International Surfing Day: Looking Outside The Barrel

By Lindsay Miller

We realize not everyone is a surfer. We realize not everyone lives near the beach. So before you throw in the towel on International Surfing Day (ISD) and say that it’s not for you or that you can’t relate, I ask you to look outside the barrel of a wave.

One major misconception of Surfrider Foundation is that we are ALL surfers. While many of us do love to paddle out whenever we get the chance, we don’t all live in our wetsuits. Surfrider Foundation and its annual ISD activation is meant to gather people who care. It’s that simple. Whether you care about surfing, the environment, water quality, or trash—the point is you care and you’re one of us, and this day is for you.

Thursday, June 20 is meant to be a day to come together and celebrate. Some will celebrate the sport of surfing. Others celebrate the simple beauty of our oceans. International Surfing Day means something different to everyone. To some, ISD means the most epic excuse ever to go surfing. To others, it means a day to clean up our coastlines and protect what we love. Either way, ISD is a day to come together and realize that each of us enjoys a different piece of our treasured oceans, waves, and beaches.

ISD hasn’t been successful for nine years just because a bunch of surfers catch waves on the annual holiday. It has been successful because hundreds of events around the world are registered each year, all capturing the essence of the day, ranging from surf contests to beach cleanups. It’s a day of unity to get people excited about what’s in our own backyard and then strive to protect it—because all paths lead to the ocean.

From paddle-outs to beach clean-ups, surf movie nights to mangrove restorations, surfers across the world will be coming together on June 20th 2013 to both celebrate the sport of surfing, and to give something back to the oceans, waves and beaches that give us all so much.

So maybe ISD is your opportunity to try something new, revisit an old hobby or discover a love for our coasts. Surfrider Foundation encourages you to attend an event near you and just test out the waters, see what ISD and Surfrider Foundation can offer you and your lifestyle. It’s something different for everyone, but whatever that piece is that fits for you, we hope that it inspires you to become a Surfrider Foundation member.

ISD is meant to be inclusive to anyone and everyone, all ages and all types. It will be a day to embrace the sand beneath your toes and the ocean at your fingertips. I’ll be experiencing ISD for the first time this year and I couldn’t be more stoked about it. Hope you’re going to take that plunge, whether you’re an International Surfing Day newbie like me or a longtime activist. Let’s get to it!

For one day only, you can take advantage of our special membership offer, an opportunity for you to broaden your horizons and be a part of the bigger picture. There will be four different Surfrider Foundation membership levels offered, so check it out. This way you can extend your commitment to helping protect our oceans, waves and beaches from one day to an entire year.

Join us in exploring and protecting the GOOD Outdoors. To participate in our exploration challenge, simply click here to say you'll Do It and we will keep you updated by email on the actions we can all take to to preserve and protect places that mean so much to us.