Madeira, Portugal. World class surf break, before construction of a seawall. Photos courtesy of Will Henry

At any given spot along the coast, various factors–wind direction, swell, tide level, and underwater features–all determine how a wave will break.

But out of the almost infinite number of waves around the world, rarely do these factors combine in such a way as to produce a wave of true quality for surfing. And as with every other ecosystem, these factors exist in an easily-corrupted balance.

Photo by Will Henry.

Case Study: Jardim do Mar

In 2001, the existence of a beautiful wave, Jardim do Mar, a classic right point in Madeira, Portugal was threatened by a proposed government project to construct a marina.

American surfer Will Henry and friends knew that if if the marina were built, this special wave would be lost forever. In the process of organizing a fight against the project, they formed the Save the Waves Coalition .

Through a combination of alliances with local surfers, organizations, and politicians, their fight was successful. The new marina was moved to a different location.

However, out of the prolonged media campaign and protesting that ensued, the resulting “victory” would be something Henry later called bittersweet.

“One of our first big mistakes was taking a very American approach,” he says. “Making so much noise embarrassed some of the politicians, and any future hope of negotiating with the government was destroyed.”

After moving the marina, the government still came back later and hastily constructed a seawall [see photo below, left], severely limiting the days and conditions when the wave is ridable, and making it extremely dangerous to surf.

Since this first campaign, the coalition has learned “to avoid words like success and victory,” and to remember that a wave–even once saved–may always be threatened again.

Madeira, after seawall. Note limited wave.

The coalition documented the story of Jardim do Mar in their film Lost Jewel of the Atlantic. A few Madeira locals tried to prevent the film from being shown, threatening lawsuits and even bodily harm. It was eventually shown however, drawing sold-out crowds in the first two weekends.

La Herradura

Over the years, Save the Waves has learned to adapt. They now operate around the world, protecting waves on the coasts of almost every continent. Among their key missions are creating local “surfonomics”reports demonstrating the inherent economic value of an undisturbed surf spot for its local economy.

For example, four years ago in Lima, Peru, a developer wanted to build a marina to enhance the land value near a large housing development. This marina would have destroyed a classic wave called La Herradura.

Instead of protesting in person, Save the Waves wrote letters to the executives of the company, contending that a world-class wave may be more financially beneficial than a marina, citing how exceptional surf spots cause local real estate value to increase dramatically in the US.

The CEO eventually promised that the wave would never be harmed, however, as is usually the case, the wave is being threatened again.

Challenges

Save the Waves faces many challenges. One of the most sensitive is dealing with corrupt foreign governments. The projects which threaten waves are oftentimes born out of illegal back-room deals.

This makes the coalition’s challenge doubly difficult. For obvious reasons, politicians involved in the deals do not want to cooperate, nor do private companies wish to implicated.

Secondly, although the internet optimized communication, Save the Waves staff is spread thin. Projects are started only when local people and surfers who know about the organization reach out for help.

Finally, funding has been the coalition’s single biggest challenge. Regarding the minimal support they’ve received from most large surf companies, Henry’s frustration is evident: “Here we are, protecting the future of their market, and we’re barely surviving. We could be doing so much more.”

Photo by Will Henry.

The main reason for limited support is that most large surf apparel and accessories companies are publicly traded. Shareholders are the top priority and want to see their stock price go up, making it difficult for CEOs to donate money to non-profit organizations.

Even so, Henry is quick to thank the companies Save the Waves has received support from: Patagonia, Clif Bar, Newman’s Own, The Surfer’s Path, Quiksilver, Billabong, and Volcom.

Upcoming Documentary

Save the Waves is currently producing their third film, All Points South, a documentary about pulp mill pollution in Chile. The film demonstrates how consumption of products here in the US can causes environmental degradation in distant lands.

‘All Points South’ Trailer – a new documentary by Save the Waves Coalition from Philip Kao on Vimeo.

Along with battling the polluters themselves, it is important for Save the Waves to educate and influence the consumer market. All Points South features some of the world’s best surfers, and will be released summer 2009.

The people of Save the Waves are world citizens, committed to making a difference by protecting the environment and preserving waves (and healthy marine ecosystems) not just for surfers, but everyone.

Community Connection

Visit www.SaveTheWaves.org for more information and to see how you can help.

Feature photo by Andris Bjornson. Photo above by got80s.

Photo by Andris Bjornson.

Whether it’s the trekking guide who shares a closet-sized apartment with his sister, the homestay host who can’t scrape together the cash to repair her leaky roof, or the bright-eyed children who study in a thatched-roof schoolhouse, people in developing regions bring you face-to-face with the massive gaps in standards of living.

Confronting this economic divide can generate powerful emotions ranging from shock to shame to outright anger at the state of the world.

Point these emotions in a constructive direction, though, and you may find yourself planning your next big trip around finding a way to help.

The only question is how to make it happen.

Local voluntourism organizations can arrange every detail of your volunteer experience from placement to lodging. This can be ideal if you’re on a tight schedule.

Fees vary from reasonable to downright extravagant, and may leave you wondering why you’re paying for the privilege of volunteering. Often, organizations won’t put much thought into how best to leverage your professional skills, which can be frustrating if you’ve been in the workforce for a while and feel you have a lot to offer.

Photo by Andris Bjornson.

International long-term volunteer organizations like VSO, Peace Corps, and UNVolunteers do a better job of matching volunteer skills with specific needs.

Living expenses will be covered, and you may even receive a small stipend. However, you won’t have much control over what country you end up in, and the application process is lengthy. You may have to plan a year in advance or more.

If neither of these options works for you, there is an alternative: find a local NGO and plan your own volunteer experience from scratch. This is no small feat, and can be frustrating, rewarding, or both. Here are a few tips to get you started:

• Assess your skills: What can you do? Are you a writer? Foreign NGOs often need help writing grants. Are you an IT person?

  Most NGOs need computer help and can’t afford it. Are you an athlete? Run a sports program for kids. Your creativity is your only limit. Presenting organizations with a list of your skills makes it easier for them to imagine how they can put you to work, especially if they haven’t collaborated with western volunteers before.

• Assess your goals: As much as possible, visualize what you hope your experience will be. Are you looking in a specific country, or will the best opportunity to use your skills choose your location for you?

  Do you want to work full-time, or do you want part-time work with more time to explore on your own? Do you hope to work directly with local people, or do you see yourself working in an office? Do you needan organization that will cover room and board, or are you okay with paying for your accomodations?

• Research: Now you’re ready to start your search. Matador and Idealist are good places to start, but there are many small local organizations that those sites miss.

  Google will prove invaluable here. Come up with search terms based on your skills and goals. An IT person hoping to volunteer in Nepal might try “Nepal computer vocational training,” “Nepal rural computing,” and “Nepal computer lab” for starters.

  Begin a list of contact information for organizations you find. Keep in mind that the organizations needing the most help don’t have the resources to even be on the web.

• Look in your own backyard: Seek out community organizations of immigrants from your target country. Though hard to find, these groups are often the most useful to know. They’ll be excited to meet someone who wants to help people in their homeland, and they may provide you with local contacts you wouldn’t have found otherwise.
  

  Photo by Andris Bjornson.

  Other organizations at home may be interested in what you’re trying to do. Some Rotary clubs provide a small amount of travel funding if you’re willing to give a presentation at a chapter meeting or write an article for their newsletter when you return.

• Get in touch: Write up a friendly e-mail articulating your skills and goals, and send it to the organizations you’ve identified. Don’t patronize, but use easy to understand language.

  You can recycle the same letter, but tailor it a bit each time. Don’t be afraid to cast a wide net; it never hurts to have too many options. Also, always ask if organizations can suggest other people you should contact.

• Prepare for uncertainty: People in developing countries often take a different approach to e-mail. Don’t despair if your well-crafted letter elicits one line responses inviting you to discuss options over tea when you arrive.

  These organizations do need your help, but they may not have the written language skills to explain why. A second e-mail or even an international phone call via Skype may prove more enlightening, but be ready to not have all the answers.

If you’ve done your homework, you’ll likely find yourself sitting on a plane to a developing country with a list of organizations you’re excited to meet, but with no mental picture of what your life will be like once you get there.

Breathe deeply, and remind yourself that opportunities exist that you can’t even be aware of from a distance. Be patient, and you’ll almost certainly find a way to fit in once you hit the ground. You’ve set yourself up for one hell of an adventure; now just hang on for the ride.

This is the first installment in a three-part series. Stay tuned for more!

Community Connection:

Matador member MST is currently running a contest that combines volunteering with tourism. Check out her website for contest details.

Interested in learning more about bio-fuels?

Check out this fun, informative video: The Road to Sustainability.

It follows a cross-country road trip fueled entirely by waste vegetable oil picked up along the way. It’s the best introduction I’ve seen to the upsides, the pit-falls, and the realities of running your car on WVO.

Still want to know more?

Derek Wallace (that’d be the guy in the video) is a Matador contributor. Check out some of his work over at Brave New Traveler: Sustainable Organic Farming and You, Can International Travel Ever Be Sustainable? and What Cuba Taught Us About Peak Oil.

Elsewhere in the Matador network, give In The News: Biofuels and How To Stop Paying For Gas and Run On Free Vegetable Oil in 8 Easy Steps a read.