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Sea Life | London Aquarium

Far from the sea, but still trying to getting closer and closer to salt water. The sense of excitement sea water creates on me is immense and hard to describe to whom cannot feel that attraction to the abyss and its darkness. 

Anemones, beautiful creatures. This particular one can hurt people skin. It is very common in the Mediterranean water and in Sardinia it is well appreciated when fried. As per many other sea inhabitants its gradual and constant decline in numbers should be warning.  In the aquarium there were no fish living within the “arms” of this creature. In true sea it would attract an entire ecosystem of small fish, immune to its poison, that can escape from bigger fish that would be damaged and wounded instead.

Sea-bass. This is exactly the way they hunt. They come closer with their serious faces. Then they stop and disappear. They hunt in sandy/rocky areas when the sea is quite rough. Their long and quite flat shape help them swimming quickly in the waves. Their clear silver color help them becoming invisible within the bubbles of the waves. When they turn and disappear because they are have been scared, they will hardly get back. They can become very big and hit the 15 kilograms. At the moment the biggest are caught in Turkey and along the Mediterranean North African cost line. They also populate other colder seas, such as the British shores, the Nort Spanish/French beaches and the Portuguese sea side. 

Sharks. Only once I met one of those awesome animal in the sea. I could soon recognise its good willingness. After thousands of times in the sea you start understanding the behavior of sea inhabitants. I still remember well that day of mid January, with an (unusual) crystal clear water and all the fish in the area extremely scared for who-knows-which-reason. Then the reason passed on my head coming from the back. I was on the seabed, looking for fish to catch within the rocks, 15 meters deep into the sea. I could only see everything getting dark in an extremely sunny day, and looking up I saw the bottom of the shark... and it was powerful, elegant and strong. It was relaxed and just went on its way. Amazing experience.

I could stare at those animals for hours, but the whole trip made me sad. I was not in a cage, as the fish there was, but I felt in a cage not being able to swim with them in the sea.  The more the time passes by, the more I realise that I am more comfortable in the sea, in the waves, living my adventures than in a “shiny cool trendy” city. 

In approximately one month I will be back home in Bari, Puglia, Italy. I can’t wait to go spearfishing! For now the best I can do is pushing myself to get ready. When you are far from the sea you need to be 110% ready for those few days you can enjoy this great passion to take the best in full safety.

Today my training was:60 metres horizontal freediving and 45 seconds recovery for 10 times. Approx 25 mins. 5 minutes pause. 40 metres horizontal freediving and 1min and 30 secs recovery for 10 times. Approx 20 mins. 

The first exercise is useful to make the body used to a regular and balanced rythm. The second exercise, partucularly after another one, is very useful to “teach” the body (again) to deal with scarsity of oxygen and to recover fastly.

Winter spearfishing session in Puglia... Nice one!

December 2013, Puglia, Bari. Strong wind, almost Christmas and really really rough sea. I caught a 3 kg seabass at the very last freedive after two hours of freezing water. 

"Fortuna audaces iuvat" (Fortune helps the bold... Maybe the bald in this case!)

This is a huge event for any freediver and spearfisher! A must for all those into these two!

Checking fins before a deep diving in IsoleTremiti, one of the most beautiful place in the Adriatic Sea! 

Here you can see me. I am Alessio, digitally aledec88. I am Italian, from Bari (in Puglia, South of Italy). 

After having spent 20+ years on, in, under and above the sea, now I live and work in London, Canary Wharf. Planning to get back to true life at some point... Not too far away though!