Move over surfers and make room for cameras, people counters, beach fees and wave taxes. Like a wave beginning to close out, so are the days of free and unrestricted beach use. The early swells of wave taxation and beach fees are just beginning to hit and they promise to impact surfing more than the largest El Nino swells in history. Surfing popularity is growing exponentially, so is the California deficit. While hundreds of thousands of surfers are facing the waves, many cities and states are facing huge financial challenges. In an effort to raise more revenue coastal cities now charge beach user fees for surfing schools and are further considering a wave tax for beginning surfers.
Although California may become the first state to tax beach and wave use, it is not the first to utilize the pay to surf concept. Cloud break in Fiji, and Grajagan in Indonesia are two of many world-class surfing breaks where surfers if pay willingly for the pleasure of dropping in. Several beaches on the East coast charge beach user fees as does Hanama Bay in Hawaii. For those of you who feel beach and wave user taxes/fees will never happen, consider the coastal community of Encinitas in Southern California, where they have just installed people counters at the beach.
Parking cars close to the beach was free at one time, now many costal towns charge premium prices for the privilege of a parking space near the beach. How much longer until surfers pay for a space in the line-up?
State and city parks across the country charge user fees. Beach showers, bathrooms, maintenance, and lifeguards, all cost money. Money has to come from somewhere, should beach users pay their fair share? Where will money generated from beach and wave use go? Who will be in charge of it?
Welcome to surfing in the 21st century. It appears free surfing has been sold out. Regardless of wave taxes and beach fees, surfing will always be about freedom. Nothing can replace the pure clean free feeling one gets from surfing a wave - even if it costs. Aloha.
See you! :)
Willis. (2011). Retrieved 10 28, 2011, from In the Media: http://www.swhydro.arizona.edu/archive/V2_N5/feature8.pdf
