In the late 1980s, the galley *Argo* ran aground on the Rioni River. On board was a crew of enthusiasts determined to retrace the legendary route of the Argonauts. The crew had fully embraced their roles. True to dramatic form, the captain—the local Jason—dispatched two men ashore to seek help. The scouts approached a nearby building, spotted some workers by the fence, and announced in all seriousness: “We are the Argonauts! Our ship has run aground, and Jason awaits help!” Without uttering a word, the workers subdued both men and escorted them inside. Meanwhile, receiving no word back, Jason sent more and more crew members ashore. Each vanished without a trace… As it later turned out, the building was a local psychiatric hospital. The seafarers were mistaken for patients suffering from mass psychosis and were locked in the wards one by one. And since it happened on a Saturday, the “Argonauts” had to spend the entire weekend in the asylum.
Whether this actually happened or is merely an urban legend meant to entertain, no one knows for sure. Either way, it was inspired by Tim Severin’s expedition to Colchis. Today, we look at how the British explorer and scholar recreated the route of the Argonauts.