Ghost Trees PWC Ban Pits Surfers Against Environmentalists
Justin Cote
- December 01 2008
- 273 views
- 4 comments
Read entire article at www.signonsandiego.com
One of the surf world’s most contentious debates came to a head a week ago, as federal officials decided to disallow tow-in surfing within the boundaries of three Central California marine sanctuaries.
The ban pitted big-wave surfers, who use personalized watercraft (or PWCs) to propel themselves into waves that are too large to be caught by paddling a board, against environmental groups who believe the motorized vehicles have no place in a marine sanctuary.
The crux of the problem centered on Maverick’s, the big-wave surfing spot in Half Moon Bay, which is one of the premier giant-wave surf zones on the planet, but spilled over to other spots in the area, such as Moss Landing jetty in Monterey Bay and the big-wave break known as Ghost Tree in Pebble Beach.
In these locations, large waves sometimes move too swiftly and with too much energy to be caught using just a surfboard. To that end, surfers use watercraft to gain enough speed to sling a fellow surfer into the wave.
The manner in which surfers ride those waves – using loud, gas-driven, polluting vehicles – often put surfer interest groups at odds with one another.
On a day of large surf at Maverick’s, for instance, it has not been uncommon to see dozens of tow-in surf teams zipping around the line-up on PWCs, a mob of activity no doubt having a negative environmental impact on the surrounding ecosystem.
The ban has been in place in the Monterey Bay sanctuary since 1992, but the new decision expanded its depth and breadth.
Federal officials banned the use of PWCs at Ghost Tree and Moss Landing jetty, but struck a compromise with surfers at Maverick’s. There, surfers will be allowed to use PWCs to ride waves on days that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration releases a high-surf advisory.
The new rules will take effect in March, making this winter a last gasp for big-wave surfers.
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December 1st, 2008 at 12:54 pm
yeah, ban that shit. I tried tow surfing once, I got whipped into a pretty big set out at Ghost trees about 3 years ago. didn’t make it……….leave those spots to paddle in. Anyone can catch a 25 footer with a ski! plus the fact that it is an unspoiled area of the North coast!
December 2nd, 2008 at 10:52 am
this is bullshit…..over zealous enviromentalist ruining a sport and putting lives at the risk….enviromental damage from a few jet skis on a limited number of days..total bullshit!!1….hope those kooks dont have cars , or fireplaces or own anything plastic as all those things contribute to the decline of our enviroment way more than a few PWC’s!!
September 19th, 2009 at 4:38 pm
Big wave dave….Watch your ass, and watch what you wish for!..Before you know it you won't have any freedoms! one turns to two, two turns to three and so on and so forth! Hell you may not have surf boards anymore due to the epoxies and other non Environmentally friendly materials used in manufactoring the board!! More damage is done to the Environment building ONE board than a ski does all year long. Do you realize also how LITTLE PWC's pollute? thought not!. Go read the facts before writing some stupid comment about how retarded and uncordinated you are with TOW in surfing! DON'T HATE!
September 20th, 2009 at 12:54 am
Poor Santa Cruz Babies!! Tough being told no when you walk around your whole life with this sense of entitlement on your shoulders. Pound your chest, appeal, whine & Cry! WE DONT WANT YOU stinking up OUR spots, driving through our neighborhoods with your pompus attitudes, or even existing with your cowardly pack hunter mentalities!! STAY AT THE LANE and remind each other just how cool you are, or were, when you could get towed into tubes.
Guess its back to big, Mushy lefts when its huge-