Surfrider Foundation News
Source: Surfrider Foundation - www.surfrider.org-

Surfrider Foundation Partners with Brian Wilson
The Surfrider Foundation has partnered with Brian Wilson for the release of his new album That Lucky Old Sun, which hits the stores, September 2nd. To celebrate the release, Brian has teamed up with eBay Giving Works to auction off a special one-of-a-kind Robert August shaped surfboard.  The board, which features custom That Lucky Old Sun artwork, is hand-signed by both Brian and Robert and comes with a certificate of authenticity. In addition, the winning bid will also be receiving Brian’s handwritten lyrics to “Forever, She’ll Be My Surfer Girl” featured on the new album.  All of the proceeds from the auction will be donated to the Surfrider Foundation.
"The Surfrider Foundation has always done an outstanding job in preserving our precious oceans, waves and beaches,” says Brian Wilson.  “I want to do all I can to help."
 
To see this incredible surfboard or to place a bid on this once in a lifetime item, click here

Costa Rican Beaches Suffer Eco-tourism Growing Pains
Thirteen Costa Rican beaches (including tourist hot spots like Puntarenas‘ province’s Jacó, Quepos, and Tambor, Guanacaste’s Playa del Coco and Limón’s Cieneguita and Portete) were all recently flagged for high fecal matter contamination levels.

The pollution is coming from sewage runoff from businesses, hotels and homes that don't have adequate sewage treatment facilities.
Warnings have been posted at contaminated beaches and the country's Ministry of Health recently met with the Costa Rican Water and Sanitation Institute (AyA) to try to combat this nation's water pollution issues. In the past 20 years, Costa Rica has seen a boom in eco-tourism. Ironically, as a result of this boom, the once pristine coastline now suffers from increased water quality issues and sea turtle habitat disruption.

Surfrider Foundation's Tamarindo Organizing Committee came together in 2006, to specifically combat these issues. We partner with Blue Flag, which conducts Blue Water Task Force testing on a regular basis at several beaches in the region.

Medical Waste Dumper Confesses
As Soup reported last week, New Jersey beaches were subject to about ten recent beach closures, some of which were due to medical waste contamination. Some of the medical waste found had serial numbers so officials speculated that it was just a matter of time before they can link who illegally disposed of the waste.

Fifty-nine year old dentist, Thomas McFarland gave himself up late last week and admitted to dumping the medical waste in Avalon from his boat (moored behind his house). He is facing charges of unlawful discharge of a pollutant and unlawful disposal of regulated medical waste, both third-degree crimes which carry up to five years each.

Physically Challenged Gain Beach Access in Florida!
The City of Destin, Florida has given wheelchair-bound beach lovers an amazing opportunity to enjoy the surf and sand up close. The City has provided two wheelchairs with inflatable tires that are specifically designed to traverse sand. Destin's Beach Safety Patrol says the chairs have been used every day!

Big Bucks for Bomb Removal
Surf City, New Jersey has become more than a vacation destination, it has become a mine field of World War-I era munitions that are lurking just below the sand. The materials were accidentally deposited in a beach fill project two years ago. The Army Corps of Engineers have been using metal detectors to try to locate the potentially dangerous materials.

More than 1,100 pieces have been found since March 2007. However, the detectors are not strong enough to locate all the munitions therefore, a $17 million project has been approved to help with the removal of the munitions.

The real kicker (as if bombs buried on your beach weren't enough) is that clean up efforts will cost triple of what the beach fill costs were.

About International Surfing Association
The International Surfing Association (ISA) is recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as the World Governing Authority for surfing, bodyboarding and surfriding. It was originally founded as the International Surfing Federation in 1964 and has been running world championships since 1964 and the Junior World Championships since 1980. 

ISA membership includes the surfing National Governing Bodies (NGBs) of over 50 countries on six continents. Its headquarters are located in San Diego, California. It is presided by Fernando Aguerre, first elected in 1994 in Rio, and re-elected six times since.  The ISA's four Vice Presidents are Alan Atkins (Australia), Robin de Kock (South Africa), Maile Aguerre (Hawaii) and Mike Gerard (USA).

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