The Straight of Messina

Messina Straight, between Sicily and Italy’s Mainland---Described by the Odyssey, Book 12 transl. R Fitzgerald: “And all this time, in travail, sobbing, gaining on the current, we rowed into the strait – Skylla to port and on our starboard beam Kharibdis, dire gorge of the salt sea tide. By heaven! When she vomited, all the sea was like a cauldron seething over intense fire, when the mixture suddenly heaves and rises.”

This wasn’t fiction.

After going through a very rough several hours to get to the Straight, we lingered to wait for the boats that were obviously waiting to. Larger ships and ferries crossing from one side to the other needed to be dodged. Our timing was fine and the north-going current pulled us along through the straight. At the point, whirlpools were seen, the water was boiling, confused by the mixing seas and currents.

According to Italian Pilot by Rod Heikell, the tidal streams in the Strait are caused by the different times of high and low water between the Tyrrhenian and Ionian Seas such that twice each lunar day there is a maximum slope southward and twice each day a maximum slope northward. The Tyrrhenian Sea is warmer and less salty than the Ionian, the difference in density between the two seas sets up currents which flow southward at the surface and northward below about 30 m.

The other thing we got to see going through the area of the Straight was Swordfish boats fishing. According to the Pilot, Swordfish (and tuna) regularly migrate through the Messina Strait and peculiar boats have evolved there to catch the migrating fish.

The old sword fishing boats had perhaps a 10 foot mast with a lookout atop, four rowers, and a harpooner in the bows. Today’s motor boats with immense lattice steel masts and bowsprits have taken their place. The bowsprit is longer than the boat and on the larger craft may be a good 50 feet long! The mast has a chair at the top for the captain who can steer the boat from his perch. An electric winch hoists him up and down. The boats operate only in calm weather. Apparently the swordfish “sleep” on the surface during the day or at any rate move sluggishly, and the sword fishing boat can creep up and harpoon the unsuspecting fish.

We watched a boat off our port side for a while weaving back and forth. And when we reached our next Port, we went to the fish market and purchased Swordfish steaks to grill on the boat. A lime marinated recipe that The Captain found, made dinner that night an incredible feast. This was fresh Swordfish and like anything fresh verses frozen, tasted nothing like I order back home.