Despite it raining most of the day and the sky being resolutely grey, the beach was still busy. Now that the new coastal road has been built, what used to take almost two hours from Lagos takes about 40 minutes — although the beach road itself is so bad that it feels as though half of that time is spent travelling the last few kilometres!
I’m never quite sure why some places just have a great vibe, but Barracuda definitely does. Unlike some of the beaches around Lekki, which can be overpriced and sometimes feel as though everyone is more worried about how they look on Instagram, Barracuda is inexpensive, unpretentious and attracts a wonderfully diverse crowd who seem to have come for one reason: to relax, listen to music and play in the waves.
There are people selling souvenirs along the beach, but without being aggressive or intrusive, and the horse riding is genuinely good fun.
There’s also something wonderfully refreshing about sitting on a beach with a cold beer, listening to music and laughter, and watching everyone enjoying themselves.
And, apparently, the child in me is still very much alive — because give me a warm ocean and some decent waves and there are few things I enjoy more than simply playing in the sea.