Diary of a Waterman

Our waterman ponders the Coastal Commission's recent vote against the proposed 241 Toll Road extension near south Orange County.

Illustration By Verdeja/Bramucci; Courtesy Of surfreal.us

urfers have never really gotten a fair shake from Hollywood. They’re either portrayed as so laid back that they border on catatonic or they’re boys-gone-wild itching to knife someone for paddling within 20 feet of them. In the movies surfers are a monosyllabic tribe, using “dude” as a noun, verb and predicate in every sentence – unless of course the movie is set in Hawaii, at which point it becomes “brah.” Put it this way: If there was ever a blockbuster featuring a surfer as one of the survivors on a deserted island, he wouldn’t be the guy they’d ask to fix the coconut radio.



I say it’s time Hollywood moves beyond these tired stereotypes, and some lucky scribe pens the first “smart” surf film. May I suggest a legal drama?

Here’s my idea for an inspiring plot: A group of surfers, environmental activists and Native American leaders run a finely tuned grassroots campaign and succeed in stopping big developers, supported from on high by the state governor, from tarring a road down the middle of their favorite beach. Sound too unlikely for even Hollywood to touch? Well it really happened last month.

On Feb. 6, at least 3,500 people gathered at San Diego’s Del Mar Fairgrounds to debate the Transportation Corridor Agency’s right to run the 241 toll road through San Mateo Campground, San Onofre Beach State Park and an Acjachmen Nation ceremonial site. The proposed project would lead to a shift in the silt delivery of San Mateo Creek, changing the wave pattern at Trestles, one of California’s most famous breaks.

The hearing lasted 14 hours and was the most heavily attended in the history of the Coastal Commission. The campaign was spearheaded by the Surfrider Foundation, Friends of the Foothills, Natural Resources Defense Council, and at least a half dozen other environmental agencies – and they showed the type of legal acumen that is usually reserved for movies based on John Grisham novels.

To put the battle in Hollywood terms: It was volunteer activists vs. big business; wave riders vs. the laborers union; and a stretch of beach taking precedence over a few million feet of concrete. It was the single most inspiring example I have ever seen of how our political and legal process ought to work. Watching the commission announce their decision on YouTube gives me chills every time.

Not only did the decision strike a note for protecting coastline, state parks and sacred Native American tribal land, the commission actually cited “a decrease in our state’s surfing resources” in their comments. Which is to say, that here in California, surfers are more important than the movie industry would have us believe.

The Saturday after the commission voted (overwhelmingly) to halt the road, I hiked out to ride the famed surf at Trestles. The waves were small, and between sets I looked over my shoulder at the wide swath of land that would not be coming under the TCA’s bulldozers anytime soon.

On the beach, families were spreading picnics, birds were soaring over the estuary and people were laughing. As I turned back toward the west, the sun reflected gold off the water, the waves were rolling in smooth and steady – it was a perfect ending… I just hope Hollywood gets it right.

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