Surfrider CT rang in the New Year with a New Year’s Day Polar Bear event. Members braved the frigid waters and SUP’d, paddled, and swam, to celebrate the New Year! Check out our facebook page for more photos.

Surfrider CT has a full slate of events, projects, and meetings scheduled for 2012. We look forward to seeing you all and encourage everyone to get involved, volunteer, and make 2012 the year for our oceans!

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Meeting / Storm Drain Marking

We will be having a meeting on Saturday, December 3rd, at 12:00pm. The meeting will be held at the Sanctuary, 59 Bogel Road, East Haddam, CT. We will be in the yurt and there will be food and beverages. This is our last meeting of the year and we will be setting plans in place for next year so please join us to help in the planning. New volunteers are welcomed and needed!

Following the meeting we will be placing the winning storm drain markers throughout the Town of East Haddam. Thus vital initiative is a great way to actively help secure the safety of our waters. ____________________________________________________________________

RAPTOBERFEST!

Just like everyone has a carbon footprint, we also have a plastic footprint. While it is impossible to entirely eliminate plastic from your life, you can take steps to cut out unnecessary plastics and keep plastics from harming the beach you love.

In the spirit of RAPTOBERFEST, where we’re celebrating our Rise Above Plastics program throughout the month of October, click here for 10 easy ways to reduce your plastic footprint.

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Summer’s End SUP Classic

Surfrider is pleased to announce that it is launching Connecticut’s  first-ever Stand Up Paddle competition! The Summer‘s End Sup Classic will take place on Saturday, September 17th at Esker Point Beach, Noank, CT. The festivities will all begin at 10:00am.  There will be three competitions with 2 board divisions. Entry fee is $25 per person. All proceeds will benefit CT’s waters and beaches.     ____________________________________________________________________

Milford Oyster Festival

Saturday, August 20th is the 37th Annual Milford Oyster Festival. Please attend the festival and stop by the Surfrider tent. We will be selling t-shirts, bottles, and much more, in order to raise funds to support the chapter’s efforts to protect our beaches and waters. Hope to see you there! ____________________________________________________________________

Intro to Paddlesurfing

The Intro to Paddlesurfing clinic which took place onThursday, August 4th, 5-9 p.m. at First Beach, Guilford Lakes was a great success! Thank you to all who attended and sponsored the event. Visit the event Facebook page for more info.  Blame Laird! ____________________________________________________________________

ISD 2011 – Thank you all for a great day!

International Surfing Day took place on Saturday, June18th. With temperatures soaring the beach was the perfect place to spend the day. This year we celebrated ISD in Milford, CT.

International Surfing Day took place on Saturday, June18th. With temperatures soaring the beach was the perfect place to spend the day. This year we celebrated ISD in Milford, CT. The day included: Horseshoe Crab Tagging to help Sacred Heart University’s Project Limulus; Surf and SUP lessons/demos;  surf bands 9th Wave and the North Shore Troubadours; dancers All Systems Go-Go and Frisky A-Go-Go; and, as always, the Surfrider crew had games, giveaways, educational materials, and a beach clean-up!

See a recap of the event at: http://www.nhregister.com. Photos are posted on the ISD page,  Facebook, and Flickr. ____________________________________________________________________

Storm Drain Marker Contest Winner Announced!

This year’s winner is Amanda Ciarci, a seventh grader at Nathan Hale-Ray Middle School, East Haddam, CT. Amanda will receive a prize of $50 plus Surfrider gear.  Amanda’s winning entry will be produced as actual storm drain markers that will be applied to East Haddam’s storm drains. Amanda’s class will participate in the application of the markers as part of a lesson on the hydrological cycle. Read more… ____________________________________________________________________

T-Shirts & Bottles are here!

Get your Surfrider CT t-shirt and steel water bottle (just like the one Jack Johnson has) by sending your check/money order to our address below. T-shirts are $15. Bottles are $12 for 33oz. and $10 for 16oz. Please include $5 for shipping. Thank you!

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Rock’n the Sound 2011 – Rocked!

Thank you to everyone for your attendance and generous support of Surfrider Connecticut at Rock’n the Sound! Special thanks to: 9th Wave, The Clams, The Aquatudes, DJing, All-Systems Go-Go, Frisky A Go-Go, Centrifugal Force, Patagonia, HEAL Clothing, BAR, East Coast Surf, Skate & Snow, Wavzcap, We Sell Hoops, Brandhofer Tiki Carver, Emergen-C, and Chico Bag!

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Sea Party with Mystic Aquarium!

On Saturday, February 19th, 2:30 p.m., Surfrider was at the  Sea Party with Mystic Aquarium! Surfrider  partnered with Mystic Aquarium for an event that featured the movie OCEANS. There were live sea animals, crafts, games, and much more. It all took place at the Garde Arts Center in New London. The Sea Party successfully educated participants about our marine environment and how to help keep it healthy!

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Barefoot Truth helps Surfrider protect our beaches and waters!

On Saturday, November 27th Surfrider CT tabled at the Barefoot Truth concert at the  Garde Arts Theater. The band has been a long time supporter of the Surfrider Foundation and invited Surfrider CT to be part of their message.

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Meaghan Returns!

On Sunday, September 12th, Surfrider celebrated the return of Meaghan from her cross-country trek to save the planet. The “Ride the Wave of Change” campaign has been an incredible success, raising funds and awareness of the challenges our environment faces. The event, which took place at the Bean & Leaf in New London,  included performances by Barbara & Sara and Brian Kodzis.

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Tarp Surfing ?!

Surfrider CT joined “The Throwdown at the Beach” at  Calf Pasture Beach in Norwalk,on Saturday, Sept 4th for a beach clean-up, music, and Tarp Surfing.  The event was presented by Thrust Music, Live Now Industries, Playground Kids, Easter Island & All the Regulars and HEAL Clothing. The event also included a skate competition, giveaways, and  vendors.

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Lobster Die-offs Linked to Chemicals in Plastics

Lobsters in Long Island Sound have suffered intense die-offs in the past decade, and a peculiar affliction, known as “shell disease,” has been a major contributor. Now, a molecular biologist at the University of Connecticut has discovered that waterborne chemicals, leached from plastics and detergents, may contribute to the disease in lobsters in the Sound.

Hans Laufer, a research professor in the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, has found that by interfering with hormones crucial to young lobster growth, chemicals such as bisphenol A can slow the lobsters’ molting patterns and interfere with regular development, leading to body deformations, susceptibility to disease, and potential death. For the rest of the story… ____________________________________________________________________

Surfrider at the Milford Oyster Festival – Aw Shucks!!!

August 21, 2010: For the third year in a row Surfrider CT had a table at the Milford Oyster Festival raising awareness about keeping the CT coastline clean and safe and raising funds through our merchandise sales!

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Surfrider Launches Coastal Knowledge Resource: “Beachapedia”

Surfrider Foundation is excited to announce the launch of its new online coastal science reference tool, Beachapedia.org. The new community-driven site will effectively catalog combined coastal science information taken from the Surfrider Foundation activist network and environmental experts.

Beachapedia aims to capture relevant and timely information related to the protection of our coastal resources using Wiki technology.  With its constant influx of intelligence, Beachapedia will serve as a relevant and valuable tool for the general public, media and decision-making bodies.

Beachapedia will cover a vast assortment of topics related to the coastal environment, including articles on subjects ranging from coastal access to water quality testing to seawater desalination. Beachapedia also highlights daily coastal factoids and provides easy access to Surfrider Foundation blogs on topics such as offshore oil drilling.

To access the website, visit www.beachapedia.org. ____________________________________________________________________

Surfrider-Barefoot Wines Beach Clean-up

July 31, 2010: 10:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Come join Surfrider and Barefoot Wines for a beach clean-up at Sherwood Island State Park, Westport, CT. The first 75 people  who come to the cleanup will receive exclusive invites to a  special reception at Splash from 2-4 p.m. featuring samplings from Barefoot Wines and music by 9th Wave! See flyer for full details! ____________________________________________________________________

Jack Johnson Concert Spreads Aloha to Surfrider Connecticut!

Surfrider Connecticut would like to thank Jack Johnson, the All At Once Crew, and all the Surfrider supporters who made this show so special. Through the concert, Surfrider Connecticut was able to spread the word about protecting our oceans, especially focusing on plastic waste. We also handed-out over 100 organic, US-made, reusable shopping bags to help combat our plastics dependence. Thank you to all the generous supporters – your contributions will help us continue our mission!

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BTW: If you would like to purchase the very cool water bottle that Jack Johnson is holding please email us. Large bottles are $12, small are $10.

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Surfrider Connecticut Teams with Jack Johnson!

Surfrider Connecticut is teaming up with Jack Johnson on his 2010 To The Sea Tour and All At Once, a social action network connecting nonprofits with people who want to become active in their local and world community. All At Once comes to life online at www.AllAtOnce.org and at every Jack Johnson concert in the Village Green, a collection of interactive booths where you can get educated, get inspired, and connect face-to-face with us and other local and national non-profits.

How You Can Take Action!

1) Become a Member of All At Once! Visit www.AllAtOnce.org to check out what you can do before, during, and after the show to get involved.

2) Visit us at the show! We will be at Jack Johnson’s concert in Hartford at the Comcast Theater on July 9th.  Please come visit us in the Village Green, take environmental action, get your Village Green Passport stamped and enter to win a chance to view the concert from the stage!

3) Help Surfrider Foundation raise funds! Jack Johnson’s new charity is matching donations contributed to us at the show or to our chapter between now and October 15. Combined funds raised by participating local chapters will be matched (up to $2500) and donated to Surfrider Foundation headquarters to support the national organization.

Collectively, individual actions create global change. Your actions, your voice, and your choices, all have a huge impact. www.AllAtOnce.org

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Take Action Now! Join Hands Across the Sand on June 26th

Hands Across the Sand – On June 26th join hands in solidarity to stop offshore drilling, encourage renewable energy, and save our oceans!  Events are being held in Connecticut, visit Hands Across the Sand for a site near you.

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ISD was a smashing success!

Thank you to all our members, sponsors, volunteers, and participants for making this such a wonderful event. Special thanks to The Project Limulus, Bic Sports, HEAL Clothing, The Clams, All Systems Go-Go, Frisky A Go-Go, Vitamin Water, and  Manu’iwa Outrigger. Please visit the New Haven Register for video/story on the event. Mahalo!

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About Us

The Connecticut Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation was started in 2006. The Surfrider Foundation is a grassroots, non-profit, environmental organization that works to protect our oceans, waves, and beaches. Founded in 1984, Surfrider’s coastal environmental work is carried out by 50,000 members across 60 chapters located along the East, West, Gulf, Puerto Rican, and Hawaiian coasts. International Surfrider chapters and affiliates have been established in Japan, Brazil, Australia, France and Spain. Our chapter is dedicated to maintaining and acquiring beach and ocean access rights, to preserve our coastline and improve the overall quality of Connecticut’s coastal environment. Our members’ interests are widely spread but all involve the ocean and beach environment. For more information, please read our mission statement.

Our chapter encourages everybody who is interested in protecting our waters and beaches – not only surfers but also sailors, divers, kayakers, kiteboarders, windsurfers, beachcombers, and so on – to participate in our activities!