The Endless Summer: Jeffreys Bay Of South Africa

1101 Words3 Pages

An internationally recognized surfing hotspot, Jeffreys Bay of South Africa offers undeniably exquisite surf experiences. An unbelievable sight, Marc Price speaks highly of Jeffreys Bay: “It’s an almost indescribable sight, watching from the beach, you start off looking up to your right and end up facing left as the wave travels down the point. This 180-degree perspective is something no photograph can capture.” Mark Price is right to be amazed by this surf break that seems to last forever. Considered as one of the top ten surfing destinations, it consists of a long and fast, tubed right point break that can be broken up and referred to in smaller sections. These smaller sections include the Kitchen Windows, Magna Tubes, Boneyards, Supertubes, …show more content…

The scenes of the movie took place at Cape St. Francis, only twenty miles south of Jeffreys Bay. Similar to this article, The Endless Summer also fails to show the conflict and racial struggles that South Africa has historically faced. In 1989, South Africa’s beaches were desegregated by law. Prior to this, there had been longstanding restrictions on who was allowed on the beaches and even when there were no segregation laws regarding beaches, the separation remained. Black citizens were in danger and faced discrimination and exclusion from the world of surfing. As segregation laws were lifted, it took much more time for the adjustment and inclusion of all races. This was only a small step in the end of the apartheid system. The struggle of enforcing desegregation and incorporating mixed use of beaches created the idea of surfing as a “white sport.” In order to have the luxury of leisure time and be able to afford the equipment and access to surfing in general, one would need to be at least somewhat affluent. South Africa’s apartheid left many people of color on the lower end of economic status. In addition to the lack of monetary resources, many of these said people had not had the opportunity to learn how to swim because of the segregation laws. Without being able to swim, one cannot surf. This puts all people of color at a disadvantage to join the world of surfing. …show more content…

A major benefit to being known as a surf destination is the economic impact it can have on an area. Surfers are a niche group that can be marketed to and boost an economy. Places like Jeffreys Bay can bring in tourists and promote surfing to target this group. Events, products, and hospitality provide a significant influx of money to the area. Competitions are often held in this Jeffreys Bay and many famous surfers have been groomed here and brought to fame. Some of which include Tom Curren and Kelly Slater, who were able to pioneer the use of the new high-performance short boards at J-Bay, where so many had failed before them. Often referred to as the best point break on Earth, Jeffreys Bay is a high-speed right that provides a lengthy tube ride sought after by many. If one is lucky, they could ride a wave for the entirety of Jeffreys Bay equaling out to about three-quarters of a mile, approximately a two-minute ride with how fast the wave rolls. Unfortunately, with all the positives that come with surf tourism, there also comes the question of what negative implications surfing and tourism can have on the environment in this foreign

Open Document