Torbole Noise Pollution Sparks Resident Protest Over Boat and Surfer Conflicts
Mr. van Steenbeek vents his frustration, one of many Nordic foreigners who has chosen Alto Garda to work and live. He vents and protests: “I can’t take it anymore with that constant ringing: it’s a real noise pollution. I find it impossible to carry on like this, so much so that I truly think I won’t come to Torbole anymore on Saturdays and Sundays.”
The war between boats and surfers
The horns blare are from the Navigarda captains. Without any mercy, of course. Their fight, on the other hand, is a fierce battle to secure a clear route towards the dock, at the Torbole quay: among hundreds of surfers fluttering back and forth across the lake, from one wave to another, with crowds reaching their peak on weekends.
They often compete with the same boats, possibly cutting across their path at the last moment in search of the most thrilling wave. At this point, for the pilots, the only permitted weapon to peacefully free themselves from this assault is the horn. They start honking early, offshore of Corno di Bò. They stop when they are already in near-shore waters.
However, this is an old story. It recalls a relationship far from idyllic between surfing, or sailing in general, and the Navigarda steamboats. And right in the middle appears a third uninvited guest: a resident who, by unfortunate circumstances, lives just a few dozen meters from the pier.
The resident and the noise
In a beautiful villa right above the pier, amidst the pine greenery, he cannot stand that prolonged sound. The loud background music begins early in the morning (the first boat docks at 9:15), if the north wind blows enough to attract the multitude of surfers.
The noise continues until the evening (the last arrival at 19:50), until the time is right, chosen for the amount of waves it provides. In total, 18 boat trips throughout the day. Hydrofoils are excluded, because for the past couple of years, in response to popular demand, they have been removed from the waters of Torbole: too dangerous for surfers.
“I will also call the Navigarda to protest,” says Mr. van Steenbeek.
