Rincón, Puerto Rico: A collection of sugar plantations became a surfing mecca when it played host to the 1968 World Surfing Championships. Surfing transformed the identity of the community here forever and became where American and Borikén cultures met.
This short is my take on the legacy of surfing and contests here, aimed to illuminate the power of surfing as a tool of protest. Puerto Rico’s strong surfing community has managed to protect its natural heritage from overdevelopment so far, but today, 30-minutes north of Rincón, a planned resort in the Playuela Valley of Aguadilla will cut off surf access and threaten the surrounding environment unless the surfing community continues to assert its power as a protector of nature. Again, surfers must protect their home — this time from the Christopher Columbus Landing Resort. Waves are a valuable asset not only for the planet and surfers but for our economy as well.
Editor’s Note: You can read more about Puerto Rico’s local fight against the development of the Christopher Columbus Landing Resort here.
