Santander Bay
PROGRAM BEFORE LEAVING ...
Take a bag from home to deposit your garbage and
if you want, pick up other garbage that you can find on the beach.
If you smoke, remember to bring a box from home where you can store your cigarette butts.
Do not access the coast by unauthorized routes or by unmarked routes.
Park in the areas equipped for parking and without interrupting the flow of traffic. Consider, for example, if an ambulance would pass on the road where you have parked.
Reduce the speed of your vehicle as you approach the parking area or areas where there is a flow of pedestrians.
Always access with authorized vehicles and whenever you can, choose the least polluting means of transport when you enter and / or transport through the bay.
If you think that an access to the bay has been closed irregularly, being a public access, do not hesitate to inform the authorities.
If the beach you are going to access does not have a toilet, remember the importance of going to the bathroom at home before going out.
If you are going to play a game on the beach, preferably choose the less noisy option.
Do not bring glass or objects that can break into small pieces.
Always choose the least polluting option:
- If you are going to use a sun cream, or hair oil, choose an option that is biodegradable or ecological that does not leave residues in the water.
-If you are going to clean a utensil in the sea, for example a tableware, always use a biodegradable dishwasher.
Find out what are the areas of special protection in the bay and find out what restrictions these areas entail.
Contact the entities that manage protected natural areas if you are going to travel through them.
Plan your outing and everything you will need in your access to the beach or the sea.
In your activities within the Bay, act within the law. Find out what legal requirements you must meet to carry out your activity. E.g. if you are going to shellfish or rent a boat.
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The climate in Cantabria is very unstable. When you access the coast, especially if you are going to do a water activity, confirm the weather forecast and be prepared for sudden changes in the weather. If you are going to access the beach with children, always take change or additional clothes for sudden changes in temperature. Cancel or postpone any activity if a change in the weather could put you or others involved in the activity in danger.
leaves a positive mark
ACT IN THE BAY ...
When walking on sensitive soils or with delicate plant species, avoid stepping on them (eg in the dunes).
Be considerate of the other users of the bay whenever you access it. Consider not only other people, but also the bay's own fauna. Keep in mind that pollution is not just garbage, noise pollution also alters the conditions of the environment and the local fauna.
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If you find a marine mammal or bird (dolphin, seal, eagle, etc.) that you think may be sick or injured, report it to SEPRONA . This is very important if the animal is still alive. Returning them to the sea can be a risk, especially if they are young.
Do not urinate in the sea , always look for a toilet where you can do it.
Preservation of the natural habitat, leave what is from the beach on the beach: do not take shells, sand, or stones or coral that you can find on the beach. As well as no algae, branches or any trunk that may have carried the tide.
Do not disturb the bay animals, especially the birds in their nests or the mammals in their burrows during the breeding season.
If you find dolphins on your journey through the Bay, do not approach them from behind or from the front, always from a side and keeping a safe distance of 100m if possible.
Do not leave your garbage on the beach and never throw your cigarette butts in the sand, take them with you or deposit them in the bins set up for it.
If you go fishing, return the small fish to the sea.
If you have excess water, juice or other liquids, do not pour the rest of the content into the water.
Avoid straws and plastic cutlery if you are going to eat some food on the beach.
Do not light fires or bonfires without authorization . In any case, do it in conditioned areas and if possible collect all the remains of your fire when you leave.
Do not feed wild animals , this changes their eating habits and family or group behavior, even making them aggressive when associating a hiker with food.
If you are doing an activity with a means of transport through the bay, control the speed and reduce it if there are other boats . Always respect the areas marked for the bathroom.
Respect all the signs that you may find on the coast.
Don't bring street art to the beach , don't do graffiti around the bay.
Do not break or damage the urban elements or those installed by the municipality around the bay because they are everyone's heritage. Have special care and respect for the nests installed for the osprey.
Shake off your towel, shoes, and other utensils that may have filled with sand (eg toys) before leaving the beach. If you can, also clean your feet with water from the showers or sea water before leaving.
Be cautious when sharing sensitive information about protected species and collaborate when you observe a situation of risk for them.
Take your garbage with you or deposit it in the appropriate trash. It is important that if you recycle you do it right, a container in the wrong bin breaks the recycling circle.
If you find an object of something of value that is technically recovered or that may have historical value, you must report it to the police
Camping outside the designated areas is prohibited.
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In the bay with your children ...
Warn your children to be respectful, do not harm the flora and fauna that they can find in the bay.
Do not take items from the bay such as shells, crabs, plants ... and if they catch a fish with their net, let them return it to the water! Inform them about the importance of making sustainable use of the resource that the bay represents for the family.
If your children help you clean the beach, keep an eye on your children and make sure they don't pick up sharp objects, animal waste, or dead animals.
If you enter the bay with your dog ...
Make sure it is a beach that can be accessed with dogs. Always give preference to beaches where dogs are specifically authorized, such as El Puntal beach (only the southern area, next to the Somo Pier).
Regularly deworm your dog to avoid contagions or infections as a result of its access to the coast.
Make sure that they are not going to disturb the local fauna or other people and that you do not step on the dunes.
Dog stools can be a source of infection. So it is important that you take any stool that your dog may make on his walk along the coast.
If the dog is going to bathe, make sure he keeps his distance from other bathers.
Remember that dogs must be leashed and muzzled if they are dangerous breeds.
Whenever you have the opportunity to access the coast, take your garbage with you and, if possible, any piece of garbage that you find. Check what can and cannot be recycled and take it to the appropriate container.
Removing garbage is not only to keep the coast visually beautiful, but each bottle removed from the beach is an element that will not end up in the food chain, killing marine fauna or polluting the seas.
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