Three years after being threatened, the Mölle wave spot in Sweden is still alive and kicking despite attempts to change it. In 2008, one of the few surf spots in this Nordic European country was in danger.
Sweden has 3,218 kilometers of coastline, but a good surf swell is as rare as a warm sunny day.
Three years ago, the Swedish surfers and the Swedish Surfing Association protested against the plan to destroy a special point for all riders of the region.
Mölle, one of Sweden's best waves, located on the West coast of Skåne, in the South of the country, was going to have a harbor built with stoppers to prevent the waves from disturbing the million-dollar boat guests.
Back in 2008, Jonas Lilja started a club called "Skånes Vågsurfare" to fight the end of this Swedish surf treasure.
In 2011, SurferToday.com got back with Lilja to get an update.
"The guys in charge of running the harbor made an extension to the outer groin in February. Local surfers were there to try to stop it but without success. No authorization had been granted for the construction", says Jonas Lilja.
Watch the local surf activists trying to block the construction.
An Asset for the Local Economy
Formal complaints have also been made by local residents. Surfers filed charges against the construction workers, but they were dropped soon after because the workers are innocent.
"The wave has been affected, but it is not clear exactly how much. The amount of swell hitting the surf point is likely to be less than ever before," adds local surfer Lilja.
"The wave itself seems a little longer, but the take-off has changed. The real irony is that the extension has increased the waves inside the harbor instead of decreasing them. I surfed there myself yesterday."
The Swedish surfing community will continue with protests and will try to show local residents that the Mölle wave is an asset to the local economy and for everyone who wants to try surfing.
"The local teenagers have started to surf. Some of them took part in the February demonstrations, and one of them will be on the Swedish team for the Eurosurf, in September, in Ireland", reveals Jonas Lilja.