Low tide and 'Caminho de Moisés' attracts crowds to Ponta Verde Beach, Maceió The receding tide transformed Ponta Verde Beach, in Maceió, into one of the busiest spots in the capital of Alagoas this week. With the so-called "zero tide", thousands of people took the opportunity to walk along the famous Caminho de Moisés, a strip of sand that connects the beach to the reefs and only appears when the sea level reaches extreme lows. ?Join the g1 Alagoas channel Tourists and residents walked along the sandbank until close to the lighthouse, an area that is usually underwater. The natural pools also became more accessible and attracted visitors looking to bathe and contemplate the landscape. Tourist Carina Carvalho, from the interior of São Paulo, was surprised by the phenomenon: "It feels like we were on a pilgrimage. It's sensational. Yesterday we managed to get halfway there, but today it's incredible. I had no idea how great it was here." Also enchanted was Mohamed Rasvi, a native of Sri Lanka who has lived in Brazil for ten years. "It's charming, very beautiful. I think I'll visit it several times," he said. READ ALSO: Construction of a luxury building blocks views of the sea in Maceió and generates criticism; see before and after Catamaran sinks on Ponta Verde Beach, in Maceió; VIDEO ?What explains the phenomenon? Moses Path, in Maceió. Charlene Araújo/TV Asa Branca Alagoas During the morning, the sea level reached the lowest point of the day, with just five centimeters deep, as predicted by the tide table. According to the environmental consultant at the Alagoas Environmental Institute (IMA), Lays Nascimento, the extremely low tide is the result of astronomical factors, mainly the alignment between the Sun, Moon and Earth, which intensifies the gravitational force and causes so-called tidal peaks. "The gravitational force of the Moon, aligned with the Sun and the Earth, causes these peaks of tides, which can be very low or very high. This low tide doesn't just happen in July. We will still have other months this year with similar peaks", explained the expert. Orla de Maceió Charlene Araújo/TV Asa Branca Alagoas Lays also stated that the Caminho de Moisés de Ponta Verde exists because of the natural formation of a sandbank in the region. "This sandbar is formed by sedimentation caused by wind dynamics and the passage of water between the reefs. At lower tides, like this week, it is more exposed and allows people to cross," he detailed. Alert for preservation With the increase in visitation, IMA reinforced the importance of environmental preservation at the site. "Reef environments are alive. Many people look at them and think they are just rocks, but there are corals and several other organisms there. Therefore, it is essential to avoid trampling on corals, not removing or handling marine animals and collecting all trash produced during the visit", advised the consultant.