Herbie Fletcher on the nose at Ma’alaea. Photo courtesy of Art Brewer.
Ma’alaea, on the island of Maui, is home to “Freight Trains” – one of the fastest waves in the world. It’s also the site of a small boat harbor. Since 1989, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had plans to enlarge the harbor.
We were concerned that the expansion would not only destroy Freight Trains, but would also impact the coral reefs, the marine ecosystem and local ocean water quality. So, we joined the Protect Ma’alaea Coalition and local activists to fight these plans.
This May, after a 23-year campaign to save Ma’alaea, we achieved victory when the Hawaii Department of Land and Natural Resources and the Army Corps of Engineers announced that they abandoned plans to extend the breakwater at Ma’alaea Harbor.
Campaigns like Save Ma’alaea require dedication, perseverance and financial support. It was your support that helped save Ma’alaea. And it’s your ongoing support that makes winning these marathon campaigns possible.
For many groups a multi-decade campaign is unheard of – but for Surfrider, the Save Ma’alaea campaign wasn’t unique. In fact, we’ve been fighting for decades to save a number of threatened waves:
1. Surfer’s Point, Ventura, CA: We’re fighting for dam removal and restoration of the watershed to save the waves.
2. Surfrider Beach, Malibu, CA: We support wetland restoration and an inlet relocation effort that will protects the waves.
3. Sloat Ave, San Francisco, CA: We’re calling for long–term solutions to address coastal erosion that threatens the beach and surf quality.
We don’t take our commitment to saving waves lightly. We have the dedication, the perseverance and the grit to keep fighting until we win. But, we need YOU. Long-term campaigns have real costs and it’s your donation that sustains our work. Your support allows us to take on 20+ year campaigns and turn them into victories.
We’re in the fight ‘til the end, but not without you. Please make a donation today to back these long-running campaigns and save these incredible waves.
For our oceans, waves and beaches,
The Surfrider Foundation
