Dakar - A half century after its waves were showcased in the seminal surfing film "The Endless Summer", Dakar is becoming an essential stop for globe-trotting boarders looking for the perfect ride.
The documentary, first released in 1964 and credited with sparking worldwide interest in the sport, follows two Californians as they search the planet for the best summer surfing -- starting in the Senegalese capital.
But it was decades before locals started noticing the city's now popular surf spots, including the long, powerful Ngor Right wave featured in US director Bruce Brown's movie.
"When I started surfing, there were just two Senegalese who practised with quite a few expatriates," says 37-year-old Senegalese pro-surfer Oumar Seye, eyes pink from the sea water.
"There was no club, no federation... We would watch the tourists surfing, and that's what gave us the desire."
Seye is a native of Ngor, a fishing community which, along with Yoff and Ouakam, is the home of Senegal's ethnic Lebou community.
When he was little, he would help an uncle selling sandwiches and drinks on the beach.
"It was the place where all the surfers met... Whenever I had the chance to go into the water, I would surf. That's how I learned," says Seye, who rode his first wave at age 13.
One of the pioneers of the sport in a country with 700 kilometres (435 miles) of coastline and 13.5 million inhabitants, Seye today takes part in shows and competitions, which he also organises, drumming up sponsorship to pursue his passion.
"I am the first black surfer to get a pro contract," says Seye, who has founded a surf school of "43 members aged from three to 64" and a shop selling famous brands in surf clothing and equipment.
AFP
