Surfing in Gaza
Although there is a burgeoning surfing scene in the Gaza Strip, Gazan surfers struggle to find the necessary equipment and facilities, writes Hazem Balousha.
In the Mediterranean sea off the shores of the Gaza Strip, Ahmed Abu Hasira waits on his surfboard, catching waves for hours. He ponders the sea and enjoys himself, something he may not be able to do on the mainland.
Abu Hasira, 33, is one of the few surfers in the Gaza Strip. He learned to swim at an early age and when he turned 15, he took up surfing. He became enthralled with the sport after constantly watching surfers on television.
Speaking to Al-Monitor on Gaza Beach, Abu Hasira said, "I consider myself to be born on the beach — my house is only a few hundred meters from here. My father was a fisherman, which prompted me to take up swimming so that I could work as a fisherman. I also learned how to dive. When I was 15 years old, I would watch surfing programs on Israeli TV, which made me love the sport."
He added, "Surfing did not exist in the Gaza Strip at that time. I wanted to learn how to surf, and presumed that it would be easy. However, I encountered a problem when it came to finding a surfboard. I searched in the markets and couldn't find one. One day I was walking in the market — two years after I began learning how to surf — and I found a vendor selling a used professional surfboard that he had brought from Israel. I bought it from him for 600 shekels [$170] using money I had saved from my work."
