The Surfrider Foundation, whose Long Beach branch has long led the effort to reconfigure the Long Beach breakwater, is celebrating 30 years today.
The foundation was established on August 22, 1984 when a group of surfers took action against escalating coastal developments, which posed a threat to the surf in Malibu, said spokeswoman Michelle Kremer.
Some of the group’s achievements over the last 30 years have been lifting a no-surfing ban at the Santa Maria Rivermouth in Santa Barbara, stopping the development of a marina at Bolsa Chica State Beach in Huntington Beach, saving 930 acres of the Bolsa Chica Wetlands and cleaning up several beaches.
“Since the Articles of Incorporation were filed on August 22, 1984, the Surfrider Foundation has evolved into one of the largest non-profit grassroots organizations in the nation with a volunteer-activist network dedicated to its mission to protect and enjoy the world’s oceans, waves and beaches,” Kremer said in a statement.
Today, the foundation has 84 chapters, more than 50,000 members, more than 250,000 volunteers and is fighting 90 active campaigns around the country.
One of those campaigns is breakwater reconfiguration in Long Beach.
The Long Beach chapter, which has been around since 1996, believes the current breakwater prevents the natural flow of ocean currents in Long Beach Harbor, and that reconfiguring the breakwater will help bring surf culture back to Long Beach.
Seamus Innes, Vice-Chair of the Long Beach chapter, said their efforts have not gone unnoticed.
“When we started off talking about the breakwater, it was pretty much taken as a joke,” he said. “But now the city council is behind us. It’s gone to real policy now. We’re well on our way to succeeding but it’s a challenging and difficult process because we’re working with the federal government.”
Some of the other successful projects the Long Beach chapter has been involved in include the city-wide plastic bag ban, and getting the city to minimize the impact of the new pedestrian path by moving it landward of the existing bike path on the beach, Innes said.
Innes said he was excited for the Surfrider Foundation’s anniversary.
“It’s a momentous event,” he said. “We’ve been doing great work, and we just keep getting better and better every day.”
Those who wish to volunteer with the Long Beach chapter or donate can visit the foundation’s website.