Surfing Banned In Hong Kong And Norway
Yesterday came news that surfing in Hong Kong had been banned outright.
Western surf media seemed unsure how to dissect the story. On one hand, we're fed stories of Chinese surf teams on Hainan Island surging up the learning curve. Hand-picked athletes on the sharp end of a disciplinary program who's goal is LA Olympics or bust.
Meanwhile, up the coast in Hong Kong, which is considered one of the more liberal areas in China, the surfers can't even go in the water.
Earlier this year, Hong Kong's Leisure and Cultural Services Department banned surfing on all 42 beaches, including the optimistically named Big Wave Bay - which had been surfed by expat surfers for decades. The crackdown came because, according to a local bureaucrat, "thrill-seeking residents were putting their lives in danger, and exposing frontline officers to risk, by chasing waves or searching out strong winds during extreme weather."
Big Wave Bay
This week a HK lawmaker proposed a workaround solution. “I specifically asked if there was a way to craft out a certain area or allow surfing at a certain time, at any beach," said Adrian Pedro Ho King-hong.
Rather than negotiate, the HK authorities doubled down on the ruling, telling a journalist from the South China Morning Post: “The regulation states that no person shall, without reasonable cause or excuse, bring or use, or allow the use of any surfboard in any part of the waters adjacent to bathing beaches set aside for swimmers.”
If caught, surfers face a fine of HK$2,000 (AUD$394) and face 14 days imprisonment.
Meanwhile, from east Asia to west Europe, surfing is banned on some beaches in Norway, not for putting human life in danger but that of migratory seabirds. People can swim, kayak, and dive around flocks of migratory birds but paddling out on a surfboard is forbidden - as is windsurfing, kiting, and foiling, which suggests it's not human presence authorities are worried about but a covert way to ban board sports.
Comments
Far out. Banned for a few seagulls.
Every couple of years we get a visit from a brown (antarctic) Skua.
This thing is about the size of a small goose, with a huge beak and it's gnarly and aggro as hell.
Paddles around and goes people in the water.
Maybe a pack of Skuas would be be worth banning surfing over- but a bunch of seagulls lollygagging down the inside section?
Geez, it's not even 1st/4
Looks like that will just add to the numbers in the water in Thailand.
It's a sad day for surfing.
Pure madness.
Mat time.
Gateway to softboards.
Test whether it's the riding of waves that's the problem (along with perceived anti social behaviour of drug taking, layabout surfers) or a real concern over hard shell boards.
Yes this surfing nonsense has gotta stop..! surfers are easy to spot - they all look same.
Geez.... no words.
Howabout "Ignorant Politicians, surfers & wannabe youtubers get Surfing to be overcrowded & then Banned In Hong Kong And Norway"
Ever been nearly runover or had to dive off perfect wave and get you ear drum perforated or straighen out in a barrel snapping your board cause of a beginner kook in the way? We have had a kook Tsunami after Morrison's Covid payments (min. $750/wk - QANTAS $2B ) to do nothing but give yourselves a bonus holiday...& buy a board. People had all that time to findout whats happened the in world, global warming, threaten species gone forever and just fed on facebook / tictok feeds, gota nu tat, nu board, nu car day cant afford, etc.
On busy ski slopes they are organised with expert, intermediate level and beginner areas.
We have swim between the flags.... rubberducky flags & "competition" flags...
We need SLS enforcable kook flags
https://www.biodiversity.no/Pages/135380/Norwegian_Red_List_for_Species
Govt overreach is never far away. So easy to trot out the old 'Safety' or 'For the common good'.
Don't forget avoiding scrutiny by 'wanting to spend more time with the family'.
… the future of ‘safe’ surfing
https://m.
&pp=ygUWUmFzdGEgc3VyZmluZyBvbiBhIG1hdA%3D%3DI would have been about 8 or 9 fanging through the inside corner at Burleigh on my mat after catching a broken wave from as far out as I could get when another kid surfaced right in front of me and smack, two heads ringing for the rest of the day, I hope someone picked him up because I sure as hell couldn't stop! That and the nipple rash, those things are brutal.
Got a merrin twinfin mat on the tweed highway, straight to Burleigh shorebreak.
Grazed all the skin off my ribs & tits. Scabs eventually peeled off to reveal a patchy pinto.
What about compulsory helmets
Considering that there is a very active pro environmental attitude with surfers. A lifestyle culture that respects the ocean, land and it's life. This just screams bullshit. We already know how fishermen from these areas treat the sea and it's creatures, and it's not pretty. Not to mention the fact that the thousands of people in these fuel polluting, power boats, recreational or otherwise, also put their lives in danger, while exposing frontline officers to risk, .... But that's okay?
Went to Taiwan once and they ban surfing during typhoons, even in well protected locations, sort of fair enough bur thr HK ban is way over the top.
The Norway ban doesn't add up, especially if other groups aren't banned as well.
Geez and I thought I lived in a nanny state... Wow that's next level
Who has ever hit a seagull in the water?
I hit a turtle at arrawarra not long ago and lost s new quobba fin I thought they would swim out of the way. I looked for it for about an hour so it must have been ok
Turtle got quobbered!!
What the...
Just identify as a Norwegian seagull, problem solved.
As for Hong Kong, sucks to be at the whim of a bureaucrat who probably doesn't understand what surfing is. I'd suggest protest, but yeah that ship has sailed.
Haha.
So this is a bad idea ?
Sounds like they have it 75% right, no foils, kites or sailboards. Swap surfboards for standups and everyone is a winner.
As a founder of the HK Canoe Union, way back in 1972, and a pioneer wave ski paddler, perhaps wave skis in Big Wave Bay might get around it, mind you they might give you 10 years in a Chinese jail for risking it!
The over reach of Govs is a joke. Beyond essential services they have no place in our lives. If someone wants to go into surf were they could possibly die, let them. And let them take responsibility for their decisions, and if that means death for that individual - so be it.
Yep. Personal responsibility.
Something the ocean teaches us,
even if we sometimes attempt to avoid on land.
Oceangoing beast and man prefer anonymity & preserve the sanctity of Ocean solitude!
& Then along come Jocks & their Boyz Toyz to disrupt & exploit every inch of ocean solitude for likes.
All know which invasive species is fasttracking the demise of Surf Safaris...
Surfer's pet that attacks tbb & lures in Sharks from afar & wipes out migrations in a nanosecond
They're banning the vermin that uproot a whole ecosystem for just one like & subscribe!
US House Bill HR 2864 ( Attack of Flying Surf Stickers...Look at me...I'm a Legendary 5 sec Star!)
Imagine ramping a dormant land / sea / sky sanctuary from 0-30 kmh in a matter of seconds...Wot! Me!
Ask who the fuck could & would do that for kicks...No need to ask is there...well durr...incoming...
Oopsie...sorry 'bout hastening yer species extinction...just send the bill c/o Endless Summer Franchise!
Shoulda been here Yesterday before we obliterated yer Blue Planet Spots A thru to Z but saved Spot X.
WTF...get outta here ya dopey dropkick Hero Jocks ...Ya got 54321....(Ouch! That's live Ammo!Dude!)
https://www.surfer.com/news/drone-ban-hr-2864-affects-surfing-photo-video
Another reason to avoid Hong Kong.
Grant Robinson (the godfather of surfing in Hong Kong) will be turning in his grave.
australian monky government wil follow suit very soon
And ban surfing?
Righto….
yeah buddy, they've been keeping you locked for 3 years and forced you take the shit vaccine already. to ban surfing or put some levy on it will be much easier task for the puppet aussie governments.
Not sure if you’re taking the piss or not, I suspect not, but fucken hell man I can’t imagine living my life with that mindset.
All the best maka.
Stay vigilant maka! That surfing ban in Australia is only a matter of time, or has it already started…. The clubbies are in on it! The red and yellow flags will be getting set a little wider each weekend this summer. Before you know it one red and yellow flag will be at Bruny island the other will be at Agnes waters and the whole east coast will be off limits. Stay alert and alarmed…
Classic Mark ...& macaroon
https://www.instagram.com/slsnsw/reel/C0c8c91vPiD/
Victoria spared.
Not sure this comment is as short-sighted as some are making out.
Cf rockpools, fire-trails, national parks and any number of other natural environment that are technically owned and managed by the state which the public are given increasingly limited access to. Every year we see more fences, more restrictions, more closures, less access, more signs. No jumping, no swimming, no camping, no entry, etc etc.
Being a long-time advocate of personal responsibility I yearn for the days of "enter at your own risk" and bear the consequences of your actions, but those days are almost completely gone. It started with more generous application of negligence laws (though not as generous as most think) but today is almost completely driven by insurers. Hands down the easiest way to manage a duty of care is to remove the risk altogether, and there is no better way to remove all risk than to ban, ban, ban. Hence the creep we see all around us and deserved nanny-state moniker.
When you consider that our beaches are public spaces which state and local governments already manage, it is not so hard to imagine a situation where an insurer says "If you want to keep your policy with us, you need to take much more proactive steps to stop people entering the water when conditions are dangerous."
Or to put it another way, if "enter at your own risk" has long gone by the wayside as a satisfactory means of managing liability at natural inland attractions stewarded by the state, why are we so confident natural coastal attractions won't go the same way?
One of the things I love about surfing is the decision on whether or not I enter the water is, for now, exclusively up to me and whatever subjective assessment I do or do not make of my capacity relative to the risks and rewards presented. But I think it is naïve to believe that will always be the way based on the trend.
Nice one RJ,
It's the people's choice till it isn't.
CARPE DIEM.
Get it before they take it away.
Gov locals...
Do you know how much longer the Australian coastline is than Hong Kong’s ?
Besides Hong Kong and Norway don’t have
Fanning and MR etc
30% of Northern Sea Ice Algae has receded in just 40 years...
Most of this Ice Algae survives longest nearest the surface but is vanishing earlier & faster.
With dwindling Ice the food stock is consumed faster & earlier...
Most fish Surf the Algal Lineup & tail off into the Channel where birds Hang...
Fast Surfboard riders fad the fish's lineup to corrupt the 90% of natural flowing ecosystem.
Meaning Fish will utilize / exploit a speeding Surfboard as a shield from larger prey.
https://content.api.news/v3/images/bin/2d49c80c506d8f6b7bc8b1dc1e641d1a?...
Now consider an overhead drone spooking birds all generating 3x speed of depleting ice resource.
Climate change is already ramping early lineup algal release > Surfboards are hyping this extinction.
Foils / Kite Surfers & Shore break Swimmers are far less corrupting the Nutrient rich Cycle depletion.
But they equally crackdown on inshore Jet Skis / Run off Pollution
2000 Jet Skis banned from 11 / 32 National Parks
https://www.boats.com/reviews/boats/personal-watercraft-banned-from-11-n...
2013 Jet Skis (Labour) = 400m from shore (vs) 2017 Conservatives = 50m from shore
https://www.newsinenglish.no/2017/05/19/protests-fly-after-jetski-ban-is...
2016 Ban on Deforestation (First Nation to do so!)
https://edition.cnn.com/2016/06/08/europe/norway-deforestation/index.html
2014-2018 Ban on Toxic Fluro Packaging / Ski Wax > Ice Melts
https://www.ul.com/news/norway-bans-use-pfoa-consumer-products
https://fasterskier.com/2018/10/international-news-norway-bans-16-under-...
April 2022 Ban on Russian Cargo Ships (Not Fishing) + 2024 Russian Tourist Bans
https://www.intrafish.com/markets/norway-bans-russian-vessels-from-ports...
June 2024 Ban on Boat Discharge of Faeces
https://www.boote-magazin.de/en/travel-and-charter/territories/norway-os...
July 2024 Ban on Salmon Fishing (33 Rivers)
https://www.hatchmag.com/articles/norway-bans-salmon-fishing-33-rivers/7...
Oct 2024 Ireland ban Norway Fishing Boats
https://www.nationalfisherman.com/norway-hits-back-at-call-to-ban-its-bo...
2025 Ban on Selling Petrol cars / Fur Farming
https://roadmapsforenergy.eu/norway-fossilfuel-car-ban/
https://www.google.com/search?q=Norway+bans&oq=Norway+bans+&aqs=chrome.....
1st Jan 2026 : Strictly Only [Alt fuel] / 200 Cruise Ships permitted in WH Fiords
Shows bans are Unrealistic > later changed to Start banning 2026 > 2032
https://www.marinelink.com/news/catching-cruise-offguard-norways-466482
Guessing Surfboard Ban seems to be in keeping with pure Ice melt / Climate Changing scheme.
Still think it's them drones fast tracking' their own demise!
Keep in mind many of Norway's bans shock at first then compromise...
But Norway have also banned Skateboard Gangs / Bike Gangs / Now the Blowin Surfie Gangs
https://www.southwalesguardian.co.uk/news/national/24640960.norway-bans-...
https://olympics.com/en/news/when-norway-banned-skateboarding
Recall their Chix banned Bikini Bottom
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/sports/norwegian-women-s-beach-handball-tea...
Norway also take a strong line on Teen Bans on > Phones / Social / Marriage / Conversions
On Worldly affairs & will call out Covid Vax / Israel on Mid East War / Olympics
All in all it's not a shock for Norway to ban a Sport / Trade / Transit / Group within peak eco Zone.
Similar to Qld ...Bans on Youth / Skaterz / Bikies / Surfies / Rapperz
Bodysurfers can't access 97% of Oz lineups every day of the year...not weird to swellnet Qld Basherz!
Sooner the Boardriders ditch them Spy Drama / Racy Drones > the sooner they get their waves back...
Im sure car crashes expose frontline officers to risks, reckless thrill seekers speeding in there cars on the roads. Hong Kong should really consider banning cars. Also polluted air in cities are dangerous to inhale. Surely the Government should also seriously consider banning its residents from Breathing.
Speaking about Surfer's Drones on Norway Coast.
Aug / Sept Russia have been playing war Games off Norway's coast...
Re read that Irish Ban on Norway Fishing..(Possible Russian Back Door)
We could be seeing a total Rec Drone / Surf Ban soon enough...
News : Russian Ship operating Drones near Sub Sea energy / Internet lines...
Ok! Again...Read this...Russian Ship Escorted outta Irish controlled Waters...Got That!
https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/irish-military-escorts-russia...
Think that's why Surfers gotta pack up & go home!
We could have Irish granting Russia protection thru the North Sea.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/nov/16/russian-spy-ship-escorted-...
News : 12 EU countries meet to explore measures to monitor "Russia's unflagged Shadow Fleet"
https://www.government.nl/latest/news/2024/11/15/european-coastal-countr...
Switch to Ireland's Global Tech Exodus not wanting to bank on Elon's US Cloud
Massive Global Tech Vacuum
https://cepa.org/article/trump-and-transatlantic-tech-a-ticking-time-bomb/
Trump / Elon could shop out Global Tech Tax Evaders in Ireland
29th Nov Ireland Election
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/sinn-fein-struggles-deal-blow-natio...
Ireland are breaking rank & Opposition order a Halt to unlimited weapons to Ukraine..
Irish Embassy Staff in Kyiv now working from Home...
https://www.breakingnews.ie/ireland/irish-embassy-staff-in-kyiv-working-...
Take that as an inside Warning of Russia steppin' it up a notch!
Might wanna read Russia's Letter to Ireland PM.
https://www.facebook.com/story.php/?story_fbid=989160869903897&id=100064...
Ireland are running a Nuclear Target Map
https://www.irishstar.com/news/us-news/map-shows-horrifying-range-russia...
Maybe read those Surfing Bans as get the hell off that Coastline while ya still can...just saying!
Out The Back! Incoming... {Kaboom!} Surfs Up!
As with Norway Ban the Hong Kong Ban also times with Cold War Naval Security Lockdowns
Those in the know Say China is right now suffocating Hong Kong with Military Force...
Massive Hong Kong Naval Display to Check on Taiwan...Boys are Back in Town
Likewise ya wouldn't be making a Surf Movie around here...PLA don't like being filmed by drones
http://eng.chinamil.com.cn/CHINA_209163/TopStories_209189/16353652.html
https://tartv.in/archives/184337
Recapping :
Both Norway / Hong Kong Surf Movie Making Bans timed with...Russian / Chinese War Games
Read into that what ya like...
Ask yerself...Would you surf them breaks with Warships...maybe not ideal surf buddies!
Might just get one last wave in...Said Huey! No time for Smoko...in a bit of a hurry here mate!
https://m.
no they trying to ban sulphur in the water for enviromental reasons, the media couldnt understand the accent
The point of being a "frontline officer" is that you are prepared to put your life at risk. In the wise words of TOOL.. "learn to swim, learn to swim..".
Norway imposes surfing bans on enviromental grounds from a Country that stills hunts whales?
All those surfers in the ocean must be contributing to global warming surely.
Yay for the socialist common good.
Coming to a town near you.
"You reap what you sow"
I heard the Australian politicians were considering a ban on surfing during weekdays in order to solve the housing crisis and get tradies back on the job. The local on any given Tuesday you’d be mistaken for thinking it a Bunnings carpark.
The banning of foils is the defining light of this article.
Had the "pleasure" of paddle surfing around 2 pairs of tow foliers yesterday, lamest shit ever . One guys foils around and his mate drives alongside watching, possibly dishing out a wristy between sets (I,m guessing)
What madness!
The one in Norway is insane considering you're allowed to Kite-surf but not actually surf? That's fucking mental as Kite-surfing is way more disturbing to the birds. You not only go much faster on a wave when kiting, you have a massive kite flying around like a giant monster.
I got my first real thruster
At Oslo's best pawn store
Waxed it till my fingers bled
I was gonna surf for sure
Me and some guys from school
Had a car and drove to the beach
Got there, the seagulls landed
Should've known we'd never get waves
Oh, when I look back now
The surf ban seemed to last forever
And the kayaks taunted
All of us, from the water
Those were the best waves I never surfed
What do suburbanites really know or care about animal behavour, let alone the threatened species that are struggling to survive in our neighborhood, island, nation, continent, on this planet?
Carl "Its an intergenerational problem... if we dont do something now ".... estimated in 1985.... (the earth will be f.... cooking )
US Big Business as usual Response; keep an B grade actor in as president... Ronald Raygun, creating economic deregulation and cuts in both taxes and government spending
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_Reagan
then an oil baron George Bush senior, then Geoge Bush Jnr... deregulation continues....
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_H._W._Bush
then....bankers create a western economic colapse as rules are considered unecissary;
get a black guy to try & clean up the mess...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama
then get Trump to whitewash laws & create democrazy in their white house.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy
In the 1970-80's a small group of people stopped logging of the last remnants of rainforests & then old growth forests (eg 400yr old trees that had x10 more hollows / homes for animals that the average forest trees left in NSW) using science, logic, the law, the media & the wider community.
The timber companies, Forestry NSW & their allies refused to accept change... employing dozers, police, media alliance & propaganda.
"Greiner returned to Australia, where he joined the timber company that his family owned. Greiner has also held the position of Australian chairman of British American Tobacco. Was NSW Premier in these times.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nick_Greiner
The greatest risk to the planet may include greed, limited information (media), ignorance & apathy
What is worth exploiting or protecting?
"By 1872, there were over 500 people living in Dalmorton, working numerous gold reefs in the area. Evidence of this gold-mining history includes vertical and horizontal mine shafts of several abandoned gold mines. Mining finally ceased in the 1930s. There is also a long history of timber harvesting within the Chandlers Creek basin extending back to the late 1800s, with cedar-getting followed by logging of hoop pine up until 1930. Small shelters can still be found dotted along the landscape as remnants of the industry."
https://www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/visit-a-park/parks/chaelundi-nation...
https://www.nefa.org.au/the_chaelundi_story_30_years_on
china is shit country anyway .
chinees government are shit assholes .
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_power#/media/File:2007-_New_solar_in...
A lot of Nations suck regarding human rights.
Took the US into a civil war and another revolution 200yrs later in the 1960's to allow darker people some legal theoretical social equal rights to share a bathroom, hotel or town. At least they have free speach in the media atm...
Well seagulls have rights they are fighting climate change for us all!!
Voltaire: 'Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.'
#1 swellnet exclusive WSL Chix Top Secret Spot X Ban
1. Double Check the Date on this WSL Comp
2. Double Check the Country
3 Double Check the Comp's Name
(Wait for this....)
Finally double check the Only Nation / Gender that (Mostly) boycotted the Comp..
https://www.worldsurfleague.com/events/2020/mqs/3469/corona-open-china
https://www.worldsurfleague.com/events/2020/wqs/3468/corona-open-china
And for what reason that they never shared with the world...
Coz that same nation had only recently sent a 'full squad' to neighbouring country + all other venues!
WSL "Likely + already knew" what reason & had no intention of sharing what they knew. (Cough!)
All unremarkable apart from what happened next > The End of the World as we know it!
Y' all just sit back & have a real good examination of what just went down here?
Q : Why did powerhouse US nation boycott many women folk from this Chinese WSL Comp
A : Sure! In hindsight all us armchair experts think we know why but none then, dare shared why!
WSL : "Just say nothing...No one will notice many of our US Chix got the shits all at once?"
If ya think yer that clever...
Now ask, why then did Team USA field a full men's team in very same Comp as did all other Nations!
Obviously WSL Men earn less than Chix & are treated as nothing more than WSL Slaves.
[factcheck] By end of 2019 China had dutifully informed WHO / US CDC of what that reason was...
Fucked if tbb can recall...probably not important!
Sure it was nothin'...all should've blown over by now anyhow!
Now rethink the Hong Kong Ban (vs) Holding WSL Corona Open China ( Jan 6-12, 2020 ) Huh!
All notice WSL openly flying Sky high Drones + even running Visit China for yer Corona Surf Safari...(Cough!)
Bonus Q : How come this open blatant WSL Viral Comp Boycott Tourist Promo hasn't been censored...Yet!
Q : Since the Corona (Cough!) Open >
Would WSL be permitted to stage another Covert Special Ops Drone Invasion here even if it were open?
Even if they were ordered to by North Korean Dictator Trump..
Ya don't have to answer for them...
That's a Tricky Trick Question...
...on account of yer internet is being hacked & tracked by Aukus 16+ e harmony envoy in 54321...
Halt! Who goes there... if any ask ... never said too much to land the crew in it again...FFS tbb!
STFAH & never ever spread Spot X Top secret Files..
Just leave them hangin' in suspense...teetering on the edge of the World...for a dramatic ending!
https://www.sixthtone.com/news/1015636
There’s a lot more to the Australian coastline than clubby flag areas and Hong Kong, the authorities wouldn’t have a hope of banning surfing in SA or WA etc . Plus it’s a huge industry and tourism draw card compared to
Norway and Hong Kong .