LIFE

Why We Need a Cross-Atlantic Reality Check on Beach Safety

I spent my day at the beach searching for a missing kid — he didn’t make it

Lifeguard tower in the United States | Photo by on

Yesterday, I spent the afternoon at the beach searching for a missing kid. When I made it back home, I learned he drowned.

My fiancée and I have been on a road trip across the Alentejo Coastline. We call it the Vincentian Coast (Costa Vicentina) and what was once a well-kept secret is now a popular tourist spot, especially during summer.

We had planned to escape those wide sandy beaches with dramatic cliffs and drive further inland to a river beach.

We had lunch and arrived at the beach around 1 p.m. expecting a quiet afternoon set in what promised to be an idyllic scenery for soaking the sun.

From the minute we stepped onto the beach, we noticed something was off. There was a big commotion and people were distressed and pointing to the water.

This inland beach is a popular spot for locals, but the reviews online mentioned the peaceful and relaxing atmosphere, a pleasant contrast to the highly sought-after beaches of Porto Covo, Zambujeira do Mar or Comporta.

There was anguish in people’s eyes. Some folks were just standing there holding…