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European surprises (#4 in single-image teaser series: “white gold” & kitesurfing)

 

Italy’s largest lagoon is offshore from Trapani, running down to Marsala, on Sicily’s west coast.

”White gold” – salt – has been commercially produced here for literally thousands of years.

As well as its salt-extraction pans, the lagoon has open waters; shallow, flat, and reliably windy, they have become Europe’s premier destination for exponents of a sport/activity that only began in the last quarter of the 20th century.

The lagoon is also a globally significant waterbird refuge; a substantial chunk of it is RAMSAR- listed, and protected by the WWF since 1996.

The featured image is copyright Doug Spencer, taken at 10.53 am on 25 September 2023.

In the foreground you can see salt-production pans.

Behind them, closer to the city of Trapani, kitesurfers/kiteboarders are enjoying the open waters, with a medieval fort/observation tower behind them.

This is a fascinating area, which will be further explored in future, multi-image posts.

Published in Americas and Eurasia and Africa nature and travel photographs