La Manga, Coastal settlement in Murcia, Spain.
La Manga is a narrow strip of land in the Murcia region that extends 21 kilometers between the Mediterranean Sea and the Mar Menor lagoon. The two coasts offer different water conditions: the Mediterranean side with waves and currents, the lagoon side with shallow, calm water.
The Spanish crown ordered the removal of dense vegetation in the 16th century to deprive Barbary pirates of hiding places. Centuries later, the strip developed into a resort area with hotels and residential complexes from the 1960s onward.
Water sports shape daily life along both coasts, where sailing clubs, dive centers and surf schools line up next to each other. Numerous regattas and competitions attract participants from across Europe every year, drawn by the contrasting conditions between open sea and calm lagoon.
Numerous access points to both bodies of water allow switching between Mediterranean and lagoon, with designated swimming areas making orientation easier. Water sport facilities are distributed along the entire strip and are usually clearly visible from the main road.
Natural channels called golas connect the Mediterranean to the Mar Menor, creating a water exchange system that maintains the ecological balance of both bodies. Some of these passages are only a few meters wide yet remain crucial for salt concentration and biodiversity in the lagoon.
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