The harbor master of Portimao has decided to prohibit the entry and exit of canoes, kayaks and surfboards on six beaches in the municipality of Lagoa, near the Benagil Cave, one of the Algarve’s most popular tourist attractions.
The measure, which came into force on September 10, aims to “protect human life at sea, provide assistance and ensure the safety” of ships and people visiting the cave, the September 9 notice said.
A document published on the website of the National Maritime Authority and signed by Portimão’s harbor master, Eduardo Godinho, states that the measure applies to the beaches of Vale Centeanes, Carvalho, Benaguil, Marinha, Barranquinho and Albandeira, all in Lagoa, in the Faro region.
According to the notice, the relief and emergency exemption measure will remain in effect “until mechanisms are in place to control the flow of these vessels in the water column adjacent to these beaches” because it is non-compliant. are subject to fines.
The harbor master of Portimão justifies this measure, recalling that the coastal coastline in the area is mainly composed of rocks that are “permanently or periodically” exposed to the sea.
“The natural evolution (erosion) of cliffs occurs in a discontinuous and intermittent sequence of flash landslides, and such dynamics pose a hazard to users of this coastline,” the document states.
Since it is impossible to predict the occurrence of possible landslides, and given the exponential growth in tourism activity in recent years, this is a way to ensure the safety of swimmers flocking here, he notes.
According to Eduardo Godinho, those who rent this equipment end up going to small beaches located in dangerous areas, without any controls to limit the number of users who have access to the sand and water column.
Thus, large accumulations occur in the water column while local shipping traffic in the area is also high, often leading to accidents in between,” he says.
In the notice, the person in charge also points to the fact that users and visitors to Benagil Cave “significantly” outnumber boat users in the area, most of whom are private individuals or clients of other companies.
When reaching this cave under their own power, they often land on the interior beach, which is “completely covered by risk strips of rocks,” meaning it is entirely in an area “potentially exposed to debris from possible mass movement.”
Proof of this, concludes Portimão’s harbor captain, are the visible blocks on this beach, which “are the result of debris from previous recorded movements.” Determining the conditions of access to Benagil Cave and the need to determine the maximum limit of human capacity in the area has already led to the creation of a working group consisting of several organizations.
According to the Regional Commission for Coordination and Development of the Algarve (CCDR), the group met for the first time last Wednesday and the next meeting is due to take place in the second half of October.
Located next to Benagil Beach, in Lagoa, the cave is one of the main tourist attractions of the Algarve, namely the Benagil Cave, a vertical cavity in the rock that arouses the curiosity of many tourists.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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