10:00
City of Cape Town
Opening Address : SEA 202 6
Alderman James Vos
01 / PROGRAMME Friday 06 NOV
10:30
Mission for Inner City Cape Town
Cape Town's Lost Waves
< div class="speaker">Brad ArmitageThe Inner City h istorically had a strong link to the ocean. You could walk to the end of A dderley Street onto a pier. Strand street (aka beach) was literally the co astline. Who knows how many waves might have been sacrificed over time for the harbor and foreshore expansion and railway lines? And\, whilst the In ner City has been cut off from the ocean in many ways\, there are plans to reunite the Inner City to the sea in the near future.
10:30
Cape Town Heritage Tours
Cape Town's Lost Waves
Cameron Peters
The Inner City historic ally had a strong link to the ocean. You could walk to the end of Adderley Street onto a pier. Strand street (aka beach) was literally the coastline . Who knows how many waves might have been sacrificed over time for the ha rbor and foreshore expansion and railway lines? And\, whilst the Inner Cit y has been cut off from the ocean in many ways\, there are plans to reunit e the Inner City to the sea in the near future.
10:30
Wavescape
Cape Town's Lost Waves
Steve "Spike" Pike
The Inner City historically had a strong link to the ocean. You could walk to the end of Adderley Street onto a pier. Strand street (aka beach) was literally the c oastline. Who knows how many waves might have been sacrificed over time fo r the harbor and foreshore expansion and railway lines? And\, whilst the I nner City has been cut off from the ocean in many ways\, there are plans t o reunite the Inner City to the sea in the near future.
11:00
The Litterboom Project<
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Cleaning Rivers to Save the Ocean
Antony
Stott
13:
00
Sacha Specker
Between the Lines
Sac
ha Specker
"We all stare at the same ocean\, howev er some of us choose to read between the lines." Join Sacha on his own per sonal journey and special relationship with the sea.
14:00
missmelissawrites.com
Cha sing Waves - The Rise of Women's Surfing in South Africa
Melissa Volker
Explore South African surf history through the stories of women wave riders. Be inspired as you see h ow they rose\, and continue to rise\, above challenges like androcentric s paces\, segregated beaches\, big waves\, cold and fear.
14:30
Cape Town
Chamber of Commerce
Building a Stronger Industry
John Lawson
John participates in a panel discussion about the potential of South Africa's ocean sports &\; recre ation industries from a mainly Kite boarding and wind surfing perspective.
14:30
SABBEX and BlueCape
Building a Stronger Industry
Bruce Tedder
Bruce participates in a panel discussion about the potential of South Africa's ocean sports & \; recreation industries from a mainly boat building and boating perspecti ve.
14:30
Greg Bertish 03 / PROGRAMMESunday 08 NO
V
Surf Industry
Members Association (SIMA)
Building a Stronger Industry
Vipe Desai
Vipe facilitates a con versation about the potential of South Africa's surf industry. He will als o share lessons learned from leading SIMA and the role a unified trade org anization can play in bringing brands\, retailers and other stakeholders t ogether around shared challenges and opportunities.
02 / PROGRAMMESa turday 07 NOV
10:00
NowNow Media
The Power of Stories
Alan Van Gysen
How to make a difference through media\, and the responsibility we have to affect change with storytelling.
10:30
Shark Safe Ba
rrier
Sharing the Waves
Dr Sara Andreott
i
Sharks Behaviour and Conservation\nA look at sha rk behaviour\, what happens during shark–human encounters\, and how scie nce and innovation can help surfers and sharks safely share the ocean.
12:30
Surf Industry Member
s Association (SIMA)
Beyond The Wave
Vip
e Desai
Building South Africa's Surf Economy
13:30
Black Mermaid Foundation
Reclaiming the Ocean
Zandile Ndhlovu
Diversity\, Belonging &\; the Future of African Marine Culture — con fronting the historical barriers between Black communities and the sea\, a nd building a more inclusive ocean future.
14:00
Just a Smal
l Piece
A tale of Trash\, Conservation and Turtles
Graham Deneys
From discarded trash t o incredible ocean journeys. Graham will outline how small actions can mak e a huge difference in our marine ecosystem
14:00
Two Oceans Aquarium Foundation
A tale of Trash\, Conservation and Turtles
Talitha Noble-Trull
Talitha will unpack the impact of marine debris and tr ash on South Africa’s sea turtles.
15:00
Safari Surfboards
Fire Side Chat
Sp
ider Murphy
With tens of thousands of boards shape d throughout his career\, Spider Murphy remains a respected master craftsm an whose dedication\, experience and deep connection to the ocean have hel ped shape the history of surfing and inspired generations of surfers and s hapers worldwide.
16:00
The Little Optimist
The Blue Mind
&\; the Power o f the Ocean \n\nThe science and story behind why water heals us.
16:30
SEA
Protect the West Coast
Out of Mined Preview
Mike Schlebach
03 / PROGRAMMESunday 08 NO
V10:30
WavescapeM
oving Targets: The Mystic Mechanics of Heavy Surf
Steve "Spike" PikeBig wave forecasting can mean
chasing shadows in this age of climate change and now\, a growing super El
Niño. Spike looks at the challenges as he goes back to the basics of how
big waves form\, and the extra layers of scrutiny required to call a big
wave day that makes everyone happy.
12:00
Surf Ghana CollectiveCommunity Is Infrastr
ucture
Sandy AliboOver t
he past ten years\, Surf Ghana Collective has worked to build a stronger a
nd more accessible surf ecosystem in Ghana. I will share the journey behin
d Surf House\, Ghana’s first community hub dedicated to surfing\, and th
e Sankofa Surf Club\, one of the country’s first local surf clubs suppor
ting aspiring national athletes.\n\nThrough these two initiatives\, I will
explore what it takes to build sustainable surf infrastructure beyond the
physical space: regular training\, trusted coaches\, access to equipment
and transport\, mentorship\, local leadership\, opportunities for girls an
d young surfers\, and clear pathways for athletes to progress.\n\nThe talk
will show how long-term investment in people\, relationships and consiste
nt programmes can turn a grassroots surf community into lasting infrastruc
ture.
13:00<
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Caleb SwanepoelFireside Chat w
ith Sandy
Caleb Swanepoel13:00
International Surfing AssociationFireside Chat with SandyTasha Mentasti
14:00
I am Water &\; AgulhusHanli Prinsloo <
footer>SEA 2026 · Speaker lineup and session times are
subject to change. \n
LOCATION:Corner of Heerengracht & Rua Bartholomeu Dias\, Foreshore\, Cape T
own\, 8001
SUMMARY:Surf Expo Africa 2026
URL;VALUE=URI:https://www.howler.co.za/SEA2026
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR
10:30
\n
LOCATION:Corner of Heerengracht & Rua Bartholomeu Dias\, Foreshore\, Cape T
own\, 8001
SUMMARY:Surf Expo Africa 2026
URL;VALUE=URI:https://www.howler.co.za/SEA2026
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR
Wavescape
M oving Targets: The Mystic Mechanics of Heavy Surf
Steve "Spike" Pike
Big wave forecasting can mean chasing shadows in this age of climate change and now\, a growing super El Niño. Spike looks at the challenges as he goes back to the basics of how big waves form\, and the extra layers of scrutiny required to call a big wave day that makes everyone happy.
12:00
Surf Ghana Collective
Community Is Infrastr ucture
Sandy Alibo
Over t he past ten years\, Surf Ghana Collective has worked to build a stronger a nd more accessible surf ecosystem in Ghana. I will share the journey behin d Surf House\, Ghana’s first community hub dedicated to surfing\, and th e Sankofa Surf Club\, one of the country’s first local surf clubs suppor ting aspiring national athletes.\n\nThrough these two initiatives\, I will explore what it takes to build sustainable surf infrastructure beyond the physical space: regular training\, trusted coaches\, access to equipment and transport\, mentorship\, local leadership\, opportunities for girls an d young surfers\, and clear pathways for athletes to progress.\n\nThe talk will show how long-term investment in people\, relationships and consiste nt programmes can turn a grassroots surf community into lasting infrastruc ture.
13:00<
/div>
Fireside Chat with Sandy
<
footer>Caleb Swanepoel
Fireside Chat w ith Sandy
Caleb Swanepoel
13:00
International Surfing Association
Fireside Chat with SandyTasha Mentasti
14:00
I am Water &\; Agulhus
Hanli Prinsloo
SEA 2026 · Speaker lineup and session times are
subject to change.