Time to Pass the Torch

Greetings Surfriders,

For the last nine years I have been privileged to lead the Restore Sloat Campaign for the Surfrider Foundation’s San Francisco Chapter.

It’s time to pass the torch.

First and foremost, I want to thank each and every one of you who has helped this campaign in any way – from signing our petitions to attending public meetings to spreading the word about our efforts. I also want to give a shout out to those who just pick up trash when they go to the beach.  You all are helping to defend and restore Ocean Beach.

We have achieved a lot since the 2010 El Niño. At that point, SFDPW was ready to bury the entire Sloat shoreline under a pile of quarry stone boulders. We fought that misguided plan at the Coastal Commission and won. 

In the ensuing years we worked with our government agencies and the community to help shape a new erosion policy for Sloat – one that will lead to the restoration of our beach.  

There is much to be proud of.  Again, thank you all.

At the same time, our work is unfinished.

Key items we have left to secure include: 

1: A new parking lot replace the main / north parking access

2: Phase II project details which maximize the area of shoreline restoration (especially the removal of all rock and rubble from the beach and artificial bluff)

3: An ironclad commitment to replenish the beach in the wake of major erosion events

Once again, thanks for your continued engagement through this very long process. The finish line is finally coming into our sights. 

Let’s see this thing through to the end.  

Sincerely yours,

Bill McLaughlin