Bondi has been closed due to the community not following social distancing laws. Photo Morris.

Whether we jump in the car with a bunch of friends or plan an international adventure, recent global lockdown Covid-19 rules imposed on society in most surf cultures has caused massive changes, most but not all intended. One unintended consequence has been that old school surfing tribalism seems to have been legitimised unfortunately.

I’m not suggesting governments have got it wrong in doing their utmost to protect us as citizens – with particular emphasis on protecting the most vulnerable in our society, our elders.

I get it, and indeed support it.

Yet until recent weeks in Australia, postcode localism has never been law.

However, with the rigorous, some say draconian social distancing laws currently in place as a means of mitigating Covid-19, the old school locals-only mentality has reared its ugly head again.

The police have made their position clear in most Australian states, particularly Victoria, NSW, Queensland and WA, where the majority of Australian surfers reside. The Police have gone on the record saying, “This Easter Holiday period in particular we will be actively pursuing people who are travelling unnecessarily, without a reasonable excuse, and we will be ensuring that those people comply with the directions.”

In my neck of the woods, the mayor of Cronulla Cr. Pesce said, “The step is to ensure the public safety of the local community and ensure that the mass gathering and social distancing laws are complied with over the four day holiday period.”

“Overall, our local community have shown a commendable level of compliance with federal and state government health and social distancing measures in recent weeks, but following the strong advice from NSW Police and NSW Health, and other authorities we will now be taking additional measures to deter crowds over the holiday break.”

Cr. Pesce said over the Easter holidays, Greenhills beach, Wanda beach, Elouera beach, North Cronulla beach, Cronulla beach, Shelley Park beach and Oak Park beach would be closed.

 

Cronulla has been closed to beachgoers an surfers. Pic. Horvath

On the Gold Coast Mayor Tate was quite parochial, “Unfortunately, over the weekend, out-of-towners are descending on the Gold Coast in mass numbers and I fear that this number will increase over the Easter weekend,” he said. “Therefore, as of midnight on Tuesday, The Spit, Surfers Paradise and Coolangatta beaches will be closed [to everyone].” Other beaches would be open to local residents only.

 

 

Photo Sean Scott

On social media surfers have become self-appointed local sheriffs in many instances, jumping all over the new rules. Heaps of Hansonesque style comments are popping up all over Facebook saying things like, “If you don’t live here don’t surf here.” Blow-ins bail” etc etc.

Now, i can only reiterate as I’ve said above, if surfing is banned uniformly across the country for public safety measures, no matter where you come from, because it is deemed surfing is breaking the social distancing protocols that hopefully bring this virus pandemic to some sort of end eventually, then great.

However, currently in Australia with our thankfully relatively low levels of infection and death, one can’t help but wonder why a surfer from Peakhurst has fewer rights to a beach than a surfer from Cronulla? Similarly why shouldn’t a surfer from Brookvale be able to sneak out for a paddle at Narrabeen, or a Maroubra surfer be allowed to nip down to the Nulla on the quiet, cause his or her beach is closed, and so it goes?

Easter is a great time for surf in Australia, and 2020 was no exception with a solid pulse of S – SE swell pushing up the East Coast and graced with sunny skies and offshore winds. With Cronulla and Easter Suburbs beaches closed, is seems that anyone in Sydney with a surfboard ended up on the Northern Beaches. Reports from the Bower to Palmy of incredible crowds in the water are unsurprising, however the concern from many Northern Beaches surfers was not social distancing or risk of exposure to the virus. A powerful groundswell is pretty good at sorting out the lineup and the crowds while numerous, were well dispersed.

It all just seems so confusing and baffling to me and many others in the community that you can line up for a coffee beachside, or go for a walk on the promenade or boardwalk, but can’t go for a chilled paddle, keeping your distance in the water, and take turns riding a few waves to keep you fit and sane in these testing times?

Anyways, it is what it is.

Travelling around the next headland to get out of the wind, down the coast to surf a pointbreak, or dare i say it to Indonesia or the Maldives to get shacked on a reef is off limits for now.

Written by:
Ben Horvath

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