East Coast Great Lakes Organizing Committee member and Surfrider Foundation activist, Rick Boss was recently elected to the Lake Michigan Federation. One of the oldest citizen's organizations in the Great Lakes area, the federation works to restore fish and wildlife habitat, conserve land and water, and eliminate toxins in the watershed of "America's greatest lake." As a member of the board, Rick will have a say in projects the federation will undertake and brings a new perspective to a group that, up to this point, has consisted mainly of "policy advisors", marketing people, and fund-raisers according to a Federation spokesperson. "He'll be a special voice for those who use the lakes for recreation. Great Lakes surfers are an insurgent movement and most of them care a great deal about protecting the lakes. That's a valuable voice to have," stated Federation spokesperson Cameron Davis. Rick, along with fellow Surfrider activist Matt Andis, has been working hard to establish a Lake Michigan Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation. They could definitely use some assistance; so if you're interested in helping out, contact them directly at (262) 637-8121. Students from Worcester Prep and Salisbury School braved chilling winter winds to participate in the Ocean City Chapter's end-of-the-summer beach clean-up. The students assisted the chapter in sweeping the beach and collecting litter and various other remnants left behind after a successful summer and fall along the National Parks Shoreline. Beach clean-ups are an important outreach tool for Surfrider chapters, allowing them to interact with various beach enthusiasts while making direct and tangible improvements to the coastline. Activism doesn't get much more accessible than this. In another fine example of grassroots activism, the Ocean City Chapter also undertook the planting of Black Pine and Beach Vitec along the Maryland coastline. The chapter again solicited the help of student volunteers from the Salisbury University Surf Club, Worcester Prep, and Stephen Decatur High School. The reforestation effort will eventually work to help protect the coastline against winter storm erosion. This is a natural way of helping stem the tide of erosion, and is a more economically sound and ecologically sensible alternative to hard coastal armoring. Surfrider Foundation would like to give a heartfelt thank you to all of the students and volunteers who took time out of their weekend to help. Both of these outreach efforts could not have been made possible without their assistance. When Rincón Organizing Committee activist Dennis Ritch isn't busy saving Tres Palmas, he is out saving lives! Dennis was wakened early one morning last December by his dogs, who were barking wildly out in the yard, alerting him to a boat full of 20-22 illegal immigrants from the Dominican Republic and Cuba which was sinking several hundred yards offshore. Apparently, the boat had left from Samanà, in the Dominican Republic the day before in an attempt to reach Puerto Rico. Local government officials noted that Dominicans often take off during heavy swell periods because their wooden boats are harder to detect in high seas. The boat ran out of gas two miles off the shore of Rincon during the night, leaving the occupants little choice but to hand paddle toward shore throughout the early morning hours. Without an engine, the boat soon became inundated with water and was close to sinking as Dennis and his son-in-law, Tray Winn, grabbed their surfboards and began paddling towards the floundering vessel. The pair were able to render assistance until the authorities arrived. According to local newspaper coverage, a number of Cubans were quoted as giving credit to the surfers for saving their lives!

Gulf Coast Surfrider Foundation's Texas Chapter has been involved in an ongoing campaign to promote enforcement of the Texas Open Beaches Act. A 1993 law requires that every coastal town in the state must have an approved beach access plan. Galveston, the only coastal city to yet submit a plan, has instead continued to operate under a "provisional" plan for the last 10 years. According to chapter chairman Ellis Picket, there have been so many Open Beaches Act violations, for so long, much of the local population actually believes that there are private beaches in Galveston. In a move applauded by the chapter, the state announced that they might resort to withholding funds if the city does not submit a plan. The chapter has been attending Galveston City Council meetings and participating in the development of the cities beach access plan. At the December 2002 city council meeting, chapter member and Galveston resident John Machol, represented the chapter. Texas Chapter members want to see the city's plan address some of these major issues which include; subdivisions that have posted signs saying: "No beach access", "no parking-owner and guests only", and "private road". All these signs violate the Ocean Beaches Act. In addition, the city and subdivisions only want to provide the minimum public access required by law, leaving the chapter asking the public, "Is that good enough for all people of Galveston?" One subdivision, Silverleaf Resorts, is flatly refusing to follow the law and has sent the city written notification stating their intention not to comply with the required 92 public parking spaces. Meanwhile the chapter continues to lobby for adequate parking, increased walkovers and the removal of illegal signage and structures from beaches in accordance with the Texas Open Beaches Act. The Texas Chapter of Surfrider Foundation comprises individuals like you who care enough to get involved. Don't think "the other guy" will do all the work. Your presence can make the difference. Contact your local chapter today! Hawaii Boat users have complained that Ma'alaea Harbor is subject to battering wind and waves conditions since the south breakwater was constructed in 1952. In 1959, the Army Corps of Engineers (ACE) corrected the problem by constructing an east breakwater, which was modified again in the 1970's. For over 30 years, ACE has proposed expanding the harbor breakwater an additional 620 feet and the blasting of a new channel through the existing coral reef (Alternative 1). When Kurt Apel, along with a handful of others founded the Maui Chapter back in 1995, they made the fight to save Ma'alaea a top priority. Eight years later, Chapter Chair Jan Roberson and activist Lucienne deNaie are working with a small handful of dedicated activists to expand the chapter's outreach and continue the campaign. While acknowledging that Ma'alaea Harbor needs improvements for harbor safety, Maui Chapter activists also feel that the state and federal agencies responsible for planning Ma'alaea's future need to consider the role they play in the health, safety and well being of marine life and human users alike. President Clinton's Executive Order 13089 commands all federal agencies whose actions may affect coral reef ecosystems to "protect and enhance the conditions of such ecosystems." "ACE's Alternative 1 destroys 4.8 acres of productive reef, which is home to over 120 marine species." says Roberson. Maui Chapter activists feel Ma'alaea's waters and reefs should be protected as a marine conservation district, and its natural ecosystem be respected and valued as equal with man's creations. The chapter maintains that viable alternatives for upgrading Ma'alaea Harbor exist and should be investigated. For more information on the campaign to save Ma'alaea, visit the Maui Chapter's website at http://www.surfrider.org/maui. Activists Quote of the Month "We are seeing more Surfrider Foundation waves on vehicles every year. People don't put just anything on their ride and if one of these shows up we are making headway on our efforts and more folks see it." Shelly Dawson, Chair, Ocean City Maryland Chapter in a recent correspondence. *   *   *