The old fisherman squinted through the hard Mediterranean light and bent his head toward the cluster of chattering tourists in the town square. "At least," he said, "they're better than prisoners."
The little cactus-covered volcanic rock island of Ustica, off the northern coast of Sicily, was the scene last week of the 3rd International Underwater Convention, drawing 500 flipper-snapping, snorkel-bearing aquaphiles. The convention marked the emergence of a brand-new tourist resort, for until two years ago, Ustica existed almost entirely as a prison island; now Italian tourist agencies and promoters have dubbed it the "Underwater Capital of the World,"...
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