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Surfrider Chapter News July 1999 MAKING WAVES, August/September 1999 |
For more info contact: Ed Mazzarella at (949) 492-8170, emazzarella@surfrider.org Palm Beach County Chapter Surfrider Foundation's Palm Beach County Chapter was successful in opening beach access at Juno Pier for local surfers. At a recent County Commissioners meeting all twenty attendees, including fisherman, law enforcement, lifeguards and surfers agreed unanimously with the Palm Beach County Chapters proposal to administer the Juno Pier with the same access system as the Lake Worth Pier. The proposal allows the lifeguards on duty to use discretion in allowing surfing wherever they see fit. According to chapter representatives; a guard tower will probably be built on the south side of the pier, a staircase to improve access for surfers, along with signage, range markers, Surfrider educational materials, and lifeguards on the pier to inform fisherman and surfers about how to co-exist as user groups. Needless to say chapter members are stoked! Palm Beach County Chapter activists of the Surfrider Foundation are now working on getting all charges dropped for the three men arrested for surfing at Juno Pier this year. The chapter, the surfers' attorneys and the state attorney are currently working on negotiating a deal to get the charges dropped against the three men. Stand up for your beach rights and join the Surfrider Foundation and the Palm Beach County Chapter today. Because only you can make a difference. Delaware Chapter The Delaware Chapter of Surfrider Foundation had an incredible turnout for their First Annual "Clean Water Bay Paddle". They launched at 11:00AM from the Rehoboth Bay Sailing Center with participants paddling the 8/10 of mile course on surf boards, kayaks and any non-motorized vessel they could take into the water. King Bennetts' twin masked skiff, followed behind making sure everyone made it to Coconuts Restaurant for sodas and burgers, courtesy of host Tom Robinson. Surfrider Foundation's Delaware Chapter received press coverage in the Coast Press and in the Cape Gazette announcing the paddle's purpose: To alert the public of water quality conditions and support the "BEACH Bill". The BEACH Bill will require mandatory water quality testing and notification by the states. It is currently before the Senate, having already unanimously been approved in the House of Representatives. The First Annual "Clean Water Bay Paddle" was a great success for the Delaware Chapter. They were able to alert people to the need for clean water, reacquaint and make new friends with various groups such as; the Sierra Club, Delmarva Dennis Kayak, Coastal Kayak, plus raise some money and have fun. The chapter's next event will take place on September 18th at the Indian River, Inlet, North for a beach clean-up. The Delaware Chapter of Surfrider Foundation will again be the "Team Leader". Santa Cruz Chapter The sun was bright and a southwest swell was just beginning to hit the Santa Cruz coast for the kick off of the Santa Cruz Chapter of Surfrider Foundation's Storm Drain Stenciling season. Chapter Chair, Steph Mahoric, started off this years stenciling campaign by thanking the 40 volunteers who came, the City and County of Santa Cruz, Ecology Action of Santa Cruz and the State of California for continuing to support the chapter environmental improvement efforts. State Senator Bruce McPherson and Assemblyman Fred Keeley continued to support clean water in a bipartisan effort by stenciling the first storm drain with "NO DUMPING Flows to Bay!". Both representatives recognize what a great educational effort the Santa Cruz Chapter's storm drain stenciling program is. "NO Dumping Flows to Bay" is a simple yet effective message. Passers-by see this phrase painted on the storm drain and know right away that what they put into the drain will directly end up in the ocean, where they will surf, swim or wade. Most people are unaware that storm drains do not go to a treatment plant, they flow right into the ocean dumping harsh chemicals, such as: paint, solvents, oils and even runoff tainted with lawn fertilizers and garden pesticides. San Francisco Chapter In a rush to protect the threatened roadway along the Great Highway, south of Sloat Blvd. in San Francisco, from ocean erosion, the city is about to add more concrete along the beach. The City's Department of Engineering has been adding rock along this area "as an emergency" measure over the past couple of years. Surfrider Foundation's San Francisco Chapter member Mike Paquet who is a coastal engineer, has been in contact with the city since June of 1998 requesting public involvement for an alternative solution to this potential and future problem, (at least it was potential). The chapter wanted to help develop long-term and proactive solutions to this problem. Unfortunately, the National Park Service (who manages the area) may soon approve a new permit for the City to dump "emergency" rocks for the next eight years with no public input. This is unacceptable to the chapter. Rocks that have been recently placed there are not working as planned and are creating a hazard. Asphalt from the parking lot has been eroding and washing onto what is left of the beach creating hazardous conditions for people who use or walk along the shore. The chapter believes that by adding more concrete or rock it will only make a bad situation worse and cost the City of San Francisco more in the short and long-term. San Francisco Chapter members have filed a report with the Regional Water Quality Control Board about the erosion and pollution debris caused by this poorly planned, quick fix solution. They have been informed that a case would be opened on this important issue. An alternative solution has been developed by the San Francisco Chapter that would be multi-objective with enhanced facility function, environmental and recreational benefits, lower construction, maintenance cost for a win-win-win situation. The chapter will continue to keep their 800 members updated on this issue and request assistance as needed. A big thank you to long time chapter member Mike Paquet who has really kept the chapter involved with this important environmental issue and volunteered a lot of time to help solve it. Newport Beach Chapter On June 12th the Newport Beach Chapter of Surfrider Foundation participated in Ocean Discover Day. For this educational event the chapter created the beach of the "future"-no sand, no ozone layer, water too polluted to enter, a place so crowded you have to win a lottery ticket to gain entrance. As people entered the building they saw a curtain hiding the beach and an announcer wearing a broad brimmed hat, long sleeves and pants, surgical gloves, dark glasses and a face covered with zinc oxide. The people were told to stay on a path guided by arrows with various exhibits along the way-- a big plastic tub of sand, a few motley shells in an display case, several clumps of dried seaweed, a big plastic tub of water. All while the announcer is explaining the importance of each exhibit and why these types of exhibits are all we have left of our beaches. Newport Beach Chapter members took the children through their model of the future beach and showed them ways of how they can keep this from happening. They were taught that this does not have to be the future of their coastline and that by all of us working together we can make a difference in protecting our oceans and beaches. Before the children left the exhibit they were given Surfrider Foundation "20 Ways to Protect Your Coastline" brochures and asked to do at least one thing that's listed in the brochure. Chapter members then handed out "I Took the Pledge" stickers to everyone who promised to do as least one thing to help. |
Next Article: Surfrider's Beach Preservation Policy
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Surfrider Foundation USA: 122 S. El Camino Real #67 San Clemente, CA 92672 tel. (949) 492-8170 fax (949) 492-8142  |
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