The Strait of Messina (Stretto di Messina) is the narrow passage between the eastern tip of Sicily the land of The Godfather, and the western tip of Calabria southern Italy. Our film is of such a sail, between the Game of Thrones like named the Tyrrhenian Sea to the north having come from Dubrovnik, into the Ionian Sea to the south on our way to Cagliari in Sardinia. We are on board the P&O ship Aurora, and will be again in 2023 as she, like many ships, returns to the Mediterranean for the summer. We have a full ship tour of the adult only ship as we do many ships (see our ships menu above). We also track the positions of over 450 ships used for cruising. Aurora passenger area ship tour. These seas fall on some Mediterranean cruise routes and fall between our Med-Croatia destination menus and Med-Italy destination menu of guides and films for cruisers. The Messina Straits at it narrowest point, between Torre Faro and Villa San Giovanni, is just 3.1 km (1.9 mi) wide. That is not like sailing up the Hudson into New York, and certainly not like nearly touching the mountains sailing in the Fjords, but it is picturesque. As we pass by Messina on this 20-mile-long passage you will see close-up views of coastlines on either side. The feature as the lands close the gaps is of two of the world’s largest pylons and you are out to sea again. Join a chat site of your favourite ship.
On the Sicilian coast, Mount Etna can be seen in the distance, and if you’re lucky, you might even see some volcanic smoke rising. On the Calabrian side, you’ll see swaying pine trees and be greeted by all manner of fishing vessels. It is also an important migratory route for birdlife, so much so it can be an overpopulated bottleneck! More than 300 species are recorded in the area including several species of birds of prey, like the Honey Buzzard, Marsh Harrier, Bonelli’s Eagle and Egyptian Vulture. In the northern part of the strait, there’s a naturally occurring whirlpool, linked to the Greek legend of Scylla and Charybdis – two immortal female monsters who occupied the strait during the journeys of Odysseus, as chronicled in Homer’s Odyssey. These intense and alternate sea currents and whirlpools, low sea temperatures and an abundance of nitrogen and phosphorus transported to the surface from deep waters are of fundamental importance for biodiversity. The ecological rearrangement of this area simulates Atlantic conditions for species with a prevailing western distribution as well as many other marine creatures.
For many years there has been talk of a road bridge, but in 1957, a powerline was built across (under) the Straits. Those cables have since been sunk under the sea, but the pylons, amongst the highest in the world, remain and are protected as historical monuments. Arcadia‘s Western Navigation goes through the Messina Straights.
The Port guides here on Doris Visits are a great way to remember your cruise and share with your friends. The mystery thrillers are a whole new way to experience cruising. You may not have been to the ports in the novels, you certainly won’t have been to the parts of the ship they use. All the cruise crime novels will make you feel like you are in the adventure and on the ship – dodge the bullets and stay out of the romance. Ship and cruise accurate, the novels are a great way for new cruisers to discover a ship too. Please share the Amazon link. .CRUISE SHIP HEIST https://amzn.to/3RVYtff
