Ocean’s 7: Kovalam’s quiet surfing revolution gets a boost as new surf schools open
The Hindu
Despite the stillness of lockdowns, a clutch of schools run by surfers from Kovalam’s fishing village launched. Now, this coastline attracts enthusiasts from across the country all year
It is high tide, on a grey afternoon. Frothy waves gently caress the shore. At Kovalam beach, clad in bodysuits, two amateur surfers are trying to catch a wave. Nudging them along is a young boy in a yellow uniform: their coach.
The men paddle into the water on surfboards, turn to face the beach and wait. As soon as a wave hits them, they attempt to ‘pop’ (stand on the board) and strike a superhero pose. A few seconds in, they topple over with a splash. On the shore, their family enthusiastically tries to catch the few seconds of action on camera.
It is a typical, slow weekday afternoon at Kovalam, along the Coromandel coast. However, the scene revs up on weekends, and early mornings. As the crowd swells, students line up behind their instructors with boards laid out on the sand, learning to ‘paddle’ and ‘pop’ before hitting the waves. Then their instructors, chest-deep in water, guide them carefully, coaxing them to catch each oncoming wave.