Liberia: Surfer's paradise in Robertsport
A new surfing scene has emerged in Liberia's port city of Robertsport. Surfers are practicing their tricks with borrowed surfboards, with tourists eager to discover the new surf spot.
Young surfers catching the waves
For centuries, fishermen have hauled in their catch by pirogue, a type of canoe, on the tropical beaches of Robertsport. These days, they're crossing paths with young surfers looking for the perfect wave in the protected Cape Mount Bay on the Atlantic coast — perfect conditions for beginners.
Living with the sea
Liberia, located in West Africa between Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast, was one of Africa's strongest countries economically after World War II. But decades of political instability and a brutal civil war have now made the nation one of the poorest in the world. Fishing is responsible for about 15% of the national income.
Secondhand surfboards
The founders of the NGO Provide The Slide discovered the excellent waves off Robertsport in 2019 and were thrilled by the new surf spot. The Swiss organization is based on a simple idea: surfboards that are old, worn out or simply gathering dust in cellars in Germany, Austria and Switzerland are repaired and donated to partner cities in West Africa.
New surfers on old boards
Provide The Slide has inspired a surf club in Robertsport. Beginners and those thinking of dipping a toe into surfing can borrow donated boards and ride the waves. Experienced surfers teach beginners the basics, and young surfers practice their skills and new tricks.
More than just board skills
Surfing skills go hand-in-hand with getting to know the ocean. These young surfing students are learning about currents, waves and various sea species, while nearby fishers wrap up a day on the water.
From surf to school
This surfing coach is accompanying a young girl during her first exercises on the water. The surf club not only offers young people surfboards, lessons and a surfing community — sometimes, it also jumps in to provide schooling for children.
Work and pleasure
Some fishers have also discovered the joy of surfing, as word spreads about the new surfing hot spot in Cape Mount Bay. More and more tourists from around the world are coming to explore the spot.
Sharing the beach
Old fishing culture and the new surfing scene coexist harmoniously on Robertsport beach. And the burgeoning tourism around the surfing hot spot has been welcomed as a new source of income.