"We're not going to get out there today," Asier Fernandez says matter-of-factly.

The flag at the tip of the sandy strip of land at Es Trucador is red, and the water is churning, topped by white froth.

For Spanish guide Fernandez, the tidal flow is too rough for his small inflatable boat.

Fernandez regularly shows tourists the delightful coast of the Spanish island of Formentera and the handful of tiny Mediterranean islands around it, including the small private island of Espalmador.

On calm days, you can even wade through the shallow channel from island to island, even though authorities warn against this because of the speed with which the tides change and sea currents clash in the gaps between the islands.

In the pre-season that lasts until the end of May on Formentera, the smallest of the Balearic group of islands, nobody would ever get the idea to wade from island to island. It's too cold.

Most tourists are happy enough to stay on Formentera's more touristy stretches of sand in the north.

But once the temperatures start reaching summertime levels, the equation changes.

Each year, according to Tourism Office figures, around 800,000 visitors descend on Formentera.

Those with grander expectations seclude themselves on the posher beaches of Espalmador.

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Coastal surprises on Spain's islands