Beach sans bikini

February 24, 2013

Praia Galheta (beach) brags clothes optional. Galheta is a more breathtaking beautiful and remote location than Praia Mole and just beyond the latter’s limits crossing large boulders and a sandy narrow path. The nudie beach also sports a fresh water bamboo pipe that refreshes the bathers after a dip in the salty sea. A small snack bar grazes the end point where one can purchase freezing beer, chilly sodas, cold water and increases-your-cotton-mouth salt-based chips. A wonderful afternoon traversing through the crowds of cheerful umbrellas, long surfboards, sweat-drenched bodies and a sand sculptured dolphin at Mole. Too bad I didn’t bring my camera nor did anyone else in the group. In actuality not many beach lovers choose to strip and sun bathe, including our troupe.

Navigate dental floss sized bikinis and skimpy mens briefs that lie atop brilliant sarongs. Nearly everyone seeks the shade of a large beach umbrella. The few little snack shacks rent out the sun blockers and lounger chairs so the tourists don’t have to drag everything they can think of to make their day pleasant at the beach.

The surf is perilous and there are many red warning flags on poles at the edge of the churning water. The numerous lifeguards wearing blood red and yellow garb are scattered across the stretch of sand, atop towers and a set scoots thru the roaring waves on a gigantic and powerful Waverunner. Several people were carried out in the forceful surf and had to be towed in. We only heard of the alarming incidences via the gossipy patrons of the bar. Music blares across the drifting sand and couples don paddles to hit a rubber ball back and forth in the shallow water. The parking lots on the water side are packed-in and traffic bumper-to-bumper in the blazing sun. License plates stamped from all over the southern part of the state line up along the perimeter of one beach after another on the slow drive home.

Strong winds blew fine sand in my hair, skin is gritty with salt water and eyes bleary from the sun and long day at the beach. It is the only night of the week our novella fails to appear on television so we have to settle for a movie on cable.