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Pro Surfer & Activist reaches half way (Paddle on the West Coast)

Monday 26 November 2012, 2:47PM

By Kiwis Against Seabed Mining

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black sand
black sand Credit: Kiwis Against Seabed Mining
 Rasta paddling past raglan points
Rasta paddling past raglan points Credit: Kiwis Against Seabed Mining
Rasta and protestors Kapua Domain
Rasta and protestors Kapua Domain Credit: Kiwis Against Seabed Mining
Rasta and Raglan protest paddlers
Rasta and Raglan protest paddlers Credit: Kiwis Against Seabed Mining

PIHA

On Saturday 24th November, pro surfer and activist, Dave Rastovich (32, Byron Bay, NSW AUS), reached half way on his daunting 350km sea-paddle from Cape Taranaki to Piha to draw awareness to the threatened stretch of coast. Rastovich says like-minded surfers and activists will join him on his journey.

This Saturday (1st December) Rastovich will complete the journey at Piha beach and is encouraging the public and supporters to join him. He is expected in at Piha at 11:00am and will be welcomed by the Auckland paddle boarding community as well as former Mayor of Waitakere Bob Harvey.

“People the world over come to experience the raw, untouched waters of New Zealand and celebrate a space not yet disturbed by industrial humanity. Yet, if widespread seabed mining reaches the coastal waters of this country, the allure of visiting a once pristine place will disappear,” said Rastovich.

The world’s smallest known species of dolphin, the Maui’s (or “Popoto”) dolphin is critically endangered and faces the threat of total extinction if moves to mine the seabed along the west coast of New Zealand’s North Island go ahead, according to surfers and environmental campaigners who have banned together to fight the proposals.

“This coast, including Taranaki’s jewels, Raglan’s points, and Auckland’s beaches, are Aotearoa’s spiritual centre for surfers. All would be threatened if the sand flow is interrupted and a coastline littered with flawless waves could be irretrievably altered. As well, seabed mining will undoubtedly threaten the future of the critically endangered Popoto/Maui’s Dolphin. On those grounds alone it should be prohibited,” he adds.

A coalition has formed between the local group, “Kiwis Against Seabed Mining” (KASM) and the global organisation “Surfers for Cetaceans” (S4C) of which Rastovich is a co-founder. The activists will be paying homage to the Maui’s Dolphin as they glide peacefully through the territory of the endangered mammal.

You might also find this interesting - http://www.blacksands.org.nz/seabed-mining/mining-financial-argument/
Journey map: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&lr=lang_en|lang_de|lang_es&hl=en&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=215792756365747075790.0004ce7db067a4d8ebe15

www.kasm.org.nz  “Kiwis Against Seabed Mining”
www.s4cglobal.org “Surfers for Cetaceans”