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Swimmers in Cartagena can look forward to dedicated sea swimming lanes for the first time, with two marked channels planned for Levante Beach in Cabo de Palos and San Ginés Beach in La Azohía.

 

The idea is to make open water swimming safer and more organised, not to restrict where people can bathe. General beachgoers will still be able to swim as normal in designated bathing areas. The new lanes are specifically for those who swim longer distances parallel to the shore for sport or training.

 

Cartagena City Council has applied for permission to occupy part of the public maritime terrestrial domain so the lanes can be installed from 2026 to 2029. If approved, the aim is to have both operational by this summer.

 

The move comes as open water swimming continues to grow in popularity, leading to increased concerns about safety and clashes with jet skis and other small craft. Within the marked lanes, only swimmers will be allowed. Boats, boards and jet skis will be prohibited from entering, creating a clearly defined space where swimmers can train without worrying about marine traffic.

 

Both lanes will be 500 metres long and will run alongside the shore. They will be marked with buoys placed every 25 metres. The San Ginés channel will stretch between Cala del Pino and the eastern breakwater at La Azohía, with two lanes allowing swimmers to move in both directions.

 

The Levante Beach lane in Cabo de Palos will run roughly between the lighthouse breakwater and the northern end of the developed beach, also with a two way configuration.

 

Swimmers using the lanes will be expected to follow basic rules. These include respecting the buoys, not using the channel in rough weather and not leaving any waste behind. Moving or tampering with the buoys will not be allowed.

 

The council says the chosen beaches are already classed as sports beaches and were selected to provide one lane to the east and one to the west of the municipality. Other locations were considered but ruled out due to strong currents.

 

Maintenance has also been factored in, as storms have damaged similar installations in other coastal towns. The council intends to include upkeep in the contract to ensure the lanes remain usable throughout the four year period.

 

The estimated investment for the project is around €17,000.