Surfing banned at Nazare by official order
At the height of last week's XXL swell, the number of spectators watching Nazare was estimated to be in excess of 15,000, spread amongst the castle, headland, and the beach.
The swell event, and the associated viewing spectacle, came on the cusp of European leaders wrangling with a fresh outbreak of COVID-19, and, in response, Portugal's National Health Commission yesterday announced a ban on surfing - both paddle and tow-surfing - at Nazare, effective immediately.
It’s unclear how long the ban is in place, the only mention on timing thus far has been “until further notice.”
The above notice was drafted by the captain of Nazare port and reads:
“In the current context of the pandemic in Portugal, as determined by the regional health delegate and the regional health administration, Free Surf and Tow-in surfing are banned at Praia do Norte, due to the promotion of the public agglomeration, which constitutes an increased risk for the public health."
"Failure to comply with this determination incurs in a criminal offence punished by law.”
Three days ago, on the 1st of October, the waiting period for the WSL's Nazare Tow Surfing Challenge began. The League is yet to make a comment about the current ban on surfing.
As of today, Portugal has 157,000 cases of COVID-19 with 2,694 deaths.
Comments
Seems like a ban on public gathering would be more appropriate than on the surfing itself..
Totally agree. Why hurt your ability to promote your country online to the world (millions) when all you need to do is ban public gatherings (15,000 people) ?
Don't think there is much point chasing tourism dollars at the moment.
Don't you mean "agglomerations"?
That's a cracking signature!!!
Astute Victorians, after what we've been through, might notice that bodysurfing is not mentioned...
There was footage on here (?) a while back of someone bodysurfing fairly solid Nazaré. Madman!
Now THAT Id like to see!
I think it was Mike Stewart
This Chap ?
Thats Him!
Disregard my Mike Stewart theory, twas another time
Rad to say the least and there is footage of him when its bigger too.
Great ocean skills!
WOW
The level of Government stupidity keeps raising the bar .....
This thing ain’t going to go away so we just have to learn to live with it just like car crashes, heart disease, cancer sars AIDS and wait for it ...Flu
We've learnt to live with car crashes, cancer and the flu because we've been able to put measures in place which help to minimise their occurrence and impact.
Many would argue that in the case of COVID-19, a more contagious virus than the flu, banning large gatherings where people congregate close together is one of these necessary long term measures required to "live with it". Much of Australia are living fairly normal lives at the moment, but you won't see any music festivals or large concerts for a long time. It will be one of the very last restrictions removed because of the risk it presents should the virus be able to spread in such an environment.
"Learn to live with it" seems to be a thinly veiled way of saying you're willing to accept the high human cost of letting the virus run rampant if it means you get to do what you want to. The phrase of choice for people who have decided that their personal freedom is more valuable than the lives of the vulnerable.
Superbly written
It is superbly written. Perhaps he should forward it onto the Portuguese authorities so they too can ban public gatherings, instead of free surfing! :)
It’s a bottleneck up the top at Nazare, would be cheap and easy to police
meaningful short love quotes
Someone better tell Kelly it's not cool to flaunt with co vid19. Nothing's affects him. Back in Bali again. Unbelievable
Without freedom you have nothing.People are dying with not from.People with pre existing conditions and weakened immune systems .Old people die ,always have and will.Needing permission or even denied travel is not living fairly normally.Vicpols behaviour is not living fairly normally.These are governments that push for abortion and euthanasia but want to shut the world down when already sick elderly people die in their 80's and 90's.The sad part is the amount of people that have eaten the fear,panic and hysteria pushed by governments and their allies in the media.A lot of people it seem s are happy with the government controlling their lives and keeping them "safe ". FMD ,what a time to be alive.
Well written :)
as far as incomprehensible drivel goes
You paranoid fwit
you talking to me?
"You wanna get out of here? You talk to me"
(Mel Gibson - Mad Max 2)
Oh Jesus, I hope the Byron hipster type crew don't see that body bashing post, they'll all be ditching their foils and be rocking up, with leash free handplanes, in no time ;0 hee hee.
Much easier slipping a handplane down the back ones speedos the a mini mal. ;)