greek Government programs "O Mikros Naftilos" and "O Naftilos taxidhevi", sponsored by the Pedagogical Institute and the Hellenic Society for the Protection of the Environment and National Heritage (“Elliniki Etairia").    

We have also been running Marine Environmental Education Programs (at“A”Level”) on Paros, for English and German Schools visiting us from Athens: St.Lawrence College, German School.

In the last 8 years, we have had a number of United States universities and Colleges create special study abroad programs based on our activities, awarding academic credits held either here on Paros or on sail boats (sailing, diving, marine ecology, archaeology, marine protected areas management, geology, underwater photography)

• http://www.usd.edu/~clehmann/islesofgreece/ionian.pdf
• http://www.usd.edu/~clehmann/islesofgreece/Cyclades.pdf
• www.usd.edu/~clehmann/islesofgreece/Dodecanese.pdf
• http://inside.msj.edu/academics/faculty/klabunm/IDS380/IDS%20380_syllabus.htm

Our operations are mentioned in a very positive manner in all major guides like Lonely Planet, Guide du Routard: Fodor’s and others  ERT Satellite and National NET TV have repeatedly screened a half-hour documentary devoted to our activities, in the series "Aighaio, nyn kai aei" (Aegaeum, Nunc et Semper). The name of the episode about us is "Vythos, paralliloi kosmoi". Last year, another two national and satellite TV programs were produced, focusing on our work here in the Aegean (Focus, on national NET & ERT Satellite). In the past 10 years, several German TV channels have produced documentaries on our activities in Greece and more specifically Paros: ARD, ZDF, ARTE, and Spiegel TV (the latter on the Battle of Lepanto). 

In 1976 Peter Nicolaides worked on the Calypso with the Cousteau team and often dived with Jacques-Yves Cousteau himself. One year before that he was in charge of diving operations on a National Geographic Foundation Expedition and discovered the site of the Bronze Age wreck of Dokos, the oldest wreck known to date.

In 1998 he discovered the wreck of the Ottoman Armada Fleet Flagship of Kara Ali that Constantine Kanaris, the Greek revolution hero had blown up, off the island of Hios, in 1822. Seven years ago he collaborated with the University of Trieste in Italy, on the European Program Socrates MARE E VITA for the production of a teaching CD-ROM for schools, (Il Mare Vive) regarding the commonest Mediterranean Sea species of algae. The Sunday Times of London, in the 30th of January 2006 issue, ran a long article (not advertised) and so did the Greek newspaper Kathimerini of Sunday, 27th of February 2005. In February 2009, Peter Nicolaides was kindly invited by the National Geographic Organization to participate in a series of documentaries about famous wrecks in Greece as a marine expert and former National Geographic and J.Cousteau/Calypso diver. The series started with a documentary on the sister ship of the Titanic, the Britannic, lying off Kea Island in 120m depth. Shooting was scheduled between May 18^th and May 29^th 2009 with live broadcast sequels to be screened starting November 15^th 2009 with Dr. Robert Ballard on the Research Vessel R/V Nautilus. Peter has been invited to join the panel of experts. 

For September 2009, we have been kindly asked by the TRAVEL CHANNEL to participate and present our unique activities in a special TV program on Paros, hosted by Samantha Brown and broadcast around the world. http://www.travelchannel.com/TV_Shows/Samantha_Brown 

For this episode Samantha is going to be in the Greek Islands showing the viewers worldwide some of the things they might do if they choose Greece as a holiday destination. We are featuring Paros as one of the destinations and Samantha coming on one of the underwater archaeological tours will be a great scene in the show and an ideal way to show some of the rich history and culture of the island. Peter Nicolaides, President of the Aegean Institute and Manager of the Aegean Diving College ran as a Cyclades MP candidate, for the Greek Parliament in the national elections in Greece in 2007 with European Greens Party which is by now established as the new political party in Greece. He will be running again as a candidate in the next national elections in Greece. (see broadcast video message online) 

All program themes and activities offered always prove to be a very moving experience remembered for life, for anybody with a passion for Greek culture and language, marine ecology, biology, geology, underwater archaeology, Greece and the Aegean Sea.  

Peter Nicolaides, Paros tel. 22840 43347, Athens (Dec-Feb)  210 9226510, Mobile: 6932289649, 6932757123, e-mail: aegeandive@otenet.gr, info@aegeaninstitute.org, info@aegeandiving.gr   info@octopuseatrips.com, aegeandive@gmail.com