As the sun begins to shine, and although the official beach season doesn't start until June 1, Getxo City Council is already preparing its main sandy areas. As every year, thousands of people visit the municipality in summer, and to provide them with the best service, excavators and tractors are currently collecting sand that the sea has displaced towards the promenades, returning it to the water's edge.
According to municipal sources, the aim of these works is to «make the beach more welcoming for public use». By returning the sand to the sea, the Department of Environment of the Provincial Council of Bizkaia will have the necessary space to install essential services such as showers and waste bins. Once work is completed in Ereaga, the machinery will move to Arrigunaga.
As the sea pulls the sand towards the bottom, what we do is relocate it, piling it up so that the waves can carry it back.
Both beaches are heavily used, but Ereaga receives the most visitors each summer, with thousands of people arriving from other parts of Bizkaia. Of the more than 900,000 people who annually enjoy a swim and sunbathe on the Bizkaian coast, almost 100,000 choose Ereaga. It is the most visited after Arrietara-Atxabiribi, La Arena, and Gorliz.
Due to their orientation, spring tides and storms often hit Getxo with force. Consequently, the council must reorder, smooth, and level the terrain each season. While in Ereaga the issue is sand displacement onto the promenade, in Arrigunaga, it's the stones that surface. In the 1990s, in collaboration with the University of Santander, the council installed artificial dikes made of large rocks to reclaim the area, containing sand initially transported from Bakio.
Coinciding with the arrival of more tourists and users, from June 1 to September 30, OTA zone 5 will be activated, covering the area from the Old Port to the Marqués de Arriluce and Ibarra Promenade. Regulated parking will be in operation from Monday to Sunday, including holidays, from 10:00 to 20:00.
For the past two years, Ereaga beach has featured a modular adapted toilet, installed during the summer. Designed for people with mobility needs requiring assistance for hygiene, it allows them to also enjoy the beach. The module has been located next to the Igeretxe hotel and operates from 11:00 to 20:00.
