Mavericks - the environmental costs of the contest

The official language of the Mavericks website states, "The following partners and supporters of the Mavericks Surf contests work closely with the event organizers to ensure that the ocean, beach and surrounding area are protected during each event, and that they are left in the same or better condition in which they were found" (emphasis added). Organizers mapped out an environmental policy that included extensive recycling and trash programs, roping off delicate areas, and providing shuttles to congested areas. Yet the environmental costs were greater than expected.

The competition takes place adjacent to the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, and the site of Pillar Point itself includes sensitive rocky intertidal and marsh areas. The Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary was present as observers in order to identify areas where Mavericks could minimize the environmental impacts in the future. The Sanctuary was incorrectly listed as a supporter of the contest on the Mavericks website, when in fact the Sanctuary's role was to observe the event and document the environmental impacts, hoping to make suggestions for lowering the environmental impact in upcoming years. The Sanctuary observers recorded some disturbing numbers.

Volunteers recorded over 77 people in the sensitive rocky intertidal during high tide, and over 398 people were trampling vegetation and creatures by low tide in their attempt to see the surfers better. People tossed footballs, tramped the tidepools with walkers and strollers, and a few people rode their bikes over the rocks, unaware of the creatures they were crushing underfoot. Tidepool etiquette calls for watching where you step to avoid trampling kelp, algae, striped shore crabs, turban snails, sea stars, aggregate anemones, and the plethora of life within the rocky intertidal, but the organizers of the event did nothing to prevent people from trampling the creatures in the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve. It is hoped that roping off the area or educating the public about the sensitivity of the habitat will avert future possible damage.

Despite previous warnings, one helicopter flew below 50 feet above the water flushing hundreds of birds while trying to capture excellent footage of the surfers. The majority of helicopters stayed well away from the no-fly zone. Two dogs were seen off leash, chasing hundreds of birds from the tidepools. At the end of the event, people skidded off from their beach spots and created small rubble avalanches, contributing to the erosion of the hillside. The highly erodable cliffs were hazardous to people as well, as several people were hit by falling rocks when part of the cliffside crumbled, including one woman who had to be hospitalized. While organizers promised to replant trampled vegetation, nothing can be done about the accelerated erosion of the hillside. Next year, perhaps there will be more education about the importance of not flushing wildlife and frightening them from their habitat and staying away from the eroding cliffs and bluffs.

There were some environmental successes: people stayed away from the fenced-off delicate marsh area, sightseers picked up trash and dog waste conscientiously after reminders from organizers, and the festival purchased eco-credits to offset the environmental damage. Organizers will now be able to take into consideration the Sanctuary's suggestions for the improvement of next year's event, bringing them closer to the goal of low-impact events.

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