Surfrider Foundation, MAKING WAVES, October 2003

MAKING WAVES, October 2003 issue: Table of Contents

East Coast

We're happy to welcome aboard our Long Island Chapter's new executive committee officers; Chair, Eugene Alper, Vice-Chair, Bob Casper, Secretary, Jay Levine, Treasurer, Jac Citeria and Volunteer Coordinator, Gary Ventura. Along with the many environmental issues the chapter is working on, from erosion in Montauk and Shinnecock to beach preservation in Turtle Cove, the chapter has plans to strategically develop new chapters on Long Island.

According to Eugene, the chapter is proud to represent the entire membership on Long Island, but the chapter is based on the East End, which makes it difficult to do effective outreach on the Western and Middle regions. Long Island is 120 miles long with its fair share of access and environmental issues and is controlled by individual townships, county parks and national seashore. The new leadership of the chapter has a goal to eventually develop a mid-island (Western LI) chapter for Nassau and Western Suffolk Counties to better represent their entire constituency. The chapter is looking for a group of interested and committed people who have a desire to represent their region. A new mid-island chapter would be a great advantage for local beach users, surfers and the Surfrider Foundation. If you're interested, please contact Eugene Alper at (631) 329-1728.

According to former Chapter Chair, Andy Marshall, the Sebastian Inlet Chapter has completed its initial water quality sampling of Brevard and Indian River County's premier surfing and recreation beaches. The chapter, guided by Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution marine scientist, Dr. Peter Barile, collected samples containing elevated levels of various nutrients (ammonium, nitrate-nitrite, and phosphorus). It also collected algae from beach rocks and submitted them for nitrogen isotope analysis to trace and discriminate human nitrogen sources to the beach, such as sewage and fertilizers.

These initial rounds of testing showed evidence of human sewage in the surf just 15 feet off shore that were high enough to trigger harmful algal blooms such as red tide, which struck the Florida coast last fall and made people ill, according to an editorial in Florida Today. In all, seven beaches from Jetty Park at Port Canaveral to Vero Beach showed significantly elevated bacterium levels.

County health officials say the water is safe, but are taking the Sebastian Inlet Chapter's findings seriously enough to send the data to the state health department in Tallahassee. The question that Andy and the chapter are asking is where is the sewage coming from? The Palm Beach County and Sebastian Inlet Chapters are looking at a potential source of the pollution as "deep-injection" wells along Brevard's southern beaches where human waste is pumped underground. It is possible that bacteria may be reaching the shallow aquifer and seeping into the sea.

Another possible source the chapters say they are looking at are the numerous "mini-sewage" plants, which are common on Brevard's barrier islands. These small treatment facilities allow some waste water to percolate into the sandy porous soil.

In taking a major role in monitoring coastal water quality, the Sebastian Inlet Chapter hopes to contribute to safeguarding the health and integrity of Florida coastal waters.

For over a year Scott Shine, Chairman of the Surfrider Foundation's Jacksonville Beach Florida Chapter, has led a campaign to open beach access along the coast of Ponte Vedra Boulevard. In a significant move forward, the county recently posted eight new beach access signs along the road. This victory was a key strategic objective in a campaign that is still far from over.

Jacksonville Chapter photo

Jacksonville Chapter Vice Chair, Jeb Branham Esq. (center), longtime St. Johns County coastal activist. Dante Salomone (right), and chapter activist Tamil Singh (left), examine the plat maps showing county owned pubic access points obstructed by local residence.

Shine gave credit to St. Johns County Commissioner Bruce Maguire for delivering on his promise to make beach access an issue in St. Johns County and for helping to get the signs posted. There are still several unmarked access points, which are obscured or overgrown, that the chapter will pursue for signage. The chapter is also focusing its efforts on securing public parking near the access points. With 248 parking spaces, Mickler's Landing is the only public access point with parking along Ponte Verde Beach. Jacksonville Beach Chapter activists have been critical of the County Commission for voting to cede the public easement and rights of way surrounding the access points to private property owners.

Shine sees the new signs as "a step in the right direction," and said that the accomplishment of getting them erected should serve as an inspiration to other activists. "It's a result of persistence and people sticking to their convictions."

West Coast

Since 1986, the Ventura Chapter has been involved in a campaign for managed retreat at Surfers Point. Marking a major milestone in this grassroots driven campaign, the Ventura City Council voted unanimously to certify the Environmental Impact Report and hire a consultant for the final design of the "Surfers Point Managed Shoreline Retreat" Project. This important decision occurred in July 2003, with City of Ventura Mayor, Di Guilio acknowledging that this project continues to move forward due to the "tenacity and technical savvy of the Surfrider Foundation volunteers who have been part of the process for more than a decade."

Ventura Chapter representative, Paul Jenkin said that in the simplest terms, the plan of action that the Surfrider Foundation has proposed throughout this process has been to clean up the mess and allow the beach to function naturally. For a decade the chapter has successfully opposed a planned parking lot and seawall, and has advocated relocating a storm-damaged bike path away from the beach and out of harm's ways.

Upon completion, this project, if all goes according to plan, will be an example of progressive new shoreline management strategies.

The San Diego Chapter held its 12th Annual Paddle For Clean Water in conjunction with the South Florida Chapter's 1st Annual Paddle on Sunday, September 14th. Both events were huge successes.

San Diego's Paddle brought approximately 750 people to the Ocean Beach Pier, including San Diego City Councilwoman and Clean Water Matriarch, Donna Frye, along with husband/legendary shaper, Skip Frye. Other faces in the crowd included San Diego activists Brian Katz, Steve Vosseller, Kevin Roche, Mark Weiermann, Jim Jaffee, Michelle Jaffee, Clay Clifton, Oscar Gonzales, Kim Hellman, Jude Jacinto, Chris Thomas, Beth Benson, Christina Wedell, Jeff Hoelbein, Kim Thomson, Sione Schad, Dave Hanson, Jackie Nino, Elizabeth Studebaker, Dave Scott, Sarah Khorasanee and Dave Russell.

Event participants were treated to a free breakfast, live music, inspirational speakers and a raffle with many great prizes including two custom shaped surfboards, a skateboard, two beautiful pieces of jewelry, a board bag, back packs, clothing, shoes, music, and more. The raffle alone raised $2305.00 for local Surfrider programs.

The chapter is hoping that more chapters will join San Diego and South Florida to create not just a Coast to Coast Paddle For Clean Water, but a National media event that truly displays the strength of our organization.

San Diego activists paddle around the Ocean Beach Pier

Activist Story of the Month

San Clemente Chapter activist Ed Schlegel recently wrote in to Making Waves to share a recent experience at the Dana Point Youth Board's Summer Festival. The San Clemente Chapter is currently involved in a campaign to prevent the construction of a potentially beach-destroying seawall along the Dana Point Headlands. Ed writes:

Only two organizations set up booths; Surfrider Foundation's San Clemente Chapter and South Coast Water District. Our booth was covered with Surfrider banners and our Save the Strands Campaign presentation board was visible to all.

Pretty soon, along comes James Lacy, a Dana Point City Councilman and Doug Chotkevys, the Dana Point City Manager. They seem eager to "debate" the Headlands development. Unfortunately for them, we were not in council chambers. We were on MY turf—overlooking the oceanand little did they know that I was primed with information on the issue from fellow San Clemente Chapter activist Mike Lewis and Surfrider Foundation National staff members Mark Rauscher, Chad Nelsen, and Joe Geever. It was as if I was stepping into the ring against an opponent.

After a few minutes, Chotkevys actually brought up the kelp bed issue. (Editor's note: proponents of the proposed seawall erroneously contend that the structure would actually help maintain kelp growth along the coast.) I don't know if he could tell that I was almost giddy when I suggested "maybe we could extend this revetment up the entire coast of California, so we can save the kelp." Needless to say, I enjoyed every second of our conversation.

My previous job was about accepting challenges every day. And the outcome is determined by what I knew, and by what my actions were. It's said that "you can't teach an old dog new tricks," but I feel as if I got some new training from all of you in the San Clemente Chapter and National. A HUGE thank you, for helping me go forward in my efforts to save our endangered beaches. I think I won today.

Activist Quote of the Month

"It's fun to be involved in the chapter in whatever way I can. I'm glad that [people] like the site…that's great to hear!"

- Capital Chapter's Susan Barnes referring to her volunteer efforts as web site coordinator.