June gloom has overstayed its welcome. It’s the 4th of July and thick grey clouds hover over the water tower on Anderson Street in Sunset Beach, a local surf spot where it’s “just our crew,” said Daniel Studt, Cal State Long Beach’s Surf Team captain.
CSULB has two surf teams, the A-team and B-team, each consisting of nine members. Surf team members say that they wouldn’t have to go as far in search of killer waves if it weren’t for Long Beach’s breakwater.
A four-year breakwater study in Long Beach is co-funded by the city and the Army Corps of Engineers. This study could possibly lead to reconfiguration of the structure that surfers despise.
The barefoot duo went on to tell tales of their grandfather’s generation surfing Long Beach and the potential for impressive waves and consistency, if only the breakwater allowed for the waves. The positioning of Long Beach is optimal and could catch the swell much better than Orange County beaches, they said.
Justin White, one of CSULB’s A-team surfers, said he would be happy to “meet half way” in the breakwater conflict. White doesn’t see the need for the entire breakwater to be torn down. If part of it could be removed or repaired to allow waves in Long Beach, he said he would be content.
“Hopefully they realize part of the breakwater is unnecessary so other parts can get waves,” Studt said.
Studt added that he doesn’t see the point of the breakwater. As for surf culture, he said that everyone wants it down. He said it would bring more waves and more business to Long Beach.
“That’d be sweet to surf Long Beach,” White said.
A 2007 breakwater study conducted by Moffat and Nichol, an engineering organization, estimated 3 million more beach tourists at the beach every year, $27 million in federal recreation benefits and an additional $52 million being spent annually, should the breakwater be reconfigured.
The surf team placed sixth in state competitions and 12th in the National Scholastic Surfing Association competition where the best of both coasts competed this year.
When the team isn’t out surfing they can be found watching surf movies and spending time with friends.
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