The Lorton, our annual fun and friend-raising surf event, is off this year. There were a couple of factors that went into what was a tough decision.
The most pressing issue that came up among the folks who put the event together each year was the poor water quality we’ve all experienced in recent months, with closures as recently as this week. It looks pretty likely that this will be an ongoing issue for our community as the frequency of beach closures has dramatically increased. The Lorton requires several weeks of preparation, pulling permits months in advance, and managing details, and with the increased frequency of contaminated days in recent weeks and months (even without rain, swell, or wind), there was concern about putting the organizing work in only for the event to be called off. We have had to cancel the event for sewage in the past, which left organizers and attendees (many having traveled back to Coronado just for the event) pretty frustrated.
We know that some organizations just run events and paddle out anyway, even when the beach is posted. With so many families and kids at our event, we felt that it would be irresponsible to hold the Lorton in conditions that might lead to illness.
This is a difficult challenge for us. We love the Lorton, and we know you do, too. As the Fall moves to Winter, we will be keeping an eye on beach closure frequency and looking to move forward with the event at a later date.
In the meantime, we need to keep advocating for funding and regional policies that protect the environment we love. If you have not stopped by the Emerald Keepers website, check it out… or swing by Stop the Sewage to learn more about what’s at stake and who to contact in our district.
Thanks!
