Check out what Surfrider Ventura County was up to this month at our beach cleanups!
Respect the Rincon Parkway - March 8
We picked up over 115 pounds of trash and 35 pounds of recycling at our last beach clean up on Saturday, March 8, 2025 with the extra help of Ventura Academy volunteers who were a few days away from their final exam to become our next firefighters.
We helped protect marine biodiversity by keeping trash, plastic cigarette butt filters, and microplastic from reaching the Santa Barbara Channel as cetacean migratory traffic picks up and Northern Elephant seal pupping season has started.
We reported one stranded, sick female adult California sea lion to Channel Island Wildlife and Marine Institute. Unfortunately, we are experiencing another domoic acid (DA) event along our coastline which impacts California sea lions who eat on infected fish containing the toxin from phytoplankton who are feeding on Harmful Algae Blooms (HABs.) The toxin works its way up the food web. The best foragers experience most of the DA neurological symptoms such as disorientation, head bobbing, foaming and the mouth, inability to move from the water line, seizures and death.
Please stay 50 feet away from a sick sea lion or a stranded Northern elephant seal pup who strand on our beaches after they are weaned and experience "catastrophic molt." Call CIMWI's Hotline at (805) 567-1505 or check out CIMWI.org for more information about how to help sick or injured sea mammals.
Special note: CALTRANS will be closing exit 72 from 101 for two years to repair the Ventura Overpass Bridge at Hwy 1 impacting how we will be operating Respect the Rincon Parkway. Stay tuned for more information.
Join us at RRP the second Saturday of February!
Ormond Beach - March 15
On Saturday, February 15th, 55 volunteers joined us at Ormond from Perkins Road, Oxnard to pick-up over 1,235 pounds of trash. After multiple recent rain events, the lagoon was still breached at the outfall causing the water to be very low. This allowed us to target trash we weren't normally able to reach when the lagoon water is full. Our haul included bike tires, an inflatable boat, hundreds of styrofoam pieces, and metal scraps.
We were excited by the unprecedented turnout, including folks from the Ventura Training Center, Oak Park HS Cleanup Club, Parker-Hannifin Oxnard, and the National Charity League. Among these organizations, we had plenty of students, families, and core volunteers join us. Thank you to everyone who came out to help make a big difference at Ormond!
Our Ormond Beach Program is looking for a new program lead(s) and core volunteers to help manage and facilitate our beach cleanup events. If you are interested in joining the team or have any questions, please email AAlejo@ventura.surfrider.org!
See you next month at Ormond!
C Street - March 22
Join us for our next cleanup Rip Curl on April 26 from 9am - 11am. They will host a post-cleanup gathering at their Ventura retail shop featuring athletes, food, and music for all cleanup participants! There are two separate required waivers for this cleanup. Preregistration is highly recommended.