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Help Keep La Lancha Beach Open
La Lancha, a beach in Punta de Mita near Sayulita, is a well-known and loved surfing destination. This gorgeous beach has the most consistent surf waves in the area and is perfect for beginner to intermediate surfers. However, access to La Lancha has been gradually restricted the last few years by the owners of the private land surrounding it.
“La Lancha used to host approximately 300 surfers a day during high season, but now only 20 surfers per day are allowed access. While the beach and the old Mangrove Trail to access La Lancha are on federal land, a private company has illegally put up a wire fence, blocking access to the beach,” exclaimed Javier Chavez, a Sayulita business owner and surfer.
This is disappointing not only for local surfers and tourists, looking for waves, but also for the community. Entire families, including their dogs, used to picnic in the area, watch the surfers, play in the sand, and make a day of it on the beach. Now due to the restrictions by the private land owners, we are at risk of losing access to one of the most beautiful beaches in our area.
“My intention is to spread the word about what is happening. The way we are being denied access to La Lancha is illegal. There are many of us taking steps to demand from the government to legally establish access to this beach for the public,” said Javier.
Javier encourages people to spread the word about what is going on and make the lack of access to La Lancha a topic of discussion. A group of local surfers and business owners are raising funds via indiegogo to aid in funding legal action and are asking for donations to help fight the loss of such a valued beach near our community. It is also encouraged that those affected file a complaint to PROFEPA, which is the Mexican agency in charge of regulating beach access.
“Don’t give up hope. The law is on our side. It is all about patience and following the correct legal procedures. So far we have not gotten a lot of response from the Mexican government in response to this issue, but we are not giving up,” shared Javier.
If you have any questions or would like additional information, contact Javier at chavezjav@gmail.com.
