Surf news roundup: Morocco. New Zealand. Arizona. Bay Area. Hollywood.

surfing therapy? that will be $3,500, please.

In a Guardian personal essay, journalist Annie Kelly explores surfing as a therapeutic tool while attending a trauma-focused surf retreat in Morocco. After years of growing fear around waves—shaped by both a past injury and nearly two decades spent reporting on human trauma—Kelly signs up for a week-long retreat in Tamraght that combines beginner surf lessons, yoga, and structured group therapy.

The retreat, run by Resurface and founded by psychologist Josh Dickson, incorporates EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing) alongside daily time in the ocean, with the aim of helping participants process fear, burnout, and unresolved trauma.

Kelly describes the surfing itself as repetitive, exhausting, and failure-heavy—but ultimately meditative. While she makes little technical progress by the end of the week, she finds that repeatedly paddling back out, learning alongside others, and sharing vulnerability within the group proves more transformative than standing up on a wave.

The seven-night surf therapy retreats cost from £2,500 per person, including accommodation, meals, surf lessons, therapy sessions, and activities—and, as expected, were free to the writer.

wsl adds new zealand, drops south africa

The World Surf League has announced Raglan, New Zealand, as a new stop on the 2026 Championship Tour, replacing Jeffreys Bay, South Africa, as part of an updated CT schedule marking the 50th year of the World Tour.

The New Zealand Pro will run from May 15–25, 2026, with the world’s top 36 men and 24 women competing at the left-hand point break of Manu Bay. WSL cited strong wave quality, seasonal reliability, and support from the New Zealand Government as key factors in the addition.

Raglan’s inclusion also responds to long-standing calls from surfers for more variety on tour, particularly a rippable left-hand point break. Both reigning world champions, Yago Dora and Molly Picklum, welcomed the move, highlighting the opportunity to showcase backside surfing and compete in a new region.

New Zealand Surfing will host trials in early May, with local wildcards awarded to the top-performing man and woman. The 2026 season will feature a combined men’s and women’s schedule running from April to December, with full fields through nine regular-season events before narrowing ahead of a season-ending Pipe Masters finale at Banzai Pipeline.

arizona gets a wave pool

A surf park is being planned at the former Hidden Lake wedding and events venue in Buckeye, Arizona, marking another expansion of wave-pool development into inland markets.

The 120-acre property—including a 60-acre lake previously used for fishing, kayaking, live music, and festivals—was purchased for $10.5 million on January 13 by Ocean Front Property in Arizona LLC, owned by a California entrepreneur and former mayor of El Segundo.

According to Maricopa County records, the site is slated to be redeveloped into the Hidden Lake Surf Resort, a year-round entertainment destination featuring surfing, outdoor recreation, event space, retail, and food and beverage offerings. Planning documents indicate the project would include one or more surf lagoons, with water sourced from stored effluent and a new on-site well.

If approved, the development would significantly transform one of the West Valley’s most recognizable waterfront properties, while once again raising familiar questions around land use, water sourcing, and the role of surf pools in regions far from the coast.

surf community suffers loss

Rob “Birdlegs” Caughlan, a Bay Area political strategist, environmental activist, and lifelong surfer, has died at age 82.

Caughlan was a key figure in the fight to preserve public access to Martin’s Beach in San Mateo County and served as the first president of the Surfrider Foundation. He also co-founded Friends of the River in the 1970s and served on President Jimmy Carter’s Solar Energy Taskforce.

A passionate surfer, Caughlan continued competing into his 70s. He had been undergoing treatment for colon cancer and died just four days after the passing of his wife. His family described his death as one of a “broken heart.”

another surf movie is coming

Bali Hai, a surf drama written and co-produced by former professional surfer and longtime surf journalist Matt George, has been confirmed.

Scheduled to shoot in Bali in Q4 2026, the film follows two estranged brothers who travel to Bali for an international surf competition, where they confront long-standing personal conflicts against the backdrop of one of the world’s most iconic surf destinations.George—best known for his surf writing and for co-writing and producing In God’s Hands—brings decades of surf culture experience to the project. The film will be produced by Evoke’s Stan Spry alongside Tom DeLonge, whose production company focuses on creator-driven film and television projects.