my teacher is chacha, a local who introduces novices to the art of surfing every day., however, that he's used to rather more coordinated students. looking... laughter. it turns out surfing is definitely not as easy as it looks. i got whacked in the face with about ten waves in a row, so i've swallowed most of that water, i think. it was super fun, thank you. 0k. gracias. but despite its idyllic appearance, this place is not all paradise. in fact, it's been the site of a battle between local private interests and conservationists. until recently, punta de lobos was relatively unknown, but over the past couple of decades, its popularity has soared as a surfing and a tourist destination. these days, 5,000 visitors arrive to the point daily during summertime. perhaps not surprisingly, this has attracted developers, keen to capitalise on the area's newfound popularity. much of the coast is in the hands of private owners, and plans were made for extensive building along the cliffs. matias is a director of the punta de lobos foundation — a non—profit organisation created amo