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June 13, 2018

Two Years in the Making

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My first day on board this expedition, as I join for the final week of work in the deep areas surrounding the beautiful Aeolians. I was last in Salina nearly two years ago, participating in a think tank hosted by the Aeolian Islands Preservation Fund, in which we discussed potential ways forward for creating a marine protected area. It was at that meeting where, together with the Blue Marine Foundation, we first started to discuss the possibility of carrying out an expedition like this, which would aim to unlock some of the secrets of what dwells in the deep and unexplored waters of the archipelago… And now, after months of planning to make this happen, here we are: on the Ranger, sending down the ROV, and waiting to see what comes into focus once its cameras start filming life on the seabed. It’s the culmination of many people’s efforts, and we’re doing our best to make the most of this chance to learn what lives below the surface, at the base of the volcanic islands, and in the expanses of ocean floor between them. As always, it’s a privilege to be part of the adventure – and the opportunity to help contribute to the bigger project of protecting Aeolian waters.