Sunbathers in Agia Marina have recently discovered that the only thing retreating faster than the tides is the beachfront itself. On May 8, the Chania Town Hall attempted the impossible: round up the city’s dignitaries, local business owners, and various council leaders to talk seriously about beach erosion in Agia Marina—without anyone falling asleep between admissions of guilt.
The mayor of Chania, Panagiotis Simandarakis, presided—because if your beach vanishes on your watch, you at least owe the people a meeting. Alongside him:
- Municipal Council President Manolis Karagiannakis
- Deputy Mayors Giannis Drakakakis and Nektarios Psaroudakis
- Agia Marina’s community chief, Aris Soilentakis
- The city’s legal advisor, Eftychis Damianakis
- The ever-alert Konstantinos Stamatakis, representing both the Active Citizens of Platanias and Blue Flag aficionados island-wide
Local residents and business owners also turned out, which isn’t surprising, since businesses built on sand don’t fare well once the sand checks out.
With the gravity of judges and the enthusiasm of people wishing they were at the beach, the meeting tackled the specifics:
- The condition of Agia Marina’s coastline is described as “worrying.” (Understatement of the year.)
- Key causes? Human interference—including a certain harbor that won an unpopularity contest.
- Data was shared, the word “erosion” was uttered repeatedly, and alliances formed and dissolved faster than sandcastles at high tide.
As Mayor Simandarakis put it—without a hint of poetic flourish, “It must be made clear: the construction and location of the Platanias harbor have caused immense damage to the east.” He cheerfully cited research from the Hellenic Center for Marine Research, which spelled out what everyone suspected: man-made projects, not invisible beach elves, are creating the chaos. “We don’t oppose harbors,” he added, “but we insist they should not ignore environmental consequences.”
The Future
Faced with disaster—and the loss of precious tourism revenue—officials threw around words like “protection,” “restoration,” and “sustainable planning.” Even the president of Agia Marina’s local community, Aris Soilentakis, sounded determined. “We discussed how to act, as a community and a municipality, to safeguard the interests of local businesses and residents.”
Key next steps, scribbled in bold atop well-worn notepads, include:
- Commissioning a thorough environmental study focusing on how to stop the sand escape
- Exploring restoration plans for infrastructure and beaches
- Keeping the issue firmly on the municipal agenda, lest anyone think beach erosion in Agia Marina is yesterday’s news
The matter will reappear at the next City Council meeting, ensuring that no one forgets the sand is still missing.
At a Glance, What Matters:
- The beach in Agia Marina is vanishing—literally;
- The main suspect: the construction of the Platanias harbor;
- Frustrated residents and business owners want solutions;
- City officials shuffle plans, paperwork, and promises;
- A comprehensive environmental study is now underway;
- The debate continues at the next council session.
In what can only be described as a study in municipal dread and beach nostalgia, everyone agreed on one thing: sand didn’t walk off on its own.
The next episode will feature the same cast, though it’s unclear if the coastline will make a cameo. Residents and tourists, meanwhile, are left to wonder if the only way to stop beach erosion in Agia Marina is to stop building anything—or maybe just move the town hall closer to what’s left of the sea.
