We have often had family holidays around the town of Javea, overlooking the Spanish Mediterranean on the Costa Blanca. Light, buff-coloured cliffs tower over tiny coves, nestled between wide expanses of sandy beach. Logistics and bizarre local access restrictions have usually meant we’ve been limited to a few locations but in August 2023 I was determined to find a few interesting locations for Milky Way shots.

This part of Spain is very heavily light-polluted, with almost no coastal viewpoint undeveloped. But the coastline runs north-east to south-west, so it’s possible to capture the Milky Way directly over the sea for the first few hours of darkness. Finding obliging foregrounds is more of a challenge. I spent hours scouring Google Earth for interesting locations that were reasonably accessible, within a couple of hours’ drive from Javea. Despite the large search area, I ended up finding somewhere just 5 minutes from the villa in which we were staying!

Cova del Llop Mari is a small rock platform perched above the sea beneath impressive cliffs. During the day, it’s a haven for daytrippers aboard motor boats and paddle boarders, who dive off the platform into the turquoise waters and explore the gaping sea cave beneath the rock platform. There’s also a path - albeit quite a terrifying one - down from the road, which is partially stepped but at times seems to disappear. Practically this was the only way I was able to access the rock platform, and a daytime scouting exercise allowed me to familiarise myself with the more exposed and sketchier sections. The way back up in the baking sun wasn’t, however, something to be recommended!

I arrived shortly after sunset while there was still some light in the sky. Gentle waves lapped at the rocks, occasionally interspersed with a larger break that would splash water over the platform. Shining my head torch around the cliffs, several pairs of eyes stared back at me; I couldn’t quite make out their form, but I suspect they were wild or stray cats. They kept an eye on me all night - I think I was on their turf.

I had a couple of compositions in mind. The first was a simple view of the rock platform and cliffs dropping into the water with the Milky Way core above; it was early enough in the evening that the orientation of the Milky Way mirrored that of the cliffs. The composition allowed for a selfie as well.

However the composition I was most excited about was from within a small cave, which framed the Milky Way core perfectly. It was more than a little unnerving going into this cave at night, not least because it was intensely hot and filled with mosquitoes. But the prospect of a framed Milky Way shot was too much to resist, so the temporary discomfort was very much worth the end result, although I type this whilst scratching vigorously at the dozens of bites picked up on my arms and legs that evening!

There’s something quite special about shooting the night sky next to the sea. Both remind me of the vastness of this universe we call home. The combination of starlit sky, inky black waters and the sounds of the waves really help you to reset.