Adeje Town Hall's Department of Tourism headed by Patricia Paulsen Fölling, has launched the campaign “Know the sea, stay safe", an initiative aimed at strengthening awareness and preventing water-based accidents among residents and visitors. The campaign has been launched during the winter season, coinciding with one of the busiest periods in Costa Adeje. Mild and stable temperatures allow swimming at any time of year, making it necessary to reinforce prevention and information outside the summer months as well.
The initiative is based on providing accessible information, practical advice and behavioural guidelines in marine environments, with particular attention to the most used swimming areas in Adeje. The campaign includes the active participation of Adeje Local Police, Civil Protection, Adeje Volunteer Firefighters, professional lifeguards and aquatic safety expert Eduardo Blasco, whose background in maritime risk education and management provides a technical perspective to the recommendations in the campaign.
“We understand that knowing the sea is not just an informative message, but a safety tool that saves lives”, said Councillor Patricia Paulsen Fölling, who stressed that the campaign “guides the public on how to interpret sea conditions, how to act in response to swell and what measures to take to prevent accidents”. She explained that the initiative combines training resources with signage at key points along the coast, social media dissemination and collaboration with bodies involved in public safety and healthcare.
“In Adeje we lost someone to drowning in August, and the data available this year across the Canary Islands show that prevention is more necessary than ever.” In 2025, around 60 people drowned between January and November in the Archipelago, with an average of approximately five deaths per month, with imprudence identified as the main cause in many cases. In addition, close to 187 people were affected by aquatic incidents on beaches and in swimming pools, including serious, moderate and minor cases.
In Tenerife, swell events have caused tragic incidents with several fatalities and people injured by wave impact at different points along the coast during this year, including recently requiring the intervention of emergency services.
Eduardo Blasco, who contributed his expertise to the design of the campaign, highlights that “understanding the signs of the sea, respecting official alerts and adopting prudent behaviour are key to enjoying aquatic environments”, and reminds the public that “the best form of prevention is to know the environment before entering it, respect safety rules and never underestimate currents or changes in weather conditions”.
In this first phase, the campaign is aimed at the public in general, both residents and visitors, with the objective of reinforcing basic self-protection messages and responsible use of the coastline at any time of year. Adeje Town Hall is already working on a second phase to be rolled out ahead of summer 2026, which will focus primarily on young people, with specific actions aimed at preventing risky practices along the coast, such as jumping from rocks or breakwaters, and promoting a safer and more informed relationship with the sea.
