Well, it looks like the last of the winter, or first of the spring, gales have been playing havoc with the beaches along Costa Tropical.

Costas has been saved from criticism for failing to prepare the beaches for Semana Santa by the very unbeach-going weather because any work already carried out on Playa de Granada in Motril has since been swept away.

Over in Almuñécar, Playa Cotobro has disappeared at its eastern end, which is its usual party trick when the waves get a bit boisterous.

The Councillor for Beaches (present or absent) Lucía González, has been posing pensively yet heroically for the press cameras on Playa Velilla and Playa del Pozuelo. If it had been Benavides, he would have been photographed shaking his fists, like King Canute, against the incoming waves.

Yes, Councillor González pointed out that Playa del Pozuelo had fallen victim to Rambla Caballero, and that this would have to be sorted out. She also mentioned shelves cut into Playa Velilla near the water park and on Playa Cotobro where the sea has been misbehaving, as well.

She lost no time in stating that Almuñécar has long been demanding a groyne to protect Cotobro Beach... ever since the Romans, it would appear, but the old fisher folks will tell you, as they mend their fishing nets and knock back shots of El Mono, “What you take from The Sea, The Sea will take back elsewhere!” This basically means if you build a bloody great, water park on top of reclaimed land, then you can kiss good bye to beaches further along. Never mind!

Undaunted, the Town Hall has sent out armoured divisions of tractors and determined workmen (determined not to do too much) to sort out the beaches, just in case a Nordic lunatic decides to recklessly sunbath on the beaches this Easter…

(News/Noticias: Almuñécar, Costa Tropical, Granada, Andalucia)