oregoncoastblog

I attempted to show off my new blog site to a friend. When I got to the part about surfing at Short Sand Beach,in Oswald West State Park he flew into a tirade because he felt my blogging about the surf at Shorties would bring more people to the area who would be crowding his break. He is not alone in this yocal sort of thinking. When I moved to the area with my family in 1973 the local yocal attitude of it’s our wave was alive and well. Not so much Shorties but other beaches in the area that I will not mention at this time (for fear of losing my life). The entire interaction gave me much food for thought specifically who can claim that lovely wave and magical park as their own? As my Mother pointed it out, it belongs to all of us. It is a State Park that is there for the appreciation of everyone. I agree that respect of the land is imperative, but damn I just can’t give up all of the visitors I have met over the years. I have met people at Short Sand Beach from all over the world and I just don’t want to ever have that stop. I really believe that if we can get people to appreciate the nature and beauty here that there will be support to preserve the beauty we have here. That can happen when people believe they have a stake in a place. When visitors come to the State Park they want to feel like this is their break too. And like it or not locals it’s a State Park which means we all own a chunk of it. As mother said “we are just lucky we have parks. On many coastlines there is no way to reach the beach as many are private”. Let’s share the waves, and share the love….

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