Swimming across the Strait of Messina

As a boy growing up on the coast of Sicily, I remember spending entire days by the sea. Time passed quickly under the hot sun, immersed all day in the crystal clear water, having diving competitions with friends and challenging ourselves to see who could reach the sand at ever greater depths, without a mask or flippers, or to swim for hours until the umbrellas on the beach were little more than dots on the horizon.
Ever since I was a 13-year-old “ragazzo”, I have been tempted to try the “big challenge”, the heroic feat of swimming across the Strait of Messina. In Greek mythology, Homer’s Odyssey mentions the man-eating Scylla and Charybdis. Odysseus, following Circe’s suggestion, preferred to lose six men to Scylla in Calabria, on the Italian mainland, than be swallowed by Charybdis in Sicily. Also, in Virgil’s Aeneid, Aeneas was advised by Helenus to avoid crossing the Straits of Messina because of the presence of the two monsters; hence, he decided to circumnavigate the island.

For us Sicilians, this myth is part of our DNA because the strait is still perceived as a perilous stretch of water. The narrow distance between Sicily and mainland Italy, only 3.4 km of blue sea down to the depth of 250 metres, is unsafe! The reality is that the current in the strait can be dangerous, and people still believe that certain whirlpools (the origin of the myth) could swallow everything. I didn’t tell my mother about the challenge; the day after, she learned about it from relatives who are on social media. She told me that I was lucky not to have ended up in a whirlpool.

I was also lucky to meet Marcello this year, who suggested having a go at the crossing!! At the age of 54, I was to attempt this feat! Marcello and Leila, his wife, apart from being a lovely couple, are veterans in swimming the strait. I learned during the evening we spent in the pizzeria that they had completed many marathons around the world and several “Iron Man” events. I felt very small.
That evening in the pizzeria, I met the long-time friends who have accompanied Marcello and Leila on this and other challenges. They do it almost every year. All were old hands; Nino had completed 50+ marathons, someone else had done 4 “Iron Man” competitions. I was the only one with limited experience, having only done a half marathon in Brussels but I had a burning desire to prove myself. I wanted to bring back that Sicilian boy who had spent so much time by the sea, who was then catapulted into the great European metropolises in order to live the office life.

Mario, an octogenarian, is the leader of the group, the mentor, and the one who leads the charge. He still runs the Palermo marathon and promised me that I will do the next one with him in November. The group is fantastic; I am fascinated to hear about their achievements. Ninni, Salvo, Cesare, Nino, everyone has a story to tell, with many memories and anecdotes related to past competitions. I think I made a bad impression. They talked about crossing times of under an hour. I think that maybe I need 1 hour and 20 minutes. The pressure of the challenge was beginning to grow. I decided to go to bed early.

Day zero is here at last! August 1st, 2024. With everything in place, we’re now down at the hotel. Got all the sports gear for the challenge. Ready, off we all go to Torre Faro where the organizers welcome us and give us the event briefing. Everything is regulated by precise legal rules, for safety at sea, and sporting rules: the crossing of the strait has its own regulations. In fact, during the crossing the organization has obtained permission from the port authority to stop any ships that cross the strait. As for the sporting rules, the organization has official crossing timekeepers. They are the ones who take the times that will then be recorded in the register of people who have succeeded in meeting the challenge. Before the start, the boat and swimmer numbers are assigned. I am on boat 6 and have swimmer number 13! The organization also has a staff doctor who will follow us.
The other question concerns the type of swimming costume! The times must be differentiated between swimmers wearing a traditional costume and those in a wetsuit. When they ask me my name, I have to introduce myself and say what I intend to wear. In the excitement, wanting to say “no wetsuit” or “in a classic swimming costume”, I made a mistake and said “without a swimsuit”. They looked at me and I started laughing, “no, not nude” I meant no wetsuit, in a swimming costume.
They lead us under the Torre Faro pylon, the same pylon where a few days earlier (July 10th, 2024) the Estonian athlete, Jaan Rose, made a new record by crossing the Strait on a 3600 metre Slackline spanning between Torre Faro and the pylon in Calabria, the second of the two free-standing old steel power line towers. All set. To avoid strong currents, a boat goes to the centre of the strait and checks for unfavourable currents, returning to give the ok to cross. When we see the boat come back, we know that we must prepare!
It’s almost 12 o’clock. Scylla is in front of me!! Bring it on!!! Each boat follows 3 swimmers, I am with Rosolino who leads the group. Off we go!! After about 10 minutes I was a bit out of breath. Rosolino appears to be powered by an engine. I look at the foam made by his feet and follow him. Despite my laboured breathing, I find a certain rhythm and think I can keep going. I don’t want to look at the clock, I don’t want to see the times but I think it will be a small personal record. I had never pushed myself so much in training. In the meantime, I can’t see the bottom anymore, only a mass of seemingly endless water and the light that permeates through to a certain depth.
You have to be careful of the jellyfish and not be afraid if you come across any big fish, probably swordfish chasing a smaller prey. To tell the truth I didn’t even have time to think – too much adrenaline and concentration. I only looked at Rosolino’s feet and the boat watching over us.
To fast forward, I lift my head and begin to see the Calabrian shore approaching. I’m no longer afraid of Scylla. The boatman who guided us through the currents and indicated the best direction tells us where to land and leaves us to it. These are the last strokes, maybe 400 metres! I don’t look at my watch yet, but I see the seabed appear. I’m almost there! I’ve made it! I still feel emotional as I write this. I think I’ll tell my children first of all…

I reach the end and touch the rock. I have to stand up, raise my arms and shout my number 13!!! I shout it out loudly. THIRTEEEEN!!! The timekeepers take the time, and I finally look at my watch! 52 minutes, 50 seconds. I can’t believe my eyes!!!!
I’m happy to join the group on the other rock. Marcello, Leila, Rosolino, Ninni, Cesare, Nino, Salvo, Gianluca we are all there! Group photo taken by Mario! What a sense of joyous achievement!!!
The boats take us back to our Sicily! Tradition dictates that we get our certificates which attest that the crossing took place according to the rules, without touching the boat etc and it’s on there that I read my exact time, 52 minutes, 57 seconds! I already want to improve on this! Next year I want to break the barrier of 50 minutes! Now for the customary celebration. A trip to the bar for granita or ice cream in brioche. The rest is history! I made it! And I want to go back!!