Trestles, One of USA’s Famous Surf Spots, In Battle with Marines
By Steve Casimiro on February 22nd, 2013
At the very southern edge of Southern California’s Orange County is a well-known stretch of beach called Trestles. The name comes from two train trestles that parallel the ocean. And Trestles isn’t just a random stretch of SoCal surf: It represents seven of the best known surf breaks in the world. It’s also been a practice beachhead for the U.S. Marine Corps, and now surfers and the military are fighting over who has rights to the 2.25-mile stretch of sand and ocean. Surfrider Foundation wants Trestles listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has won an early round against the Marines: The State Historical Resources Commission voted unanimously that Trestles be listed and the decision has been sent to Washington for approval. But the Marines have politics on their side, with state senators Mimi Walters and Mark Wyland warning that historic designation would take use of the beach out of the Marines’ hands. With typical political hyperbole, they said it would “put state bureaucrats and surfers in control of Marine Corps training near Trestles.” Men with boards overruling men with guns? It’s a nice idea. Via L.A. Times.
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Tags: surfing
With varying degrees of intensity this controversy between USMC Base Camp Pendleton and local surfers has been going on for decades.
As an avid surfer, rock climber, mountain biker and former Marine this news saddens me a little. Amphibious assualts are one of the Marine Corps’ missions the nation expects them to execute under all conditions and in every given habitat. I was an east coast Marine who got to surf at Onslow Beach on Camp Lejeune. I’m sure this beach pales in comparison to Trestles but we had to share the beach with training exercises. We never were not allowed to surf during these events so we used common sense and just got out of the way. Correct me if I am wrong, the Marines do nothing but train here occasionally? So whats the big deal if you have to give up your surf spot one day while they are training? National register or not “locals” will not have to worry about too many training events after their budget gets slashed from the sequester anyways. The real question we have to ask is are the Marines somehow damaging the break? If the answer is no just leave it alone.
The ironic thing about this story is that anybody that has not visited the general region has no idea that just south of the stretch of surf breaks lies twenty plus miles of military regulated beach that is not even open to the public. Marines frequently land their hovercrafts and other vehicles all up and down the beach that lies between Oceanside and San Clemente. It makes no sense what so ever that there would be a tug-o-war going on over the trestles surf area. The marines have always tried to push surfers around like they own the break for as long as I can remember. They also frequent the waves as surfing is now the coolest marine activity outside of binge drinking. Marines train all day everyday on the stretch of beach south of trestles and is silly that they want to try and rob surfer of the amazing breaks. There are plenty of great waves at the Del Mar Jetty’s that are limited to military access only. Take what you already have and don’t be greedy.