Posidonia Sea Weed and Dune Systems

The Minorcan dune systems have unique characteristics compared with the rest of the balearics and a great part of the West Mediterranean, as they are cross way, therefore, advance parallel to the dominant wind direction and independent to the orientation of the coast line. They can be found at some beaches along the north coast (Es Grau, Arenal de Son Saura, Tirant, Cavalleria, Pregonda, Cala Pilar and LA Vall) as well as at the Son Bou beach, the only exception of cross way dunes, in the south. On some occasions the dunes can penetrate up to two kilometres in land, giving way to an exceptional landscape.

The peculiar orientation of the dunes turn them into an ideal habitat for a number of species; such as the sea lily, the maritime eryngo or the suns purge.

The most internal side of the dune grows ligneous vegetation, on occasions with a tree or bush like aspect. There are trees such as the savin, the mastic and the mock privet.

The summer offers the chance of finding dark coloured remains of vegetation along the shores. These belong to the oceanic posidonea , a Mediterranean endemic marine plant, which forms authentic praries across the sea bottom resembling an underwater jungle an being an important habitat for the marine species living within. The remains of these plants does not mean any reason to contaminate, on the contrary, it distinguishes the quality of beaches which preserve their entire natural essence. Its presence is the best guarantee of good health for the Minorcan beaches.