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Mauritania - One of hundreds of insurance-inspired shipwrecks in Mauritania. This ship was scuttled in the middle of a good right point, cutting the wave into two sections. Photo: Callahan/SurfExplore
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Angola. Should the government actually decide to do something to help subsistence fishermen, points like this lefthander in Angola could be wiped out by harbour developments. Photo: Callahan/SurfExplore
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Gabon. The excellent and virtually unsurfed left point at Mayumba is threatened by a gigantic China-funded iron-ore export facility. Photo: Callahan/SurfExplore
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Maldives. An island in southern Huvadhoo atoll, in an area scheduled for development as the "Five Islands" resort. Photo: Callahan/SurfExplore
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Western Sahara. Fishing is far more economically significant than surfing at this Western Sahara point break. Construction of a proposed harbor groin from the tip of the point would destroy this wave, one of the best in North Africa. Photo: Callahan/SurfExplore
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Algeria. New waves in countries where surfing is unknown and ocean awareness is low are particularly vulnerable to development. Photo: Callahan/SurfExplore
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Taiwan. One of several reef breaks in the Kenting area, directly in front of an active nuclear power plant. Photo: Callahan/SurfExplore
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China Hainan. The left point at Riyue Bay could have been filled in as part of a golf course development but has proven its economic value by hosting several major surf contests in the past two years. Photo: Callahan/SurfExplore
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Haiti. This offshore island in Haiti with several good reef breaks is being proposed for a huge development including a golf course, timeshare condominiums and cruise ship anchorage. Photo: Callahan/SurfExplore
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Japan, Miyazaki. The Japanese coastline has been profoundly reshaped by collusion between politicians and the construction industry, with massive concrete tetrapods dropped everywhere. Photo: Callahan/SurfExplore
Love them or hate them, secret spots have been and integral part of surf culture for decades. SurfEXPLORE’s Erwan Simon puts forward an opinion that secrets spots are negative by default, that many great waves have been destroyed because of the Cult of the Secret Spot and the only way forward is openness and recognition of economic value. With the speed and proliferation of the many forms of social media, we may not have a choice.
Read Erwan’s piece about the death of the secret spot.
Follow SurfEXPLORE on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Weibo.
View John Callahan’s 20 Best Surfing Islands and more from SurfExplore on The Inertia.
