This month’s newsletter is the easiest to start! June 2024 was simply unbelievable and will forever be marked as the month we made history for the sport of surfing in Malta.
It was an honour to combine with Malta Surf School and Hadrien Meyer to deliver the island’s first-ever female surf competition, the Mermaids of Malta.
The energy on the bay was electric as the girls chased the waves during an unforgettable sunset. The 10 contestants did the entire community proud, and we became the first “street” sport in Malta to host a women’s category. That news is important because it shows our sport is growing and we have so many men and women surfing.
The day’s winner was Cathy, who surfed remarkably well, but the hero was all of us. Every single human who helped in any way, whether you judged, waved flags, whooped a surfer after wave, or just enjoyed the buzz… you were a part of something special.
The community we have is a special one, and we’re extremely proud of what we’re building. Collaborating with Valerio and Hadrien is always special… and this one meant more.
We should also highlight the mammoth effort of the judges. Judging is fun, but it also requires concentration. One judge in particular stood out (no pun intended!), as Liam made it down to the beach on crutches as he continues his recovery. It’s a lesson in reliance and dedication to the sport. We’re pulling on the same rope – a huge thanks to all and a massive well done to the surfers.
Making Waves
It was also wonderful to see the surf comp featured on local news, with Lovin Malta featuring the Mermaids of Malta. Remember, first never follows…
Bring on the next one.
Turtle eggs at GT
… and we have more history being made at Ghajn Tuffieha as the bay continues to serve up magic. A mama turtle laid her eggs on the copper sands of GT, and we’re so excited by this.
This is extremely significant news, and we must be patient and careful to ensure those little dudes and dudettes get the best possible start to their lives.
Did you know that a mama turtle goes to the exact same bay she was born in to lay her new eggs? It’s a generational phenomenon and shows just how sensitive and fragile the natural world really is.
In this case, all 74 freshly laid eggs had to be moved to Golden Bay, due to the position they took on the beach and the massive swell coming in this week. The feedback Nature Trust gave us is that it’s a high probability it is the exact same Loggerhead Turtle that laid eggs on Golden Bay on June 16th – so she’s returned to the wrong bay, it seems. Speaking to Sheila, a volunteer from Nature Trust, she highlighted the need for volunteers if anyone’s interested in watching the eggs in three hour shifts.
Let’s continue to do our best to keep their spots clean, as returning turtles are exactly what the Mediterranean Sea needs. Good luck babies, especially during the big swell hitting the beach onshore in the first part of July.
Talking about that swell, enjoy the big conditions coming in the week of July—a real rare summer treat with 2.5m waves expected. Bring it on!
Support Local
BOMBA loves local and we just want to wish a massive good luck to local legends ManaTapu, who are currently settling a naming dispute. For the Farson’s Beer Festival this season, they’ll perform under the name ManaBomba… and though this is a short-term solution, we’re excited for another amazing show. Who knows, maybe we’ll even collaborate artistically in the future, so watch this space. The band wishes to keep their original name, and we wish them luck in doing so.
