For some reason or other I have lately made it my business to seek access to some of Mallorca’s calas and calós. In my endeavours I found it, at times, difficult to encounter access or gain entry. Not all Mallorcan calas present themselves with sandy beaches where, naturally, access would be provided to accommodate tourists. Some calas are pebbled whilst others, especially on Mallorca’s east coast, are rocky. Some of these rocky surfaces are anything but inviting to the human foot and seem to want to repel any intrusion. Access is often restricted.

The Caló d’en Manuell in Portocolom (photo) is a rather attractive rocky bay. One day last week, I sneaked through the gardens of the Jardin del Rei urbanisation and slipped out through a gate in the fence towards the coast. There is no access to the water and there is no beach. Once down at the waterfront, I found it rather tricky to navigate around the cove or to trace my steps back to where I had come from. It seemed easier to tumble along the uneasy sharp rocks and seek an exit on the other side of the bay. Once there, I found apartment buildings with fenced gardens but I had already done enough trespassing for the day. Eventually, I found a public path leading back up to the civilization, somewhere near the Bar Sivines. There might be better access by boat.

The photo was taken in Portocolom, Felanitx, Mallorca, Baleares, Spain. The date: March 17th, 2011. The time was 11:40:31.