Journal of the seventyfirst day on board

12th July, 1999

For us: NOTHING

Time: 4,30 Caterina, my wife, starts copiously chumming once again, with a determined look.

Time: 11,10 Its been 15 hours since we've been chumming less than 100 metres from the coast and still nothing. We decide to lower an "underwater eye” to inspect the bottom and what do we see? Sand, sand and more sand.

Also the lobster pot is empty. There is no trace of any fish and even less of sharks. Perhaps the fish have scarpered because of their fear of the shark? Perhaps, but I don't think so. It could be that Mariano saw a shark but the animal was only near the coast by chance and only for a short amount of time. In the 3 hours it took for us to arrive maybe the shark could have swum miles away, to find a more suitable environment and where, above all, there's prey.

Time: 11,20 I take the decision to break off this operation in which I'm no longer have much enthusiasm and decide to weigh anchor towards Bancotto: a reef around 14 miles south east of Lampedusa. We have it on strong recommendation.