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Ustica Island: Diving the Legendary Island of Circe in the Tyrrhenian Sea

This little former volcano, located to the north of Sicily, has been somewhat of a diver’s dream for many years. However, for most people, the name generally conjures up the question, “Where’s that?” But surprisingly, Ustica is actually Italy’s oldest marine protected area, which was created in 1986. Immersed in the Tyrrhenian Sea, most European divers have extolled its virtues for many years, but what exactly is all the fuss about? Lawson Wood has the story.

Words:
Lawson Wood and Lesley Orson Wood
Images:
Lawson Wood and Vincenzo Ambrosanio
Yellow cup corals and pink encrusting algae, Ustica, Italy. Photo by Lawson Wood.
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Travel & Trips

The tiny, former volcanic island of Ustica, just 67km (34mi) north of Palermo in Sicily, has its roots dating back some 2.58 million years ago (Pleistocene). Included in the Aeolian Islands, which include Stromboli, Vulcano, Filicudi, Alicudi, Salina, Lipari and Panarea, there has been no volcanic activity for at least 130,000 years, but there is plenty of this former volcanism to be seen underwater, including pillow lava mounds, pumice blocks, domes and conglomerate, which have created some of the most incredible underwater scenery that I have had the pleasure to dive.

Ancient Greek Shipwreck Discovered off Sicily

Remarkably preserved wreck dating from 600–400 BC uncovered near Ispica.

Wrecks & Archaeology

Archaeologists have uncovered the well-preserved remains of an ancient Greek merchant ship off the coast of Ispica, Sicily. The vessel is believed to date from the 6th to 5th centuries BC, making it over 2,600 years old and among the oldest Greek wrecks located in the central Mediterranean.

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Bagnara & Costa Viola: Vivid Reefs & Mystical Caverns in Calabria, Italy

In Italy, there is a beautiful stretch of coastline in Calabria between Bagnara and Palmi that offers stunning vistas both above and below the waves, where divers can explore rich, colourful reefs with diverse marine life and underwater caves. Underwater photographer Francesco Turano takes us on a tour of some of the best dive sites in the area.

Words:
Francesco Turano
Images:
Francesco Turano
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Travel & Trips

Of the more than 800km of Calabrian coastline, one stretch stands out, whether for its geomorphological peculiarities or for the sheer depths of the sea below. To define it as complex, varied, amazing and aesthetically fascinating is really an understatement.

Ancient Greek Shipwreck Laden With Rare Metal To Be Recovered off Sicilian Coast

The 5th-century vessel, Gela II, discovered near Gela, Sicily, is set for recovery, offering insights into ancient maritime trade and the enigmatic metal orichalcum.

Wrecks & Archaeology

In a significant archaeological endeavour, the 5th-century Greek shipwreck known as Gela II is slated for recovery from the seabed near the port of Gela, Sicily. Identified in 1990, this ancient vessel has intrigued researchers due to its cargo, including Corinthian helmets and ingots of orichalcum—a metal historically considered second to gold in value. 

Ancient Nabataean Temple Discovered Submerged Near Naples

Archaeologists have uncovered remnants of a 2,000-year-old temple submerged off the Italian coast near Naples. Built by Arabian immigrants from the Nabataean culture, the site includes altars and inscribed marble slabs, providing rare insight into the cultural exchange between ancient Nabataea and Rome.

Submerged warehouses in the ripa Puteolana
Wrecks & Archaeology

Discovery near Pozzuoli

The temple lies near Pozzuoli, in the volcanic Campi Flegrei region, about 16km (10 miles) east of Naples. Known in Roman times as Puteoli, the city was a bustling harbor where ships brought trade goods like grain from across the Roman Empire. Over the centuries, volcanic activity altered the coastline, submerging the ancient port district. By the 18th century, artefacts retrieved from the area hinted at a buried temple, though its precise location remained unknown.

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An Italian Wreck Valley

In the waters of the Strait of Messina and the Grecanica Area in Calabria, Italy, there are many shipwrecks and submerged artefacts dating from ancient to modern times, with more still to be found. Andrea Murdock Alpini takes us on a journey of discovery to several wreck sites in the area and their history, as well as a beautiful underwater cave.

Words:
Andrea Murdock Alpini
Images:
Andrea Murdock Alpini
Paolo Bonfiglio
Francesco Macchiarella
Alessandro Pagano
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Wrecks & Archaeology

The water is warm and clear. The landscape is barren. The sun is high above the horizon. The blue waters of the Strait of Messina await technical divers eager to discover new sites. Stories of the Strait’s endless stretches of sand, rocks, legendary shoals of fish and many shipwrecks are waiting to be told. It is a sea of discovery.

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MPAs in Liguria: Expedition to Protect the Mediterranean Sea

Climate change, ocean warming, impacts on marine biodiversity and the importance of marine protected areas (MPAs) prompted Greenpeace Italy to embark on an expedition to Liguria in late June 2024. Valentina Di Miccoli, a marine biologist on the expedition, tells the story.

Words:
Valentina Di Miccoli
Images:
Lorenzo Moscia
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Ecology & Science

The mission to Liguria included several dives in various areas along the coast. We did not have many days, so we needed to stay focused, as there were many things to do, people to meet and interviews to conduct. In Savona, I met up with Lorenzo Moscia, the photographer for the mission. He had been there for a few days documenting the biodiversity of Bergeggi Island, an MPA established in 2007.

Ancient Roman Mosaics Discovered off Naples Coast

Marine archaeologists have uncovered the well-preserved, intricate marble floor of a Roman villa in the submerged ancient spa town of Baiae in the Gulf of Naples.

Wrecks & Archaeology

The mosaics, featuring intricate geometric patterns and vibrant colours, are remarkably well-preserved. The find is considered part of a larger Roman villa or public building that was lost to the sea between the third and fifth centuries as underground magma chambers caused the surrounding terrain to fall.

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Climate Change & the Growing Crisis of Our Oceans

Climate change is increasing the crisis of our seas, already under pressure due to several human activities. Rising temperatures are affecting and changing the underwater environment all over the world. The Mediterranean Sea, unfortunately, is no different from other seas. A group of specialists, coordinated by Greenpeace Italy, are monitoring the situation in the waters around Italy. Lorenzo Moscia reports.

Words:
Lorenzo Moscia og Giorgia Monti
Images:
Lorenzo Moscia
Partically bleached coral in the Mediterranean Sea, Cape Carbonara, Sardinia. Photo by Lorenzo Moscia
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Ecology & Science

The meeting took place at 6:00 a.m. on the little pier of Sant’Andrea on the northwestern coast of Elba Island, located five miles off the Italian coast of Tuscany.

Discovery of a Potential Neolithic Shipwreck off Italy’s Coast

Underwater archaeologists have recovered obsidian cores from what is believed to be a Neolithic shipwreck, potentially one of the oldest maritime discoveries.

Wrecks & Archaeology

The discovery was made near Capri’s famous Blue Grotto, a site historically used as a private bath by Roman emperors. Divers from the Naples Police Headquarters’ underwater unit located the wreck, which contained obsidian core material at a depth of around 40m. One of the cores, showing clear traces of chiselling and carving, measures approximately 28 x 20 x 15 cm and weighs almost 8kg.

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