Breaking Waves: Surf History, Art, and Ocean Futures

Dive into an extraordinary lecture series that explores the powerful connections between surf culture, environmental activism, and coastal heritage.

As spring settles in Cornwall, the National Maritime Museum Cornwall’s surf-focused lecture series is already underway, with the opening talk from Sam Bleakley already setting the tone, the series continues with a lineup that blends culture, creativity, and critical thinking around the future of waveriding.

The Spring Lecture Series at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall (NMMC) will cover all things surf, marking a year since the museum's major exhibition opened.

‘Breaking Waves: Surf History, Art, and Ocean Futures’ includes three compelling talks that celebrate Cornwall’s pioneering role in British surfing and address urgent challenges facing our oceans today.

The series begins on 19^th March 2026 with a talk entitled, ‘Surfing, Sustainability & The Future of Waveriding in Cornwall’ from Dr. Sam Bleakley, curator of NMMC’s SURF! 100 Years of Waveriding in Cornwall exhibition, which launched in March 2025.

Sam will celebrate surfing's role as a driving force for the blue economy, sitting at the cutting edge of sustainability, responsible tourism, and blue health. He will also reflect on some of the hidden histories uncovered in SURF!, and outline his vision for the future impact and responsibilities of surfing in Cornwall.

On Thursday 2^nd April, artist Andy Hughes will explore the powerful intersection of surf culture, contemporary art, and coastal activism in his lecture, ‘Waves of Change.’ Andy will share his recent art, photography, and film work connected to the global crisis of plastic pollution, alongside powerful works by others.

Finally, on Thursday 14th May, Skewjack Stories curator Rachel Yates takes the audience on a journey to the UK’s first and only surf village.

Operating in the far west of Cornwall from 1971 to the 1980s, Skewjack was a surf camp that blazed a trail in more ways than one. From sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll to changing surf culture and attitudes, Skewjack was a pioneering community that was ultimately forced to navigate the price of its success.

Rachel highlights how Skewjack lives on today and explores how we might learn from the pioneering community, creating authentic and reciprocal relationships with each other and the Ocean.

All lectures begin at 7.30pm, with doors open from 7pm. Refreshments are available, and for each, there is an option to watch online instead. NMMC members receive a 10% discount on tickets for the in-person lectures.

 For futher information follow the link below:

Welsh surfers are gearing up for the PuraVida MiPost Welsh National Surfing Championships.

The 2026 competition is due to take place at Llantwit Major this weekend (27–29 March).

Fresh from an Indo trip, reigning Welsh Men’s Open champion Eli Perrins-Davies is aiming to make it back-to-back wins in the Vale of Glamorgan. 

Competition in both Men’s and Women’s divisions has never been fiercer, and with favourable swell and winds forecast through this Saturday and Sunday, spectators can expect to see a showcase of Welsh surfing across all surfer categories.

Front-runners

In an outstanding 2025, Josie Hawke won the Rip Curl GromSearch UK, and secured two podium finishes at the Croyde Pro Junior last month. The Pembs ripper will be keen to claim back the Women’s Open crown after it was won in her absence last year by multiple Welsh title winner, Emily Williams.

While Williams isn’t competing this year, there’s a wealth of talent coming up through the Welsh ranks meaning Hawke will need to bring her A-game to succeed this time around. 

Seasoned shredders like Patrick Langdon-Dark and Logan Nicol are in the hunt for top honours this year amid a stacked Men’s division. Both will have their work cut out if they’re to wrest the title away from the current Men’s Open champion.

We caught up with Eli to see how things are going as he prepares to defend his crown.

What does it mean to be current Men’s Open Welsh Champion?

Yeah, to be Men’s Open Welsh Champion is definitely a dream come true for me. It’s a massive achievement and it’s something I’ve always wanted to do in the Men’s division. So, I’m pretty stoked with that one.

How was your recent trip to Indo?

The trip to Indo was so sick. I was there for a month, basically just stayed at Keramas the whole time. I looked to go to the other islands but it’s just so fun there in the wet season, just so consistent with the surf; you just can’t fault it at all. Obviously, the surf was one of the highlights, and obviously Ollie Wong, we had a couple of funny nights.

I didn’t go out there with a training programme in mind, just focused on my own surfing. We were out there for four weeks, I think I went to the gym four times. I was just conscious about trying to better myself, my surfing and have fun.

How have preparations gone through the last few months leading up to the 2026 Welsh Nationals?

I’m pretty happy with how I’ve prepared for The Welsh this year. I’ve been kind of getting back into that competitive mindset. I did a comp down Croyde two weekends ago – the Croyde Pro Junior, and that helped get me back in the competitive headspace.

I had a little Red Bull Expression Session last weekend which was good, so yeah, I’m definitely happy with how I’ve prepared myself, especially with going away and just surfing a load. I’m feeling good for it, hopefully it will be a good event.

Who else is pushing for silverware in the Men’s Open this year?

Obviously, you’ve got the likes of Pat, Logan, Seth, Elliot, there’s so many good surfers. We’ll all be aiming to get silverware. But I don’t really want to think about that. I just want to focus on myself and if I can perform to the best of my ability, I’m happy. That’s why I want to do it.

Who’s currently sponsoring you?

 Currently sponsored by Fourth Surfboards. Luke’s been looking out for me for over ten years now, so I’m super fortunate to have such a good relationship with my shaper. I’m also backed by U Test Diagnostics – a self-testing company that sells health testing kits for things ranging from iron and vitamin level checks to bowel cancer screening. You can buy them from places like Home Bargains or Savers and get the test for a few pounds. It’s really a game-changer – something you can do on your own if you’ve got a health concern, or you might be embarrassed about going to the doctor. It’s such a good company; I’m stoked to be supported by them and to be representing them.

How’s 2026 looking in terms of training, targets and competitions?

Hopefully, I’ll be looking at Pro Juniors contests, so that’s what I’ve got in mind. Hopefully the WSL Pro Junior events, I can smash them and do as well as I can. Obviously, the Welsh Nationals, and then the Boardmasters – probably the only QS I’ll do this year. So yeah, looking forward to it.

Words: Steve White
Images: Craig Nicol

Puerto Escondido, home to world-class surf breaks Zicatela and Punta Colorada, has officially been dedicated as the 14th World Surfing Reserve. 

The designation of Puerto Escondido as a World Surfing Reserve (WSR) is the result of years of community effort to protect its waves, ecosystems, and ocean culture. 

Save The Waves Coalition and local partners in Oaxaca gathered on Saturday, March 21st and held the dedication ceremony with 350+ community members, surfers, and devotees to the “Mexican Pipeline”. 

The event began with a special ceremony honoring the surf ecosystem of Zicatela with the entire community making a circle in the sand, holding reverence for the surf. Speeches followed with important remarks from government officials representing the state of Oaxaca, the municipalities of San Pedro Mixtepec and Santa María Colotepec, the Surf Association of Oaxaca, the Mexican Association of Surf Instructors, and the World Surfing Reserve’s Local Stewardship Council. 

The speeches concluded with powerful and emotional speeches from local photographer Edwin Morales, and community leader Humberto “Beto” Olivera, and the unveiling of the Puerto Escondido WSR plaque. 

“Playa Zicatela is much more than a famous wave. It is a community united by respect for the ocean, by shared early mornings, and by the passion of those of us who feel that the sea is part of our lives. For many of us, Zicatela is not just a place where we surf - it is a place where we belong,” said Edwin Morales, surf photographer and local community leader. 

While renowned worldwide for the famous big wave beach break Zicatela, the new Puerto Escondido World Surfing Reserve hosts a variety of waves and surf ecosystems. Encompassing 10 kilometers and 8 unique waves, the WSR includes Punta Colorada, La Punta de Zicatela, Playa Marinero, Playa Carrizalillo, and more. 

The World Surfing Reserves program is managed by Save The Waves Coalition, an international nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting surf ecosystems across the globe. 

The program was launched in 2009 and now includes 14 World Surfing Reserves spanning around the world, including Malibu and Santa Cruz in California; Ericeira in Portugal; the Gold Coast, Manly and Noosa in Australia; Punta de Lobos in Chile, Playa Hermosa in Costa Rica; Huanchaco in Peru; Guarda do Embaú in Brazil; North Devon in the United Kingdom; Bahía de Todos Santos in Baja California, Mexico; and Oriente Salvaje in El Salvador. 

“The dedication of the Puerto Escondido World Surfing Reserve not only recognizes the exceptional quality of its waves but also the community’s commitment to their protection,” said Trent Hodges, Senior Conservation Manager at Save The Waves. “This is a moment to celebrate the amazing surf and to acknowledge the incredible stewardship work and passion of the people of Puerto.” 

For more than a decade, surfers, scientists, civil organizations, and local residents have worked together to defend iconic places such as Punta Colorada and promote a vision of coastal development that respects the natural balance of the region. 

“In Puerto Escondido, surfing is not just a sport: it is identity, community, and a deep respect for the ocean,” says local leader Humberto “Beto” Olivera. 

A campaign to defend Puerto Escondido’s waves was launched and led locally by Salvemos Colorada, COSTA UNIDA, Salvemos La Ola, and Fondo Oaxaqueño. In September 2023, Save The Waves Coalition joined the campaign efforts to advocate for the health and preservation of the area’s surf ecosystems. 

Today, this collective effort laid the foundation for the Puerto Escondido World Surfing Reserve. 

Puerto Escondido’s coastline is part of one of the most diverse ecosystems along Mexico’s Pacific coast. Mangroves, rivers, estuaries, wetlands and beaches form an interconnected natural system that supports remarkable biodiversity. 

Under Save The Waves’ global conservation program, every World Surfing Reserve adopts a “Local Stewardship Plan” to tackle and solve key conservation goals in the area. For Puerto Escondido, they have identified three goals: 1) improve water quality and prevent land-based pollution 2) restore the wave of Zicatela and 3) protect critical ecosystems. 

“This recognition allows us not only to organize better, but to generate the scientific studies needed to prevent poorly planned projects from happening again,” said Almendra Gomezleyva, local leader and President of the Local Stewardship Council. 

“Right now, we are fundraising for bathymetric studies of Zicatela, to understand marine dynamics and ensure that future construction does not damage the wave. With the designation of the World Surfing Reserve, we are more united than ever.” 

At Save The Waves Coalition, the dedication of the Puerto Escondido World Surfing Reserve is a milestone for surf ecosystem conservation in Mexico. 

“Protecting these surf ecosystems is absolutely essential to further preserve biodiversity, strengthen coastal resilience and safeguard the future of the waves that have made Puerto Escondido a world-renowned surf destination,” says Nik Strong-Cvetich, CEO at Save The Waves Coalition. 

“We’re so honored to work with our local partners in Puerto Escondido, and believe that this is a step forward and another powerful indicator for further protection of Mexico’s surf breaks. We’re moving in the right direction, together.”