Whether it’s day or night, rain or shine, there’s nowhere I’d venture and nothing I’d undertake without Oscar by my side. Oscar is this Scarlet Macaw Parrot I rescued from a sinking galleon that got caught in a terrible storm off Castrum Maris just as it was entering the Grand Harbour.

On the evening of February 4, 2010, the Vittoriosa seafront bore witness to an astonishing event straight out of a blockbuster movie.

What roams deep within the mighty walls of Fort St Angelo – or Castrum Maris, as it was referred to in Medieval times? Folklore whispers that is haunted by one of Malta’s most legendary spirits – the infamous Grey Lady!

One of the Grigal’s most dramatic showdowns happened in 1851. Major W. Porter wrote about how the waves the wind whipped up in Malta’s Grand Harbour were so powerful that they knocked down parts of Fort St Angelo’s walls.

Maltese fishermen from Cottonera have long feared the tromba (also called dagħbien or dragunara in Maltese), or waterspout, a natural event where swirling clouds form a funnel and draw up seawater, creating a powerful pillar that connects the sea and the sky.

For over 260 years, the people living in the Three Cities were influenced by the seafaring Knights of St John.

Although Thomas McSweeney died in 1837, his grave is carefully tended to this day, adorned with fresh flowers and glowing candles.

The tragedy of the Um El Faroud is a story of loss and sorrow, forever remembered in Malta’s history. It shows the importance of safety and the high price that can be paid when things go wrong.