The size of the sandy beach of Arillas is different almost every day. It all depends on the current of the sea and the direction of the wind which moves the waves.
Sand is a liquid element with specific dynamic.
The shape of the beach depends on whether or not the waves are constructive or destructive.
Constructive waves move sand up the beach while destructive waves move the sand down the beach.
If the wind is from the south then the waves move the sand towards the sea resulting to a decrease of the width of our beach.
When the wind blows from the north , then it moves the sand out of the water making the beach wider. Three days of north west wind ( Maistro ) can give us a width up to 2 meters a day.
This is why most of you who regularly return to Arillas are most of the times surprised by the shape of our beach .
The beach profile changes seasonally due to the change in wave energy experienced during summer and winter months. It is higher during the summer due to the gentle wave action during this season. Conversely, the beach profile is lower in the winter due to the increased wave energy associated with storms.