Passions & Places

Marine Life
                                                     
Fishermen gestures have remained much the same, and have always been marked by the creaking of boats, by ropes sliding and by the rhythm of the undertow.

After a swift bustle of shadows in the darkness, the small fishing boats silently travel towards the open sea, in the salt air of the night. 

hen they will lower the nets in the most suitable place, to withdraw them full of fish, when dawn defeats the darkness and when the sea can reveal the profound magic of its reflections.

Nautical clubs hire their boats and the expertise of their crews in all the ports of the Marches, so that everybody can take part in the unique experience of fishing, when the wind inflates the white sails. 

It is also possible to engage in deep-sea fishing, to be face to face with a lonely tuna, hiring equipped boats to challenge the largest fish.

To discover the life in the crystal-clear seabed in the Marche region visitors can engage in diving activities organized by the numerous local associations, or simply visit the interesting Museum of marine biology in Fano or the large Piceno Malacology Museum in Cupra Marittima (boasting the largest collection of shells in the world).

As an essential vehicle of historical events, the sea is celebrated in many festivals and commemorations taking place every year on the coastal towns of the Marche region. 

One example is the Doge feast in Porto San Giorgio, which takes inspiration from events occurred during the 12^th century. The sea’s vital role is visible in several museums containing objects of fishermen and merchants’ everyday lives. 

These objects bear witness to the millenary relation between men and the sea, as is shown by the figure heads of the Sea Museum in Pesaro, and by the ancient tools kept in the nice Museum of seafaring civilization in San Benedetto del Tronto.

At last, when all of a sudden the sea calms down, in the delicate reflections of the last sunrays, even the most adventurous sea dog may be willing to seat and eat a steaming brodetto (a local fish soup), that delights the palate and warm the soul, before a new dawn, and before a new adventure begins in the Adriatic Sea.