Hokuloa Outrigger Canoe Club

Margo Pellegrino in Ventura

The Ventura County Star reports on Margo Pellegrino's stop in Ventura during her paddle down to the Pacific coast to promote ocean protection:

After a rough, cold day at sea, Margo Pellegrino of Medford Lakes, N.J., received a warm welcome from the Hokuloa Outrigger Canoe Club in Ventura Thursday afternoon.

Club members accompanied Pellegrino as she made her way through the heavy fog to Ventura Harbor, where she landed for the night.

Pellegrino is making her way down the coast in an outrigger canoe trying to call attention to the plight of the oceans. She started July 3 in Seattle, and plans to end up in San Diego by Sept. 12.

Read more: http://www.vcstar.com/news/2010/sep/02/woman-taking-canoe-down-west-coast-stops-in/#ixzz0yTssYoN6 - vcstar.com

Margo's progress down the coast is updated frequently via GPS. You can follow it here: http://www.seattle2sandiego.com.

Give Surfrider $25,000

Vote for the Surfrider Foundation to receive $25,000 from Chase on Facebook: http://bit.ly/4E5TnS

Have Your Say on Marine Protected Areas

The process of locating and sizing marine protected areas (MPAs) under the MLPA is overseen by an appointed 5-member board called the Blue Ribbon Task Force (BRTF). This group is crucial, standing between the stakeholder group (fishermen, conservationists, kayakers, divers, etc.) and the Fish and Game Commission who make the final decision.  The BRTF guides the stakeholders as to which MPA proposals are going to be forwarded along in the process and in the past has pretty much set the stage for how strong the ultimate MPA network will be.  They are not appointed as experts in marine science or policy; rather, they are government process experts who ensure a sense of fairness, balance and openness to the process.

Google Earth goes deep with launch of new oceans feature

On Monday, February 2, Google Earth introduced version 5.0, which allows users to explore the world's oceans.  With 5.0, you can dive beneath the surface to check out coral reefs, scout prime surfing spots and track sharks and whales as they migrate to feed and breed.

The new tool includes footage from the BBC series Planet Earth and videos from Jacques Cousteau.  The site is interactive, and is expected to grow rapidly as users upload photos and comments about their favorite surf and dive spots.

But Ocean is not just a groovy way to fritter away an afternoon.  It was developed in partnership with marine science and educational organizations--including Monterey Bay Aquarium, Scripps Institute of Oceanography, and UCSB--and will highlight research, conservation efforts, and policy processes occurring in California and around the world.

Celebrate Underwater Parks Day

California’s other state parks are underwater.  And they provide some incredible recreation, education and research opportunities!  Our underwater parks, or marine protected areas, preserve nature at its finest while allowing us to experience healthy, abundant ocean ecosystems.

Right now, a process is underway to create a new system of underwater parks in southern California.  The goal is to design a network of protected areas that will preserve our best kelp forests, submarine canyons and rocky reefs while leaving the majority of coastal waters open for fishing and other uses.  Marine protected areas are popular with divers and snorkelers, but they are also good for paddlers, birders, and hikers.  Healthy marine ecosystems mean better wildlife viewing opportunities, both underwater and on land.  

You can learn more about our existing underwater parks, and the exciting effort to create more, at Underwater Parks Day this Saturday, January 17.

Marine Protected Areas

California is working to create a statewide network of Marine Protected Areas along our coast. Like underwater parks, these protections will help our ocean habitats and wildlife recover and thrive.

Find out more about this effort by visiting www.caloceans.org. More information can be found about the South Coast region (Pt. Conception in Santa Barbara County to the Mexican border) - or more specifically, us - by clicking here.

Surfer's Knoll Beach Clean-up

Join the Ventura Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation for Earth Day Beach Clean-up.

The Beach Clean-up in coordination with Patagonia will be Saturday April 19th at Surfers' Knoll Beach from 10 am to 12 pm. Surfers' Knoll Beach is on Spinnaker Drive across from the Ventura Harbor Village.

 

Surfrider Foundation - State of the Beach

The Surfrider Foundation has published the 2007 State of the Beach report.

The report evaluates the status of 9 Beach Health Indicators: beach access, surf zone water quality, erosion data, erosion response, beach fill, shoreline structures, beach ecology, surfing areas and website for 25 coastal states and territories.

The featured indicator this year is surf zone water quality. Water quality at our beaches continues to be impaired by both non-point source pollution and episodic sewer spills threatening the health of beach goers, surfers and ocean wildlife.

2007 Ventura County Coastal Cleanup Day

Saturday, September 15, 9:00 AM to Noon. See the attached flyer for beach and inland waterway cleanup locations.

» Download the flyer