On 19 September they swim from Lanzarote to La Graciosa: El Río turns 29

On 19 September they swim from Lanzarote to La Graciosa. The Travesía a nado El Río reaches its twenty-ninth edition and remains the most recognisable sporting fixture of the year: the start is around 12:30, a time set by the tide rather than the clock.

El Río is the strait separating the two islands, the one you look down on from the Mirador del Río. From up there it looks like a still blue band. From inside it's another matter: it's a channel, with the current pulling and the water changing colour as the bottom rises.

Entries opened on 17 June — 9:00 for adults, 12:30 for minors — with a cut-off time to complete the crossing. It's run by the Cabildo de Lanzarote through the island sports service.

Non-swimmers can watch from either side: from Órzola and the north coast, or waiting for the finish at Caleta de Sebo. The ferry to La Graciosa leaves from Órzola and fills up on those days: go early.