Appreciation of our planet and of nature with its rich diversity of forms has been growing in recent years. These are gifts that mankind holds in trust. We are collectively responsible for their care and sustenance; a charge to be grasped with our hands, held in our hearts, and addressed with the full power of our intellect.

Although the human family has grown to six billion, it occupies only three tenths of the surface of the globe. The power and magnificence of the oceans and their ever-changing seascapes are humbling and inescapably fascinating to all who are exposed to their wonders.

It is my hope that the beautiful pictures presented in this volume, many of which were taken on the clear waters of the Costa Smeralda, will provide everyone with added inspiration and determination to appreciate and protect a resource that is vital to the existence of us all – the sea.