Surfing banned in Vizag (India)

Surf tourist surfs at Visakhapatnam © K R Deepak/Hindu

Local Politics

Surfing banned in Vizag (India)

Surfersvillage Global Surf News, 17 November, 2012 : - - A ban on entering the water on Vizag’s beaches (India) has hit a small community of surfers. Vizag’s beaches attract many tourists and the promenade is a popular place to relax and unwind. However, the rough seas combined with rocky coastline and a natural gradient make it an unsafe place to swim. After an increasing number of drownings, authorities have banned people from entering the water.

This decision has had the worst impact on the small community of surfers in the city. Over the past few years a number of children have been learning to surf at Rushikonda Beach under the guidance of Melville Smythe. Almost 30 children have picked up surfing and two of them have made it to the India Surf Team of the Surfing Federation of India. With the beaches closed these surfers cannot practise what they have learnt. Melville, who is a keen surfer, says he knows Rushikonda Beach very well and has identified the places that are safe.

“Most deaths due to drowning occur because tourists look for a secluded spot away from the safe zone. Vizag beach is dangerous but there are zones that are safe for surfing,” he says. Every beach in the world that is popular with tourists has a number of lifeguards patrolling the area. In India the RLSS(I) are trained to be lifeguards and can be deployed to protect the zones identified as safe for water activities, he adds.

Vizag is listed on the web as a place to surf, and attracts foreigners. Magicseaweed gives information on tides and waves. They give detailed information about five surf spots in Vizag. Surfers pick up this information and come to the beach to try out the waves.

Surfing in India is now more organised. The Surfing Federation of India, the governing body, runs coaching camps and provides scholarships. The India Surf Festival was conducted in February this year near Puri, Orissa. The organisers plan to host the festival again between January 25 and 27, next year. The festival promotes a wholesome surf culture in the country. It advocates the freedom of expression and will also host cultural evenings. The festival is open for all those interested in the sport.

Organiser Sanjay Samantray says that its main aim is to educate the government and the people about surfing as a sport. He says the government and the authorities need to educate themselves about surfing. It not only attracts tourists but can also keep beaches safe because surfers understand the currents, the tides and the ocean floor the best.

The government of Orissa has been very helpful in developing surfing in the State and has supported the surfing festival. The department of tourism in that State has educated its officials about the sport. Hopefully, the interest that the Orissa department has shown will encourage the authorities in Vizag to take a fresh look at this city as a surfing destination.

More information is available at www.indiasurffestival.com

Surfing banned in Vizag (India)

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