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Date Published: 13/08/2024

Vacation dedication on the Costa Blanca as beachgoers plant their umbrellas before dawn

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Torrevieja beaches have become the scene of sunrise stakeouts as bathers race to secure the best spot

Vacation dedication on the Costa Blanca as beachgoers plant their umbrellas before dawn

It's that time of year again when the sun-soaked city of Torrevieja becomes a bustling hub of summer activity. While for many, the idea of a summer vacation evokes images of relaxation and lazy lie-ins, the reality on some of the Costa Blanca’s busiest beaches can be a little different.

Think umbrellas and deck chairs as far as the eye can see and a friendly (or not-so-friendly) race to secure that prime spot by the shore.

And when the temperatures soar, you can bet that every inch of sand will be occupied by eager beachgoers. So, what’s a parasol-toting bather to do? Set their alarm clocks, of course.

In a hilarious and slightly surreal turn of events, the folks over at Proyecto Mastral have been keeping tabs on a certain dedicated beachgoer. Last Sunday, they shared a snapshot from a webcam installed on the famous Playa del Cura, capturing a lone umbrella planted firmly in the sand at 5.36am.

Yes, you read that right. This eager beach enthusiast has broken the record for the earliest parasol placement, ensuring their spot on the coveted front row while it was still pitch dark.

But believe it or not, he wasn’t the first dedicated early bird. The day before, another ambitious sun-seeker had set their alarm for just 10 minutes later, staking their claim at 5.46am. It’s hard to tell from the footage, but the beach authorities think it’s probably the same guy upping his game.

As Proyecto Mastral jokingly put it, “Now that we are in the Olympic Games, medals and records, it is possible that a new record has been broken in Torrevieja.”

While it’s easy to see the funny side, this very issue of snagging the best spot on the beach has very nearly come to blows up and down the Costa Blanca over the last couple of years. In Benidorm, the so-called ‘umbrella wars’ erupted when bathers started claiming their patch of sand at the crack of dawn only to head off back to bed for a few hours.

And again this summer, several local authorities are fining locals and tourists as much as 3,000 euros for abandoning their belongings on the beach.

In other news: EU reintroduces 100ml liquid rule at Spanish airports

Image: Proyecto Mastral

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