Stretto di Messina

From Openwaterpedia

Stretto di Messina (Strait of Messina in English, Strittu di Missina in Sicilian) is the narrow waterway between the eastern tip of Sicily and the southern tip of Calabria in southern Italy. It connects the Tyrrhenian Sea with the Ionian Sea within the central Mediterranean Sea. At its narrowest point, it measures 3.1 km (1.9 miles) in width, though near the town of Messina the width is some 5.1 km (3.2 miles) with a maximum depth is 250 meters (830 feet).

A ferry service connects Messina on Sicily with the mainland at Villa San Giovanni, which lies several kilometers north of the large city of Reggio Calabria; the ferries hold the cars (carriages) of the mainline train service between Palermo and Naples. There is also a hydrofoil service between Messina and Reggio Calabria.

The strait is characterized by strong tidal currents, that established a unique marine ecosystem. A natural whirlpool in the Northern portion of the strait has been linked to the Greek legend of Scylla and Charybdis.

External links

For more information on swimming across the Strait of Messina, visit Traversata dello Stretto.