Aegadian Islands, Sicily
The Mediterranean, Homer’s wine-dark sea and Jacques Cousteau’s realm of freedom, presents to travelers like ourselves a world of many remarkable contrasts. Sometimes dark and etched with foaming wave crests, it is more often sunny and calm, as clear and blue as a jewel. Peoples of many nations and disparate cultures crowd its shores, from Gibraltar to the Middle East. And although it was the cradle of the classical civilizations of the western world, and of the modern science of marine biology, much of it and many of its inhabitants remain unknown and mysterious to this day.
On our journey through the western Mediterranean we have had many excellent opportunities to explore these contrasts. We have visited archeological sites that reveal the earliest origins of the human cultures of the region, toured spectacular medieval palaces and strolled through vibrant towns and cities that weave together their history and chic modern style in the most intimate and delightful ways.
Looking down into the sea we have discovered many similar juxtapositions of the old and new. Cruising in Zodiacs below the spectacular sea cliffs of Sardinia we learned of the origins of the Med as a remnant of the ancient Tethys Sea to the east, while from the fish on a rocky reef off Spain’s Costa Tropical we discovered the strong affinities of the current marine communities with the Atlantic, to the west. We have looked into familiar, well-studied ecosystems in bright, sunlit shallows and used our ROV to explore a tiny part of the sea floor never seen before, where we encountered a number of amazing creatures, some well known and others quite mysterious, that dwell in the permanent darkness of the depths.
Today in the Aegadian Islands off the west coast of Sicily we welcomed a special guest on board, the last leader of the traditional Mattanza bluefin tuna fishery. From him we heard wonderful stories of this dramatic event and gained some insight into the lives of artisanal fishermen of the Mediterranean. Later we had an opportunity to discuss the very serious conservation concern with current over-exploitation of this species of tuna by industrial fishing fleets, once again bringing us to a clear view of the problems balanced with opportunities, and the history laced with modernity that characterize this beautiful sea.
