Large rock appears on the beach at Cala Ambolo
The beach is officially closed, rocks still fall from the cliffs, but the public still visit in the summer.
In the centre, in ochre colour, the large rock that has detached itself from the Cala Ambolo cliff.
Saturday 6th January 2021 | CARLOS LÓPEZ (Xàbia AL DÍA)
The dangerous state of Cala Ambolo is obvious. However, although there are two large signs which prohibit access to such a precious beach, it is one of the most frequented coves in Xàbia during the summer, which forced Xàbia Council to implement daily surveillance and access controls two years ago.
La Cala is located at the foot of a huge cliff. A cut that surprises locals and strangers. The charm of the beach is partly that cliff. This Friday XAD entered the zone on foot and walked down to the beach. And indeed, as Quico Gregal reported yesterday on social networks, a large rock has detached itself from the cliff in recent weeks and has almost reached the water. The two images attest to this.
The first was taken in June, the second this Friday just gone.
It seems that the rock was dislodged in the last month, quite likely due to the heavy rains registered during the second week of January, caused by the Storm Filomena.
XAD heads to the beach
The visit to La Cala is depressing, an abandoned area which the town hall insists that is closed. The access road to the path is full of holes, plants and even some trees. The wooden fences that serve as fences are broken. On the path the vegetation grows freely, pine trees with nests of the processionary caterpillars within reach of anyone, and aromatic plants -lavender- that give colour and smell to the walk.
The path does not go to the end because the action of the sea has destroyed it. And it is this part that is in the worst condition. The slope that supports the path itself has given way, and the meshes that were placed when it was built barely restrain the rocks.
Rocks and stones make up this first part of the beach, the second is already covered in boulders. And there is the huge rock that has fallen. In the part closest to the cliff remains of that dislodgement. The cliff is imposing.
When XAD spoke to councillor Toni Miragall (Beaches), he explained that the council hasn’t given up “doing something there” but added that “right now there are other priorities“. He also confirmed that Costas has directed any calls about interventions in the area to Xàbia, as reported by XAD back in November 2020 when a question to the Ministry was returned with the answer that “matters of safety in bathing places correspond to the local authorities, therefore any intervention in this sense corresponds to the local administration“. The councillor also insisted that the beach “is closed due to the risk of landslides” and, despite this prohibition, during the past summer “people continued to head down to the cove“.
Miragall also claimed that at least this summer, with the different control actions implemented, “the residents have been happy” since the barrier was lowered when there was no room for more cars on the sides of the streets of Calle Guiseppe Verdi, Calle Richard Wagner and Calle Samuel Adler.
What is true is that Xàbia Council has conveyed a motion to Costas that was approved in summer in relation to Cala Ambolo and that was presented by the PP, which among others demanded the regeneration of the beach and the necessary actions for the reopening of it. Something that for now, despite Xàbia’s insistence, seems like a pipe dream.
Click below to read this story in Spanish on Xàbia AL DIA
