The thousand person paddle will boast a flotilla of suriboards, kayaks, rafts, floats and other non-motorized devices in an expression of unity for clean water. The paddle-out is a call to action from Surfrider Foundation to all concerned citizens. The goal is to have more than one thousand participants in the water at once, paddling around San Diego's Ocean Beach Pier. The Surfrider Foundation is an international non-profit environmental organization dedicated to protecting, preserving and restoring the world's oceans, waves and beaches through conservation, activism, research and education. Today's voters care about issues, and we want to bring that focus to the attention of our politicians.
Clean water is an economic concern as well as an environmental one.
Statistics released recently by the EPA reveal that more than 40 percent of America's rivers, lakes and streams are too polluted to swim or fish in, and more than 3,000 beaches were closed in 1995 by pollution. The August 10 event is the fifth annual massive paddle-out presented by the San Diego County Chapter, and participant numbers have been growing every year. One purpose of the paddle-out is to focus attention on the Clean Water Act. The event will feature speeches and discussions on current issues which endanger the ocean and coast. Speakers include Surfrider Foundation officials, environmental experts and celebrities.