Kid’s Surf Classic 2013 is coming this June 22nd in celebration of International Surfing Day. Check out this video of last year’s event and get ready for some exciting beach fun.

Deepwater Horizon Research Consortia www.niehs.nih.gov

On deck for the first half of the year will be the following events:

February-  Log Jam, Surf contest at Pompano Joe’s

April-May-  Surf School, mentoring program

May-  Electric Mayhem, electric vehicle show

June-  International Surfing Day

If a project you are interested in is not listed, just say the word and we can get it going.  There are opportunities to lead campaigns for Beach Clean-Ups, Eco-Friendly Gardens, Rise Above Plastics, Ban the Bag, -all of these and more are ready for a passionate member to step in and crank it up!

So now, what’s your New Year’s Resolution gonna be?  Pump iron at the gym for a few days… or maybe pump up our beach for a lifetime or two of enjoyment!  You can always do both!

Happy New Year!

(-Use this contact button to send us a line about which project you would enjoy helping with!    -If you are commitment shy, you can easily help out by simply sharing a link to this post on any social media site- Facebook, Twitter, etc.)

“State of the Beach” Report: Talk by Michael Sturdivant
Tuesday at 7pm at Bayview Senior Center, 2000 E. Lloyd St., Meeting Room 101, Pensacola, Florida

The situation seems eerily similar the the event that led to the founding of our Emerald Coast chapter, when surfing was nearly outlawed in Walton County, FL. Many of us suddenly realized that somebody needs to do something… then we realized that the “somebody” was us! It took gathering facts, holding a few meetings and presenting our case to the county commission. a compromise was struck and the ordinance was struck down from consideration.

Anyone in AL that would like to work on these efforts can email us at EmeraldCoast@surfrider.org

Not already a Surfrider member? Click here to join now and be a part of the solution!

The Emerald Coast Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation, is stoked to announce the first ever running of the- Kid’s Surf Classic !  -a surfing contest just for kids!  For many it will be a first time surfing experience and for some, a chance to show off their skills!  For all involved, parents and children alike, it will surely be a great time on the beach.

The Surfrider Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to the enjoyment and protection of beaches for everyone.  As a participant in this event, all early registrants will also be enrolled for a one year membership in the Surfrider Foundation! (see the early registration special info below) $20 of each registration is being donated directly to Surfrider’s national organization, the remainder of your entry funds the contest and local Surfrider chapter campaigns. With your registration, you will be saving beaches around the world while playing and having a great time on your own beach!

WHEN
June 23, 2012 (Rain date, June 24)
Online advance registration is encouraged. This event is limited to the first 60 registered. Day of the event registration will open at 7am. The first heat will begin at 8am. We expect the event to finish by 1pm.

WHERE
Destin, Florida — June White Decker Park. Located just east of the Back Porch Restaurant.

AGES
All kids, 13 and under.

International Surfing Day
EARLY REGISTRATION SPECIAL $25
Register before June 15 and in addition to the contest entry and cool event shirt, you will get an International Surfing Day t-shirt and a one year membership to Surfrider Foundation. That’s a sweet deal! (ISD shirt and membership packet will be mailed to you) 

(Registration after June 15th will be $35 if space is available and will include everything but the special ISD shirt, so jump in now and reserve your spot!)

CLICK TO REGISTER

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(ISD shirts available in adult sizing)

Become a Sponsor!

If your business is part of the beach community,  you’ll want to be part of this event. Your beach loving customers will be at the Kid’s Surf Classic!

Grom – $100
Includes logo on website & email marketing, and PA announcements during the event.

Rookie – $200
Plus logo on posters & t-shirt

Pro – $300
Plus logo on rashguard. (Think of all those great photos, Tweets, and Facebook posts generated from this event!)

Legend – $500
Plus 10’x10’ tent space (tent not provided) and 1 event scholarship in sponsor’s name
(Not allowed to sell retail on site. Promo only.)

CLICK TO SPONSOR

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Event Guidelines, Safety, & Hold Harmless Agreement

All competitors must report to the competitors area no later than 15 minutes before their scheduled start time.

We do encourage a parent or friend to be in the water during their kid’s heat so they may help assist them into a wave. Depending on the child’s ability, a launcher and even a catcher near shore can help out.   Event “Kahuna’s” will be onsite to help if you do not feel comfortable with this part, just ask for a “Kahuna” at check in!  Competitors are welcome to start off with a few push ins and then catch some on their own.  Building that confidence in your young surfer is one of the goals of this event.

Judging is based on a variety of surfing attributes including wave selection (large set waves score higher), length of ride, turns or moves while riding the wave, and style. Kid’s that can paddle into a wave unassisted will be scored 1 point higher. Paddling into the wave on their own is much harder.  So, the self paddle surfers will be rewarded for their effort!

Respect for fellow surfers is simply good sportsmanship. If one competitor is closer to the peak of the wave, and/or catches the wave before another surfer, do not cut them off. This can cause accidents to happen and may result in disqualification.

Surfrider volunteers, parents, and a Destin Beach Lifeguard will be on site to help keep an eye on attendees while in the water. However, always use caution when in or near the water.

If the waves are completely flat, we will run a stand up paddleboard and/or prone paddle race for the kids.  A course will be set and each contestant will race the course for a time.

The safety of your children is very important to us.  In the event of large surf:  The contest zone may be restricted to the white water area nearshore.  May be postponed to the following Sunday.  Or may be canceled.  In the unlikely event that the contest is cancelled to preserve child safety, entries are non-refundable.  Shirts, Surfrider memberships and other benefits will be provided as promised and we will also promise to make an effort to schedule and promote other similar opportunities for the children to surf and play in the near future.  Unfortunately, the need for advanced permitting and other difficulties would likely prevent an alternate running of the actual surf contest.

All attendees must agree to our hold-harmless policy to be signed by a parent or guardian at the check in. No exceptions. (If a guardian is unable to be present the day of event, we can email you a copy to bring in ).

Hold Harmless Release Agreement

Please read the following and sign at the end of this form (and/or digitally accept with a “yes” response where prompted) indicating your agreement and acceptance of these terms.

Agreement copy below:

The Surfrider Kid’s Classic “EVENT”, (EVENT SHALL INCLUDE ALL ORGANIZERS, SPONSORS, VOLUNTEERS, MUNICIPALITIES, AND ASSOCIATED ENTITIES) AND EACH PARTICIPANT HEREBY AGREE AS FOLLOWS:

1. Assumption of Risk. Engaging in the Activities in the ocean present inherent risks from many obvious and non-obvious hazards including but not limited to ocean currents, swells, rip currents, and waves, underwater objects, reefs, rocks, piers and pilings, other surfers, swimmers and beachgoers, boats and other water craft, and sharks, jellyfish, and other marine life and organisms. THE ACTIVTIES ARE DANGEROUS SPORTS, AND THE RISKS OF HARM CANNOT BE ELIMINATED. I VOLUNTARILY ASSUME ALL RISKS RELATED TO THE ACTIVITES AND SERVICES PROVIDED BY ANY RELEASED PARTY, including without limit risks of death, bodily injury, loss, property damage, falls, collisions with stationary objects, the unavailability of emergency medical care and the negligent acts and omissions of any person.

2. Release from Liability; Indemnification; Agreement Not to Sue. To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, I HEREBY:

a. RELEASE AND DISCHARGE the EVENT and each of its organizers, owners, officers, employees, representatives, instructors, contractors, suppliers, and agents (all of whom are called individually a “Released Party” and collectively the “Released Parties”) from each and every claim, injury, loss, damage, cost or expense now existing or hereafter arising from any breach of duty, including for negligence, owed by any Released Party to any Participant related to or arising from (i) any Services, this Agreement, or any other service provided by any Released Party and/or (ii) any Activity in which any Participant engages in connection with this Agreement (all such claims, injuries, losses, damages, costs and expenses being called the “Released Claims”), whether involving death, bodily injury, property damage, consequential damages or otherwise.

b. INDEMNIFY AND HOLD EACH RELEASED PARTY COMPLETELY HARMLESS from any liability arising in respect of any Released Claim and from all defense costs including without limit attorneys fees in connection with defending any Released Claim; and

c. AGREE NOT TO SUE any Released Party on account of or in connection with any Released Claim.

3. Rights to Photographs and Films. I authorize the Event to take and use the name, voice, photographs, videotapes, audiotapes and other visual and audio recordings of each Participant, without compensation to any Participant. I agree that all such recordings may be used, and licensed to others, in promotional literature or publicity for the organization or any of its representatives in any medium, together with any sound effects selected by the Organization. I waive any rights of publicity in connection therewith.

4. Health Matters. I (or my minor child) am physically and mentally fit, in good health, a competent swimmer and do not have or suffer from any physical or mental disease, illness or condition which might lead to a dangerous situation as to me or others during any surfing or related activities. If I have a health condition of which I may be unaware, I choose to participate in the Activities with the Released Parties and waive all responsibilities of any Released Party for any consequences arising from my activities. If I feel ill or unwell or have any physical or mental complaints or sustain any injury, I will immediately notify the Released Party who is providing the Services.

5. Authorization for Health Services. I authorize each Released Party to perform first aid for me and each other Participant and obtain medical assistance whenever the Released Party deems appropriate, and I authorize any physician, dentist, nurse, hospital, ambulance or other health-care professional who responds to any request by any Released Party to order and perform such health-care services as such person or entity deems necessary or appropriate for me or my child. All fees, costs and other expenses of such services, including without limit ambulance, hospital, laboratory and doctor fees and charges, shall be my sole responsibility.

6. Other Terms. This Agreement legally binds me, my minor children and my heirs, executors and administrators and is for the benefit of each Released Party and its successors and assigns, heirs, executors and administrators. No term of this Agreement may be amended, waived or otherwise altered except in writing signed by each Participant and the Organization. All information about each Participant in this Agreement is correct. This Agreement is intended to be as broad and inclusive in protected Released Parties as permitted by applicable law. If any term is held invalid, all other terms shall remain in full force and effect. This Agreement contains my entire agreement with the Released Parties with respect to the subject matter of this Agreement. I am not relying on any representation or statement or inducement not contained in this Agreement. THIS AGREEMENT SHALL BE GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA WITHOUT REGARD TO THE RULES ON CHOICE OF LAW. ALL DISPUTES RELATED TO THIS AGREEMENT SHALL HAVE EXCLUSIVE VENUE IN THE STATE AND FEDERAL COURTS FOR THE STATE OF FLORIDA.

I am at least 18 years of age (or am a parent or adult legal guardian of each Participant who is not 18 years of age) and have duly signed this Agreement for myself and each such Participant, and each reference in this Agreement to “I” includes me and each minor Participant who is my child or for whom I am signing as guardian.

A DIGITAL ACCEPTANCE AFFIRMING “YES” TO HAVING READ AND AGREED TO THIS RELEASE WILL SUBSTITUTE FOR SIGNATURE ON WEB SUBMITTED EVENT ENTRIES.

Signature page follows:

I HAVE READ AND UNDERSTAND THIS RELEASE AGREEMENT BY WHICH I WAIVE LEGAL RIGHTS, ASSUME RISKS AND INDEMNIFY AGAINST LIABILITY FOR MYSELF AND EACH NAMED MINOR. I SIGN THIS AGREEMENT OF MY OWN FREE WILL AND AGREE TO BE LEGALLY BOUND BY IT.

I ACCEPT  _________________________________ Date:_________

Print Name _________________________________

Minor name(s) _________________________________

_________________________________

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(2 page) Media Quick Summary

(21 page) Narrative Report,

(200 page) Full Report.

The Emerald Coast Chapter is proud to release the findings of our “State of the Beach” long term research study (linked above).

For the past two years, we have been diligently monitoring our beaches and assessing the impact of dispersed oil product from the BP Oil Disaster.  During the past year, our chapter volunteers (Susan, Jack, Tony, Mike, and others) partnered with coastal geologist Rip Kirby.  Together, we have collected from Gulf beaches greater than 70 unique samples and examined over 1,800 analytes.

We have returned to contaminated beach locations In Florida, Alabama, and Mississippi for follow up sampling.  This frequent sampling has enabled us to determine if toxic concentrations of tar product are present and if the levels are diminishing over time.

Along the way, our volunteers also helped to develop new, rapid, cost effective,  and reliable technology for locating and removing tar product on our beaches.  We have aided the Unified Command, Coast Guard, and restoration operations with frequent reporting of contamination and sharing of our technological discoveries.

Our members have conducted underwater scuba assessments off the coast of Walton, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, and Escambia Counties.  We have also flown several aerial reconnoissance missions to assess beach impacts, search for submerged tarmats, and spot for surface oil.  All of these done by volunteers and paid for by donations, largely from surfers and the surf related industry.

Members of our chapter have participated in countless local, state, and federal meetings.  In our efforts to highlight the need for better research and to support bringing restoration fine money to the affected states, we have traveled as far as Washington D.C. where we met with representatives of Congress and the House of Representatives.

During our two year effort, we made our data publicly available online to anyone who cared to review it.  Understandably, it is an enormous amount of data to digest and there is so much more to glean from the endeavor than the data alone can convey.  We are pleased to share with you what we have learned.

This research was made possible by many public donations, collections taken up by surfers in Surfrider chapters around the Nation,  and the heartfelt support of two ocean loving companies, Patagonia and O’Neill.  The Norcross Foundation helped to get the ball rolling by coming through quickly and providing grants to assist with equipment needs. Timing was so important; these people and companies really stepped up and pitched in.

Together, we have made a significant contribution to the science of oil disaster response and remediation.  With that science, we are now a bit better prepared for future disasters and certainly better informed of the long term beach toxicity inflicted by oil and dispersants.

Please share our report with others who may also be interested in healthy beaches!