I don't have the foggiest idea of what awaits me when I arrive?
Although I tried to do as much research as possible, I don't really know what to expect from a surf trip to China, leading to even more questions. First world or third world? Capitalism or socialism? Rich? Poor? Freedom of speech or government censor? Even that trusted and omniscient adviser that is the world-wide web seems to have a lot of conflicting opinions about the place.
I decide to keep the expectations low and hopefully be surprised. The only thing I know for sure is that our destination is the Wanning region of Hainan, a tropical island in the South China Sea that the local government aims to make an international tourist destination. Think Bali or Hawaii, only in China. But what's interesting is that the government is promoting surfing as one of the island's main attractions. And to assess the surfing potential ahead of the upcoming Wanning International Surfing Festival 2010, they decided to invite our crew of international surfers to spend some time in search of waves.
China investing in surfing....sounds interesting, doesn't it? It is.
Entire villages along Wanning's picturesque coast are getting a face
lift, access roads are being paved, trees planted and beaches cleaned up. Surfers are flown to Hainan from the four corners of the planet and housed in the sumptuous Le Meridien beach resort at Shimei Bay. Journalists, reporters and TV crews flock to Wanning from as far away as Beijing for the conferences and the Festival's opening ceremonies. Giant billboards with surf shots taken just days before are plastered across the viaducts and bridges along the island's main highway to advertise the event. Ever wonder how China became the world's second largest economy? Things get done quickly. People work hard.
My hair is still wet as I sit front row at the Festival's opening ceremony waiting to be called onstage. The surf is pumping just out front and it's been like that for almost two weeks. I nearly miss hearing my name called to watch a set of solid righthanders wrap around a tiny island about a mile offshore. Every day we seem to stumble upon some crazy new setup: epic beachbreak one day, rippable pointbreak the next, hollow rivermouths, fun wedges, reefbreaks -- the place has it all. And it's got swell! The seasonal northeasterly monsoon blows pretty much non-stop from November to March producing some solid windswell aimed straight at Hainan's north and east coasts. Wanning's southeast-facing coast still gets plenty of swell with the added bonus of the offshore wind, meaning clean conditions are the norm during most winter days.
I used to think that the only link between China and surfing were the surfboard and clothing factories scattered around the mainland. Nope. After working behind the sewing machine and in the shaping room for over a decade now, China is finally ready to take its surf act to the beach. And it's happening right now. It's got the drive, money and government backing. Even the ASP is taking notice and is eyeing a WQS event on the island for next year, as confirmed by Australasian Tour Manager Dane Jordan during the Festival's opening ceremony.
Mind you, within surfing's inner circles it's never been a secret that Hainan has rideable waves. Australians and American expats have been surfing these beaches quite regularly for the past thirty or so years, ever since Aussie Peter Droyun first laid his eyes on Sun Moon Bay's
pointbreak.
The biggest change is the birth of a local surf scene. Mama's restaurant on the beach at Sun Moon Bay is the epicenter of it all, with Mama's two sons leading the pack of a dozen or so surf-stoked locals. Thanks to Surfing Hainan's Brendan Sheridan and the visiting surfers who have left behind their boards over the years, the local surfers can now count on a stock of over 40 surfboards to choose from. Some, like Mama's oldest son, Huang Wen, support their surfing lifestyle by renting out boards, giving surf lessons, taking care of visiting surfers and honing their skills just in front of his mom's warung style restaurant.
Life here is far from the fast pace and glamours of Shanghai. Hainan seems to move at a pretty relaxed pace. In most of the countryside, life is still pretty village-oriented, reflecting the locals' strong bond with the island's unique traditions. Thanks in large part to its geographical isolation, Hainan has managed to preserve much of its identity even through the cultural revolution that wiped out a big portion of the country's heritage. Having served as a place of exile for intellectuals and dissidents in the
past also played a significant role in shaping the island's distinct character.
Immersing ourselves in new societies and cultures is the reason we all love to travel. If there is one thing that I've learned during the two trips I've done so far to China, is that I should stop trying to classify things that happen around me according to models that belong to my own culture. This country is unlike any other. It is important to see things for what they really are, not for what they appear to be. what they appear to be.
Good times and good surf aside, this is the true essence of what Hainan taught me. I came for the waves and went home with a whole new perception of this special place. I kept my expectations low and China made me want to come back for more. Now, that's a surprise.
Emiliano Cataldi
