DAMNED FLOAT!

Welcome to Magaluf, where everything is allowed for the sole purpose of fun and debauchery among our beloved British neighbors.

On my way from the airport to the resort in Magaluf, I chat with the taxi driver, who assures me that neither he nor any of his colleagues dare enter "the lawless city" that Magaluf becomes at nightfall. Frustrated, he tells me that recently, hooligans, as a new form of entertainment, capsized a taxi with a passenger inside, with law enforcement passively watching, instructed not to spoil the fun as it's a good source of income. Income, really?

Anyway, I arrive at the resort, which includes a water park supervised by a team of lifeguards, led by a very competent person, a joy to talk to, who knows the ins and outs of the facilities, safety, and emergency measures.

He recounts the incident. Just see how life can turn in the silliest of ways.

A group of British girls, each sitting on their own float, with their bottoms inside, at the edge of the wave pool. They were chatting loudly in Shakespeare's language, which is so hard for us Spaniards to learn. The siren signaling the start of the wave system sounds, and the lifeguards position themselves around the pool to warn and supervise the bathers. Note that we're talking about waves barely reaching 80 cm at their peak.

Piiirrrrrrrr! The chief lifeguard whistles and the system starts. Of course, the group of Brits continues their lively conversation, ignoring everything around them.

The waves begin, slow, spaced out, and not very high. As one of these small waves reaches the shore, one of the girls loses her balance and falls backward, hitting her head and spine on the bottom where the water was barely 40 cm deep. The outcome was very serious.

The moral of this story is that whenever you're on a float, mattress, or any other aquatic device, either in the sea or pool, it's better to be in an area where the water is at least one meter deep, to avoid such incidents which unfortunately happen and can ruin your life and that of your families.

I wanted to share this incident because, at first glance, a float seems like one of the most harmless things out there, but I'm sure from now on, you'll view them with a bit more respect.

Next time, I'll tell you a different story that regularly occurs in the beautiful coastal town of Magaluf, which is becoming world-famous, and not precisely for its beaches.

Alberto Garom