Development Rumors Swirling Around Indonesia's Desert Point Worries Locals | The Inertia
It was only a matter of time before they noticed. Even though surfers have been making the trek to one of the greatest barrels on earth for decades. Desert Point, a tiny bend in the coast on the island of Lombok, has stood the test of time against outside encroachment, despite maintaining its humble “Warung” culture and its homestays and its dusty, pockmarked “Baja-esque” roads and arid landscape that gave it its Western name. But it could possibly see development that has local surfers worried.
“The other day some guy from a development company showed up,” Budi Man, the unofficial surfing mayor of Desert Point who runs a simple surfers cafe recently told me. “And this guy says they are gonna offer us 15 million rupiah each (USD $1,040) before moving in with tractors to clear us surfers off the point! This is our life and has been for generations. We are over 2,000 local people that depend on the international surf community…we must stop this”.
Rumor has it that the aggressive development move was partly inspired by the interest in establishing Grajagan as a surf contest site across the channel on Java. I’m connecting the dots here, but a group of unnamed developers have just finished up an enormous Moto GP Track smack dab in the center of the other surfing area of the island in Kuta Lombok. Nicknamed the “Mandalika Development,” the Moto GP facility and surrounding infrastructure and accommodation is meant to establish Lombok as a world-class destination for Moto sports much like Abu Dhabi. Desert Point would be another feather in the islands’ sports destination cap as it is also rumored that the developers want to partly convert Desert Point into a “world-class surfing competition venue.”
Complicating things is the fact that just like Grajagan, Desert Point is on National Park land and despite the locals having been there for generations, the legalities of land ownership is foggy. Further rumors abound concerning plans for the large “eco-resort” on Desert Point and a marina development at nearby Bangko Bangko. No word yet on any plans to make the wave accessible to the droves of international surfers who worship the place. Which would mean the modest boat operations from Bali and the tiny local Prahu fishing boat “Drop off” culture of the surrounding area would explode in popularity. If in fact it was allowed. At this point the impact the whole shebang would have on the environment, the local culture, and the surfing experience isn’t known.
“This has brought such sadness to such a great surfing place” says Usman Trioko, local surfing pro and super-stylish tube rider who literally grew up in the spinning barrels of Desert Point, “but we are strong and we will try and make sure we protect our beautiful wave. It is like a family member to us”.
To that end, Budi Man and Usman Trioko have begun a grass roots fundraising effort for what is sure to be a contentious legal battle to fight development in the area, if and when it were to occur. If any development were to happen around the wave, it would undoubtedly be yet another David and Goliath environmental donnybrook and it’s Budi and Usman’s hope that all who have ever ridden the wave would support their campaign. “After all these years of perfect waves it is only fair to ask for help from our visitors,” says Budi. “I mean, where are we gonna go? This is our home. Forever. Right now we need surfers who love this wave and know how to advocate and create fundraising and who want helps us. Our own resources are too small.”
Obviously it’s going to be a long game.
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