Breanna came up with a great idea of creating an online forum for us to be able to share our questions, comments and concerns about the upcoming Volunteer Project in the Galapagos Islands.
department store with a day-long beach cleanup along the Santa Monica Coast. Lauren and Kohls teamed up with the California Coastal Commission and Whole Foods Market to host the event that brought out fans of the reality sensation, the media, and beach lovers such as ourselves. We had the chance to talk with Lauren about the importance of giving back; a concept that she calls "a big part of the California lifestyle." Lauren, who was recently introduced to our organization, loves the ethos of Eco Surf Volunteers and was impressed with the idea of not only getting involved at a local level but also with the high set of standards and commitment we hold to surfing communities around the world. 
Special thanks to SURFER'S JOURNAL http://www.surfersjournal.com/ for offering to SPONSOR Eco Surf Volunteers summer project!
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Source: San Francisco Chronicle, Travel Section, Page 1
To the east towered hills so thick with rain forest I was sure dinosaurs were lurking inside. To the west, warm turquoise waves peeled and feathered like a snippet from "Endless Summer."
It was the first day of our monthlong bungalow stay in Punta Banco, Costa Rica (population: maybe 200). And after a bumpy nine-hour bus ride from San Jose, before I even unpacked my bags, I grabbed my board and surfed happily through the waning daylight hours, singing the praises of the Latin surf gods.
All was perfect, at least until the next day. As so often happens on these long-planned surf adventures - after months of poring over maps of beaches you might visit and video footage of waves you might ride - the swell flat died: kaput, gone. The onshore winds picked up, and just like that, my "Endless Summer" scene turned into tropical Lake Michigan.
I wasn't happy. But on any number of previous surf-obsessed journeys, such conditions might have been cause for involuntary twitching, regret or long, expensive drives to the other side of the country to scour for any kind of saltwater lump to slide on. This time was different.
I'd come to Punta Banco with my girlfriend, Siri, a San Francisco art teacher, to surf (as always) but also to help teach environmental conservation to local children through art, an annual San Francisco State summer program called The CommunicArte Project. Over the course of three weeks, we'd be starting an organic garden with Punta Banco's kindergarteners through eigth-graders, making puppets from trash that had washed up at the town's shore, and helping arrange a theater production about the hazards of plastics in the sea, especially to the endangered sea turtles that nest on Punta Banco's beaches. It just so happened that some of the best surf in the country was around (just a teeny tiny perk for me).
The waves were fickle that month. I surfed almost every day, but with a few exceptions, the conditions were nothing to write home about. My time in Punta Banco, however, will go down as one of the most memorable surf trips of my life. At the risk of sounding like an after-school special, almost as soon as I planted my first pineapple with one of those beaming kindergartners, the uncomfortable feeling I've often had on exotic surf adventures - the one of being just a visitor taking advantage of cheap food and beautiful water, all the while contributing to the erosion of local culture - washed away. This time I was at least a little bit a part of that culture, interacting, learning and giving back with more than money.
By the second week, I actually felt bad for the surfers driving their 4x4 rentals through town for a quick wave check, then moving on when it didn't suit them. Just as I'd never gotten to know beach towns I'd visited for surfing, these guys were missing out on the real Punta Banco.
My trip to Costa Rica felt pretty special and unique. But as it turns out, surf-volunteer trips are on the rise, and mine was a sentiment Sam Bailey, founder of a new surf-volunteer camp in Canoa, Ecuador - Eco Surf Volunteers - is getting used to hearing.
"I've had volunteers remark that even if the waves were crummy - which they haven't been! - we would still have this incredible cultural immersion," Bailey told me recently. "And that's the thing about going on a straight surf trip. If the waves are weak, or the weather's poor, what've you got? The combined experience offered with a surf-volunteer project truly can't be beat."
Being a selfish journalist, I coincidentally had to fall into a surf-volunteer trip through my girlfriend's work. You don't have to be so lazy. As nonprofits like Save the Waves, The Surfrider Foundation, and SurfAid International raise awareness about health and environmental issues in surfing locales, and as professional surfers like Dave Rastovich - who has worked extensively to fight Japanese whale hunting - become more visible, volunteer programs like Bailey's are sprouting up all over the coastal world.
"The interest has really increased," says Caleb Cooper, founder of PeacePassers.org, a surf- and soccer-related volunteer program in San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua. There, surfers are set up with family homestays and work on beach cleanups, improving local recycling programs, teaching English through sports, and building playgrounds. Cooper says volunteers inevitably leave saying the experience surpassed their expectations of a pure surf trip. "Instead of just going somewhere, spending your money, and then leaving with some pictures," says Cooper, "you come home with lessons learned about yourself and the uniqueness of a different culture, not to mention new friends."
Ecuador, Nicaragua and Costa Rica are only a few options. In some of the best surf spots in the world - from Peru to South Africa to Indonesia - there are formal volunteer surf programs established (see details in the "If You Go" box) offering short- and long-term stays with work ranging from bringing aid to earthquake victims in the Mentawais islands to giving surf lessons to disadvantaged youth in Jeffrey's Bay. The list goes on.
And while not all surf volunteer programs will be labeled as such, some creative research will usually bring up an opportunity. Bailey, who has traveled to 31 countries, says he could probably find a volunteer position in all of them. (And yes, he's willing to help.)
You don't even have to be an experienced surfer to be a surf volunteer. Of all the volunteers in the CommunicArte Project, I was the only one who knew how to surf. The others who wanted to learn found rentals and lessons for about $20 in Pavones, a town 3 miles north. And with the exception of volunteering as a surf instructor, the other programs mentioned here are open to all levels (though I'd recommend an Indonesia boat trip only to beginners with a fondness for reef scars).
Of course, the question inevitably arises: Are surfing volunteers taken seriously? Spending a lot of time in the water, I might have done less work than some of the other volunteers. But surfing also allowed me to form a different kind of friendship with locals who surfed or wanted to learn (which is often most of the kids in surf towns). There was an automatic mutual respect that broke down cultural barriers.
Bailey says it's not even a debate with his volunteers: "You should see the children running out of their parents' restaurants and storefronts as we walk through the streets," he says. "It's as if our volunteers are instant celebrities. ... I've heard at times that volunteering is 'so cliche.' It's 'one man's effort to save the world.' There's nothing cliche about what we're doing. This is all very real."
In these wacky times, President Obama is asking all of us for service. Might as well combine that service with some good, old-fashioned beach bumming.
Plus, when you don't end up getting that wave of your life - and how often is that going to happen? - you can come way with an even more precious memory. On our last day in Punta Banco, we spent an hour saying tearful goodbyes to a whole classroom of smiling children asking over and again, "When are you coming back?" That's at least as good as a perfect wave.
-- Sam Bailey's Eco Surf Volunteers weeklong surf camps in Canoa, Ecuador, are only for college and high school students. Two weeklong summer camps are scheduled this summer in June and August, $1,395 per week. www.ecosurfvolunteers.org.
-- Caleb Cooper's Peace Passers in San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua.
-- In Lobitos, Peru, Waves of Development offers homestays and volunteer opportunities teaching English, art, environmental conservation, swimming, and, of course, surfing.
-- At Jeffrey's Bay, South Africa, home to some of the best waves in the world, All Africa Volunteers has set up a surf school where volunteers teach disadvantaged youth life skills through surfing.
-- In Canggu, Bali, through i-to-i Meaningful Travel, you can get surf lessons, a TEFL certification, and teach English to Balinese children.
-- In Mentawais, Indonesia, through Holidays with Purpose, you can take a boat trip that combines surfing legendary breaks like Nias with bringing medical care and education to earthquake victims.
For those interested in longer stays, some programs, including Waves of Development, offer internships where you can work in exchange for room and board. Others, like CommunicArte offer college credit. And if you don't feel like going through a formal program, you might be surprised by how many local schools, farms, orphanages and playgrounds are happy to have a volunteer just for a day or two. It might just make your trip.
Jaimal Yogis is the author of a new memoir of surf travels called "Saltwater Buddha: A surfer's quest to find Zen on the sea." E-mail comments about this story to travel@sfchronicle.com.
This article appeared on page F - 1 of the San Francisco Chronicle
By Danielle RoqueSurfing and service – for Sam Bailey ’00, it’s the ideal combination.
An avid traveler and surfer, Bailey also is concerned about the impact his activities have on the larger world, and he has developed a unique way to combine hands-on humanitarian and environmental volunteer work with seeking the perfect wave.
Bailey is the founding director of Eco Surf Volunteers, a travel adventure program that performs local eco-volunteer works and community service designed to raise awareness of conservation, promote local economies and enhance understanding of local cultures.
Founded in August 2008, Eco Surf Volunteers recruits participants from all over North America to work with leaders in Canoa, Ecuador to improve the community’s conditions.
“Our last trip [to Ecuador] was in February, right in the middle of summer break for all the kids in Canoa,” says Bailey. “You would think nobody wants to go to summer school, but school administrators opened the doors to all children in the entire community.”
Everyone was surprised by the turnout.
“On the first day, 20 kids were seated in the small classroom,” Bailey says. “The next day the class size had more than doubled, and we were completely out of tables and chairs. By the last day, we had nearly 100 children participating. It was clear that we had created something truly special for everyone.”
Bailey’s inspiration came from a lengthy surfing trip he made in 2006. Traveling from Peru through Ecuador, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica and Nicaragua, he was bothered by the potential negative impact that the surf culture can have on local communities. He felt compelled to combat the loss of local traditions and customs that surf tourism can cause.
“I saw a lot of beautiful beaches in undeveloped communities with truly unique cultures, but I also saw a loss of culture as a result of foreign investment,” he explains. “It was then that I decided I wanted to create an organization that would help educate South and Central American communities of could-be surf towns.”
Eco Surf Volunteer participants teach children English, repair existing classrooms, build new classrooms using local bamboo, construct new playground equipment from recycled material and natural resources, and implement early childhood development programs.
“I’ve heard that volunteering is ‘so cliché,’” says Bailey, “but hearing the kids ask us when we’ll return is not cliché. Seeing the tears well up in the eyes of our volunteers as we drive out of town, kids lining the streets waving goodbye, is definitely not cliché. The school administrators wrote to me three weeks after we left to say the kids were still talking about the week they spent with our volunteer team. There’s nothing cliché about what we’re doing. This is all very real.”
A San Clemente, Calif., native, Bailey graduated from UCLA in 2000 with his bachelor’s degree in geography. He played on the varsity men’s water polo team for five years and was a member of Theta Xi fraternity. He was assistant coach for the men’s water polo team at UCLA in 2007 and of the championship women’s water polo team in 2008. During the past decade, he has traveled to more than 30 countries on four continents. He has surfed the coasts of Brazil, Peru, France and Ecuador.
For information on Eco Surf Volunteers, visit www.ecosurfvolunteers.org.
With the help of students, community members and local small businesses, Eco Surf Volunteers helped to clean approximately 10 miles of the Southern California coastline between San Diego and Santa Barbara.They set out to find the best waves so they can fulfill an internal yearning – sometimes leaving their significant others irked and alone during early morning hours. They've been known to snag waves from each other, getting hostile in the water if someone butts into their territory. And they seek out pristine waves around the world – sometimes in impoverished countries – often times leaving the place no better than when they found it.
We can all take a lesson from Edison High School student Catherine Vasquez – who is an example of what the next generation of surfers has to offer. Saturday, she put on a surf contest benefiting those suffering from Lou Gehrig's Disease; the event starting off as a school project but ending up as something so much more.
The 17-year-old started from scratch. She picked the charity after a friend's mom was recently diagnosed, and her mom's cousin continues to battle the disease, which slowly paralyzes muscles in the body.
She worked hard, hitting up surf shops and community groups to help. And about $10,000 was raised to give to the local ALS Association chapter.
I chatted a bit with Huntington Beach Longboard Crew's president Gary Sahagen at the event to get his thoughts on the rising tide of surfers giving back.
"It's happening more and more now. I'm seeing more surf organizations align themselves with charitable causes. It seems to be a trend that's growing," he said.
Surfer Mike Esther was one of the 125 people who signed up for the surf event.
"I think it's a great benefit. Everyone needs to dig into their pockets and give a little bit," he said.
Sahagen tipped me off to a group he heard about called Eco Surf Volunteers, which does surf trips to Ecuador and helps the local community.
The surf trips just started in February by founder Sam Bailey, a former water polo coach at Corona del Mar High School and UCLA who grew up in San Clemente.
Bailey has traveled the world surfing, and has seen the impacts of surf culture and how it can infiltrate communities. Just look at Costa Rica, now Nicaragua, and soon Panama.
He chose Ecuador because it's still untouched by massive development that comes with surf tourism. They can make a significant impact before it hits. They teach local kids how to speak English, a needed skill for tourism. And they also host beach clean ups – the past one bringing 100 local kids to the sand.
The next trip is in June, and though the trips are geared toward college and high school students, he hopes they will be able to expand to the general public by fall.
"These are the kind of trends I think a lot of people are really excited to see," he said. "I think there's a good group of people interested in working for the greater good," Bailey said.
In a similar attempt to help impoverished surf regions, a group called All 4 the Kids is teaming up with Surf Aid International to host a fund-raiser this Saturday night at Kona Café in Huntington Beach called "Nets for Life."
The event will raise money to purchase insecticide-treated mosquito nets that will be distributed to families off Indonesia's Sumatran coast.
All 4 the Kids is a new nonprofit, started by a group of friends who hold regular jobs, but just wanted to somehow give back.
Founder Mike Reilly – a former Huntington Beach High School student – traveled the world in the professional surfing circuit for years, and the images of the impoverished surf regions stuck with him.
"Most folks go and utilize the resources, and sometimes exploit the areas with videos and photos, and don't give back to the local areas," he said.
With the death of his mother recently – who was a teacher in an inner-city school and dedicated her life to improving needy children – he realized he hadn't done much for others, and was leading a selfish lifestyle.
"After doing all that traveling and seeing children suffering, I realized it's my duty," he said. "It's in the best interest of others who are suffering, and also for me … having a sense of purpose beyond yourself."
The response to the fundraiser has been great, with 160 people signing up to attend and room for more.
"It humbles me. Even though people are struggling, they are still willing to give," he said.
Contact the writer: lconnelly@ocregister.com or 714-445-6678
The object of her fascination: a month-old sea lion, mugging for the Winnipeg tourist and a clutch of fellow paparazzi with the poise of a Hollywood A-lister.
"I feel like a schoolgirl meeting a movie star," Newman says as the pup wriggles up to plant a bewhiskered kiss on her foot.
Then, a tap on Newman's shoulder breaks the spell. Marine biologist José Luis Benavides, the Galápagos National Park guide shepherding her ship-based tour group, repeats the park's often-violated "7-foot rule": Visitors who get any closer to the prolific and famously nonchalant wildlife that provided fodder for English scientist Charles Darwin's theory of evolution risk upsetting one of the most unusual, delicate ecosystems on Earth.
This year marks two centuries since Darwin's birth, 150 years since publication of his pivotal On the Origin of Species, 50 years since the creation of Galápagos National Park and Charles Darwin Foundation, and three decades since UNESCO named the archipelago its first World Heritage Site. But the landmark anniversaries are being greeted with a mixture of pride and dread in the 19 volcanic islands that straddle the equator about 600 miles off the Ecuadorian coast.
Though the global economic collapse has dampened foreign bookings and spurred more last-minute discounts in what has always been a pricey destination, tourism still rules the roost in "Darwin's lab." The number of annual visitors reached a record 173,000 last year, a fourfold increase over the past 20 years. Mainland Ecuadorians have arrived, too, boosting the resident population to nearly 30,000 from half that a decade ago.
And though 97% of the New England-sized island group remains under national park protection with small, guided tours limited to 60 designated sites, the Galápagos' growing popularity has been accompanied by escalating worries about its future. UNESCO placed the islands on its "in danger" list in 2007, the same year Ecuador's president signed a decree making their protection a national priority.
With oil revenue declining, Ecuador is even more eager to expand tourism, and "the Galápagos is the jewel in the crown," says Gabriel López, newly appointed director of the non-profit Charles Darwin Foundation based on Santa Cruz Island.
"But we have a narrow window of opportunity to set the Galápagos on a sustainable path," López adds. "There has to be a comprehensive master plan and a meaningful cap on tourist numbers."
Evolution of a tourist spot
When Darwin spent five weeks here in 1835 as part of a round-the-world mapping expedition, the 26-year-old naturalist wrote of being "astonished at the amount of creative force, if such an expression may be used, displayed on these small, barren, and rocky islands."
He discovered the flora and fauna that had survived their remote and desolate surroundings often changed dramatically to meet the demands of their environment. Hungry lizards learned to find and feed on seaweed beneath the sea. With no natural predators to worry about, cormorants lost their ability to fly.
And the Galápagos' 13 varieties of finches, which would play a lead role in Darwin's later theory of natural selection, adapted beaks shaped specifically for the food available to them: short and solid for cracking nuts and seeds on one island; long and pointed for dislodging fruits and flowers from cacti on another.
Dive shop owner Jack Nelson's father opened the Galápagos' first hotel on Santa Cruz Island in 1962. During those pioneer tourism years, most visitors were Darwinophiles willing to put up with heat, choppy inter-island passages and marginal services to marvel at what has been called the "Mona Lisa of biodiversity."
But nearly five decades later, says Nelson, 61, Galápagos travelers are "a coddled bunch who think they're adventuring because there's no Quickie Mart on the corner." Many view the islands as another checkmark on a global "bucket list" of must-sees, and are courted by an increasing variety of land-based special-interest tours from kayaking to sport fishing. (To environmentalists' relief, a proposed Galápagos skydiving operation never got off the ground.)
Problems beyond the park
Today, Darwin's former classroom has the deceptive facade of a "Potemkin village," Nelson says at his father's now-closed Hotel Galápagos, where bleached skulls of sperm and pilot whales still dangle from the lobby's corrugated metal ceiling.
"To a tourist, things look good. You still see a lot of animals, and not many other people," he says. "But get outside those controlled (national park) parameters, and you'll find a big mess nobody can figure out what to do about."
Many of those ills, from education and health care that are below mainland Ecuador standards to a shortage of potable water, sewage treatment and renewable energy sources, are chronicled in a fascinating interpretive center in Puerto Baquerizo Moreno, the provincial capital on San Cristóbal Island.
Most of the sunburned tourists filing past the San Cristóbal museum displays won't be reminiscing about recycling programs or population pressures when they board their flights back to the mainland.
They'll recall the guttural chorus of sea lions staking turf on Gardner Beach, and the Darth Vader-like breathing of a giant tortoise, its shell the size of a dishwasher, as it lumbers through the misty highlands of Santa Cruz Island.
They'll think of the frigate birds zooming down to snatch a blue-footed booby's meal with the speed and intensity of a fighter jet, and the ethereal underwater ballet of a green sea turtle, seemingly unaware of its human admirers snorkeling a few feet above.
The Charles Darwin Foundation's López hopes they'll remember it all.
The island outpost that Darwin described as "inhospitable" has attracted more pilgrims than the father of evolution ever imagined. And, "despite all those pressures, it still remains fairly well-preserved," López says.
"But," he adds, "we need to treat the Galápagos Islands for what they are: a fragile archipelago, with real limits to growth."
