A stone sentry

Overlooking the sea from more than 350 feet up, this pocked rock formation is named for the fierce creature it's said to resemble. Sailors since at least the days of Homer have valued Roccia dell'Orso (Bear Rock) as a navigation aid in rounding Sardinia's northern tip. From a distance, the 'bear' appears as a watchful guardian over the sea. Up close, its heavily eroded form proves that just like passing ships, this stone sentry is at the winds' and waters' mercy.