Imagine you’re sitting in the lineup at the Point, forced to watch flawless lines marching down Supertubes’ famous shelf, with only wealthy surfers allowed to surf it? It’d be off-limits to you because you couldn’t afford to stay at the massive exclusive resort recently set-up at Pepper St.
Sounds like a far fetched nightmare, right? But this may well be the case for local Maldivian surfers at two of their most prized waves if a new proposal put forward by Singaporean investment company Telos Investments goes through.
Telos Investments wants to develop a ’boutique’ surf resort on Thanburudhoo island, home to two of North Malé’s best waves – Sultans and Honkies. If this proposal gets approved – which is looking highly likely according to long-time local surfer Ahmed Nasru (Mickey), who claims the process smacks of underhanded dealings – then the number of quality spots in the area which are open to locals will halve. This will leave only Jailbreaks (on Himmafushi island) and Cokes (on Thulusdhoo island) as the last quality reef passes in the area without exclusive rights and open to local surfers.
Privatization of surf spots is nothing new. For decades now entrepreneurs and even companies have been buying up land adjacent to quality surf breaks from South America to North Sumatra, claiming rights to the breaks in front of their resorts, and making them exclusive to guests.
Sultans in full swing.
Local surfers from the North Malé atolls of the Maldives are very familiar with this process. Some of their finest surf breaks – like Lohifushi and Pasta Point for example – have been deemed off-limits for many years after resorts were built on the islands hosting these waves. It’s something the local surfers have learned to live with, because they always had a few other quality spots in the area to fall back on.
If the Telos Investment proposal goes through, that will all change as their last few quality spots are gobbled up by privatization.
And then of course there is the ethical question: it’s becoming increasingly clear that privatization not only infringes on local surfers’ rights to freely access the reefs and islands they’ve inhabited and lived off for centuries. It also ensures any visiting surfers who can’t afford to pay the prices of these ’boutique’ resorts will instead be forced to sit shoulder-to-shoulder waiting for a set at the last two quality spots in North Malé. The knock-on effect could even lead to surf tour operations going out of business – why go on a surf trip when you’re not allowed to surf half the waves? The end result would mean locals not only lose out on waves, but for those employed by, or operating their own surf tour business, their very livelihood could be threatened.
Honkies and Sultans will most likely get their very own viewing deck, like Pasta Point here, if the proposed deal goes through.
In a bid to be ‘fair’, the July 2011 proposal submitted by Telos Investments to develop the 3.6 hectare Thanburudhoo island states: “The resort will open its doors to Maldivian surfers for a special surfing session twice per month”.
It then goes on to state that, “Unlike other resorts which do not allow local Maldivians to surf, Thanburudhoo would make available two surfing sessions per month, most likely Friday mornings or Saturday afternoons.”
It might sound like a fair deal to the authorities, but it’s like a slap in the face for the local Maldivian surfers, which is why they’re looking to raise awareness about the proposal, and come to a more agreeable conclusion.
While this may not affect most of us directly, many readers will have experienced the perfection, quality and beauty of the North Malé atolls first-hand, and would be able to relate to the local Maldivian surfers’ plight.
Anyone interested in lending their voice to the opposition of further restrictions to North Malé’s quality breaks, can contact Ahmed ‘Mickey’ Nasru, a local Maldivian surfer who is hoping to keep the Maldives surfing dream alive for the locals of North Malé.
Ahmed Nasru (Mickey) – info@surfinmaldives.com
Read more about the development here>>
On what basis do the privatize the ocean? Does the property line not end at the beach?
Apparently the Maldivian government grants landowners property rights up to 700 meters out to sea from the island’s vegetation line. I know this is really really sad and utter bullshit! :/
[…] … Telos Investments wants to develop a ’boutique’ surf resort on Thanburudhoo island, home to two of North Malé’s best waves – Sultans and Honkies. If this proposal gets approved – which is looking highly likely according to long-time local surfer Ahmed Nasru (Mickey), who claims the process smacks of underhanded dealings – then the number of quality spots in the area which are open to locals will halve. This will leave only Jailbreaks (on Himmafushi island) and Cokes (on Thulusdhoo island) as the last quality reef passes in the area without exclusive rights and open to local surfers. Read more […]
Great article.
Surf Tourism in the Maldives need some serious organizing. I don’t think our government has a single clue about surfing/surf tourism. Its ridiculous when they say locals can surf twice a month. IS that a Joke? What if there are no waves on that day? What if its on-shore? Waves are something people cant control. Its mother natures gift.
Clearly waves cannot be owned or bought. Everyone has the right to access these waves.
And few things regarding surf tourism here. These boats thats going to run out of business well i don’t really care anymore. How many of those boats gives job opportunities for surfers? Only a couple i can say. Local surfers really dont benefit from surf tourism here. It does not contribute anything for the development of the sport here. All it brings are the crowds.
I dont mind people coming here from all over the world and sharing our waves but all i am saying is that locals comes first.
If Thamburudhoo is lost, It will be the biggest regret in my life.
Peace
Dear ZigZag Team thanks for that article. Those waves are a truly gift of mother nature to anyone and should not be privatised. This Government needs to stop selling out their priceless spots for a handful of dirty Dollars! lets try to fight back – everybody please sign the petition.
I hope Julias Malema doesn’t get wind of this!
He’ll be moving into a very nice house in Flame Crescent soon…………..Privatising the mines….Privatising the farms….Supertubes…..