past work: robertsport, liberia

Robertsport, Liberia (March 2009) 

Looking through the window of an abandoned luxury hotel, the sun sets over a hidden treasure in a country recovering from 13 years of brutal civil war. Robertsport, 50 km north of Liberia’s capital Monrovia, holds rolling green hills, plantation style houses reminiscent of the American south and stretches of empty beaches with world class waves. 

Robertsport sits on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean and Liberia’s Lake Piso where mostly fishermen and farmers and their families live. Those who enjoy the swells work in development to help rebuild the country, the few foreigners who have heard about the unknown West African surf spot and the hand full of local self taught surf boys.  

Alfred Lomax, 23, one of Liberia's first surfers, was featured in the surf film, Sliding Liberia, and hopes he will have the chance to compete professionally in the near future. With the waves at one of the many points like Locomotive at his disposal, he practices his skills almost everyday. During the dry season, swells range from a small 3-4 feet while in the rainy season (June thru August) they can climb up to a back breaking 10-12 feet.  

As word begins to spread about the empty beaches, clean ocean and sliding waves, more adventurous surfers from far off lands may come in search of the perfect wave and endless summers.