Sometimes in life you gotta do what you gotta do.
You gotta stand behind what you believe in.
Me I’ve always had a strong sense of justice (or rather unjustice).
When I smell injustice, in life, in the workplace, in relationships that is the one single most thing that tuns me on immediately into fighting mode.
In this case we are not talking about human rights, the environment, gender disparity or any other one of the “big” causes.
We are talking about one of my favourite pastimes, windsurfing.
Alas surfing is much more than a pastime.
Quoting Kelly Slater it’s like the mafia. Once you get in there is no way out.
Surfing takes over your life and you do anything in your power to get yourself to do more.
For surfer surfing is much more than a pastime.
It’s pretty much their life.
Thus when you are deprived of your basic right to surf even the quietest of people will put up a fight.
Me am not particularly quiet as you know so don’t get me started on my sport else I will fight.
I fought for access to beaches in South Africa – check the petition 839 subscriber – and we won.
Am fighting now for one of our best spots La Frasca whose access lies inside a Regional park, Il monumento naturale della Frasca.
As windsurfers we are blessed with being pushed to visit some of the most beatiful places of the Earth. Hawaii, Mauritius, Caribbean Islands, South Africa, Cabo Verde, Madagascar, the Southern Pacific.
But back home that is not different. Places like Capo Mannu, Salento Peninsula, Varazze, Talamone, Porto Pollo, Lake Carda, Valmadrera are some of the better locations Italy has to offer.
Banzai and la Frasca are no different.
Well what happened?
After over 30 years of peaceful enjoyment of the park, not just for windsurfing but also walks, sunbathing, picnics, fishing, diving kayaking and you name it cause people are wonderful and have a myriad of interests, we were banned from accessing the park all of a sudden.
A camera was placed not at the entrance of the park but right before a group of houses clearly built in breach any legislation and later remitted so that any car attempting to access the park will get a fine.
The park offers multiple entrances so in theory we can still get in from the south side that lies in the area administered by Comune di Civitavecchia and work our way to the pine grove that is right in fron of this beautiuful and unique wave in the area administered by Comune di Tarquinia.
Alas the Comune will immediately send the park ranger and impose a 400€ fine that many of us have found on the windshield exiting the water.
The spot is unique.
The wave is unique
The location is unique.
Please read the petition to know more.
Quite unique is also that we are one the few countries in the world where decisions that impact so heavily park goers are taken without any consultation of the different interest groups.
And the attempts to establish a respectful line of communication with the administration have yielded nothing in months, all the while out access to the park remains impaired and at our own risk.
It is thus my duty, honour and pride to ask you to sign this petition now.
I believe in democracy and I believe in advocacy.
I believe that as a country we can evolve away from our Bourbonic and Napoleonic view of the administration of power.
Let’s not forget that democracy was born yes in Athens but found its full application in Republican Rome.
If we win this little battle it’s not just the regaining of a surf spot but a win for the system and for Italian society
Let’s #savelafrasca to #saveitaly
With nothing less than Love and Passion