Surfers Oppose Restriction

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32209, 30 January 1970, Page 14

Surfers Oppose Restriction

A committee representing the three surfriding clubs in Christchurch will approach the parks and recreation committee of the Christchurch City Council in an attempt to keep Scarborough Beach open to surfboards. This was decided last night by delegates of the Breakwater, North Wai and University of Canterbury surfriding clubs at a meeting called to organise opposition to the move by a group of Sumner residents to have surfboards banned at the beach.

Further discussions are to be held with the Sumner Surf Life-saving Club next week. The Town Clerk (Mr M. B. Hayes) said yesterday that the parks and recreation committee would meet on Monday and consider surfboard riding at Scarborough, and

report to the next City Council meeting on February 23.

The submissions from a group of Sumner residents seeking a ban on surfboards at Scarborough had been forwarded to the committee. The group submitted that surfboards were dangerous now that swimming was permitted at Scarborough. Mr Hayes said he had been advised that surfboard-rider clubs in Christchurch would make submissions against any ban. The council had the power to endorse or to, vote against the committee’s recommendation.

The meeting of surf-riding elubs decided that, as surfers had been given inadequate consideration in the past over surfboard restrictions, they would like to present their views before a decision was given by the council. The new committee wrote to the Town Clerk requesting: (I)‘representation at any future discussions; (2) that members of the City Council personally inspect the area in dispute with the members of the committee. The president of the Breakwater Surf-riders’ Club (Mr R. S. Tulloch) said last evening that for the last six years the beach had been an area used exclusively by surfers. The beach, especially near Head Street where the residents wanted the boards banned, produced some of the best surf in the city area. Sumner already had a

swimming area patrolled by surf life-savers at Clifton. Although generally considered a safe beach, Scarborough was nevertheless subject to a strong rip moving off-shore during north-easterly wave conditions. It was generally agreed that bathing and surfing in the same area was dangerous. Seldom did conditions of dense bathing and surfing coincide, but considering the growing popularity of both forms of recreation, it was desirable that no restrictions be imposed. Scarborough was the last beach in Christchurch where surfers could ride without restriction, and it was significant that there was no provision in City Council by-laws for prosecution of swimmers

using areas reserved for surfboards. jThis meant that bathers woiild not be denied the use of Scarborough whatever the outcome of the residents' request, but it might mean that surfers would have to travel miles from the city to pursue their sport. Even in summer, more surfboard riders used the beach than bathers, the main reason being that Scarborough had unique advantages for surfing. The beach was protected from the prevailing sea breezes, by the headland, which adversely affected conditions at all other city beaches. The beach was alone in producing good waves at low tide to mid-tide and received moderately consistent north and south swells.