After couple hours in Charco Azul we decided to go to the other beach called Nogales beach.
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Nogales beach
Nogales beach, located in the municipality of Puntallana in the northeast of La Palma, is widely considered one of the island’s most beautiful and popular beaches. Its striking appeal lies in its dramatic setting and unique black volcanic sand, which often has subtle blue and grayish tones. Framed by towering, lush cliffs, the beach offers a wild and unspoiled atmosphere that attracts those seeking natural beauty away from more developed tourist areas. The contrasting colors of the dark sand, the deep blue Atlantic, and the green vegetation on the cliffs create a visually stunning landscape, making it a favorite spot for photographers, nature lovers, and those seeking tranquility. Its popularity also stems from the sense of adventure involved in reaching it, typically via a scenic path that descends along the cliffside, offering breathtaking views before arriving at the secluded shore.
Beyond its aesthetic charm, Nogales beach holds several interesting facts. It’s particularly popular with surfers due to its consistent and often powerful waves, though swimmers are advised to exercise caution due to strong currents. While seemingly remote, it has gained significant recognition, having been chosen by National Geographic as one of the most beautiful beaches in the Canary Islands. Its wild nature means it lacks extensive facilities, contributing to its unspoiled feel. Historically, it was less accessible, sometimes only reachable by boat, and was known as a nesting site for sea turtles before the current footpath was established.
Spectacular short hike to the beach.
It is perfectly secured with fences and actually I was walking down in my flip flops. I guess hiking shoes would be more comfortable. That cave in the middle looked very interesting.
I did get down (with my flip flops!) to inspect it closer, but since I didn’t have my torches to look well inside I headed back. It was also a bit steep and slippery with my flip-flops. Maybe next time!
The waves in the beach were spectacular and we could see a couple surfers, though it took them ages to catch a good wave. I’ve attached my video of a surfer in 2012.
Portuguese Man o’ war or Blue Bottles
Sometimes in Nogales you might see Portuguese Man o’ War (or Blue Bottle as they call it in Australia) washed up on the shore or even floating in the sea.
The Portuguese Man o’ War is a fascinating marine creature, often mistaken for a jellyfish, but it’s actually a siphonophore, which is a colony of highly specialized individual organisms called zooids that function together as a single unit. Each zooid has a specific task, such as floating, catching prey, feeding, and reproduction, and they cannot survive independently. This makes the Man o’ War more like a floating city of tiny animals working in concert rather than a single individual organism like a jellyfish.
One of its most distinctive features is its gas-filled float, or pneumatophore, which resembles an 18th-century Portuguese warship’s sail – hence the name. This float keeps it at the surface and acts as a sail, propelling it across the ocean based on wind and currents, as the Man o’ War has no means of self-propulsion. The gas in the float is mostly nitrogen and oxygen, but interestingly, it can contain up to 13% carbon monoxide, which the creature actively produces. Beneath the float trail long tentacles, armed with potent stinging cells (nematocysts) capable of paralysing and killing small fish and crustaceans. These tentacles can reach astonishing lengths, sometimes extending up to 50 meters (about 165 feet) below the surface.
It’s crucial for swimmers, surfers and beachgoers to be aware of the Portuguese Man o’ War. Their long tentacles are covered in venomous stinging cells that can deliver a very painful sting upon contact, causing immediate burning pain, redness, and raised welts that can last for hours. While rarely fatal to humans, unless paralysing effect will lead to drowning or poison will trigger a severe allergic reaction, a sting can also lead to more severe symptoms in some individuals, such as muscle cramps, nausea, fever, and in rare cases, allergic reactions. Even when detached or after the creature has washed ashore and appears dead, these stinging cells can still deliver a painful sting, a fact beachgoers often learn the hard way. Therefore, it’s always best to admire these fascinating, albeit hazardous, creatures from a safe distance and do not touch them under any circumstances.
Despite its powerful sting, the Portuguese Man o’ War does have predators, including loggerhead sea turtles, ocean sunfish, and certain brave sea slugs like Glaucus atlanticus, which can even repurpose the Man o’ War’s stinging cells for their own defense. Another interesting relationship is with the Man-of-War fish (Nomeus gronovii), which is immune to the venom and lives among the tentacles, finding protection and nibbling on the Man o’ War’s less vital parts or prey scraps. Found mostly in tropical and subtropical waters, these remarkable colonies can sometimes be seen floating in large groups of a thousand or more.
The last time I was here in Nogales, the beach was full of them after a big storm, which made the beach look blue. It meant no swimming in the sea as some of them could be still in the water. It looked like something like this picture from reddit below.
La Palma Lizards in Nogales Beach
Ah, the hardy inhabitants of Nogales Beach! While mere mortals might gasp at the dramatic black sand far below and the sheer, imposing cliffs towering above, the true aristocracy of this volcanic paradise are, of course, the lizards who have claimed the vertical world as their exclusive domain. One might picture them clinging effortlessly to sun-baked rock faces, enjoying unparalleled, if slightly terrifying, panoramic views, utterly unfazed by the dizzying heights and the persistent wind.
Atlantic Lizard are endemic lizards, meaning they are native and unique to the Canary Islands. The subspecies Gallotia galloti palmae is specifically found on La Palma. Adult males of this subspecies are notable for their appearance, often displaying a grey-black back with brighter spots and a striking blue throat pouch, earning them the nickname “bluebeard” (barba azul). Females are typically smaller and browner with lighter stripes. They are diurnal, meaning they are active during the day.
Gallotia galloti palmae are quite adaptable and can be found in various habitats across the island, from coastal areas to higher elevations, often frequenting open, stony terrain, including gardens and vineyards. Their diet is omnivorous, consisting of insects and other invertebrates, but they also eat plant matter like leaves, flowers, and fruits. This makes them important for the ecosystem as pollinators and seed dispersers. They lay eggs in warm soil, usually between April and July. While generally wary, lizards in areas frequented by hikers can become quite accustomed to human presence, sometimes approaching for food, though it’s generally advised not to feed them as it can make them too bold and potentially lead to bites. The larger, possibly extinct or critically endangered, La Palma Giant Lizard (Gallotia auaritae) is a subject of ongoing scientific debate, with very limited and unconfirmed sightings in recent years, contrasting with the more common and widespread Gallotia galloti palmae.
Dangerous waves of Nogales
The waves were quite impressive today and it was really entertaining to watch them break and was into the shore.
The lifeguard on duty (yeah they had a lifeguard, that has changed since 2012) in the beach has warned us in Spanish no to go deep into water. At least not above the waist as the waves were very strong and currents can take you far in to the sea and you will never be seen again. Well maybe you will wash out somewhere eventually, but you will be dead. Every year some people drown in Canary Islands mainly due to the strong currents. So be caerful!
Since the Sun was setting down and I was getting cold in Nogales beach. Also we had a long way to drive back to the apartment on the other side of the island. We packed up, showered (oh yes they have a little shower there!) and went back to the car, climbing the long, long stairs up.