Abundant Grace is a local non-profit that employs a Coastside Clean Team. This crew picks up 300-500 pounds of trash each time they comb our bluffs and beaches. The expanse between Kelly Ave and Poplar Ave captures enough debris to keep them busy 2-3 days per week. It’s an early morning service that may go unnoticed by many in our community, although I doubt it’s absence would! When I arrived on the Coastside from another California coastal town, Santa Barbara, I was floored by the amount of trash and dog waste found on our epic trails. I wanted to shout from the rooftops – this is not right! Since I barely knew a soul in town, I jumped on NextDoor and recruited wonderful neighbors for a poop patrol. As we filled large trash bags with what felt like 30lbs of poop each, I felt good to be making a dent in the problem. However, there was only one major problem with my plan: the dumpsters were a ½ mile away and I was on foot….awkward!

Abundant Grace is an indispensable service to our community, and there is still more to be done to keep our beaches and trails clean. https://abundantgracecw.org/index.html

This is not intended to read like another disgruntled NextDoor post. Instead, I’d like to pose an open question to our visitors and residents alike: how can we inspire a stronger reverence for mother nature? Would a deeper respect and enhanced communion with our planet discourage people from trashing the place, in the first place? We’re incredibly lucky on our coast to have two local events coming up certain to inspire us all!

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The World’s First Wingfoil Crossing

Chris Bertish is a Mavericks surf competition winner, epic adventurer, and all around inspiration. He will be the first person to wing-foil across any ocean, solo and unsupported (!!!) to raise awareness about the climate crisis. Chris will launch out of Half Moon Bay early this summer, and wingfoil across the open ocean until he reaches his destination of Oahu!

“Using adventure and sport for a good cause, Chris plans to inspire hope while highlighting important climate change and ocean health issues related to Ocean Unite’s 30×30 strategy; protecting 30% of the planets’ land and water by 2030 and achieving carbon net-zero by 2050. Chris will also be raising money for conservation and education projects around the world, and every dollar donated contributes to these goals.”

Want to support this first of it’s kind mission? https://chrisbertishfoundation.org/wing-project/

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Mavericks Surf Competition

Ocean Blue Real Estate is stoked to be sponsoring the Mavericks Surf Awards event this year. The legendary swell at Mavericks draws eyes and competitors from around the globe. The power and force of our ocean poses an incredible challenge for contenders that flock here for the chance to descend down dark, giant waves. Their surf skills and more will be showcased Thursday May 13th, 6pm PST, on www.theintertia.com and @maverickssurfawards on Instagram Live.

A celebration of nature’s gifts to us, events like these are truly awe-inspiring and fun! Let’s lend our attention and support to our community and our home, planet earth. 

~ Karina Ballantyne