Bella Italia – Eco-trip to Southern Italy

At the start of the sixth term, half of Year 10 set off together for southern Italy. During the week, it wasn’t just about relaxing on the beach – our days were packed with exciting activities. 

During the 15-hour coach journey, we stopped off in the town of Pompeii. The ancient buildings and streets left a lasting impression on us and gave us a glimpse of how people used to live there. On a guided tour of the ruins, we learnt more about the history of the ancient city and the lives of its inhabitants. As is so typical in Italy, we had pizza for dinner. 

A visit to the Blue Grotto of Palinuro was on the programme for the following day. Together, we took a boat into the grotto and were then given the chance to snorkel along the rock faces. For many of us, it was our first time, but everyone had an incredible amount of fun exploring the little fish and the sea. We then took part in a workshop on seagrass beds and examined Neptune grass under the microscope.

Over the following days, we didn’t just stick to theory: some of us caught plankton in the morning, which we then examined under the microscope and watched as it moved. After an introduction to diving, we did our first exercises with diving tanks in the pool. In small groups, under the guidance of our instructors, we learnt how to move safely underwater. In the evening, we played volleyball outdoors together and enjoyed the evening. 

The next day, we went kayaking. First, we paddled across the sea, then down a river. Afterwards, we learnt about hard seabeds and fluorescence, and we were later able to observe what we’d learnt in theory whilst night snorkelling. The night-time snorkelling was definitely a highlight of our eco-trip for us, as we encountered numerous sea creatures – we even spotted an octopus.
To round things off, we finally went diving in the open sea. We took a boat out from the harbour and were able to explore the underwater world of the Mediterranean. 

After five eventful days, we set off on our return journey to Salem. The eco-trip was a special and formative experience, full of unique moments that will stay with us for a long time to come.

Photos: Katharina Schlicht and Julius L.