SURF In a recent poll, surfers across the country were asked which surf spot they would most like to have in their own back yard. Over a quarter of those who responded said that they would choose Lower Trestles – just behind Australia’s Snapper Rocks and ahead of such legendary breaks as Pipeline and Macaroni’s. Yeah, it’s that good! Here’s what some of our industry’s most prominent voices have to say about the effort to Save Trestles: “It’s time that the communities of Orange County and beyond begin to make the environment a priority over growth and development. The thought of considering a toll road through a state park is absurd, especially in this area. Not to mention the potential disruption to sensitive habitats, clean water and one of the best surf spots in California. We must protect our natural resources, or what’s left of them, for future generations to enjoy.” – Richard Woolcott, CEO, Volcom “Trestles is one of the most epic waves in the world. Building the Toll Road will result in a change of the sediment and sand flow that makes Trestles so good. The Surf Industry needs to support the Surfrider Foundation in their efforts to protect one of our sport’s most valuable resources. This is in our backyard and could change the face of Southern California surfing forever.” – Kelly Gibson, CEO, O’Neill "Laying untold tons of concrete next to San Mateo Creek won't just displace more of Southern California's increasingly rare wildlife, it'll disrupt an entire ecosystem of stoked, wave-hungry surfers who live for Trestles' long, rippable walls. Flawless waves are a precious resource, and we can't let a misguided highway project jeopardize that." - Evan Slater, Editor In Chief, SURFING Magazine “Trestles is one of the most important surf spots in the entire North Pacific Ocean. For decades it has been the epicenter of Southern California's surf scene, and to lose it would be devastating. People need to decide what's more important: a toll road or sacred place where people go to enjoy nature? TransWorld SURF is totally behind Surfrider's push to preserve this jewel that we sometimes take for granted. Save Trestles!” – Joel Patterson, Editor In Chief, TransWorld SURF Magazine “The secret of many great surf spots like Rincon, Malibu, and Trestles (Uppers, Lowers, Church, and San Onofre), is the fact that each of them was created by a rivermouth. Sediment flow from the arroyos and riverbeds also maintain the quality of these spots every year. Once you shut off the sediment flow, it will only be a matter of time before these incredible surf spots disappear. We can’t allow Trestles to become another memory in the past like Stanley’s, Killer Dana, and even Harry’s. Surfers before us fought to protect the surf spots we now enjoy. We are also obligated to protect our surf spots today for our children and the surfers that will follow us tomorrow.” - Sean Collins, President, Surfline “You know those before and after pictures where you see a place that is all pristine and beautiful, and then somebody comes along and just cuts down all the trees and paves everything over? Trestles is the “before” picture; a great surf spot with lots of clean water, surrounded by all this wildlife. Then all you have to do is head up the coast a little ways to Dana Point to see the “after” shot; a surf spot (Killer Dana) that no longer breaks and some of the poorest water quality in the state. It’s as simple as that. We need to work together to Save Trestles while we still can.” – Pat O’Connell, Professional Surfer.

(click on photo for bigger version) photo courtesy of CraigCoppola.com