Surfers Fighting to Save Chicken Surf Break

Wednesday 29th of April 2020

Surfers Fighting to Save Chicken Surf Break

One of the favorite breaks in the Male atoll, Chickens is the region’s biggest swell magnet and surfers’ have said to have some epic rides here. However, in February this year, reports emerged that the world-class wave was been ruined by backwash from a newly constructed sea wall.

The sea wall first came to the attention of Ahmed Aznil, former president of the MSA, late in 2019. “I noticed that (the resort developers, MFAR Kuda Villingili Pvt Ltd) had reclaimed an area of land and started to build a sea wall on the very end of the Chickens surf break,” said Aznil. “I took some photos and sent them to the Maldives Surfing Association.”

Maldivian surfers have been waging a spirited campaign to save one of their premier breaks. “The minister specifically said if the only way the wave can be saved is by removing the wall, then it should be removed, and the ministry will help the developers if necessary,” Chey Sobah, chairman of the MSA told Surfer. “To my understanding, all further work (on the wall) has been put on hold.”