This page is an English translation of the original Italian article. The original publication date and historical context have been preserved.
Like Melody, Ariel’s daughter, I had dreamed since childhood of living in the sea and discovering the secrets of the underwater world—exploring unique places and seeing with my own eyes what I had previously watched only in documentaries. That summer, I finally received my baptism beneath the sea in a place that could not fail to remain in my heart.
Giglio Island is like a small pearl set in the Mediterranean: still wild, rugged and pure. Sadly, its sea, like the rest of the world, is suffering from climate change. Some of its rich seabed, with corals, gorgonians and precious Posidonia oceanica, is beginning to show signs of stress.
Yet the island still preserves a beauty and richness of colour and species worthy of its name. Around each corner are coves full of life, underwater gardens and places where it feels wonderful simply to be a guest: moray eels, shy octopuses, elusive barracuda and schools of fish moving together in their dozens.
Becoming a diver is truly a gift—something wonderful to give yourself and share with others. As a beginner I may have been especially enthusiastic, but for me it was impossible not to be.
Teach respect and love for the sea and its inhabitants, and we may continue to enjoy them fully.
“It could have been yellow, purple or red. Instead, the sea was made blue—like a sky upon the Earth.”
Federica
