Environment

Clear water in Palma

Blue waters in Portopi. | Pere Bota

Majorca Daily Bulletin reporterPalma08/04/2020 12:07

In a similar way to what has happened in Venice, the sea in Palma has become much clearer because there has been so little maritime traffic over the past few weeks. At Portopi and Can Barbarà, for example, the colour of the sea is normally ochre and green. Right now, it is a colour that would be inviting for swimmers - were there any.

Oceanographer Xavier Pastor says that this phenomenon will not last long. It is obviously the consequence of the confinement. "Propellers disturb sediment, which clouds the water. It is a scenario that will end when the restrictions are lifted."

Amadeu Corbera, president of the environmentalists GOB, points to this phenomenon demonstrating "the resilience of nature, when human assault ceases".

Recently, dolphins have been seen very close to the coast. Pastor notes that this isn't exceptional, but "the absence of maritime traffic encourages" the dolphins to get closer to the coast.