Update 12th April – they were working in front of the Inatel hotel and are now moving eastwards. The new sand is about 2 metres deep in that area and has radically changed the beach. It may be that the bar owners and concessionaires will be happier as they will have more space on which to put their sunbeds and tables. But it will be a longer walk to the sea for the customers. At least the threat of erosion and inundation has been removed. Or it is to be hoped. The test of time will be important. Will the sand survive a big storm next winter? That is the hope.
I am note sure whether the project will extend to the other beaches eg Praia da Oura and Balaia, even perhaps Olhos D’Agua. There is no information I can find. The local Communist party has been putting up a poster around town denouncing the project as ‘landfill’!
I have added some pictures, taken on Monday 11th, to the start of the album here
Update 8th April – they had to have a day off on Tuesday owing to rough seas. Work resumed on Wednesday afternoon. They are now working between the pier and the Inatel hotel and that section of beach is closed. The picture below shows the sand spreader at work at the end of the pipe from the dredger about 200 yards offshore.
They are working 24/7 and it looks to me like the work is ahead of schedule. For those that know Albufeira, the work is moving eastwards and is now around the pier area moving towards Inatel.
Picture slide show with captions click here; pictures taken today, Monday 4th April
The new sand is a little darker and a little coarser than the old sand. We think it will dry out and weather down to a softer texture and lighter colour. It’s being dredged from the seabed and contains a large quantity of seashells. The fragments may cause a problem for little feet.
The sand is about 6 feet (2 metres) deep and perhaps 150 feet wide (45 metres) or so wide in places.
The new beach
We were there in May when there were storms. A huge trench opened up in the beach flowing with torrents of flood water. My husband managed to walk through the water coming from the hills butI had to go up the cliff and round by the road it was so strong. We took a photo of me standing in the trench that was left afterwards and I was below the level of the beach. I am 5’5” tall. I also have to confess to bringing a few shells home, they were so beautiful.