There are many reasons why we love surfing in Morocco. The waves, the Atlantic, the early morning light, the little cafés, the sunsets and, of course, that feeling when you finally manage to stand on your board without immediately falling off.
But living and surfing by the ocean also means seeing the other side of this beautiful place.
The ocean is not a giant bin.
So when Banana Surf Morocco, the Association Surf Aourir and the Tamraght community organized a beach clean up in front of Banana Surf, we were very happy to be part of it.
And what happened was pretty fantastic.
More than 50 people came together: local residents, young teenagers and Blue Mind guests of all ages. People who grew up and live here, people who surf here and people who were simply visiting Morocco for a few days.
Different generations, different backgrounds, one beach.
And a whole lot of rubbish.
A Beach Clean Up With the Community
The atmosphere was amazing from the beginning. There was no big ceremony and no complicated plan. People arrived, grabbed bags and started picking up whatever they could find.
Young teenagers worked alongside adults. Locals joined visitors. Blue Mind guests became part of the local community for the afternoon.
And suddenly, a normal day at the beach turned into something much bigger.
This is one of the things we love about the surf community. You don’t necessarily need to know someone beforehand. You don’t need to speak the same language or come from the same place.
Give people an ocean, a beach and a shared purpose and somehow everyone gets involved.
And Then We Started Finding the Rubbish
Plastic bottles, packaging, small pieces of plastic, fishing-related waste and all kinds of things that were much harder to identify. Some rubbish was obvious, while tiny pieces were almost impossible to see until you started looking closely.
It was a proper reality check.
Because when we visit the ocean, we naturally focus on everything beautiful. The waves, the surfers, the cliffs, the colours and that enormous blue horizon.
A beach clean up makes you look at the same place differently.
And once you have spent an afternoon picking plastic out of the sand, it becomes very difficult to simply walk past a piece of rubbish again.
Why Sustainable Surfing in Morocco Matters
The area around Aourir, Tamraght and Taghazout is an incredible place to surf. But it is also a place where people live, work and build their communities.
For travellers, that is an important distinction.
We come here to enjoy the waves, discover Morocco, eat amazing food and hopefully return home with a little more sun in our faces and sand in our bags. But being a good traveller also means taking care of the places we visit. That doesn’t mean you need to spend your entire holiday collecting rubbish.
Small choices matter too.
Bring a reusable water bottle instead of buying endless plastic bottles (we provide free filtered water at Blue Mind). Carry a reusable bag when you go shopping. Avoid unnecessary single-use plastic when there is an easy alternative. Support local businesses and locally run surf schools. And if you see rubbish on the beach and it is safe to pick it up, just do it.
You don’t have to save the planet before breakfast.
You just have to care a little more.
More Than a Surf Destination
For us, this is what makes our area so special.
Surfing is obviously a huge part of life here, but it is only one piece of the picture. There is the local community, Moroccan culture, the food, the mountains, the fishing villages and the people who call this place home.
That’s why we believe a surf trip can be about more than simply arriving, surfing and leaving again.
A good eco-friendly surf trip in Morocco should also give something back.
Maybe that’s joining a beach clean up. Maybe it’s eating at a local restaurant, buying from local producers or supporting a small business. Maybe it is simply being more conscious about what you consume and what you leave behind.
None of this needs to be perfect.
It just needs to be intentional.
Community Is the Best Part
Perhaps our favourite part of the day wasn’t actually the clean beach. It was seeing more than 50 people working together. Teenagers and adults. Locals and travellers. Surfers and non-surfers.
Everyone contributes in their own way.
And that is something worth remembering.
One beach clean up will not solve the global plastic problem. But one person picking something up can inspire another person to do the same. A teenager might think twice before throwing something away. A traveller might take those habits home. A surf school might organize another clean up.
Small actions create ripples.
And that’s very much the Blue Mind philosophy.
We believe that travelling should be about connection: connection to nature, to other people and to the places we visit.
Our Partnership with Turtl Project
At Blue Mind Morocco, we believe that being part of the ocean community also means taking responsibility for the ocean we love. That’s why we are happy to partner with Turtl Project, a brand built around the idea that performance and ocean protection can go hand in hand.
Turtl Project started as a beach clean-up initiative and today supports ocean cleanups, habitat protection and other conservation projects. Their approach fits perfectly with what we believe at Blue Mind: protecting the ocean doesn’t have to be complicated. It starts with people coming together and taking action.
Our beach clean up in Tamraght was a perfect example. Together with the Association Surf Aourir, the Tamraght community and Banana Surf Morocco, we brought more than 50 people to the beach, including local teenagers, residents and Blue Mind guests of all ages.
For us, this partnership is about more than sustainable products or one afternoon of collecting rubbish. It is about building a stronger ocean community and making responsible choices part of everyday surf life.
Because if we love the ocean enough to surf it, we should love it enough to look after it.
More Than Surf
The beach clean up in Aourir was a small action, but it reminded us why we love being part of this community.
More than 50 people showed up. People gave their time, picked up rubbish that wasn’t theirs, talked, laughed and worked together. Locals, young teenagers and Blue Mind guests of all ages came together to take care of a beach they all care about.
We were also happy to have the support of our partner Turtl Project, whose mission to protect our oceans and support beach clean ups fits perfectly with our own Blue Mind philosophy.
That’s what sustainable travel can look like. Not perfect. Not complicated. Just people deciding to do something good together.
And honestly, seeing so many people come together was pretty wonderful.
Ready to experience Tamraght and Aourir beyond the surf? Come join us at Blue Mind Morocco and be part of the community.
