With all the packages finally delivered, it's time to tell you about the magazine we sent to subscribers Secret Mag Club of April 2021: Sirene Journal n. 12. A magazine that tells the philosophy of the sea, the feelings and passion of those who experience this natural element in its purest and least touristy or "beach" form. Once again the rough alchemy of Shiro Alga Favini paper, combined with the perfect printing of magnificent sea-themed photographs has hit the mark, making this project beautiful to touch and relaxing at the right point to immerse yourself in its texts.
Number expected after a pause a little longer than usual, which in the meantime saw the release of the Book of seafarers, Sirene 12 delicately explores the world of the islands which, in almost all the stories and articles present, are the distinctive element of the issue.

We were struck by the carnality and physicality of this edition: already other times swimming and man's direct contact with the sea has been told by Sirene, but the opening article on bodysurfing is a small masterpiece. A practice that precedes the invention of modern boards, the text by Andrew Crockett tells how sliding between the waves with only your body and a good pair of fins has been practiced for many years as the truest essence of surfing. And in the surf community, even today, those who know how to slide hundreds of meters into the tube of a wave without a board enjoy unparalleled respect. The body is told in all its naturalness also in the article by Rossella Venturi on the Art of Japanese Swimming, made up of a body that tries to make the least possible effort between rolls and slides to move lulled by the force of the water. 

Beyond our carnal perception as readers, we said, the islands are the landings along which publishers accompany us. One of these is Anafi, the beautiful Cycladic duckling which is two hours by ferry from the much better known Santorini and which with a real wild travel tip becomes a dream a little further on for those who were planning to go to Greece. The other island that scratches the minds of the most inveterate dreamers of the sea is Île-à-Vache, a fishing village and boat builders off Haiti in which life has stood still decades ago and fishing and construction of small boats all different from each other are still the main source of livelihood. The Batiman, typical local boats made of wood with ancestral tools, characterize the story. The islands conclude the issue with the photos of Camille Robiou Du Point on the island of Siargao, Philippines.

In addition to bodies in the water and islands, issue 12 of Sirene Journal also tells of lone travelers sailing, sea libraries around the world, from Procida to our beloved Jurmala, of a small example of a maritime-style house and of sustainable fishing in India. Finally, the most magical story is that of Matteo Trevisani, who addresses the dichotomy between the five oceans and the 172 seas existing in the world, describing the indefinite vastness of the former and man's ability to rationalize the latter instead.

Sirene Journal n. 12 is available at Frab's HERE

April 25, 2021 — Dario Gaspari

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