TABARCA

 
 
 

TABARCA IS A SMALL ISLAND JUST OFF THE COAST OF SANTA POLA. WITH MOST OF THE GROUP GONE TO BARCELONA FOR THE WEEKEND, ALEX TOOK THOSE OF US WHO REMAINED IN GUARDAMAR FOR THE WEEKEND TO THIS WONDERFUL ISLAND FOR A SATURDAY AFTERNOON.

 

 

 

THE FERRY FROM SANTA POLA DROPPED US OFF AT A SMALL BEACH/PORT SPANNING BETWEEN THE TWO MAIN PARTS OF THE ISLAND. ONE SIDE WAS DEVELOPED WITH A SMALL VILLAGE SURROUNDED BY A WALL. THE OTHER SIDE WAS UNDEVELOPED AND CONSISTED OF ONLY A FEW BUILDINGS SCATTERED ACROSS IT. WE DID NOT GET THE CHANCE TO WANDER THROUGH THE LATTER SIDE, BUT ARE PLANNING ON RETURNING FOR A MORE THOROUGH EXPLORATION OF THE ISLAND.

THE ISLAND IS HOT AND SUNNY WITH LITTLE TO NO SHADE. THE FEW TREES THAT ARE PRESENT ARE INADEQUATE IN RESOLVING THIS SITUATION. ALEX AND I HAD TO RETREAT UNDER THE CANOPY OF A SEAFOOD RESTAURANT TO AVOID THE MIDDAY SUN. THE SEAFOOD WAS EXCELLENT! WE ATE SEVERAL COURSES OF FISH AND RICE AND HALF A DOZEN CANAS. ALONG WITH THE ARROZ WE HAD IN LA MARINA, THIS HAS BEEN THE BEST MEAL OF MY TIME HERE IN SPAIN. WE PAID A LOT FOR IT (RELATIVELY), BUT YOU DON'T HAVE MANY OPTIONS TO AVOID ISLAND PRICES

 

THE SMALL CHURCH WAS AN ICON OF THE ISLAND ALWAYS BEING FRAMED BY THE VARIOUS PORTALS IN THE FORT WALL. THE DOORS WERE CLOSED, SO I'M NOT SURE IF IT IS STILL IN USE. THE EXTENSION ON ONE SIDE OF IT LOOKED AS IF IT HAD BEEN FALLING APART FOR QUITE SOME TIME.

 

AFTER THE AFTERNOON MEAL WE EXPLORED SOME SMALL COVES ON THE SOUTHERN SIDE OF THE ISLAND. JP, MERNAZ AND IAN DID SOME CLIFF JUMPING. JP... YOU REALLY REALLY CRAZY

WE LATER CONTINUED ON TO ANOTHER SMALL COVE FOR SOME SNORKELING AND CAVE EXPLORATION. BOTH THE SNORKELING AND THE CAVES WERE GREAT. UNFORTUNATELY NO UNDERWATER SHOTS. THE WATER WAS VERY CLEAR AND THERE WAS ABUNDANT MARINE LIFE. I BELIEVE THAT TABARCA IS SOME SORT OF A MARINE RESERVE. WHEN WE RETURN, WE PLAN ON DOING MORE SNORKELING AT OTHER SPOTS AROUND THE ISLAND.

NOAH