Stranger On The Shore

They do some strange things on the beach.

Another beautiful afternoon for a yomp by the water’s edge in Playa de Muro, a beautiful afternoon for engaging workmen in somewhat fruitless conversation. Too busy working perhaps, or maybe they are not used to someone who so obviously is not a “local” asking them what they’re doing. “Arena”, that much I discerned. I had presumed this was the case. “Arena” is sand by the way.

What they have been doing is this: by access points to the beach, they have been building fences in a V-shape made from bamboo. Where one road leads to the beach, there is already a fence – a straight one. Now, just onto the beach, there is another one. There is still just sufficient room to get past it, but only just. By a “balneario” (beach bar), both the paths that have been formed in the sand and dunes have had these fences erected at the beach end.

Uncommunicative the workmen may have been, but their explanation was clear enough. The fences are to stop sand, to stop sand blowing onto the road and up paths and other access points. Well maybe they are, though if fences are built with bamboo sticks (with gaps between them) will sand not find a way through? And if there are gaps to either side of the fence, which correspond with the access gaps of the first fence, will sand not find its way through to the road when the wind blows in a convenient direction?

If the intention is to stop sand, might some other form of structure not have made more sense? It all seems rather half-hearted, and I can’t help but wonder if there isn’t another half-hearted reason for these fences – to try and deter the bringing of all the paraphernalia that finds its way onto the beach. They won’t stop that, not that they necessarily should. Nor, I suspect, will the fences stop the sand. It’s like when they roped off a fair old portion of the beach and dunes in the “rustic” part of the beach. It was, said the sign, to allow some birds to nest. Maybe it was, but was it just coincidence that the same portion of beach and dunes was popular with the kit-off sunbather? No, I’m sure it was just coincidence. Forget it. Strange things on the beach, let’s not go there.


QUIZ
Yesterday – Jack Good. Today’s title – well it could be, as in getting stranger, couldn’t it? Anyway, which clarinettist?

(PLEASE REPLY TO andrew@thealcudiaguide.com AND NOT VIA THE COMMENTS THINGY HERE.)