Surfrider Foundation's Long Beach Chapter stands strong in their effort to Sink The Breakwater

Surfrider Foundation members and supporters come together for the
2nd Annual Breakwater Awareness Month throughout  May, 2011

Surfrider Foundation members & supporters want the Long Beach Breakwater to be reconfigured, to improve water quality and "Bring Back the Waves!" to Long Beach, CA

For 13 years Surfrider Long Beach stood strong against critics as the membership tried to gain local, state and federal support in their efforts to sink the Long Beach breakwater.  With the changing face of the City Council, Surfrider gained friends and supporters and one in particular, Councilmember Patrick O’Donnell.  Surfrider and O’Donnell share the vision of a beach with waves, something that Long Beach hasn’t enjoyed since the 1940’s.  

May 2011 - "Breakwater Awareness Month" - list of activities

In May, Surfrider Long Beach celebrated the 2^nd Annual Breakwater Awareness Month and mixed business with pleasure in an effort to educate and activate the community.  The campaign to sink the breakwater continues to gain momentum and this was clearly the case at the paddle out in memory of the waves on Saturday May 21.  Over 75 supporters arrived at the waveless beach to join forces, paddle through the lake calm ocean and form a circle to honor the coast with a prayer and a moment of silence.   You can read more about the paddle-out in the Press Telegram news article.

Surfers take the water in Long Beach at Granada and Ocean
in the Second Annual Paddle Out "In Memory of the Waves"
Saturday afternoon. (Tracey Roman/for the Press-Telegram )

Shelter Surf Shop, Long Beach's ONLY surf shop also hosted Big Thursday as part of the Breakwater Awareness Month.  It was an evening of food, fun and films made by local sink the breakwater advocates.  Graham Day, Shelter’s owner never tires in his efforts to help the cause whenever he can and he provides a unique venue on 4^th Street where surfers and non-surfers always find a warm welcome. 

Former Chapter Chair, Beth Barnes, flanked by local activists

The final event was a meeting hosted by Councilmember O’Donnell and conducted by local officials from the City as well as the Army Corps of Engineers.  It was another chance for the community to ask questions, make comments and learn about the latest developments. 

Long Beach Chapter Chair, Emiko Kobiyashi with local activists

The City of Long Beach and the Army Corps of Engineers who built the breakwater for civil defense during WWII recently signed an $8.3 million agreement to study the issue, but that funding has been on pause during the current federal cutbacks.  The Army Corps, the City of Long Beach and Surfrider will continue to work toward resolution even in the face of these cutbacks as they all know the advantages of reconfiguring the breakwater far outweigh any disadvantages put forth by opponents. 

The vision of a few grassroots surfer’s years ago in Long Beach has now become the vision of many and it’s this energy that continues to fuel the campaign to sink the breakwater.

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Surfrider Foundation - Long Beach Chapter