Surfrider Foundation, MAKING WAVES, February 2004

MAKING WAVES, February 2004 issue: Table of Contents

General Chapter News

In 2003, Surfrider Foundation National conducted regional chapter training conferences in Southern California, the Pacific Northwest, East Coast and Florida. One of the most important aspects of the conferences is that they provide an opportunity to meet, share and discuss chapter issues with fellow activists and national staff members. This, in combination with the hands-on training provides very valuable tools for running effective chapters and campaigns.

West Coast

Fred Sattler and Walker Reed from Ocean Laguna and Laguna Beach Chapter members are working to organize a new Tidewater Docent Program. The program seeks to protect local tide pools, which are being ravaged by visitors who either carelessly or maliciously cause damage to these fragile ecosystems.

In addition to this project, Surfrider Foundation's Laguna Beach Chapter is forming and leading a coalition of environmentalists to evaluate the status of existing Marine Protected Areas in Laguna Beach, and to develop a science-based investigation toward increasing the level of protection of Laguna Beach's marine ecosystems. This effort is part of Surfrider Foundation's Special Places Campaign, which works to identify and protect special coastal and ocean areas.

The South Bay Chapter of Surfrider Foundation is partnering with the San Pedro High School (SPHS) Advanced Science Class to monitor water quality at several beaches on the Palos Verdes peninsula. Chapter activists will be coordinating this effort through long-time Surfrider Foundation member and SPHS science teacher, Mike Stone. Mike and his students will be launching this new program in the spring semester by collecting and transporting water samples to our partners at the Southern California Marine Institute (SCMI) on Terminal Island. SCMI will then conduct the lab analysis of the samples and provide the students with water quality data to be uploaded to our Surfrider Foundation website for scientists, government agencies, and other interested parties to use.

Their first semester at SPHS is a demonstration effort and the program will be expanded the next school year. "We're very excited to be a part of this project and hope we can organize similar efforts in other local schools," says Andy Dellenbach, Chapter Chair. "Our dream is to find funding and help the schools purchase their own lab equipment, and expand the program to monitor more sites more often with different schools."

The South Bay Chapter would like to thank Mike Stone for this creative new idea and for caring enough to go the extra mile for his students. They also would also like to thank Kerry Flaherty and the staff at SCMI for lending their expertise and resources to make this program a success.

This past September, the Malibu Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation pulled double duty in their first ever Extreme Clean-Up. Not only was it California Coastal Cleanup Day, but the event also coincided with the first appearance of Red Bull's Flugtag Event.

The Flugtag event, which features contestants launching both themselves and their home-made flying machine creations off the Santa Monica Pier, was a huge success. Over 100,000 spectators turned out to watch the event, which can only be described as a tenuously controlled experiment involving gravity, lunacy and water. Thankfully, divers were on hand to ensure the safety of the participants and clear the water of debris.

Thanks to Red Bull's Josh Kendrick, himself a longtime Surfrider Foundation supporter, the Malibu Chapter was able to secure a booth smack dab in the middle of the festivities, where they spent the entire day actively educating the public on how to be responsible stewards of our beach and coastal environments.

On hand were Chapter Chair Alan Reed, Volunteer Coordinator Lia Shipman, Chapter Administrator Jessica Stefan and Executive Committee member Melanie Berry, who along with over a dozen other volunteers, staffed the booth.

Pacific Northwest

The Portland Chapter reports that the Snowrider Project has gotten off to a strong start this winter. In October, the chapter hosted booths at both the Teton Gravity Research and Matchstick Productions movie premiers, working to educate the local residents on the connection between the snow pack and surf zone. Chapter activists have also developed a relationship with the public school system, which has begun to show Surfrider Foundation's Sea To Summit video in the local classrooms.

The Chapter is also planning educational outreach events at the upcoming Mt. Hood Meadow's Sustainable Slopes Day and the Vegetate Snowboard contest, as well as a snow-shoe hike on Mt. Hood. The snow is fantastic this year and the Portland Chapter looks forward to an equally impressive first year of the Snowrider Project component of the Respect the Beach Program.

As longtime Snowrider Project supporters, chapters throughout Washington are looking forward to building upon their past success in presenting this popular Respect The Beach program. This February 14th, the Summit at Snoqualmie will be hosting the first annual Snowrider Superpipe Classic. This event, the brainchild of Seattle Chapter member Mike Wheeler, is being billed as a fundraiser for the Seattle Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation's Snowrider Project. Some of the top skiers and snowboarders in the business will be hucking themselves over the massive 17 foot walls of one of the northwest's premier half pipes. While doing so, they'll be supporting the chapter's efforts to educate and encourage snow sport enthusiasts throughout the northwest to care for the water and land on which we we live and recreate.

Snowrider Project coordinator Mike McCann says, "the chapter's Snowrider Project is enjoying its second year of partnership with the Summit at Snoqualmie and we would like to thank them for the opportunities that this high-profile event will provide in terms of drawing even more support from snow-enthusiasts for the Surfrider Foundation's mission and goals."

The Olympic Peninsula Organizing Committee of the Surfrider Foundation set up shop at the 6th annual WinterFest in Port Angeles, Washington in November 2003. WinterFest is the Olympic Peninsula's largest winter sports festival, and draws hundreds of people. Chapter Chair Wil Bufurd coordinated the activity, which included showing the Surfrider Foundation's Sea to Summit video.

In Bellingham, the Northwest Straits Chapter also viewed the Sea to Summit video at the Mt. Baker Film Festival, a pre-season stoke event for the Mt. Baker Ski Area. The chapter's efforts brought the Snowrider Project's signature environmental message to this hugely popular event.

East Coast

The Surfrider Foundation would like to welcome our New York City Chapter's new Executive Committee. Chapter Chair, Cat Beagan, Vice Chair, Erin Donnelly, Membership Coordinator, Jake Burns, Secretary, Laird Loughlin and Treasurer, Steve Traut. These seasoned activists will continue the strong work and outreach of former chapter chair; Robert Bailey and activist Freddie Smith, who will both continue on as advisors.

St. Johns County Commissions recently voted unanimously to vacate a portion of right of way on Ponte Vedra Boulevard. This ruling clears the way for homeowners there to officially own the land and puts a dent in the efforts of Surfrider Foundation's First Coast Chapter's (formally known as Jacksonville Chapter & St. Augustine Chapters) Ponte Verde campaign for beach access.

Activist Scott Shine presented plate maps from the 1930's, with signatures of the then county commissioners, showing that the county owns the right of way along Ponte Vedra Blvd. However Deputy County Attorney Michael Hunt said any record of the county formally accepting the conveyance from previous owner, Ponte Verde Corp., has not been found and recommended that the commission pass the resolution. æ

Former County Commissioner Mary Kohnke, and local Surfrider Foundation activists, maintain that the board is setting a bad precedent by unnecessarily giving away land to the wealthy homeowners. "You must allow yourself as a board to represent all citizens," said Kohnke. She continued, "Why would you want to continue to stir this hornet's nest and bring citizens down upon your head?" referring to the First Coast Chapter's grassroots campaign.

While this ruling poses a small set back for the chapter, Shine is confident that the campaign will continue to move forward toward its goal of securing rightful beach access for all of the area's citizens.

The Oahu Chapter held its first annual John Kelly Environmental Achievement Awards to honor those who have made the greatest contribution toward protecting or enhancing our coastal community and environment. John Kelly is the first recipient of the Lifetime Achievement category and is such a powerful role model that the Oahu Chapter chose to name the award in his honor. John has been a powerful and effective leader in ocean related environmental activism for many years. For decades, he has played crucial roles in many ocean and beach related environmental crusades on Oahu, especially through the Save Our Surf (SOS) organization, which he founded.

Rob Machado was chosen as the recipient for the Professional Surfer category and has been actively involved with the San Diego chapter of the Surfrider Foundation. He has contributed his time and money to many causes related to the environment.

Patagonia in Haleiwa was chosen as the Oahu company that is dedicated to protecting the environment and was instrumental in starting the Oahu chapter of the Surfrider Foundation.