Ciao, HIVE friends!
Living on an island in the heart of the Mediterranean means frequently being under the influence of the wind. Whether it’s winter or summer, there are only a few calm days; for the rest of the time, we are exposed to the hot African winds from the south and, especially, the Mistral, which sweeps the coasts and the countryside, blowing from the northwest.
Personally, I love the wind in every season. It’s a constant companion for us, a poet or painter friend whose face we cannot see, but whose art, whims and tormented passions we know well.
On very windy days, I enjoy walking on the beach to watch the storms roll in: this is what I’m showing you with these photos, taken at two seaside locations called Coaquaddus and Turri.
These two locations are on the island of Sant'Antioco, not far from the town where I live. Simply leave the town center – which shares the same name – behind, and take the road leading to the southern beaches, typically facing a clear, blue sea and an horizon that promises Africa without revealing it.
Coaquaddus
Its name in Sardinian means horse tail, though I’ve never known why. I went to the beach in the morning with a friend, and as soon as I arrived, I found a rather sad surprise: hundreds, perhaps thousands, of jellyfish lying on the beach, washed up by the waves. I would have liked to help them in some way, but it’s impossible to contradict nature, no matter how cruel it may be.
I asked my friend to take a photo of me sitting on a rock, looking at the tower on the horizon.
However, my friend did even better, managing to capture the moment when, just a few seconds later, I was hit by a huge wave.
Anyway, it was fun!
Laughing, all wet, we made our way back to the center of the beach.
The tower you see in the background is the one that gives its name to the area of Turri (which means tower in Sardinian). It is not very far, and can be easily reached from Coaquaddus in just a few minutes by car, following the high cliffs covered with Mediterranean scrub.
Turri and Torre Canai
In the mid-18th century, pirates from North Africa were still a great danger to Sardinia. The island, so close to Tunisia, was weakened and going through a period of reorganization following the end of Spanish domination, which had lasted about three hundred years.
For this reason, pirates would easily land in this area and raid the countryside and the town of Sant'Antioco, stealing and killing people or capturing them to sell as slaves.
The Canai Tower was built in 1757, following a Spanish project aimed at securing the entire island. Unlike other towers that served solely as lookout posts, this one was also equipped with artillery to directly attack and bombard ships.
Torre Canai seen from Coaquaddus.
This is the exact spot where Ottoman ships anchored before landing on the shore. Their last attack occurred in 1815. After nearly 8 hours of siege, the pirates captured the city, killed the defenders and took 150 prisoners who were never seen again.
Nowadays a very few remember these events. They’re just one of many things we forget daily, consumed by the demands of modern life. We have little time to dream, to envision a pirate ship appearing on the horizon, or to recall the heroic sacrifice of those who gave their lives defending our city and ideals. Time passes, eras fade, names are forgotten... and new storms arrive, and life just goes on.
The beach seen from the other side, close to the tower.
Torre Canai at sunset.
In the picture below, you can see Turri beach on a sunny spring day, when, in my opinion, it shows its beauty at its best. It's also a lovely spot in summer, for swimming and snorkeling.
Maybe I'll tell you more about it in a future post 😁
Are you fascinated by the stormy sea?
Feel free to share your experience, or any similar one, or an emotion that my article has stirred in your heart.
For now, as always, thank you for your time, your attention and your support!
See you soon on the road,
Alessandro
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