CONCLUSION

This assignment has made me realize what capacity issues is a universal issue both in and out of the water.  Efforts have been made to reduce impact through capacity restrictions and construction of artificial reefs to support demands of a break.  As seen in my reflection on my trip to Mexico I have become more aware of our impacts as tourists, the environmental issues that stand in different locations and how different cultures react to waste in very different ways.  I am planning on staying involved in surf tourism in some way throughout my future and will continue to look out for environmental issues and how they are treated.

ARTIFICIAL REEFS, ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY & SURF TOURIST BEHAVOURIAL SEGMENT

Artificial reefs used to sustain environment 

This journal article examines the sustainability of the surf industry and the use of artificial surfing reefs (ASR).  The article argues the multi-purpose functions of these ASRs as both providing shore line management (maintaining recreational beaches) as well as surf amenity benefits (enhancing surf quality).  The authors have used Brevard County, Florida as their test area.  The local and non-local surfer demographics for the county have been broken down, as well as their surf travel patterns, popular destinations and durations of  their travel. Further support the argument that though there are uncertainties about the ASRs performance (due to minimal success or disappointment with reefs which have previously been instated) are beneficial to sustainability of surf destinations and shoreline management. 

research pertaining to the capacity of a break has also been included to

Chambliss, K., Lindo, C., Slotkin, M. H., & Vamosi, A. R. (2009). Surf tourism, artificial surfing reefs, and environmental sustainability. Sustainability , 207-218.

Surf tourist Behavour

The purpose of this paper is found right in the title, to investigate surf tourists behavioural perspective, to gain insight on travel patterns.  Surfers are referred to as, “a unique tribe of nomads who have wandered this planet in search of rideable waves” and even, “searching for the perfect wave”. They have defined the surf industry in a way that includes individuals who are active participants and those who observe the sport, as included is travel , surf-branded clothing and manufacturing of surfboards.  This is a US$10 billion per annum industry made up of some 10 million surfers.  There are five groups of surfers: the price-conscious safety seeker, the luxury surfer and the price conscious adventurers, the ambivalent and the radical adventures. The main issue facing the industry is capacity management.  Crowd frustrations create a willing to travel in search not only of the perfect wave, but also the uncrowded wave.  Trends in destination and the length of stay have been associated with the destination throughout different surf groups, experience levels, and age brackets. All market segments prefer a wave size of four to six feet high.  It is not common for surfers to travel alone, though they company many not be a surfer. 

Dolnicar, S., & Flucker, M. (2003). Behavioral market segments among surf tourists- investigating past destination chioce. The journal od sport tourism , 1-12.

MENTAWAIS ISLAND CAPACITY & ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

This article explores the Indo-Pacific Islands, highlighting Mentawais Island, as a testbed to demonstrate the importance of capacity management and environmental management systems.  This has been done enforcing operating permits to prevent industry impacts for surf destinations.  These impacts include crowding, commercial competitive conflicts within the industry, environmental changes, cultural changes and economic affects.  It has been recognized that different forms of tourist activity have different impacts and there for appropriate planning, design, technology and operational management must be created for them.  For surf tourism controlling over-crowding is a major concern, not only to control There are luxury surf travelers who tend to book tours (commercial tourists) and there are cash-poor surfers (independent travelers) who are willing to take higher risks and will figure it out on their own.  Though they are rare to find, there are surf resort for luxury travelers as well and over 100 surf camps worldwide.  These companies have exclusive access to breaks and have the advantage of marketing themselves as unspoiled and uncrowned locations.   Surf tourism attracts relatively high paying tourists to areas that have little to no fixed infrastructure.  The finances that the surf tourism industry creates can provide cash flow to fund tourism infrastructure to support the development of a broader nature, adventure and cultural tourism sector in less these islands.

impacts but for the perceived value and satisfaction of the surf tourist. 

 

Buckley, R. (2002). Surf tourism and sustainable development in Indo-Pacific Islands. ll. Reacreational capacity management and case study. Journal of sustainable tourism , 425-442

SURFRIDER FOUNDATION ISSUES STATEMENT ON MARINE LIFE PROTECTION ACT

“After several years of hard work and negotiations, the California Fish & Game Commission approved a network of 36 Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in Southern California – part of a statewide process required by the 1999 Marine Life Protection Act (MLPA). The MLPA’s goals are to: ‘set aside’ area of the ocean to increase fish populations, enhance marine habitat, and improve recreational and educational opportunities.”  The Surfrider Foundation has been working with a diverse group of stakeholders, including: commercial and recreational fishermen, divers, surfers, kayak fishermen, environmental activists and beach goers to help provide balanced input during the MLPA process.

 An Integrated Preferred Alternative (IPA) map has under environmental review and the “Foundation submitted comments on the Draft Environmental Impact Report.”

Herry, A. (2010, 12 17). Press releases. Retrieved 02 20, 2011, from Surfriders Foundation: http://www.surfrider.org/press_releases.aspx?PR_Id=317

TAKING IT TO MEXICO, SELF EXPLORATION OF SURF TOURISM



Mount Washington

For this blog update I took the imitative to get completely immersed in my research and travelled to Playa Nexpa, Mexico to have a firsthand experience with Surf Tourism.  The transport needed to arrive in the destination was only a small portion of the experience encountered during this adventure.  My first leg of the trip was traveling by bus from Kamloops from Vancouver.  I sky trained it into the city stopping by my brothers place in Vancouver to say and hi and pick up my surfboard and heading out the airport by cab.  The first flight was to LA, where I would meet the UVIC Surf Club (5 students) and jump on another flight to Ixtapu/ Zaihuatanejo. The owner of our accommodation met us with two cars to transport us the final two hours to the beach.

The city was congested with cars, the streets were not like our conventional modern city in North America but we were happy not to see any McDonalds.

The development on this beach was placed between a rock formation and a river mouth.  There were about 10 cabanas along the beach and 15-20 homes and cabanas on the dirt road leading to the beach, one operational restaurant run by a local Mexican family and three little convenient stores. 

Over the next six days I would take part in the activities of the average surf tourist.  These activities included surfing, resting in a hammock, eating local food, working on my Spanish and mingling with the locals and other surf tourists.  I met surfers from Israel, Switzerland, Germany, France, United States (east and west coast), other Canadians, Australians and people from other locations of Mexico.  The difference between their observations of the environment and mine are, that I have been studying the impacts of tourism on a economically, politically, social and environmental level and would taking note of the environmental impacts and events relating to recent change in the environment.

There were no signs posted or garbage cans around but surprisingly the non organic garbage on the beach was minimal.  The visible recycling system can be split into headings: Organic ocean waste, Organic plant waste and glass bottles.   This area is rich in marine life, meaning great finishing.  Basically any scraps, bones and shells from fish and shrimp were thrown onto the shoreline to be returned to the ocean for recycling.  Fruit peels and vegetable scraps were placed around the base of trees and plants, acting as fertilization for the plant.  Beverages purchased in glass bottles (cerveza) had to be returned to the location they were purchased.  The business would then return the bottles to collect the bottle deposit.  Any additional food scraps were cleaned up or fed by the domestic animals that were passed out in the sand just outside of the restaurant 90% of the time.  

As I stated above the marine life in this area is rich.  Hatched turtle and seabird eggs can be found along the beach, as well as sea turtle carcases. The reef formation along the shoreline was thriving with barnacles and sea urchins. Bio luminescent sawn bright in the waves at night.  We spotted two hump back whales swimming through their late migration as well as a ray came up for a visit along side of me in the water.  Little fish we nicknamed bird fish, because they would jump out of the water waving their fins like wings and skip like a pebble across the top of the water, popped up everywhere and bumped into us many time as they were trying to escape the larger fish chasing them.  There were also some more uncommon and as a surfing unwanted marine visits. There has never been a shark attack at the surf break, though reef sharks (bottom feeders), hammer heads and tiger sharks.  No shark has been spotted here in two years, but of course the first day in water we had a nice visit from a tiger shark.  Those who spotted it as it surface paddled in closer to the crowd (about 20 surfers) but other than that we just stuck closer together and kept doing out thing.  The last day we were there a crocodile was spotted on the shoreline next to the river mouth.  We were also told this is very uncommon for here and I am happy I didn’t find out it was there until I was about to get out the water for the day.

From the descriptions of my experience we can conclude that environmental changes are occurring at the surf destination.  This is supported by late migration of whales and uncommon wildlife spotting in the area. Through the fear of further growth of the destination and the growth which has occurred in the past ten year, we can see that capacity and development is an issue.  If the beach is further developed to accommodate a larger capacity it will lead to overcrowding in the water, which has already started to become an issue there today.  I did not see any extensive sign to conclude that globalization is a major issue in this location, but I believe it would be hard to judge without previously visited the area.  I am grateful to have experience the culture, met the people I have, experienced the beauty and that the locals allowed me to take a turn checking out their wave.  The experience has contributed and increased awareness and knowledge of the world and will have contributed to shaping my future.   

The UVIC surf club organizes at least one international surf trip every year and a couple with in Vancouver Island.  Last year the club went to Panama, this year the beginner surfers went to Tofino and those who felt they were more advanced picked Mexico.  This supports active international awareness, improvement of individual surfing skill, students to share their passions with like minded athletes and an assortment of new opportunity.  The TRU Riders Surf Club has the same intentions and I hope will grow to this is the future.  To find more information on UVIC's surf club search UVIC Surfing on Facebook and for more information on TRU's surf club search TRU Riders Surf Club on Facebook.