It has been a busy area for seafarers since ancient times, and it still is. The officers on the bridge had to keep an eye on all of the ferries crossing the strait. As we passed through, Lolita Georgiou-Lemoni gave a short talk about all of the mythology behind this sometimes-dangerous seaway. Foreign sailors had to maneuver between whirlpools, currents and rocks and of course stories about sea monsters and other creatures were established.
As we approached Lipari Island, our next stop, Tom Heffernan gave us an introduction to monasticism and the survival of antique culture. Lipari is one of the seven sisters situated north of Sicily. Maybe the best-known feature is the still-active volcano Stromboli.
Zodiacs took us ashore and we explored Lipari. Late in the afternoon we strolled in the small village to catch the atmosphere, see fisherman repairing their nets and, at the caf_, people arguing as much with their hands as with words. Yes, this is really Sicily.
This magnificent day was about to end but still more to come. After dinner we sailed toward Stromboli, the "lighthouse" of the Mediterranean Sea. This volcano is very active and about every 20 minutes you see spectacular eruptions. It is like huge fireworks. What an end to a good day!
