SurfriderF OC/MD Programs and Projects

The Ocean City Chapter
Keepers of the Coast

Programs and Projects

Many of our past events are logged here.

The Ocean City Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation was formed to heighten the awareness of our residents and visitors for our fragile and beautiful environment. through its initiatives, strives to enhance and safeguard, when and wherever possible our waves, dunes and beaches for the enjoyment of all-present and future. Initiatives for 2008 I Surf - I Vote Please Leave Only Your Footprints Hold On To Your Butts Adopt Your Beach HA’AWI HO’IHI-LOA’A HO’IHI (“Give respect- get respect”) Respect The Beach Scholarships Aloha Garden & Northside Cleansweep For more information about Initiatives for 2008 click here. Below you will find additional information about our initiatives.
	Adopt Your Beach The OC Surfrider Chapter, for the fourth season, is continuing its "pet" project: surf site stewardship. We welcome the newest partner -- the Barefoot Mailman -- on 36th Street. Last season we welcomed five new beach blocks in rejoining this program. The offer of pet waste bag dispensers and trash cans is open to any interested resident associations. To extend our scope of awareness students from the Salisbury Lower School added their talents for colorful environmental messages. This partnership of residents and volunteers includes not only regular beach/dune cleanups but also development for indigenous plants and dune grasses. We look forward to assisting new resident groups in this effort.

	Beachscape Beachscape, a hands-on coastal mapping program documenting coastal areas, wave habitats and surf zones on the local level. Basic and Intermediate surveys have been completed from the Inlet to 65th Street, with volunteers providing additional blocks this Summer. Learn more about the national SF Beachscape program here. Note: Inactive project.

Volunteers are needed!	Blue Water Task Force (BWTF) The Blue Water Task Force Program is the Surfrider Foundation's most visible and successful program: water quality monitoring. Our chapter's volunteers are in their fourth season of weekly sampling for surf-zone water quality at three Ocean CIty locations: 8th St., 34th St. and 65th St. Visit our donated lab space in Malibu's Surf Shop on 8th Street and the Boardwalk, where each Sunday morning samples are collected. For more information on how you can help our local program, contact Doug Herr, via e-mail at: OCSurfRat@aol.com. The latest test results are displayed here. Worcester County also maintains comprehensive test results - click here. The county's test have better resolution than ours, hence the results are similar but not the same BWTF is partially funded by the Maryland Coastal Bays Program. Pictured to the left are volunteers testing water samples at the lab.

	Clean Water Paddles From Coast to Coast In an effort to bring attention to the ongoing degradation of our coasts and oceans, the Surfrider Foundation holds an annual National Paddle For Clean Water Weekend. That weekend, Surfrider Foundation chapters across the country provide people the opportunity to rally at their favorite beach and paddle out to form a circle of solidarity to address their concerns and voice their opinions regarding the state of our coasts and oceans. The Capitol, Delaware and Ocean City Chapters partner in these paddle outs at local coastal beaches. For more information, visit the Surfrider Foundation's nationwide event website at: Surfrider's Paddle for Clean Water.

	Coastal Resources Legislative Committee Surfrider wishes to remain a proactive member of the Town's growth and environmental development. We thank the Mayor and Council for our continued invitation to this group and for allowing Surfrider to be a partner in the Sunset Park/Kiosk development, as well as citywide efforts for clean water.

	Dune Planting The Sea Terrace Condo beach dunes are our newest "Adopt Your Beach" project. Shown here are volunteers planting new dune grasses on February 19, 2005. More pictures are available here. Our chapter has assisted an intergovernmental team consisting of the State of Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the Town of Ocean City, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Cape May Plant Materials Center (PMC) in planting sea grasses located at 128th Street in Ocean City, Maryland, to test a variety of species that will eventually be used to diversify the plant community on restored dunes. Read the complete text of the NRCS press realease here.

	Hold On To Your Butts "Clean beaches through good habits." The popularity of this effort continues to grow. The Alaska Stand at 9th Street will be joined by its Boardwalk neighbor, the Kite Loft, as cornerstones for this initiative. Assateague State Park continues its support of this effort. Don't be surprised when RJ Reynolds disposable ashtrays appear on your local links.

	I Surf, I Vote! The chapter continues its voter registration effort from '02 and has found allies in several other Surfrider Foundation chapters. Voter registration units will be set up at all SF functions in the hope more people will choose to participate in the system than opt for a seat in the "peanut gallery." With a vote being the definitive comment in a political discussion... all should express their opinion.

	Longboard Team Challenge Our major fundraising event is the annual Longboard Team Challenge. It has been a smashing success every year. The money raised from team entry fees and sales supports our programs and activities. We had waves and fun!

	Professor Kookmeyer You've heard about the Professor Kookmeyer, but have you ever seen him? Well here he is, our own clean water specialist, working with a member of Junior Beach Patrol checking a water sample one early Friday morning. The Doctor, played by Kip Martin, has been at this for a couple of years and is a great hit with the kids. Professor Kookmeyer also instructed members of the Junior Life Guard for the Ocean City Beach Patrol for many summers. If you would like to be part of this great activity, contact Kip Martin at kmartin62lbc@comcast.net.

	Respect the Beach Program Awareness and education are the common threads tying all chapter initiatives together. Our activities involve as many and as diverse a collection of participants as possible. Our on-going relationships with the Country Day School in Tamarindo, Costa Rica and the Salisbury School are vital parts of this expanding program. With environmental Spanish/English flier distribution, programs/clean-ups in Ocean City and Day Camp lessons on both Assateague Parks and year-round community service efforts for area students and university interns, the chapter volunteers are always looking for additional volunteers. This season we will continue our involvement during weekly sessions with the Junior Lifeguard program and the Ocean City Beach Patrol. Learn more about Surfrider Foundation's nationwide Respect the Beach program here.

	Storm Drain Marking Having completed the "Little Salisbury" neighborhood in 2002, our "clean streets-clean waters" awareness effort is available to any area within the city. The colorful 4" medallions attract pedestrian attention in their sidewalk locations adjacent to storm grates. The chapter strives to heighten resident and visitor awareness of our responsibility in minimizing non-point source pollution. For 2003, two new areas have joined the program: Caine Keys II and Montego Bay. This should keep us busy! Get Ready! There is a newly proposed project in cooperation with Maryland Coastal Bays Program and the Town of Ocean City.

	Surf Etiquette "Ha'awi Ho'ihi - Loa'a Ho'ihi" - "Give Respect - Get Respect" With bathers increasing in numbers each season, our beaches and waves will only become more crowded. Proper conduct will enable all to enjoy the ocean experience. Through our newest initiative, local Surfriders hope to impart this "code of conduct" and pass on good in-water habits.

	Volunteers Earn Dividends at Springfest & Sunfest Weekends! Volunteers raise funds for the local SF chapter during Sprinfest in May and Sunfest in September. More than 35 volunteers gave their time to sell t-shirts or work as ushers during the 4 day-3 evening events. The Ocean City Recreation and Parks earmarked $1 dollar for each item we sold for $5 dollars or more.

Recent Initiatives:
	Children's House by the Sea Members of Surfrider along with the families of "Children's House by the Sea" settle in to watch a good surf movie after a luau on the beach. This was a great event for a great cause, Children's House give free vacation to families with a child with a life threatening illness and is a well respected organization in Ocean City. Thanks to all that help pull this event off. (July 2005)

	Floating Oyster Reef Bringing oysters back to our coastal bays. Oyster restoration and replenishment in partnership with the Assateague Coastal Trust

If you missed the T.G.I.F. LUAU (Sept. 26, 2003) it was certainly your loss -- see ya next year. MAHALOS to all our sponsors and helpers!!!

Castle in the Sand Hotel, Adam Showell & staff what a host and great venue!!!

Adam's Ribs: Unbelievable roast pig.

King Video: Nothing like watching life size+ surfers--reminded me of the drive-in.

DJ Bill Star: Great tunes -- see ya in June for the "Challenge."

Doug and Bryant: Thanks for manning the door... didn't mean to stick ya there.

Laura Bren and Beth Anderson: The "raffle gitters" are hired for next year--great work.

Bryant, for an afternoon's work out and Chris Pusey for jumping in when we were exhausted to close down and to Patricia of the Castle, you made it a success and to my bradda Kipper, "that's another one in the bag," thanks for your effort and energy from day one of planning thru the unloading of the last box in the shed Saturday afternoon. And of course to K-Coast, Chauncey's, Malibu's, Endless Summer, Surfer Girl, BT's, Ocean Atlantic, Aj and BUD LIGHT, and Raggamuffin for our raffle and prizes. See more here.

- Shelly

Click here to find out more about Surfrider Programs and Projects

The Surfrider Foundation USA is a non-profit environmental organization working to preserve our oceans, waves & beaches. Please become a Surfrider Foundation Member and get involved at a local Surfrider Foundation Chapter.

To contact us write to:

Surfrider Foundation

Ocean City Maryland Chapter

PO Box 3342

Ocean City, MD 21843

eMail: oceancitymd@surfrider.org