Sea Stacks off Aci Trezza, Italy
August 04, 2020
Photographer: Michela Meda
Summary Author: Michela Meda
Where today rises Mount Etna, the highest active volcano in Europe, during the Quaternary, a wide gulf opened along the line of contact between the Eurasian and African plates. Because of the friction between these plates, from 600,000 years ago through now, an extended period of submarine volcanic activity has occurred. Shown above are the Stacks (Faraglioni) of Acitrezza and Lachea Island. Their origin is magmatic and is confirmed by the presence of basaltic masses and lavas. The entire complex of these rock formations is known as the Cyclops Islands, named for the creature in the ninth book of the Odyssey (Cyclops Polyphemus). Blinded by the deception of Ulysses, Cyclops would hurl large boulders toward the Greek hero in order to try to block his escape into the sea. The boulders that remain are today’s sea stacks. Photo taken on February 14, 2019.
Photo Details: Camera PENTAX K-5; Software Adobe Photoshop CC 2015 (Windows); Exposure Time 0.0050s (1/200); Aperture ƒ/16.0; ISO equivalent 100; Focal Length (35mm) 36.
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