The beaches in Alcudia and Playa de Muro "opened" on Saturday. The official start of the season (May 1), and it rained. The best-laid plans and all that ... . The morning was wet, but the sun came out later.
In Playa de Muro, the sunloungers and parasols aren't out at present. The town hall has yet to tender the concessions and is not considering direct management (which is how Alcudia does this). But the rescue service is fully operational. There are thirteen lifeguards on duty from 10am to 6pm; there will be two more in July and August.
The beaches have opened despite the uncertainties at the start of the season - only nine hotels are due to be open in May. Safety measures are as they were in 2020. The wearing of masks is obligatory on the walkways, and there is constant disinfection of facilities. For this summer, says beach services coordinator Toni Carrió, an app will indicate occupancy. When 75 to 80 per cent capacity is reached, "we will be forced to close the beach". This wasn't necessary on Saturday.
In Alcudia, a third of the total number of sunlounger and parasols sets have been put out. The showers are open, they having been closed last year as a Covid precautionary measure.
Councillor Domingo Bonnin, responsible for the beaches, explains that safes are available with the sunlounger sets. "There is demand for this, and a disinfection protocol will apply in the same way as for sunloungers, toilets and showers." The town hall will also be undertaking analyses of sand to assess the impact of disinfection products that are used for the likes of sunloungers. All these products, says Bonnin, are "approved and of proven effectiveness".