This past October, ocean lovers, activists, and hobbyists from across the country convened at the 40th anniversary Surfrider Foundation summit in Long Beach, California. The choice of Long Beach as host connects us to Surfrider’s modest origins. Forty years ago, in 1984, Surfrider was founded by a young group of surfers concerned about losing access to their favorite surf break in nearby Malibu, California. That surf break was nicknamed “Surfrider”. At its start, Surfrider’s numbers were small, so their goals were simple and locally focused. They attended local meetings, spread awareness, and fought to prevent the beachfront development threatening their access to Surfrider break. Their willingness to participate in grassroots advocacy combined with the relatability of their goals, leading to eventual success. To the founders, this process showed they could make an impact, so Surfrider was formally created. Surfrider’s simple mission statement reflects its modest beginnings, seeking to protect the ocean, waves, and beaches for all people. To me, the Surfrider mission says that no matter your motivation or background, you can work with Surfrider to protect our beaches and oceans.
Attendees at this year’s summit reflected that inclusive message, coming from varied backgrounds or age groups, each belonging to one of Surfrider’s local chapters or connected to Surfrider’s ongoing work. Individuals, chapters, environmental groups, and companies come to these summits, seeking to share stories, find motivation, connect, celebrate successes, and plan fresh ideas. The Surfrider DC chapter sent four attendees, Chairwoman Alex Marstall, Secretary Anita Harrington, Ocean Friendly Garden Coordinator Hannah Townley, and Communications Coordinator Anh Truong Craver. Anh’s willingness to attend was appreciated, since she’s informed us that she’s moving to San Diego, where she plans to join San Diego’s Surfrider chapter and contribute to charitable efforts led by ocean photographer, Aaron Chang, surfer, Rob Machado, and her favorite band, SWITCHFOOT. She also plans to find new ways to enjoy the ocean and, of course, to surf. Her efforts with the DC chapter are greatly appreciated and we wish her the best in San Diego!
The summit was held over three days, beginning with an evening reception on the opening Friday for people to mingle with old friends, or make new ones. The Saturday session kicked off with appearances from Surfrider CEO Dr. Chad Nelsen and Patagonia CEO, Ryan Gellert. In the afternoon, big wave surfer and activist Greg Long also spoke on his efforts as an ocean activist. After the keynote speeches concluded, breakout sessions were held, focused on plastic pollution, volunteering efforts, and climate resilience planning. That evening, there was an opportunity to tour a local ocean friendly garden in Long Beach, followed by ample free time to enjoy a night in Los Angeles. Sunday began with a visit from activist and writer Dr. Ayana Elizabeth-Johnson. Sunday’s breakouts included discussions of social media efforts, improving chapter collaboration, environmental justice, water quality, and a legal panel.
Did you have any expectations or goals for this summit before, or after, attending?
Alex - Yes, it’s motivating to hear from other chapter leaders about the issues they're focusing on, how they manage challenges, how they celebrate successes, and in general, I really appreciate the advice and insight everyone shares with one another. This year’s summit made me realize that it’s time to begin recruiting new members to join the DC chapter. With Anh moving and my full-time job, it’s important to pass the baton to new leadership, that can take this chapter forward, building on the work of our existing team. Before we pass that baton, our chapter is excited to continue expanding our Ocean Friendly Restaurant, Hotel, and Garden programs. I'm also excited to plan a few additional trash cleanups, documentary screenings, and ideally, organize an invasive plant removal event. Finally, I’m hoping the “Bottle Bill” gains momentum in DC, with efforts being led by the 3RC for DC coalition. Surfrider is a fantastic network to belong to, its members are like-minded in that we all want to create a more just and sustainable future for everyone. I'm stoked to continue being active with this non-profit and ocean-loving community.
Anita – This was my first Surfrider Summit, so I had few expectations, except to absorb as much information, positivity, and best practices as I could!
Hannah - I was focused on learning more about initiatives and successes from other chapters. The people in Surfrider are all so passionate and tuned into local issues. Learning about how other chapters operate, even during side conversations outside of official sessions, is a highlight of these events.
Anh – I feel there’s more room for appreciation when expectations aren’t firmly set. Instead, I approached the summit with excitement, knowing that I’d be surrounded by ocean-minded people, and that I’d have the chance to learn how to have a bigger impact protecting our oceans.
Was there a session or speaker that you wanted to attend most? Why?
Alex - Yes! I was stoked to hear Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson’s keynote with CEO of Surfrider, Dr. Chad Nelsen. Drs. Johnson and Nelsen are an inspiration, putting in work to educate the public about ocean conservation. I heard Dr. Ayana Johnson speak at the last Surfrider Summit, held at UC Irvine. Her speech inspired me more than any other marine biologist and climate activist had before then. She views herself as a "realist", which resonates strongly with me. I believe, like her, that cautious, optimistic approaches to climate change activism are our best option. There is a balance between optimism and doom, so it's important to acknowledge problems, either in severity or urgency, before moving to solutions. I highly suggest reading her new book, “What If We Get It Right?”
Anita - I was excited to hear big wave surfer Greg Long speak. Initially, I thought he’d share stories about off-the-grid surf breaks and surfing 50-foot waves, but I was surprised to hear about the lessons he's learned advocating to protect a surf break in Mexico. It was refreshing to hear someone in the surf community be so devoted to protecting beaches and surf breaks from development. Sometimes, I think that devotion to giving back can be lacking in the professional surfing community.
Hannah – I was excited to attend sessions with the legal and policy teams! Yes, that’s mainly because I'm nerdy, but while we excel in organizing at the community level using our chapter networks, one of Surfrider’s biggest powers is its advocacy arm. Surfrider has won important victories for our oceans through the courts and by advocating for policy to Congress. The money raised by Surfrider helps that advocacy work and can help Surfrider fight battles at a higher level. That work gives me the most energy and this summit provided a look ahead towards the next five years of working with Surfrider.
Anh - I was stoked to see Greg Long speak, too. Before this summit, I only knew him as the guy surfing the humongous wave on a poster of my childhood bedroom wall, so learning about his advocacy work, contributing to the protection of our ocean and the world’s coastlines, made me respect him even more. I got a little starstruck meeting him in the coffee line pre-conference. His energy is contagious!
Is there anything you learned, or experienced, during the Summit that has stuck with you?
Hannah – I left impressed by the work being done in Canada! There are surfers everywhere, fighting for our beaches and waves, so it's great to participate in a global movement that connects like-minded, motivated people. I spent time learning about the plastic reduction work being done by the Vancouver chapter, which taught me a lot. Also, I have so much respect for cold water surfers in their dry suits. Meanwhile, I’m complaining about the mid-Atlantic being too cold!
Anh - I didn’t realize how many legends were attending this summit. Dr. Cliff Kapano was there, and his hair looks even cooler in real life! I was able to connect with an environmental activist I follow on social media. This was awesome, since I found out we share the same ethnicity. This experience, and the Summit as a whole, highlighted Surfrider’s diversity, which matters because representation really does matter!
How did you feel by the end of the summit?
Alex - I felt grateful to still be part of this organization. It has been almost a decade since I joined as an undergrad at UNCW in 2015. I've moved around, volunteering with local chapters, so to end up chairing the DC chapter is a fulfilling, full-circle moment in my life. These summits normally leave me feeling inspired by all the dedicated people I’ve met. We all have a deep-found passion towards our oceans and coastal communities, so it feels empowering to be together with others who share my passion, discussing new ideas or concepts, motivations, and impacts of our non-profit on where we each came from. We also spend time empathizing about struggles, worries, and barriers to success we find while leading our chapters. This support network and community helps me leave, feeling ready to do more!
Anita - I left exhausted, but motivated, and better equipped to help strengthen our chapter. The overall positivity of the entire Surfrider crew stood out and the creativity and thoughtfulness of other chapters has motivated me to think outside the box for fresh, creative solutions to local issues.
Hannah - Energized, jet lagged, and excited to bring more folks across DC into this movement.
Anh - I felt refreshed and ready to act. I’ve had the craziest couple of months, hustling like mad, so it felt nice to reset and refocus on things that really matter.
Alex, did attending this summit change your outlook or plans for the next year as the chair of DC’s chapter?
Yes, it’s great to know that Surfrider’s momentum is growing. The summit changed my outlook and plans, such as for existing programs like Ocean Friendly Restaurants, Gardens, and Hotels. The summit provided great resources, ample information, and plenty of opportunity to connect with other chapters. This made it easier to think about ways to get DC’s local businesses involved in these programs. I’m thrilled to begin onboarding businesses and promote them to our members.
I also attended the Happy Healthy Volunteering session led by Beth Kanter. There she discussed burnout and how volunteer leaders can take care to avoid burning themselves out. I shared some of my own struggles with the other chapter leaders in attendance, noting that I often have to remind myself to rest, since rest is an essential part of our ability to keep going. Beth provided a burnout quiz to attendees, on which I scored "burnout challenged", just one level below "total burn out". It's easy to forget that most, if not all of us are busy with work, relationships, personal pursuits, coping with parenthood, or something different, which can leave us worn out with too much to do. It’s important to prioritize our mental and physical health to avoid reaching the total burnout stage. I plan to find time for myself and managed my life more effectively to continue leading our chapter in the best way possible.
Anita, did you meet another chapter that had an idea or project that motivated you?
I learned a lot meeting the Puerto Rico chapter. Puerto Rico faces unique challenges related to beach and ocean access, such as the devastation and long-lasting effects of hurricanes on island communities and ecosystems. After Hurricane Maria, the Puerto Rico chapter has worked to restore and protect mangrove forests, due in part to the positive effects that mangroves have in flood prevention and as vitally important ecosystems. It was encouraging to see how they’ve brought back mangroves successfully after Maria. I was also impressed by the magnitude of work, despite working with such a small team. I think our small group in D.C could learn a lot from their efforts!
Hannah, what’s an ocean friendly garden?
Ocean friendly gardens are nature-based landscaping solutions. Our whole watershed is connected, so while we're not on the ocean directly, harmful pesticides and chemicals used in gardens wash off into our pipes and rivers, polluting the water along the way until these chemicals reach the ocean. An ocean friendly garden acknowledges this, accommodating solutions to limit that harm. In practice, this means planting native plants, collecting/recycling rainwater, and preventing the use of unnatural chemicals as much as possible. The Ocean Friendly Garden program is newer, so raising awareness was a major focus at the summit. Were able to visit ocean friendly gardens in downtown Long Beach one evening. This experience was interesting, since we saw urban gardens using with little space. For an urban center like the DC area, this has applicability in my efforts.
Were you able to enjoy Los Angeles outside of the summit?
Whale Watching:
Alex – We went on a whale watching tour with the Aquarium of the Pacific education staff. On the excursion, we saw common dolphins doing acrobatics and a humpback whale breaching.
Surf Session at Bolsa Chica State Park:
Anita – The highlight of the trip for me was the sunrise surf session Sunday morning. We started at Bolsa Chica State Park just before sunrise, where we were met by the North Orange County Chapter with a truck full of boards in tow! The waves were great and during the session, dolphins began jumping and chasing each other through the lineup. It was a special and unique experience getting to share waves with surfers from Japan, Canada, and all over. It’s one of the most memorable surf sessions of my life!
Hannah – How often do you get to have a pod of dolphins in your lineup?! Beyond being an incredible experience, it served as a great reminder of why we do all this, the goal is to not only protect our oceans, but expand community access so everyone can enjoy the beach or ocean in their own way. I'd love to live in a world where every single person gets to have a magical morning in the waves just like that.