In surfing jargon, the word “clean” refers to waves that “break from a single peak, providing an open face for the surfer to ride on”. Yesterday, the word took on its far more ordinary meaning.

During Malta International Surf Day held at Għajn Tuffieħa, the public was invited to bring boards to the beach and try their hand at stand-up paddling and surfing... while cleaning it.

“As the popularity of surfing in Malta grows, we need to play our part in keeping our seas and beaches clean,” said organisers Surf Malta and That’s Rubbish.

International Surf Day is a worldwide celebration of surfing, open to anyone with the same passion for the sport and culture, organised by the European Surfing Federation and the Surfrider Foundation. The 2010 edition united 34 countries and more than 300 events around the world.

Among the activities organised yesterday were surfing lessons and contests, product testing – and of course, the clean-up, followed by a beach party.

Plastic bottles were collected on the day from the beach and the seabed, and awareness was raised on the damage plastic causes to marine life.