Surfrider Foundation - Friend to Ocean

Celebrating New Milestones in 2025

 

Written by SurfWriter Girls Sunny Magdaug and Patti Kishel

The Surfrider Foundation is entering the new year with a string of milestones to celebrate and a continuing commitment to protect the world's oceans, waves and beaches in 2025.

After nearly ten years of work, Surfrider helped establish the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary, a 140-mile ocean stretch of California coastline between San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara.

 

With a 4,543 sq. mile footprint, the marine sanctuary contains kelp forests and surfgrass beds and hosts a diverse array of fish, birds, marine mammals and other wildlife. The sanctuary not only provides a place of refuge, but will add 23 million dollars in economic activity to the area. 

Surfrider also launched its new Climate Action Program that protects coastlines through nature-based solutions, such as restoring coastal dunes, wetlands and mangrove forests.

 

The mangroves, which are saltwater-tolerant trees that grow in swamps and coastal areas, guard against erosion and improve water quality. Surfrider CEO Dr. Chad Nelsen calls them "nature's own storm surge defense system." 

 

Surfrider backed successful conservation initiatives along the coasts of Washington, Oregon and California this past year, as well. Dr. Nelsen says they're helping local communities "adapt to rising seas and safeguard the future of our cherished beaches." 

 

And Surfrider helped establish another marine protected area. The Submerged Gardens Natural Reserve of Vega Baja and Manati on the coast of Puerto Rico.

The new reserve is home to the largest Elkhorn coral assemblage in the Caribbean and protects more than 43,000 acres of pristine marine ecosystems. 

 

For the Surfrider Foundation, 2024 – its 40th anniversary year – was a big one!

And, with its motivated grassroots network of volunteers in 200+ chapters around the world, it's already setting milestones for 2025. Including welcoming new volunteers to become Friends of the Ocean.

 

With so many milestones accomplished and more on the horizon, for the Surfrider Foundation it's clear to see "Surf's Up!" 

 

SurfWriter Girls

Surf’n Beach Scene Magazine

Sunny Magdaug and Patti Kishel hold the exclusive rights to this copyrighted material. Publications wishing to reprint it may contact them at surfwriter.girls@gmail.com Individuals and non-profit groups are welcome to post it on social media sites as long as credit is given.

 

Shaka to Me in 2025!

 

Hand Gesture Makes Friends Everywhere

 

Written by SurfWriter Girls Sunny Magdaug and Patti Kishel

There’s an easy way to share friendship and make friends in the new year. Just shaka it to them! Giving the popular hand gesture with the extended pinky and thumb.

 

The shaka sign, which originated in Hawaii, is so widely seen in the islands that on June 24th the state took legislative action to designate it as the official state gesture, a welcoming sign of friendship and aloha. 

Commonly used among surfers, the shaka is a friendly gesture that can mean anything from "Hello" to "Hang loose!" Or "Epic wave, dude!" It can also mean "Have a good day," "Sorry, my bad" or "Don't sweat it." The messages are virtually endless with this universal gesture of goodwill. 

 

Sponsors of the Hawaii state legislation making the shaka sign official say Hawaii is "lucky to have a visual sign for sharing aloha with each other."

 

It's a sign that has travelled far beyond Hawaii's shores, transmitting good vibes around the world wherever it goes. You can flash it palm out or in; hold it flat or shake it about. Just like riding a wave, the style is up to you. 

As for how shaka started, one story goes that it started in the early 1900s on Oahu's North Shore when a train guard named Hamana Kalili, who lost three fingers in a sugar mill accident, used to wave to passengers boarding the train. Local kids, trying to jump on the train, began mimicking his gesture - with thumb and pinky out - to let other kids know it was safe to jump on.  

 

Over time, the gesture spread throughout the islands and took on many meanings. No one knows for sure why it's called the "shaka," but many think it's related to Shaka, the Japanese historical figure associated with Buddha and enlightenment.

Whatever the name means, one thing is certain: the shaka is bound to put a smile on your face.  

 SurfWriter Girls

Surf’n Beach Scene Magazine

Sunny Magdaug and Patti Kishel hold the exclusive rights to this copyrighted material. Publications wishing to reprint it may contact them at surfwriter.girls@gmail.com Individuals and non-profit groups are welcome to post it on social media sites as long as credit is given.