the Lost Island Project

Aeolian Islands - Report

Deep water archaeological surveys off Pantelleria and the Aeolian Islands

In the month of September 2014 a campaign of archaeological surveys was conducted in ultra-deep waters of Pantelleria, Lipari and Panarea. The campaign was coordinated with the Office of the Superintendent of the Sea by Sebastiano Tusa and Roberto La Rocca with the help of Emma Salvo. Aquatic operations were conducted by Global Underwater Explorers (GUE) under its initiative "Project Baseline" and led by GUE President Jarrod Jablonski with critical support by Francesco Spaggiari and Mario Arena. GUE operations relied upon the generous support of sponsors including Brownie’s Global Logistics (BGL) and CEO Robert Carmichael. Aquatic operations were possible thanks to collaboration with the Coast Guard of Pantelleria and Lipari who directly supported recovery operations on the wreck of Panarea III. Careful documentation of archaeology sites established by the Office of the Superintendent of the Sea were made by a team of GUE technical divers, working with the latest technology provided by BGL including a 50m support vessel, two 8m support boats, twin 300m submersibles, hyperbaric chamber, full mixed gas system, autonomous underwater vehicles, BlueView Sonar and wide ranging documentation equipment.

In Pantelleria operations GUE deep divers and subs conducted operations to survey the seabed at Cala Levante, Cala Tramontana and Cala Gadir to depths beyond 200 meters, identifying areas with distribution of various types of amphorae (mainly Greek-Italic and Punic). In Lipari and Panarea survey activity was focused on the archaeological site of Capistello and on the shipwrecks of Panarea II and III. At Capistello Bay documentation built upon previous work conducted around 60m on the famous Capistello shipwreck. Early archaeological studies conducted since 1969 brought great discoveries though the wreck has unfortunately also been looted, emphasizing the importance of baseline documentation conducted during the current project. GUE operations established the presence of cargo at depths of more than 150m as well as numerous ancient anchors (some with the lead stock present). The discovery of numerous, large anchors confirms the site as a important anchorage along ancient shipping routes intersecting the Aeolian Archipelago. Exploring the deep areas surrounding the wreck identified a well preserved portion of the wooden keel at about 120 meters alongside a base and fluted shaft of a terracotta Thymiaterion (ancient incense burner) which is apparently missing the upper basin. In the same area at a depth near 80 m the project located two artifacts tied to a deflated lift bag apparently used during a failed attempt to loot the wreck of precious artifacts.

The projects greatest success came while exploring the wreck of Panarea III which was originally identified in 2010 following side scan sonar surveys in collaboration with the Aurora Trust Foundation. During this project GUE divers carried out a 3D photogrammetry survey of the wreck site and cargo contents as well as extensive photo and video graphic documentation while working at depths beyond 110m. Deep divers working in tandem with submersibles carrying expert archaeologists created a unique opportunity to systematically analyze and document the wreck site. In particular it was noticed that most of the jars are Greek-Italic but with substantial cargo of Punic Amphorae positioned in one area near what is assumed the bow. Within this section several important artifacts were located including a Catillo millstone, cylindrical vases of the type “Sombrero de Copa" (some stacked one inside the other), a collection of plates (so-called fish dishes for their use with fish paste) and a range of small plates and bowls likely used by the crew. One amazing discovery included recovery of a whole Thymiaterion (sacrificial altar) separated into two parts with a molded base bearing a Greek inscription of three letters (ΕΤΗ). The rest of the object consists of a short, smooth cylindrical column topped by a large basin. The arrangement of the cargo encourages the hypothesis that the ship is lying on its port side. This is deduced from the position of the jars and by the presence of the objects on board (plates, grinds, thymiaterion, etc.), which were likely in the hold within the bow, and were overturned and thrown almost out the main wrecksite. Upon the request of the Superintendent of the Sea, GUE technical divers recovered amphorae (one each type found in the cargo), the Thymiaterion, a few pots and pans, a jug, an olla and two vessels of the type Sombrero de Copa. The Thymiaterion is considered particularly interesting because of the Greek letters and a relief decoration on the edge of the basin showing stylized waves.

This joint mission between the Office of the Superintendent of the Sea, GUE and BGL has been a great success because it added valuable documentation for the study and protection of ancient wreck sites and due to the recovery of valuable artifacts that further enrich the already extensive archaeological underwater collection of the Aeolian Archaeological Museum of Lipari L.Bernabò Brea. These activities further support highly effective visual and teaching documentary material that will be useful to produce multimedia products aimed at the strategic activities of the Superintendent of the Sea: the spread of culture and respect for the Marine Cultural Heritage and immense historical and cultural values of the Sicilian sea in the world. This aspect was emphasized by the Councillor for [AA BB CC and IS] Prof. Furnari during a September 15 visit of both the excavation site of Sottomonastero and the BGL/GUE operations ship, establishing the validity of cultural enrichment and survey activities conducted. Prof. Furnari has called for the creation of visual material to enhance learning in schools in the major cities and seaside villages of Sicily, but also outside the island, in order to spread the knowledge of marine cultural heritage of Sicily. It must be stressed that this activity, if performed under the contract by the Regional Administration would entail an investment of at least € 300,000 for the provision of ship, submersible and tech divers, as well as producing movies and photo shoots in high definition.
Given the very satisfactory results of this campaign, the Superintendent of the Sea Sebastiano Tusa and the President of the GUE Jarrod Jablonski decided to continue the fruitful collaboration in the coming year as part of an agreement concluded under the auspices of the Office for the AA BB CC and IS the Sicilian Region.

Ancient shipwrecks provide the most direct and primary class evidence of seaborne trade and seafaring in the Mediterranean during antiquity. Their location, though, in an unfriendly environment for humans, makes their excavation very demanding in human resources and equipment. Therefore, it is essential to make the investigations cost- and effort- effective by using the best of the available tools, technical and technological. As good documentation (UNESCO, 2001) is a particularly crucial process for the post-excavation archaeological study and assessment of a shipwreck site, the use of elaborate mapping techniques is indispensable during the excavation.
Photogrammetry is a well adopted method for underwater mapping, since it is a non contact and non destructive technique. On the other hand, it is not a trivial task at all (Canciani et al., 2002; Ludvigsen et al., 2006; Drap et al., 2007; Chapman et al., 2010). By definition “Photogrammetry is the art, science and technology of obtaining reliable information about physical objects and the environment through the process of recording, measuring, and interpreting photographic images and patterns of electromagnetic radiant energy and other phenomena” (Mc Glone, 2004). It is quite clear, that photogrammetry it is not a real-time or automated process. In fact most photogrammetric tasks are laborious and tedious. The much younger field of machine vision, takes advantage from computer vision algorithms and focuses on real time image exploitation for controlling a specific process or activity. Since photogrammetry’s entrance in the “digital era” it was a matter of time before embracing computer vision algorithms towards complete post- processing mapping automation.

Lost Island project will start in a few days and here in the beautiful island of Lipari everything is quite ready. Now we will go back to the North for some scientific meeting and we will bring to the archipelago our big rubber boat and Helium.
Together with the Soprintendenza del Mare, Sicily region, we have made a complete and detailed Work Program, divided by divers experience with a list of targets.
Let's give you a short summary of our program, for more info please email us at projects@gue.com

Fundy: There are several shallow water Archaeological targets that we have to survey. From a large amount of amphoras to ancient columns and capitals. We will realize a complete video survey of these artefacts. After this first phase, called observation, we will choose the best target to realize a fine scale pohotogrammetry detection in order to create a 3D reconstruction of the target. Fundy program is based on two main actions: Surevy and Photogrammetry. We will dive in shallow water, very clear and with the direct support of archaeologists. We will work not only in water but also in laboratory. In September we will have an important archaeological event, organized in the Aeolian Islands, and we will work also on the making of a video documentary that will be showed to the public during this event. Lot of work but also lot of fun.
Tech1: We will explore one of the most important archaeological submerged site of the Aeolian Islands, a roman wreck sunked at 45 mt. We will find a large amount of amphoras laying on white sand. The wreck represents a very important archaological document of ancient history and during the times it has been object of several archaological research made by famous scientists. We will have the chance to realize a complete photogrammetry survey of the wreck. There are only few images from this wreck, using hd video cameras we will realize the first video documentation of the site to get a complete and detailed overview of the wreck. Using photogrammetry and 3D software we will create a Virtual reconstruction of the wreck and once again we will work together with archaeologists to realize a real scientific work.
Tech2: for T2 and RB divers we have a big sourprise...due the importance of our work we will update only by mail...top secret.

Don't forget to bring with you your family or frineds, Aeolian Islands are a small paradise in the South Mediterranean Sea, 7 volcanic islands full of history and nature...a perfect place to Explore, Dream, Discover and have fun!
Enjoy!

Operative considerations

The principle of underwater photogrammetry does not differ from that of terrestrial or aerial photogrammetry, but it is necessary to take into account certain elements that may cause disturbances; in particular, the refraction of the diopter water-glass and the presence of the camera housing [39].

The specific constraints of the underwater medium (turbidity of water, presence of suspended particles) force the operators to work on a large scale, close to the objects (between 0.5 and 2 to 3 meters, depending on the water quality). This apparently constraining aspect imposes having to produce a great quantity of stereo pairs, but on the other hand it offers a very high degree of accuracy.

The important advantage of using photogrammetry in underwater surveys in comparison with the use of other techniques consists in its simplicity of implementation and the diversity of potential results (3D measurements, 3D reconstruction, orthophotography, and vector restitution).

The implementation only requires the use of a scale bar to compute the scale of the model. Moreover, if two or three synchronized cameras are used, additional equipment is not needed at the scene as the scale is computed using the calibration of the camera set. This approach also provides a relevant appreciation of the uncertainty of measurements; where, in addition, the photographs have to be taken with an important overlap. The key factor of this method is redundancy: each point of measured space must be seen in at least three photographs.

The operative advantage is related to the simplicity of the survey. Moreover, a submarine pilot can drive a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) without having to undergo a long preliminary training period. This method requires little time and does not require specific personnel, thus greatly reducing the expenses in a context where time and costs of intervention are extremely high.

Camera calibration
Camera calibration in multimedia photogrammetry is a problem identified since almost 50 years [9; 23] . The problem has no obvious solution, since the light beam refraction through the different media (water, glass, air) introduces a refraction error which is impossible to express as a function of the image plane coordinates alone [37] . Therefore the deviation due to refraction is close to that produced by radial distortion even if radial distortion and refraction are two physical phenomena of different nature. For this reason, the approach described by Kwon [45] has been adopted, consisting in the use of standard photogrammetric calibration software to perform the calibration of the set housing + digital camera. This approach can indeed correct in a large part the refraction perturbation; however, it is strongly dependent on the optical characteristics of the water/glass interface of the housing. For a more rigorous approach, we can read the interesting developments made by Gili Telem, and Sagi Filin on underwater camera calibration

Automatic photogrammetry survey
The photogrammetric process is a very efficient procedure consisting mainly of three phases. The first phase is data acquisition by photographs which requires light processing. This process is non- intrusive (remote sensing), and necessitates only slightly time- consuming (only the time necessary to take pictures), and potentially a quite thorough practice. The second phase involves further data processing and is carried out in a laboratory. This phase, which is mainly automated, includes homologous point determination and pose estimation. The last phase, data interpretation and linking with domain knowledge (underwater archaeology for example) is always manual, performed by experts and very time-consuming.

SIFT algorithm is often used to determine the homologous points
[39, 40] and recently the FAST [41] algorithm is applied. Then the pose estimation process from relative orientation of stereo pair is obtained by the Stewenius algorithm [42; 46; 60] . The SBA open source software by Manolis Lourakis [51] and Noah Snavely [58] is applied for the global bundle adjustment. Finally several approaches are proposed for surface densification PMVS by Ponce and Furukawa [54; 55] . For a good overview of these techniques it is possible to refer to these paper [64] [40] . In our application, we chose three tools to solve this problem and we have developed some of them. We also develop bridge between them in order to take benefit of the best of each of them.

Underwater 3D survey merging optic and acoustic sensors
Optic and acoustic data fusion is an extremely promising technique for mapping underwater objects that has been receiving increasing attention over the past few years [53]. Generally, bathymetry obtained using underwater sonar is performed at a certain distance from the measured object (generally the seabed) and the obtained cloud point density is rather low in comparison with the one obtained by optical means.

Since photogrammetry requires working on a large scale, it therefore makes it possible to obtain dense 3D models. The merging of photogrammetric and acoustic models is similar to the fusion of data gathered by a terrestrial laser and photogrammetry. The fusion of optical and acoustic data involves the fusion of 3D models of very different densities – a task which requires specific precautions [44; 56] .

Only a few laboratories worldwide have produced groundbreaking work on optical/acoustic data fusion in an underwater environment. See for example [38] and [41] where the authors describe the use of techniques that allow the overlaying of photo mosaics on bathymetric 3D digital terrain maps [52] . In this case we have important qualitative information coming from photos, but the geometric definition of the digital terrain map comes from sonar measurements.

Optical and acoustic surveys can also be merged using structured light and high frequency sonar as by Chris Roman and his team [50]. This approach is very robust and accurate in low visibility conditions but does not carry over qualitative information.

AIRPORT
Fly to Naples or to Palermo.

AIRLINES FROM THE UK
British Airways (0870 850 9850; www.ba.com) flies from Gatwick to Naples. Monarch (0870 040 5040; www.flymonarch.com) flies to Naples from Birmingham, East Midlands, Glasgow and Manchester. Ryanair (0872 246 0000; www.ryanair.com) flies from Stansted to Palermo. Easyjet (0905 821 0905; www.easyjet.com) flies from Stansted to Naples.

BY BOAT
Ferries to the islands are operated by SNAV (00 39 081 428 5111; www.snav.it) from Naples; Siremar (00 39 090 928 3242; www.siremar.it) from Milazzo; and Usticalines (00 39 090 924 9199; www.usticalines.it), from Milazzo and Palermo.

The real excavation of the wreck took place in 1977 under the direction of Michael Katzev and Donald A. Frey (INA) with the technical support of Sub Sea Oil Co.. But sometime earlier a team of DAI (Deutsche Archäologische Institut) started the survey of the wreck, but it was stopped by the tragic death of two archaeologists.
The excavation of 1977 was the first deepwater archaeological excavation. The wreck lies at - m 59. To excavate the ship properly, saturation diving had to be done. Divers breathed a helium and oxygen mixture. Dives were 5, 7 and 9 days. This meant that the divers had to go through 38 hours decompression at the end of their shift.
On the whole, divers worked on the wreck for two hours. There were teams of four, two diving in the morning and two in the afternoon. For safety reasons, one diver always monitored the other from the on-site diving bell. For further safety, there was a continual diver-surface com and CCTV. However, there was a lot of interference.
The hull was the major artefact to be uncovered in the 1977 excavation. Of the hull, around 6 sq. m was exposed during excavation with the further indication that more lay under a layer of undisturbed sand and amphorae. The details of the uncovered hull are as follows: The main section featured eight to ten exposed strakes on which eight frames were located and overlain with three interior planks. The frames were moulded 10cm and sided 16cm. The strakes are given an average measurement of 20cm in width and 4.5cm in thickness. These were joined together by pegged mortise-and-tenon fastenings that were widely spaced - between 16cm to 18.5cm. Mortises averaged 5cm to 6cm deep.
A large interior timber was uncovered in the excavation running longitudinally across six frames. Measuring 30cm wide and 6cm thick, the timber may have acted as a clamp to strengthen the hull from the inside. Two other interior timbers were recovered which could have been the remains of ceiling planking. A wooden pole 7cm in diameter lied parallel to the main timber but was unattached to the hull, it's purpose remains unknown.
Brushwood was found beneath the amphorae and spread over the inside of the hull. The interior of the hull was coated with a thin layer of a dark tarry substance which had to be removed by the divers to get to the tenon peg outlines and the seams between the strakes. A number of copper and iron nails were also found, one complete measuring 15cm in length and retaining its original clenched shape.
The Capistello ship, indicated by the size of the hull recovered and by that remained buried or lost, is believed to be bigger than the Kyrenia ship of roughly a century earlier. The Kyrenia measured 15m by 5m. The Capistello is dated to the fifth century BC, 100 years prior to the Kyrenia.
The Capistello wreck was a small freighter carrying amphorae and Campanian ware, a fairly normal cargo for a Mediterranean freighter to carry. The Capistello wreck was dated to the IVth century, a century later than the Kyrenia.
The building technique of the ship falls into the transitional period of Mediterranean boatbuilding as shown by the Kyrenia and St Congloue ships. The Capistello wreck has mortise and tenon fastenings, but they are widely spaced and do not give the hull strength and integrity. This is carried by the frames, which were moulded to fit the hull. They are fastened by copper nails to the hull, the nails clenched over on the inside. The frames were a pattern of floor timbers and half-frames alternating with each other. Additionally, the excavation showed a logitudinal timber running over the frames. It was 30 cm wide, and was used as a stringer to further strengthen the hull.

Bibliography
Blanck H., 1978, Der Schiffsfund von der Secca di Capistello bei Lipari. Mitteilungen des Deutschen Archaologischen
Instituts, Romisch Abteilung 85. Mainz am Rhein.
Frey D.A. & Hentschel F.D. & Keith D.H., 1978, Deepwater archaeology. The Capistello wreck excavation, Lipari,
Aeolian Islands. IJNA, 7.4: 279-300.
Frey D.A. #et al#., 1979,L'archeologia sottomarina a grande Profondita: gli scavi di Capistello.Sicilia Archeologica,
12.39. (Trapani)
Kapitan G., 1978, Exploration at Cape Graziano, Filicudi, Aeolian Islands, 1977. IJNA, 7.4: 269-277. Picozzi S., 1979, La nave di Capistello. Il Subacqueo, 7.70.
Sebastiano Tusa

The sea-beds around the Aeolian Archipelago consititute an extraordinary archaeological goldime: there abohnd wrecks or cargoes - in many cases this latter definition is the most appropriate since no traces of the ship remain. These ships were wrecked in tracts of sea which were very dangerous especially when crossed during a storm (such as the shoals of Capistello in Lipari and Capo Graziano in Filicudi, and the rocks of the Formiche at Panarea). There are also accumulations of materials of various epochs which were dumped in ports that have now disappeared owing to changes in the coastline over the centuries, and various sporadic finds.
Here is the list of the main wrecks of the Aeolian Islands Archipelago:
1. Cibatti-Signorini wreck in Pignataro di Fuori in the bay of Lipari below Monte Rosa: one of the oldest naval cargoes of the Mediterranean, composed of impasto pottery of the Early Bronze Age belonging to the early phase of the Culture of Capo Graziano (beginning of II Millenium B.C.)
2. Wreck near the orck of Dattilo at Panarea: a cargo of black burnished pottery, possibly of Italiote fabrication (that is, from Greek settlement in Southern Italy), of the beginnning of the IV century B.C.
3. Wreck F from Capo Graziano at Filicudi: Italiote amphoras and black burnished pottery probably of Aeolian fabrication. First half of III century B.C.
4. Wreck from the shoal of Capistello, off the south-east coast of Lipari: Italiote amphoras and black burnished Campana A pottery of Neapolitan fabrication, or at any rate Campanian. Beginning of III century B.C.
5. Roghi Wreck from Capo Graziano at Filicudi: the first wreck to be discovered in the Aeolians (1960). Cargo of amphoras of the Dressel I A type, black burnished Campana B pottery of Central Italian fabrication and plain pottery, II century B.C.
6. Alberti wreck from the Formiche of Panarea: a cargo possibly from Campania of amphoras mainly of the Dressel 2/4 type, with the remainder Dressel 43/Cretan 4. Second half of I century A.D.
7. Wreck of late Imperial Roman age from Punta Capazza between Lipari and Vulcano: ignots of tin probably of Spanish provenance, blocks of sulphur of arsenic from Vulcano.
8. Cargo of late meiaeval glazed pottery from the Formiche of Panarea.
9. Filicudi E wreck or Cannons Wreck: Three bronze cannons from Spanish warship probably sunk in an engagement with the French fleet od Admiral Vivonne who came to the aid of Messina which had risen against the Spanish government in the famous revolt of 1675.

We went to GEI Laboratory to plan the ROV operation program. With the supervision and support of the University of Florence, Robotic department, we will use the Pollux III to realize a photogrammetry survey of the 4 Roman Wrecks of Panarea Islands.
The Pollux can dive at 400 mt of depth mounting cameras, hydro sensors, sonar and multibeam echoesounder a perfect buddy for our research project.
Enjoy!

The Aeolian Islands:

Smouldering volcanoes, bubbling mud baths and steaming fumaroles make these tiny islands north of Sicily a truly hot destination.

Astonishingly beautiful and extremely varied, the seven islands and various uninhabited islets of the Aeolian archipelago were designated a Unesco World Heritage Site in 2000. Their volcanic origins left a dramatic legacy of black-sand beaches, smouldering craters and splintered, rocky coastlines. Island-hoppers can discover their individual charms: from the spartan conical Alicudi, where donkeys are the only form of land transport, to the international jet-set playground of Panarea.
North of Sicily in the Tyrrhenian Sea, the archipelago was named after Aeolus, god of the winds, by Greek settlers. This has been a volatile part of the world ever since Filicudi, the first land mass, emerged from the sea 600,000 years ago. There are two active volcanoes, Stromboli and Vulcano, and volcanic activity of some kind, whether steaming fumaroles or thermal waters waiting to be tapped, on most of the other islands. Winter storms see the islands cut off for days.
Like many coastal communities, the islands, with a total population of 10,000, have very different characters depending on the season. The head count swells to 200,000 in summer: ports fill with yachts; bars and beaches overflow with the very beautiful and the very wealthy. In August, the rich and famous sail in to Panarea on their multi-million-euro yachts to occupy villas or €500-a-night hotel rooms, and they don't do it quietly. This is easily the most fashionable and expensive of the islands, but there is more variety in the Aeolians than a quick jaunt around Panarea's shores in peak season might lead you to believe.

Lipari

The largest of the Aeolian Islands, Lipari is also the only one with a sizeable town, a substantial year-round population and much in the way of industry. Pumice quarries have taken huge bites out of the mountains, though mining has recently been banned and there are plans to create a 'geo-park' with an eco-museum and thermal baths. Although the town has its attractions (the fortified acropolis, some flower-hung alleys, the pretty harbour of Marina Corta), it's not a very sophisticated place. Gaudy sarongs, mass-produced jewellery and overpriced tourist menus compete for visitors' attention with hardware stores, chandleries and the archipelago's main supermarket.
The coast around here is wild, rocky and, best of all, undeveloped, with splintered rocks offshore and extraordinary views. It's inaccessible by car, but you can reach it on foot at Valle Muria, where there's a beach (and, in season, boats to and from the port), or at Punta delle Fontanelle.
The coastal highlight is the footpath along the coast between the Terme di San Calogero and the kaolin quarry at Bagnosecco, where the surface of the creamy white kaolin has been stained indigo, violet, orange, mustard, blue and verdigris by emissions from steaming sulphurous fumaroles.

Vulcano

Although awash with eminently marketable novelties (a constantly smouldering volcano, the chance to wallow in warm mud baths and swim above bubbling mid-sea fumaroles), Vulcano has been developed in careless fashion. The little town has the unfinished look of a Western film set, and the promontory of Vulcanello is studded with bland luxury hotels. There's also nowhere decent to eat, though this isn't necessarily a bad thing: the pervading rotten-egg stink of sulphur may already have killed your appetite.
The path up to the crater begins about a kilometre out of town on the road to Gelso, marked by a sign warning of the dangers of inhaling volcanic gases. The climb (access €3) takes less than an hour, though you'll need hiking boots to cope with the slitheriness of the ashy track.
The Fanghi di Vulcano (mud baths) and offshore fumaroles are a couple of minutes' walk from the port. Don't wear contact lenses, don't let kids play in the mud - and don't be surprised if you stink of sulphur for a couple of days afterwards. Alternatively, you could head to the rather more genteel Oasi della Salute spa, which has three thermal hydromassage pools and a beauty centre (00 39 090 985 2093, closed October to March).

Salina

Twin-peaked Salina is the greenest of the islands, famous for its starring role in the 1994 film Il Postino. Santa Marina Salina, the main port, is notable for its long, traffic-free main street, where chic boutiques and down-to-earth food shops occupy the ground floors of the substantial 19th-century houses built by those who made their fortune selling sweet Malvasia wine to the British. Most of these entrepreneurs lost their fortunes in 1890 when phylloxera destroyed 90 per cent of the vines and prompted a mass exodus to Australia (and the start of that country's wine industry), but viticulture in the area has been revitalised. Local wines can be tasted at vineyards such as Fenech at Malfa (00 39 090 984 4041; fenech.it), Caravaglio at Capofaro (00 39 090 9843420) and D'Amico at Leni (00 39 090 980 9123).
The story of the island and of the emigration are vividly evoked in two tiny folk museums, the Museum of Emigration in Malfa (00 39 090 984 4008) and the Ethnographic Museum in Lingua (090 984 3128). However, you are more likely to want to spend your time in Lingua lying on the stony beach or lingering over a granita at the famous Da Alfredo bar.
Spring and autumn are the best times to climb Monte Fossa delle Felci, the highest peak in the archipelago (summer being too hot and winter prone to sudden storms). The best way to see the south of the island is to take a bus to the village of Leni then follow a series of mule tracks down the mountain to Rinella, where there's good swimming from a black-sand beach.
If you can, try to be at Pollara, the setting for Il Postino, at sunset. A simple trattoria, Il Cappero, and a hotel, La Locanda del Postino (00 39 090 984 3958; www.lalocandadelpostino.it), have recently opened here, but there are no shops or bars out of season.

Panarea

If you aren't a member of the rich and famous posse who hang out at painfully cool Hotel Raya or take their sunset aperitivi at the Bridge Sushi Bar in the port, Panarea in August is probably best avoided. But if you want to swim, walk or take boat trips around what is probably the most beautiful of the Aeolian Islands, come in spring or autumn. The hotels are generally pretty expensive, but Pippo and Maria (00 39 090 983060) have perfectly nice rooms to rent in a quiet part of the village.
Be sure to take the 40-minute walk to the dark gold sandy beach of Zammarà and the magnificent bay of Cala Junca beyond, at the foot of a promontory topped by the foundations of Bronze Age huts. A 20-minute walk to the other side of the village brings you to the beach of Calcara, where fumaroles steaming through sulphur-stained rocks led ancient Panareans to believe it was an entrance to the Underworld. A boat trip out to the offshore islets is another must. The formation and colours of the rock on each are unique. Below tiny Basiluzzo, when the sea is calm and clear, you can see the remains of a Roman port and clamber up to the ruins of a Roman villa; nearby Lisca Bianca has submarine fumaroles bubbling at the surface of the sea, little sandy beaches and cliffs that have been stained yellow.

Stromboli

When Roberto Rossellini and Ingrid Bergman arrived on Stromboli in 1949 to shoot Stromboli, Terra di Dio, there was no hotel. A local teacher, Domenico Russo, provided Bergman with a house and secured the house next door for Rossellini, so the two could meet without compromising their reputations. After the film was released and tourists began to visit Stromboli, Russo opened the island's first hotel.
These days, it's the volcano that attracts most of Stromboli's visitors. The vast majority arrive brandishing alpenstocks and looking like hopefuls for the Foreign Legion. But if you're in reasonable shape, all you need to reach the top is trekking boots, a torch, a warm jacket, some water and €30 for your a place on a guided walk, which takes two hours and is timed so that you arrive on the summit at sunset.
The best beaches on Stromboli are the little coves of black sand tucked into lava crags along the coast at Piscità, from which there are fine views of the islet of Strombolicchio.

Filicudi & Alicudi

The tarmac road that connects the small settlements on Filicudi gives a false impression of the island. Villages that seem far apart are just a few minutes' walk from one another along the old mule tracks that cut through the terraces, and the island as a whole is best seen on foot or by boat. With a seabed that's home to scores of ancient shipwrecks, Filicudi offers some interesting diving. If you don't dive, take a boat trip around the island to see the hidden sea grotto, scene of a candlelit festival every year on 15 September.
The port is the least attractive part of the island. Head instead for the tiny fishing port of Pecorini a Mare, where there's little to do except eat good food, beachcomb (Filicudi has some of the best shells in the archipelago), and walk up to the clifftop belvedere to watch the sun set over the rock known as La Canna. Alicudi, by contrast, is an uncompromising cone rising from the sea, and can be scaled only by heaving yourself up steps a giant's stride high. Most visitors love it or hate it. There are just 80 year-round inhabitants and, it's said, most of them loathe the sight of each other. Rumour, superstition and ghost sightings abound, as does the conviction that some Alicudari are blessed with the power to divert cyclones.

Seven islands in the Tyrrhenian sea in the province in Messina, all of volcanic origin: Alicudi, Filicudi, Panarea, Stromboli, Salina, Lipari and Volcano, the nearest island to Milazzo.
Through this site some of the tourist operators of the receptive-hotel sector propose their structures to the tourists to help them to orient among the numerous ones - and valid - offered of rental houses , hotels, hotels, restaurants, services and other. The Aeolian Islands (italian Isole Eolie) are a volcanic archipelago in the Tyrrhenian Sea north of Sicily. They are a popular tourist destination in the summer, and attract up to 200,000 visitors annually.The largest island is Lipari, and tourism marketing often names the entire archipelago the Lipari Islands because of the ease of pronouncing Lipari compared to Aeolian. The other islands include Vulcano, Salina, Stromboli, Filicudi, Alicudi, Panarea and Basiluzzo. The town of Lipari has about 11,000 inhabitants. Vulcano is famous for its fango (mud) baths.

TRAVEL (how to arrive)

There are frequent car ferries and much quicker hydrofoils from Milazzo and Messina on Sicily , and from Reggio di Calabria on the mainland, to and between the islands. Most call first at Lipari, and then proceed to the other islands. Ferries are frequent in summer, with fewer during spring, autumn and winter and a reduced service year-round on Sundays.
For timetables see SIREMAR, Ustica Lines and NGI. It is important to check the timetables in advance, and to allow plenty of time for connections, as boats can be early or late.
A few car ferries a week also continue on to Naples (see SNAV ) and during the summer hydrofoils run to and from Naples, Cefalù, Palermo and Messina.
The Aeolian Islands are quite remote, which is part of their appeal. No air travel is available to the archipelago, except for the very expensive helicopter service which runs during high season from the Catania airport. For more information see Air Panarea. Most international travellers, then, will arrive at the airport of either Palermo or Catania airport in Sicily, or Reggio di Calabria, across the straits of Messina on the mainland.
Although the Reggio airport is relatively near the port, boats from Reggio are infrequent. Likewise, only a few ferries per day run from Palermo during high season, and the airport is far from the city. These ports are best used by the traveller who is already in Italy, as is Naples, a much longer boat trip that is convenient for travelers arriving by plane or train in Naples from points north. For the traveller arriving directly from abroad, numerous budget airlines have routes from around Europe to Catania. From there, one can take the train, or an express bus, to Messina, connecting to a boat; or, at Messina, one can connect to a second train or bus to Milazzo, which has by far the most boat departures. Although it is convenient to change trains in Messina, the Milazzo train station is a few miles from the port. On the other hand, the bus from Catania arrives at the train station, while the bus for Milazzo departs from a separate bus station a few blocks away. Ask for help at the information booth outside the train station. Buses departs from Catania airport to Milazzo. One may wish to spend the first night in Lipari, with its charming town, and then depart for the outlying islands. As another alternative, the car rental agencies have special deals allowing the traveller the use of a car one-way from Catania to Milazzo - inquire in advance as these deals may not be available without reservations. The car rental agencies in Milazzo are a few blocks from the port.

Everything is ready!
GUE & Lost Island project are proud to invite all the GUE divers, from Fundy to Rb level, to join the new Archaeological Exploration in the Aeolian Islands Archipelago, from June to October 2014.
GUE and Lost Island project, together with the support of the local Municipality and the Superintendence of the Sea of Sicily will realize the First Archaeological survey expedition in the Aeolian Islands marine park. During 5 months of activity GUE divers will explore Roman’s wrecks full of amphoras and ancient piers to realize a first video documentary and a bathymetric map of these unique archaeological submerged sites. GUE divers will get a Full Unlimited diving pass to all the main underwater archaeological sites of the Archipelago and a Full Access permission to explore new areas never visited by humans.
The research activity will be conducted with the direct support of underwater archaeologists and with special survey equipment like ROV and AUV.

Join Us is very easy and now very cheap!
Go to https://www.globalunderwaterexplorers.org/gue-projects
Check the week dates and choose the one you prefer.

To guarantee the best and safe dives we will accept at maximum six divers per week.

Only 550 euros per pax per week!
including:
Unlimited Nitrox Dives
Equipment rental, you have only to bring with you your suit!
Boat trip
Plus Free Unlimited diving Pass to all the submerged archaeological diving sites

Send us an email to have more info and special prices for accomodation and flights.
Don’t forget to bring with you your family and friends! Aeolian Islands are a small paradise in south Mediterranean Sea, Unesco World Heritage Center, a perfect place to relax and dive into the History!

Contact & Info: projects@gue.com

Enjoy!

Go to www.gue.com and get all info about the project.
Book your ArcheoWeek it's easy, go to the calendar page and check if your week is available.
http://www.globalunderwaterexplorers.org/lost-island-summer-2014

If you need more information on accomodation and flights send us an email at:
projects@gue.com

Enjoy!

Why Go? Fly ‘n Dive!
Bring with you only your dive suite! Prepare to dive everyday in shallow cobalt water or into the deep blue looking for amphoras, submerged volcanoes and much more...
unlimited dives + equipment rental + boat trip at only 550 euros per pax per week! special fares for accommodations and groups.
Don’t forget to bring with you your family and friends!

Rising out of the cobalt blue seas of Sicily’s northeastern coast, the Unesco- protected Aeolian Islands are a little piece of paradise, a magical outdoor playground offering thrills and spills at every turn. Thanks to the special partnership with the Soprintendenza del Mare and the Municipality of Lipari we will have a FREE unlimited access to all the restricted archaeological dive sites of the Archipelago. Only with us you will explore ancient roman’s wrecks from the I Century AC, never touched by humans, full of amphoras and mystery. Divers will be involved in the first archaeological survey of the Aeolian’ Sea with the support of new and innovative scientific research instruments: Sonar Scanner 3D, Multibeam Echoesounder, ROV and AUV.

We will realize the first videodocumentary of five Roman’s wrecks using at the same time optical and acoustic instruments creating a full 3D map of the seabed.

All GUE divers, from Fundy to RB level could join the project and get the Free Unlimited Archaeo Pass to dive where none has never dived before.

A big challenge and a great opportunity to improve your diving skills, knowledge and attitude with the supervision of archaeologists and scientists. A multidisciplinary work program and a real experience of true exploration.

To guarantee the best and safe dives we will accept at maximum six divers per week, check out on www.gue.com how to join us in this incredible new adventure!

the Lost Island Project

Blog

Aeolian Islands - Report

3D modeling

Archeolie 2014

Shots!

Work Program

what we will do: Photogrammetry

how to get there

Secca di Capistello wreck

Project's Targets - Wrecks & Cargoes in the Aeolian Archipelago

Our new Baby

Aeolian Islands - The Escape guide

Lipari

Vulcano

Salina

Panarea

Stromboli

Filicudi & Alicudi

Aeolian Islands Paradise

TRAVEL (how to arrive)

GOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

GUE

Contact Us

Explore Dream Discover

Aeolian Islands

Hunting Roman Wrecks

Underwater Archaeology project

Aeolian Island 2014 Summer Archaeology

Mission 2014: Discover Underwater Archaeology

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