A day in the Marine Reserve of Cabo de San Antonio

Toni Martínez and Luis PérezThese are the names of two people we decided to accompany on a hot summer day. And who are these two people? It will be the question that will come to mind for the reader. The answer is easy: they are in charge of ensuring that the biodiversity we have in the area of Las Rotas continue to exist.

Stealthy, high-speed sailings, illegal fishing, people who drop anchor where you can not and so on. If it were not for Toni and Luis all this happen and groupers, bream, sea bass and the Posidonia and other seabed would disappear. However, today, we enjoy one of the best marine reserves in the east coast.

We enrolled in his boat, good morning to see how one of his busy days. They do not have time, leave when they think they can catch more people committing illegalities and go to unthinkable hours to catch them unawares so we can stop them.

"The Marine Reserve that we have here has five of the seven sea beds that can be found throughout the Mediterranean"He assures us Toni, who is city official and having a premiso professional pilot boat. Martinez speaks proudly of his book and knows that without them would have destroyed much furtive, as happened in the years 90 when there was still no regulation.

Just outside the entrance to the port, Luis binoculars gets down to eye level. He begins to look far to find those who are doing something illegal. It does not take long to find them. Indeed, when we're five minutes out of port, the sailor currency to a suspect vessel is angling does. "The majority of those who fish with cane are people from outside who do not know the regulations"He says.

Toni about his zodiac pillaged the boat. They are with several rods and bait ready to throw and catch. As Luis said before, they are not from here and do not know that it is forbidden. That is why they are not lifting the act of denunciation. Collected between apologies and go quietly, not if you do get caught. To keep track takes pictures to the boat and so if the illegality is repeated can denounce them.

And we continue the route to the Cape of San Antonio. Let watching the cliffs and Toni, passionate about the wildlife in the area we will explain that there is in every corner of the stone wall. It tells us where each nest cormorants that nest here and lists all bird species can be found. It makes a perfect analysis of all the landscapes we see on the cliffs, it informs us where every cave and as each zone is called.

We arrived to Xàbia without having seen much irresponsible. There the sailors catch your snacks and restock forces; necessary, and knowing that maybe not go home to eat. In summer, as we said before we do not have schedules. They are based on the number of ships that are in the sea and so there are days leave at 6: 00 in the morning and return at 16: 00 to get back out again at 19: 00 and return to the 00: 00 hours of the night. That day, however, there's little boat, no good day.

In the port they speak with professional fishermen. These thank them for the work of vigilantes they do. Men who go to sea not interested so from poachers have always worked with the Coast Guard. Chat with one of them finishes his workday at sea and this tells him he knows of a furtive few days ago took a very large amount of fish. They are aware also that these pieces are sold to restaurants in black. They can not do anything if you do not get caught or taking fish or selling.

They are not afraid of the waves or bad weather. Luis and Toni come out rain, wind, storm or shine. "Whenever the poachers can leave we have to leave" they tell us. Indeed, furtive, which are of greatest concern, leaving at least one imagines. "There have been dog days, in the middle of winter when we left and there were illegal fishermen with their harpoons".

Returning from the neighboring town, suddenly turn around Corporal Luis currency with goggles something that worries him. He knows that what he sees is beyond what the reserve is delimited by the depth (the reserve has its limits from the 20 meters deep, this is sometimes closer and sometimes farther from the coast, made which makes it not a straight line) but should go see what is already warn. This is a boat in which he is an amateur underwater fishing (spear fishing). He is not doing anything illegal because, everything and be close to the limit, is out. Watchers warn you, this ensures know where you can fish and let him go. The two men who accompany you probably know that when they leave this man will get into the protected area.

No doubt, they ask more people. They are just two to monitor a large area. They need more people. This would enable monitoring does not cease even an hour.

Little more are on that day. A pair of high-speed boats are stopped and warned and a jet ski that has the forbidden step booking via this year. Nothing compared to the previous day which had much more work.

Back to port while Toni goes on to explain everything they do, especially in the summer months. Besides monitoring, rescue if necessary, and as they have done several times. On the other hand, they have many projects in mind for improving surveillance and to assist in investigations carried out in the area, such as cetaceans. They are proud to be one of the people in our coast are more dolphins and whales. Also they collaborate with universities and the Oceanográfic (with turtle conservation, for example) and believe that in the coming years more people interested in studying the area have.

Confident that, with the new consistory, may come to have initiatives that contribute to the improvement of awareness towards the Marine Reserve. routes snorquel respect the area with information panels submarines, respectful buoys to tie the background and enjoy the seabed, activities with children and guided tours to see the birds in their nests routes, etc. Toni and Luis are sure that nature tourism in our area can be expanded thanks to this magical place for them.

That same day they take us to his office, in the old vocational training center behind the Castle. There they give us all kinds of information about the limits of the area as well as the animals that live in it and they take the opportunity to show us something very precious to Luis: his underwater photos, which are impressive. In the same way they show us his treasures: the material seized from poachers. Harpoons, fins, flashlights, buoys and nets.

When we thought we would end our day Martinez receives a call. It is a base commander Maritime Rescue Valencia. The call is to warn that going to make a mock helicopter off the coast of Dénia at 21: 30 hours of the night and needs the cooperation of the launch of the reservation. Toni used to it gives an affirmative answer without hesitation invites us to watch him go. We agree without thinking, because not every day you can see a helicopter rescue operation at sea at night.

This, for sailors of the reserve accounts for more hours but need to do so, because today it is a sham but tomorrow can be a real rescue.

At about 20: 30 pm we turn to meet with Martinez and Perez in the Marina de DeniaWhere they moored their boats. We go to the meeting point, about three miles from the coast in this direction. The sun starts to go and out the mouth we see that the waves have become larger compared to the morning. This does not preclude the need to make the maneuver (remember that when there is more bailouts when more bad weather, so the weather is perfect).

We hope we reach the point and the radio call. He arrives at about 21: 25 and a few minutes later we saw the helicopter in the distance. Quickly they come to our meeting with high-voltage spotlights and raising air and water in its wake. Soon the performance begins. First the rescuer winning swim pulled our boat. Luis and Toni, helmet and life jacket, help raise the expert and then a doll that makes victim is pulled. Climb aboard the victim and the rescuer is soon put a harness and above the rise. Then the rescuer hooked up on a rope and the helicopter leaves.

This time it was a short drill. Toni, to compensate for the hard work they have to do rescue members offering them a gift: baubles. When the helicopter and return to the tower, are contacted by radio to acknowledge the help and how not detail. From rescue they are delighted to work with the Coast Guard here. They know they can count on them for any dangerous situation.

Thus ends the day these two sailors. Port tired again, knowing that they will have to get up very early to go back to sea or out with the drive down the coast to catch by surprise to those who seek to break the rules.

The underwater scenery we have is a jewel of the coast of Levante and why we must take care a lot of life out there we can not lose. These two men are responsible for their care and after spending a day with them we realize the importance of their job are few in our town and they depend much more than we think. The duty now is to reward all this hard task respecting their work and respecting most importantly, Marina del Cap de Sant Antoni reserve.