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Official logo

The S.O.S. Salvem O Surf (Savem The Surf) is an Environmental Non-Governmental Organisation, with a strong technical profile, that aims to solve problems and issues related with Surfing but also to develop the sport. It strives to solve problems constructively, guided by the need to raise awareness of the value of surf, and the will to create added value to all the involved parties.

S.O.S. Salvem O Surf as a spontaneous popular movement was born with SOS Santo Amaro at the end of 2002 with the objective to protect the wave of Santo Amaro de Oeiras, the only surfing alternative in the Lisbon region in days of strong stormy SW winds (the movement achieved an agreement with the Municipality of Oeiras that allowed the preservation of 70% of the wave extension).

Guiding Principles

S.O.S. Salvem O Surf actions are guided by well defined principles of Protection and Development of surfing

Protection

  1. Protecting and preserving beaches and waves for surfing.
  2. Creating National and World Surfing Reserves.
  3. Inclusion of surf in Environmental Impact Studies.
  4. Environmental monitoring and care of water quality.
  5. Correcting coastal work projects whenever there is a real threat to surfing.
  6. Preservation of surfing in projects related with the energy of waves.
  7. Safeguarding the public access to waves (preventing the privatisation of accesses and coast).

Development

  1. Creation of artificial reefs that can be used for surfing.
  2. Promotion and support of studies that sustainably promote the development of surfing.
  3. Monitoring and characterisation of beaches and waves for surfing.
  4. General social-economic studies aiming at better understanding the potential of surfing.
  5. Saving lifes of both surfers and swimmers, endangered by rip currents or coastal works.

Team

At the core of S.O.S. there is a team, with diverse capabilities in Sports, Scientific and Business skills, based in the best waves and schools. Namely, S.O.S. is unique and different from other surf/ocean NGO and associations as its technical team is at the forefront of studies in coastal engineering and environment, artificial reef projects, surf-economics, social politics and is, thus, able to solve problems of wave preservation from the onset, directly proposing surfing friendly solutions to local and national government, population and coastal work promoters.

  • Pedro Bicudo is S.O.S.’s President, and the responsible for Coastal Engineering and Surf Reserves. He holds a PhD in Theoretical Physics from Instituto Superior Técnico. He lead the 1st surf reef project in Europe [1][2]
  • Ana Horta Ana Horta is a member of the Environmental Team and the responsible for S.O.S. as an ONGA (Environmental Non Governmental Organisation). She holds a PhD in Environment by the Instituto Superior Técnico.
  • Rita Marteleira is the hands-on of S.O.S. and part of the Environmental Team. She is completing her Masters in Environmental Engineering.
  • Manuel Valadas Preto is the responsible for Funding and Relationship with Business. He consults for multinationals and start-ups and holds an MBA from London Business School.
  • Pedro “Pecas” Monteiro founded SOS and is now responsible for Events and Sport. He is our surf champion a coach and a respected figure in the world of surfing in Portugal.
  • Guilherme Garcia “Gui” is the Media Relations and also the website caretaker. He co-founded S.O.S. Besides surfing instructor, Gui writes novels and in surf blogs.
  • João de Macedo, besides challenging the biggest waves of the planet, is an Economist and World Surfing Reserves Ambassador from the “Save the Waves” in San Francisco that he shares with Portugal as home town. He has a Master in Sports Management.
  • Pedro Adão e Silva holds a PhD in Social and Political Sciences and is a professor of Public Policies. He is a leading public figure, a TV and radio commentator and a columnist in Expresso and Surf Portugal.
  • Ruth Ferrony Grilo is the most recent team element being responsible for the image of S.O.S. She giver artistic and civic formation for several NGO's and for East-Timor National Parliament (where she presently lives).

The S.O.S. team is dynamic and often includes temporary voluntary collaborators whenever a specific skill is needed.

History

2002

Santo Amaro S.O.S. came to life from a group of surfers to defend the only wave near Lisbon that works with SW storms and, for the first time in Portugal, technical reasoning was used to convince the Harbour of Lisbon and the local Municipality of Oeiras that the peer would damage the wave and would not have the desired protective effect. These entities have changed the project and build a peer with only half of the length preserving 70% of the wave extension.

2004

Costa da Caparica – in June, local surf clubs have asked S.O.S. to help them making a case against the building of sand contention peers. Despite giving technical evidence the Municipality has not heard the surfers claims and peers were build, damaging the waves in this long beach break. The peers have proved useless and erosion continues to threaten the region as nature is giving reason to S.O.S.

2005

S.O.S. Carcavelos – in February, more than 5.000 surfers have converged to this beach break to ask the Municipality of Cascais not to build peers to contain the sands (again, technical proof was given that this was not an efficient solution). With a 100% success, the wave was fully preserved. Moreover, S.O.S. was awarded a medal by the Municipality for their actions in “protection of nature and the environment”. As a result, the Municipality has requested a study for an artificial reef to improve surf conditions in S.Pedro do Estoril.

2008

Criativa and the Musa music Festival – Since 2008, S.O.S. has been invited, as main environmental partner, to participate in a multitude of events organized by Creativa (music festivals, beach events etc.).

2009

S.O.S. Cabedelo, Figueira da Foz – S.O.S. was called to give technical support to a locals surfer movement that wanted to impede the extension of a peer north of the Mondego River threatening this world class wave. S.O.S. has also given support to create a massive human logo in the water.

Casualties

In addition, S.O.S. members have been involved in many other threatened waves, unfortunately with mixed results::

Lost Waves

Portugal looses, on average, 1 world quality wave per year, thus, the importance of S.O.S. and their work.

SURF SPOT REGION MAIN QUALITIES CONSTRUCTION TYPE YEAR SOS TEAM PROJECTED LOSS FINAL LOSS
Pico de Rabo de Peixe Azores Big and long Fishing harbour jetty 2000 4 100% 100%
Lugar de Baixo right Madeira Tubular and long Sea wall for marina 2001 2 100% 40%
Kirra right Alentejo Tubular and long Commercial harbour jetty 2002 1 100% 100%
Santo Amaro de Oeiras Lisboa Tubular and long Jetty for beach nourishment 2003 20 50% 30%
Points of Costa de Caparica Lisboa Multiple beach breaks Beach nourishment 2004 6 20% 10%
Jardim do Mar right Madeira Big and long Sea wall for coastal protection 2005 2 50% 50%
Points of Carcavelos Lisboa Beach break tubular Groins for beach nourishment 2005 30 30% 0%
Ponta Delgada left Madeira Big and long Swimming pool with jetty 2005 2 100% 100%
Cabedelo of Douro left Porto Tubular Jetty for coastal protection 2006 1 100% 100%
Cabedelo of Figueira da Foz left Center Big and long Commercial harbour jetty 2009 12 50% 50%
Pico de Santa Catarina Azores Tubular Commercial harbour jetty 2010 2 100% -%
S. Torpes Alentejo Beach break Commercial harbour jetty 2011 4 50% -%
Rabo de Peixe left Azores Long Fishing harbour jetty 2010 4 100% -%

Human logo during S.O.S. Carcavelos


References

  1. ^ Bicudo, P., Cardoso, N., 2007a. Modelação numérica para a orientação e declive do topo do recife, Relatório CMC/IST/FCUL/LNEC- MOD_IST/07 -30/11/2007
  2. ^ Bicudo, P., Cardoso, N., 2007b. Parâmetros para a implantação do modelo físico do recife para o surf de São Pedro no tanque de ondas do LNEC, Relatório CMC/IST/FCUL/LNEC- COOR/15-30/11/2007
  3. ^ The fight to save this wave is reported in the film "Lost Jewel of the Atlantic"

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