We are in the province of Agrigento, not too far from the sea, in an area between the municipalities of Sambuca di Sicilia, Sciacca and Santa Margherita Belice. Among the wheat fields, the woodlands and the gentle hills of the Sicani mountains, there is Lake Arancio, an emerald set in the lap of the Sicilian countryside.
Despite being an artificial lake formed in the late 1940s after the construction of the dam that regulates the flow of the Carboj River, the basin has become an oasis that hosts a rich resident fauna and, periodically, a population of migratory birds. These include the Gray Heron, the Teal, the Curlew, the Cormorants, the Storks, just to name a few. In addition to the breathtaking beauty of the lake, with its blue and green color that stands out against the yellow and brown of the surrounding fields, the surroundings offer extremely suggestive views, such as the town of Sambuca di Sicilia, nestled on a hill overlooking the valley, or the Bosco della Resinata and the Tardara gorges, two areas of great scenic charm. Just as the surrounding countryside that is enchanting, especially in Spring when the golden ears sway in the wind, filling the air with their relaxing rustle. In Summer, when the water level reaches its minimum, it is sometimes possible to observe the ruins of the medieval fortress of Mazzallakkar, built by the Arabs and completely submerged for most of the year.
Due to its naturalistic value, since 2000 Lake Arancio is a protected area of ​​wildlife interest entrusted to the management of the LIPU (Italian Bird Protection League). Many years before this, in 1983, the lake hosted the water ski world championships.
To reach the lake is very simple, the state road 188 in the direction of Sambuca di Sicilia, runs its entire length. A secondary road then follows its perimeter, allowing to stop a few steps from its banks.
This short film was shot in May 2020 during my stay in Sciacca, the first release after the hard months of the first lockdown caused by the SARS-COV 2 pandemic. For the shooting I used my old and trusty Canon Legria, the GoPro Hero 7 from the moving car and the Mavic Air for those from above.
The photos are by Francesca Sparatore who used a Nikon D7500.
Since this is a video with an essential editing I used i-Movie, a rather reliable software for simple jobs.
The song “Innocent Face” is by E. Grenga, C. Lawry, D. Stevens, M. McMahon and is available on Audio Hero.
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