I love being in the water, I just can't resist it. I've had this since I learned to swim some 30 years ago. I often wonder why is this feeling so captivating? Being surrounded by water is usually the main purpose of my travels. At the beginning of June 2021, I was swimming in the saliva (also called sea snot, formed due to the excessive proliferation of microscopic plants called phytoplankton) currently floating in the Sea of Marmara. I watched the slimy sheepskin coat floating on the water already from the ferry headed towards the Princes' Islands. I also saw the slime floating in the water and sinking to the bottom. I can't even think about what is currently happening to the ecosystem of these azure depths. After it came out of the water, there was a sticky film on my skin that felt dry and tight as it solidified. Never in my life have I witnessed such a catastrophe.