hellwoman
02-14-2007, 08:41 PM
Surfers watch tow-in debate closely
Dan Bollwinkel: Surfers watch tow-in debate closely
The San Mateo chapter of the Surfrider Foundation held its monthly meeting, as usual, last Monday night at the Old Pedro Point Firehouse in Pacifica. But this was no ordinary meeting. A standing-room-only crowd was gathered to hear the controversial words of longtime Maverick’s surfer MARK “DOC” RENNEKER.
Renneker, who recently celebrated his 50th birthday, is no ordinary surfer. The San Francisco general practitioner and Ocean Beach local was one of the first to paddle out to the now mythic big-wave break just north of Half Moon Bay with JEFF CLARK and GRANT WASHBURN back in the early ’90s. He’s traveled the world in search of waves, and he’s found them – from Tavarua in the South Pacific to remote Alaskan beach breaks to the shoals of icebergs in the Antarctic.
Renneker is also a staunch environmentalist, and one of the major players in the battle over the use of Personal Water Craft (PWC) — Jet-Skis, Waverunners, etc. — in national marine sanctuaries off the coast of California. Maverick’s, which has become an international hot spot for tow-in surfing the past few years, happens to lie within the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.Environmentalists and surfing purists would like to see a total ban on PWCs at Maverick’s and similar big-wave spots. And they are closer than ever to achieving that goal.
The debate has become a political tug-of-war within the lucrative surfing industry, with word of the controversy spreading as far as the pages of The New York Times.As expected, the good doctor had some harsh words regarding tow-in surfing and PWC rescue operations at Maverick’s.
At one point he even compared the practices of tow-in surfers to the tactics of the tobacco industry, which brought on heckling from tow-in proponents and led to a heated post-meeting argument.”These guys are cheating,” said Renneker of the tow-in brigade, the majority of whom are Santa Cruz surfers.
“They don’t paddle, they don’t take the drop, which is what big-wave surfing is all about. Tow-in surfing has had an unintentional effect of devaluing big-wave riding.”
On the topic of PWCs as valuable life-saving tools at Maverick’s, Renneker remains highly skeptical in the face of a strong argument in favor.
Proponents of PWC rescues cite the example of MARK FOO, the veteran big-wave charger from Hawaii who drowned while surfing Maverick’s in the winter of 1994. Many believe the famed big-wave rider could have been saved if PWCs were in the water that day.
During the presentation Renneker equated SHAWN ALLADIO — the PWC rescue specialist who has trained the Mav’s water patrol for several seasons and survived a rogue 100-foot wave earlier this winter on a Jet-Ski — to the pioneers who introduced liquor to Native Americans.”
Alladio has no business being out at Maverick’s,” said Renneker. “I can’t think of one occasion, and I’ve been out just about every day it’s been breaking this winter and last, of a Jet-Ski saving someone at Maverick’s. And I challenge anyone to prove me wrong. We’ve done without them for 10 years out there.”
When it comes to the sport of big-wave riding and the introduction of Jet-Ski’s, it’s like the introduction of the rifle to the hunting of buffalo by the Indians. There were settlers picking off buffalo from speeding trains just because they could, for no other reason. It completely undermines the purpose of riding big waves.”
The debate is complicated, and there are strong personalities on both sides of the coin. Renneker certainly lies on the extreme side of the anti-PWC faction – made up of environmental activists and surfing purists. And Renneker’s points are compelling.
PWCs have afforded people who probably don’t belong in the water a chance to take on Maverick’s and other breaks. On big days it can be crowded out there, and the noise and fumes created by PWCs are significant.But, there are also professional photographers who rely on PWCs for their livelihood, rescue personal who risk their lives on PWCs when conditions are truly big, and a surf industry that has seen tremendous growth thanks in part to the death-defying feats of the world’s top tow-in riders.
Comprehensive training, strict limitations and enforcement by coastal law enforcement agencies could make PWC use safer. And the introduction of more environmentally friendly four-stroke PWCs could make them more PC.It would be nice to imagine a situation where an elite, respectful group of tow-in experts could coexist with paddle-in surfers with little or no environmental impact.But the refusal by environmentalist’s to compromise could lead to a less-than-amicable resolution in this debate.
This much is certain: Tow-in surfing is not what the good doctor from San Francisco ordered.”Jet-Ski’s are foul to humans, foul to animals, and foul to the environment,” said Renneker. “They shatter the sense of solitude, of solstice, which is why people are drawn to the ocean in the first place.”To submit items for Notes from Surf City North, send an e-mail to danbollwinkel@msn.com
This entry was posted on Friday, March 22nd, 2002 at 12:41 pm While Dave was in Uncategorized, PWC/Tow Debate.
Dan Bollwinkel: Surfers watch tow-in debate closely
The San Mateo chapter of the Surfrider Foundation held its monthly meeting, as usual, last Monday night at the Old Pedro Point Firehouse in Pacifica. But this was no ordinary meeting. A standing-room-only crowd was gathered to hear the controversial words of longtime Maverick’s surfer MARK “DOC” RENNEKER.
Renneker, who recently celebrated his 50th birthday, is no ordinary surfer. The San Francisco general practitioner and Ocean Beach local was one of the first to paddle out to the now mythic big-wave break just north of Half Moon Bay with JEFF CLARK and GRANT WASHBURN back in the early ’90s. He’s traveled the world in search of waves, and he’s found them – from Tavarua in the South Pacific to remote Alaskan beach breaks to the shoals of icebergs in the Antarctic.
Renneker is also a staunch environmentalist, and one of the major players in the battle over the use of Personal Water Craft (PWC) — Jet-Skis, Waverunners, etc. — in national marine sanctuaries off the coast of California. Maverick’s, which has become an international hot spot for tow-in surfing the past few years, happens to lie within the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.Environmentalists and surfing purists would like to see a total ban on PWCs at Maverick’s and similar big-wave spots. And they are closer than ever to achieving that goal.
The debate has become a political tug-of-war within the lucrative surfing industry, with word of the controversy spreading as far as the pages of The New York Times.As expected, the good doctor had some harsh words regarding tow-in surfing and PWC rescue operations at Maverick’s.
At one point he even compared the practices of tow-in surfers to the tactics of the tobacco industry, which brought on heckling from tow-in proponents and led to a heated post-meeting argument.”These guys are cheating,” said Renneker of the tow-in brigade, the majority of whom are Santa Cruz surfers.
“They don’t paddle, they don’t take the drop, which is what big-wave surfing is all about. Tow-in surfing has had an unintentional effect of devaluing big-wave riding.”
On the topic of PWCs as valuable life-saving tools at Maverick’s, Renneker remains highly skeptical in the face of a strong argument in favor.
Proponents of PWC rescues cite the example of MARK FOO, the veteran big-wave charger from Hawaii who drowned while surfing Maverick’s in the winter of 1994. Many believe the famed big-wave rider could have been saved if PWCs were in the water that day.
During the presentation Renneker equated SHAWN ALLADIO — the PWC rescue specialist who has trained the Mav’s water patrol for several seasons and survived a rogue 100-foot wave earlier this winter on a Jet-Ski — to the pioneers who introduced liquor to Native Americans.”
Alladio has no business being out at Maverick’s,” said Renneker. “I can’t think of one occasion, and I’ve been out just about every day it’s been breaking this winter and last, of a Jet-Ski saving someone at Maverick’s. And I challenge anyone to prove me wrong. We’ve done without them for 10 years out there.”
When it comes to the sport of big-wave riding and the introduction of Jet-Ski’s, it’s like the introduction of the rifle to the hunting of buffalo by the Indians. There were settlers picking off buffalo from speeding trains just because they could, for no other reason. It completely undermines the purpose of riding big waves.”
The debate is complicated, and there are strong personalities on both sides of the coin. Renneker certainly lies on the extreme side of the anti-PWC faction – made up of environmental activists and surfing purists. And Renneker’s points are compelling.
PWCs have afforded people who probably don’t belong in the water a chance to take on Maverick’s and other breaks. On big days it can be crowded out there, and the noise and fumes created by PWCs are significant.But, there are also professional photographers who rely on PWCs for their livelihood, rescue personal who risk their lives on PWCs when conditions are truly big, and a surf industry that has seen tremendous growth thanks in part to the death-defying feats of the world’s top tow-in riders.
Comprehensive training, strict limitations and enforcement by coastal law enforcement agencies could make PWC use safer. And the introduction of more environmentally friendly four-stroke PWCs could make them more PC.It would be nice to imagine a situation where an elite, respectful group of tow-in experts could coexist with paddle-in surfers with little or no environmental impact.But the refusal by environmentalist’s to compromise could lead to a less-than-amicable resolution in this debate.
This much is certain: Tow-in surfing is not what the good doctor from San Francisco ordered.”Jet-Ski’s are foul to humans, foul to animals, and foul to the environment,” said Renneker. “They shatter the sense of solitude, of solstice, which is why people are drawn to the ocean in the first place.”To submit items for Notes from Surf City North, send an e-mail to danbollwinkel@msn.com
This entry was posted on Friday, March 22nd, 2002 at 12:41 pm While Dave was in Uncategorized, PWC/Tow Debate.