BENAGIL CAVE Standing on the beach of Benagil cave was certainly awesome, and it was the highlight of our short trip. The water lapped onto the sandy beach and echoed as it crashed and whooshed up its walls. Wet shells glistened around us, and our bare feet left new footprints in the deep, damp sand. Rock formations rose from the floor, but even more electrifying were the predominantly orange strata in the rocks which formed the cave around us. They were illuminated by the sunlight, which streamed in through giant holes in the roof, the blue sky intensifying their color. No wonder it is considered one of the world’s great natural wonders. It is a phenomena that can only be reached by boat, and it requires a skilled boatman in a small craft. Even with those things, it was not possible to land, and we scrambled overboard,
splashed into the water, and waded ashore. The boat retreated, not to return until it was time to leave. Sometimes the water appeared bright green; at other times it turned iridescent blue— the result of light filtering through the water as we moved and the depth changed. The cave stretched way back and slopped upwards. Its size was immense. We roamed and photographed for about half an hour before the boat returned. Then as the swell was sucked towards the entrance and ebbed and flowed, we ran towards the boat and clambered on board. On this calm day, and at low tide, it is difficult to imagine that this immense cave had been carved out by the action of the sea. At times, the powerful waves fill the entire space, and its crashing swell is responsible for the openings in its roof.
REIS-NICHOLS JEWELERS MAGAZINE [ 31
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