With summer in full swing so are our Surfrider events - from kids surf camps to July 5th cleanups and stewardship efforts, our Oregon chapters have been making the most of some gorgeous coastal weather. The ocean has been beckoning waveriders and ocean goers with some surprise pulses of unusual summer swell and light winds. At the statewide policy level, we're hard at work on developing 2025 legislative concepts aimed at plastic pollution, kelp and eelgrass protection and climate action for Oregon's shrinking public beaches. Stay tuned for ways to get involved and we hope to see you at the beach!
-Charlie Plybon, Oregon Sr. Policy Manager
Cleaning up July's Dirtiest Beach Days
Our nation's independence day evokes a proud freedom expressed in explosive displays of, well, trash. One of our dirtiest beach days of the year follows the July 4th celebration and Surfrider was on hand this year with partners leading the cleanup efforts. Surfrider chapters hosted 16 cleanup events in Oregon over the holiday weekend, removing thousands of pounds of trash from our beaches and engaging nearly 400 volunteers.
Are you a Surfrider member? Surfrider Foundation is a grassroots network and we depend on your local engagement and membership here in Oregon! This summer our Oregon chapters are competing in a national membership drive and offering some sweet packages like this exclusive Portland Chapter membership bundle and t-shirt. Learn more about our summer membership drive and sign up today to help our plight for Oregon's ocean, waves and beaches!
Plugging In: Wave Energy Comes Ashore Oregon's Coast
Crews have begun installing the power and data cables to complete construction of a new wave energy testing facility off the Oregon Coast. By sea mariners are requested to keep a distance of 500 yards from the vessels coordinating laying and burying of the cables and by land portions of Driftwood State Beach Recreation Site will be closed. The cables will support Oregon State University’s PacWave South, the first pre-permitted, utility-scale, grid-connected wave energy test site in the United States.
Surfrider Foundation Coos Bay Chapter kicked off their summer surf camps this past weekend at Bastendorf Beach with a fantastic turnout of groms!. Surfrider's mission spells out both "protection" and "enjoyment" of our ocean, waves and beaches - we see surfing as one of the deepest opportunities to develop that appreciation and awareness our coast. AND, we believe that opportunity belongs to every kid! If your interested in instilling an ethos of ocean appreciation and supporting a youth surf camp check out some upcoming opportunities below!
Two weeks ago, Surfrider released our 2023 Beach Cleanup report. The report details our cleanup efforts for the year which included 34,600 volunteers who removed more than 225,000 pounds of trash and recycling across 985 events.
