Dolphin spotting and open sea swimming from catamaran based in popular Costa del Sol harbour

It was rescued from oblivion and recovered, initially for family use, but has ended up being one of the most popular boats among locals and tourists in Caleta de Vélez, on the eastern stretch of the Costa del Sol.

Zostera is a catamaran made in Almayate Alto (Vélez-Málaga) that has become one of the must-do summer activities in the Axarquía. The advice is to pack light, but don't forget your swimming things and towel as taking a dip in transparent waters of the Axarquía coastline is one of the options on the excursion. The towel will also come in handy to lie on at the front of this catamaran, which has a large and comfortable area where you can sunbathe and take photos.

Many keep their eyes peeled for a glimpse of a sea creature in the crystal-clear waters. The Zostera does not promise, but it does say that dolphins may be spotted, either on a simple two-hour trip or on long excursions that go as far as the Maro Cliffs and include a generous lunch.

"Sometimes there are fishing boats that pass by and you can see them behind them," says Manolo, skipper and guide of one of the many expeditions that take place from La Caleta harbour, not only in summer but also throughout most of the year. However, there are many variables, such as water temperature, weather conditions, the passage of fishing boats or the whim of these friendly animals.

Zostera was launched in 2015 by Sebastián Martín and Lourdes Villalobos, who are also behind Chinchín Puerto, one of the popular eateries near the harbour. Zostera was designed for his family. "One day I went down to Cajiz, I saw it abandoned there and I thought of buying it for us to enjoy," explains Sebastián, who used to go out fishing with the largest trawler in Malaga province.

But from a private use this spectacular catamaran became one of the great tourist attractions of the Axarquía coast. It first passed through the marinas of Sotogrande and Benalmádena, but it was not its place. Nor was it Sebastián's, so he ended up in La Caleta, where he and Lourdes combine the excursions with running the restaurant.

One of the excursions takes in Torrox's lighthouse and travels west towards the Osborne bull on the hill in Almayate. In between, passengers can see La Maroma, Malaga province's highest mountain at 2,064 metres above sea level.