Day 49 - Alicante - Tabarac Island

My only full day here in Alicante and I’ve devoted pretty much all it to hang out on Tabarac Island for a few swims and enjoyment of the scenery. It’s a very small island and is Spain’s first ever marine sanctuary established in 1964. Ferry ride was nice - water was almost glassy but the was a swell and the relatively small catamaran moved around quite a bit. The crew had to get a few spew bags out. I set off in quick pace determined to circumnavigate the island. It was a beautiful day - a bit overcast with clouds - perfect for photos. As it turned out it took probably only 2-3 hours to walk around. The north coast was more rugged and surf rolling in while the south side was protected more and the waters flatter. There were a few small groups of swimmers with SUP accompanying - clearly dedicated swimmers. As it turned out I saw them all latter. They were a swim crew from Alicante who do this swim on a regular basis. Just friends etc and a mix of ages and experiences. They just swam the southern shore - end to end - about 2Km. I just did a couple of short swims in the coves. Those pesky nibbling fish were about again if you stopped for too long. Saw a few other fish - but nothing really big or different even though it’s a sanctuary. I was expecting more.
There is a small community that live permanently on the island - but it’s really all about tourism and restaurants everywhere!! A lot were closed and those that were open - business was quiet. All up a great day out in the open and by the sea. A very flat island - so no look out points - but lovely scenery. Return trip back - the spew bags got used by a few!!Read more