Thursday Thought About> Protect our Waves

A worldwide coalition title that you may think is ever-so-slightly unnecessary, after all the sea and it's motion is pretty much constant, offering such stability, peace, beauty. However, this campaign is associated with the actions and economic choices that can cut-off decent swell and spoil a surf spot- a proven leisure-sports money-maker besides the free free-sport and stoke it supplies us. With success already in preventing seafront development, they seek to continue this work, with support to intervene where pollution from deforestation, farming and chemicals make a spot un-surfable.


Who is to say that a 'hobby' is less important than a hotel? What do the locals think when their choice and leisure pursuits are taken-away because the beachfront is sold or a decision is taken higher-up? How would you feel? The issue raises questions about the un-owned areas of our green and pleasant land. Apparently the only free-roaming land left in the country is in the Scottish Highlands. For those of you who have seen Far and away, the penultimate scene when Tom Cruise races for this little piece of heaven-flag in hand provides an ideal, how 'bout a race instead of a mortgage, yes please. Is there anywhere you disappear to that is free? There are organisations such as The National Trust who rent you the parking space for your wanderings, but aren't most of your secluded spots associated with a barren beach or hill-top? 


Protect what you got. We'll soon want to have our say if the digger stops at our hidey-hole, so help out Ireland, Spain and beyond by clicking-on the SAS link and signing the petition. Why not? Your argument may be that development creates employment and people will find somewhere else to surf so I say this: 

• Quality of life after your basic needs is scaffolded by those things that make you you. If what defines you is taken away, how do you find your smile again, an hour drive before work will cost the surfer and make money for the developer- can't be fair.
• Whether surfed or not, shouldn't the sea be clean anyway- turtles homed?
• ...1st come 1st served?

If you'd like to show your support in a visual and stylish way- you don't have to be a surfer by the way, you could buy a t-shirt by Finnistere who have teamed-up with SAS who will receive all profits. They are cool and bright and from a Cornish company. 




I speak as one who loves the sea, let's do our bit.