Background of the Issue

Although not recognized for surfing, Sweden has an extensive surfing community that has been practicing the sport for decades. The North Sea is the main surf producer and the west coast of Skåne is battered by fierce westerly winds year-round. These winds can throw up some nice size waves as is the case for Mölle, a surfing spot at Mölle’s Harbor mouth in Skåne, which is considered to be one of Sweden’s best right point breaks.

Mölle has been under threat due to an approved harbor expansion project scheduled to commence in 2008. The project aimed to install “wave-stoppers”, which essentially is an extension to the existing harbor to facilitate boat maneuverability.

The loss of this wave will negatively affect hundreds of individuals who surf it everyday. Only a small elite, who wish to park their boats without the “annoyance” of waves are benefiting from this project, which was approved without public consent. The Swedish Surfing Association is organized a successful protest in early 2008 to demonstrate their opposition, which halted the project temporarily. Construction has continued intermittently over the past few years, however.

The Swedish surf community is asking for global support from surfers and ocean lovers to help save Mölle. Alex Whitman, a local Skane surfer explains, “as you can imagine, there isn't much surf in the Baltic. We rely on winds in the 30 knot plus range over a time period of four hours or more to produce rideable waves. Luckily, this is one of the windiest, stormiest places in the world! This particular wave is a really good pointbreak. It is also the go to spot that picks up everything and anything and works on the widest range of wind conditions essential for wave formation. We can’t afford to lose this spot!”

Latest Update (July 2011)

Thanks to the protests in 2008, the plans to extend the pier were put to a stop at the very last minute. The Swedish Environmental Court rejected Molle’s municipality’s proposal to extend the harbor due to the absence of a comprehensive environmental impact study. However, new problems have arisen.

In February, part of the harbor was extended without permission. The official reason cited for this construction was “regular maintenance,” a claim which is currently under investigation. Even if the maintenance claim is valid, the proper authorities were not notified before the construction took place. Protesters from the Radda Molle Surf Coalition attempted to put a stop to the construction activities but were unsuccessful. 

"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 even before. 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 harbour instead of decreasing it. I surfed there myself yesterday", adds local surfer Lilja.

The community will continue with protests and try to show local residents that the Molle wave is an asset for the economy and for surfers.