Armando Abelho, lifeguard coordinator of the Âncora - Fonte de Telha Lifeguard Association, assured, in statements to the Lusa agency, that the sea no longer behaves the same way, thereby warning of the need for bathers to heed the warnings.

“From the last week of May until yesterday [11 June] we carried out 12 rescues, something that did not happen in the last four seasons, because Fonte da Telha has always been a quiet beach, a reference beach in terms of safety”, he reported.

Bad weather altered the seabed

The bad weather that hit Portugal this winter, he explained, “profoundly altered the seabed and the entire coastline, from Fonte da Telha to the mouth of the lagoon [in Albufeira, in the municipality of Sesimbra]”.

"So, it's completely changed from what it was... what would I say? I knew it like the back of my hand. Now I can't say the same, today I can't say that," he explained.

Regarding the dangers in question, Armando Abelho explained that there are two permanent water towers that did not exist before and have required some work.

Disorderly parking

On the other hand, the coordinating lifeguard drew attention to the danger of disorderly parking and welcomed the idea that road traffic in the area be regulated, as foreseen by the Câmara de Almada in the district of Setúbal.

“As I usually say, yesterday it was already late,” he said, adding that sometimes ambulances have difficulty arriving to provide assistance due to parking and traffic on the Fonte da Telha road, which he described as chaotic.

In May, Almada City Hall announced that it will regulate circulation in the area, creating two parking spaces on Avenida do Mar, in Aroeira, a shuttle system that takes people to the beach, a roundabout, information panels with parking capacity and an access control system that prevents cars from entering Fonte da Telha when there is no longer the capacity to receive more vehicles.

Lifeguard shortage

In statements to the Lusa agency, the Âncora coordinator also warned of a shortage of lifeguards, noting that it has been "a terrible year" in this regard, with courses not being held due to a lack of candidates.

"I haven't remembered a year this bad in three or four years. We have managed this situation here with pincers, because we effectively have to guarantee the staff that is part of the integrated plans, but it hasn't been very easy", I lament, admitting that "perhaps it is becoming an unattractive activity for young people".

Âncora, he explained, works mainly with Portuguese lifeguards, but, due to the difficulties experienced, in recent times professionals from Brazil and Argentina have also been hired, as in other parts of the country.