Save the Wave at Surfside Jetty!
Help to convince the Navy to select the preferred alternative for the the proposed Seal Beach Ammunition Pier and Turning Basin. Alternative 1 from the Draft EA should be selected as the preferred alternative where construction is limited to inside Anaheim Landing, so there should be no effect on surfing at Surfside Jetty or other adjacent areas.
At the Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach the Navy proposes to construct: a replacement ammunition pier (approximately 1,100-feet by 125-feet), Associated waterfront facilities, A causeway and truck turnaround, and a new public navigational channel inside the current breakwater for civilian boat traffic to and from Huntington Harbour. The new pier would be built to current earthquake standards, would be able to support future fleet requirements, and would provide greater separation between Navy operations and civilian activity in Anaheim Bay and along Pacific Coast Highway. Three alternatives have been proposed for construction and the Draft Environmental Assessment (EA) has been released and is open for public comment.
Surfrider agrees with the Draft EA that Alternative 1 should be selected as the preferred alternative. Construction under this alternative is limited to inside Anaheim Landing, so there should be no effect on surfing at Surfside Jetty or other adjacent areas, which is one of our top concerns. In contrast, Alternatives 2 and 3 would involve construction of a breakwater south of Anaheim Landing, destroying the Surfside Jetty surf spot. Although the Draft EA recognizes this, the statement does not take into account the quality of the waves at Surfside Jetty compared to nearby surfing breaks.
The waves at Surfside Jetty would not just be affected, they would be eliminated! This would be similar to the “Killer Dana” surf spot being eliminated by the construction of Dana Point Harbor in 1966. And you can't just move this activity to “other designated areas nearby.” Surfside Jetty is a regionally-significant surf spot that has been recognized as such since at least Surfing Guide to Southern California (Cleary, 1963). It is a winter big wave spot that offers a long right slide from near the end of the jetty. Adjacent areas in Surfside and Sunset Beach are more common beach breaks and don't offer the same quality of waves.
Join us at the open house public meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 16, 2017, from 4 to 7 p.m. at: Marina Community Center, 151 Marina Drive, Seal Beach 90740.
Click Here for an online form to submit comments until May 30th, 2017.