Georgia might know the answer to this

Just idle curiosity really, but does anyone know what the man-made structure is which is just visible on the horizon off the beach at La Marina?

I was solemly assured on Saturday afternoon in the Gallego Restaurant on the beach that 'it is a line of redundant submarines moored up awaiting scrapping'! - (does Spain have a navy, never mind redundant submarines?)

As I say, just curiosity, but a bevy or three rests on the answer.

Any ideas, Georgia?

Steve.

I was told that they were fish enclosures, they keep them in there until big enough to be released, no doubt to be caught again. I believed it at the time, but now I,ve written it, it sounds a bit strange!

As only a frequent lurker nowadays, I don't know what those things are off La Marina but the comment "does Spain have a navy, never mind redundant submarines?" does deserve a reply.

The Spanish Armada is one of the largest in Europe with an aircraft carrier of the "Principe de Asturias" class plus one currently undergoing build and due for commissioning in 2010 (Alfonse Class).  It has four naval commands based at Rota, Cartagena, Ferrol and San Fernando with a small squadron based at Las Palmas in the Canary Islands..  With 21 frigates, 14 submarines (with another 8 planned) and a host of auxillary vessels, amphibious landing craft, minesweepers/layers and many others, it is the 3rd largest navy in Europe after the UK and France. (In size of ships, that is).  It also has Harriers and Cessna Citation combat aircraft plus a large helicopter fleet including Sea Kings and Sea Hawks.  There are 5 x F100 class frigates (really big ones with awesome capabilities) whose task is to escort the aircraft carrier and there is another F100 in the pipeline which will complement the new aircraft carrier and replace the current F70 "Descubierta" class of corvettes.

Most of the surface vessels  are Spanish built and the submarines are a French/Spanish collaboration.  The submarine fleet is based at Cartagena and you can even see a decommissioned submarine (and have a tour round it) at Torrevieja.

It also has 30 or so coastal combatant vessels (known as LCS - Littoral Coastal Ships) it is well suited to defend the Spanish coast including the Balearics (2 of the frigates are based at Palma de Majorca) and the Canary Islands (hence the squadron based at Las Palmas). 

The Spanish forces stopped conscription in 2002 and all members are now professional volunteers.  In terms of manpower, the Royal Navy has some 36,000 personnel with 75 ships whilst the Spanish Navy has less than half that wtih around 50 surface vessels. (Marines are included in both those figures)

The website of the Armada Espanol shows the number of vessel plus information on how to join (they have Escuelas Maritimos) either the naval branch or the marine branch (they have a really cool 4 masted sailing ship. the Juan Sebastian de Elcano  used for training which I saw when it visited Cartagena a couple of years ago.  Have a look at it here

Doubt if those things off La Marina are decommissioned submarines but would be interested to know what they are.

Bye Bye again.

 Sorry Sten,not a clue,unless you were looking at the Island of Tabarca which is just off the coast there..........

A great post by Bobaol by the way...a shame he chooses to limit his always well informed and educational postings...

Just a thought, could it have been the 20,000 out of work Estate agents massed together in a shoal swimming back to Blighty??!!

WOW!! - suitably humbled!

Steve.

The floating structures which can be seen are indeed manmade fish farms. The fish are transported to the farms, fattened up and then, they are not released but they are sold to fishmongers, restaurants etc etc.

These fish range from tuna, dorada and lubinas. On various ocassions these farms have suffered damages and the local beach and harbour fishermen have a fantastic month.

Between Torrevieja and Cartagena I am aware of at leat 30 plus of these man made structures.