The story of the underwater spikes in Qawra Point has been stretched to some extremes. I have been going there for almost 60 years and, though always aware of those blunt iron spikes, any danger was remote.

When the tide is out or the sea is at a certain low level, the spikes are clearly visible and, naturally, avoided by all. They are hidden from the eye when the sea is rough and with a northwesterly wind.

The concrete block in the middle of the shallow pool (where the iron spikes were) was the base of the tall angle iron structure erected there during the war when the possibility of an invasion by the German and Italian forces was ever present but, fortunately, never materialised.

The spikes are the remnants of the bolts that kept the structure secure. More than 30 years ago, I had retrieved the top part of one of the bolts.

It is recounted that during the war this structure used to hold firm five canons in case the enemy decided to invade, particularly from the northern part of the island where the coast is almost at sea level.

In addition, the structure complemented a curtain of barbed wire along the coast where angle iron can still be seen to this day fixed to the hard rocks.

Part of the iron structure mentioned above is still in the Qawra Point pool and, in my opinion, it is more dangerous than the spikes. Twelve years ago almost to date I had alerted the War Museum about it also because I felt it should be retrieved and preserved as a relic of World War II. A week later, Antonio Espinosa Rodriguez, manager of collections and conservation at Heritage Malta, copied my letter to the Superintendent of Cultural Heritage. Nothing happened since.

I am willing to identify the exact location of the structure even to the brave divers who have removed the spikes.