The value of surfing

I recently posted a bit about a California surfer/eco-warrior coming to Bali to help protect the environment of Uluwatu beach, one of the world’s top surfing spots.

Pro surfer and environmentalist James Pribram visited Bali’s Uluwatu beach and is working with local organization Eco Surf Rescue, which is trying to get Uluwatu recognized as a World Heritage Site.

It’s not hard to see why so many are fighting for Uluwatu’s future.

From an ESPN piece:

The entrance to Uluwatu is guarded by massive caves that loom over surfers. Beyond the cave are five wave breaks, with names like Racetrack and Bombie that create the beloved Uluwatu surf spot which seems designed for surfers. The waves roll in long tubes — smooth, predictable and fast because of the reef formation and wave patterns. The warm, clear water and waves that routinely rise 12 to 15 feet in the winter, are difficult for any surfer to resist.

photo by Bruno Ideriha (Flickr CC)

Also mentioned in my previous post was how Hawaii’s public school system is planning on sanctioning surfing as a high school sport.

An elementary school in New Port Beach, California is also offering surfing on the curriculum this year. Even kindergarteners are taking part.

From an article in the Daily Pilot:

This year, kids at the Balboa Peninsula campus can enroll in what may be the first elementary school surfing class in the nation. As soon as the last bell rings, kids and after-school instructors walk along the boardwalk to the Newport Pier, where waves roll gently into shore. It’s a scene only in Southern California.

And Hawaii, of course.

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