In the early 2000s, a toll road project threatened to cut through the watershed behind one of the most iconic waves in the world—Lower Trestles. Local surfers rallied to protect it, and Surfline joined them. 

Using simple usage data from our platform (showing how many people were checking the Trestles forecast and cams) we helped quantify the cultural and economic value of that wave. It wasn’t a complicated dataset, but it helped tell a story that contributed to the project's defeat.

A win for surfing. A win for access. A reminder that information can be a powerful form of advocacy.

Fast forward to 2020. Surfing was banned in California as part of the state’s pandemic lockdowns. Again, we put our cameras and data to work—this time showing that surfers were socially distanced in the water, that the beach was one of the lowest-risk places people could be. Did we ever expect to be on Zoom calls with senior government officials? Nope. But there we were, making the case for surfing.

And it worked. That effort, along with those of partner organizations and passionate individuals, helped reopen access to the ocean and beaches.

Those moments weren’t part of a formal strategy, but they reflected something we’ve believed for a long time: the tools we’ve built to help surfers—and the reach we’ve achieved along the way—can also help protect surfing.

Today, we’re organizing that belief into a more deliberate effort to Uphold the Surfing Experience.

Surf Etiquette

Everyone has a right to surf—full stop. But in a crowded, ever-changing, unregulated environment like the ocean, it’s not always clear how to show up.

That’s the Way is our ongoing series that covers surf etiquette, decision-making, and shared values. The first volume focused on lineup basics. The next will explore more nuanced and advanced topics, and will debut later this year. 

What's next

We will continue to update our spot pages to help guide surfers to waves that match their skill level. We believe that this will reduce mismatch and confusion in the lineup.

Of course, the digital manifestation of this can only go so far. If there are surf schools, boardriders clubs, surf shop owners, or community leaders out there that want to help get this information into the hands of the right people, get in touch at [email protected].  

Discovery

There is a tension between discovery and access that we wrestle with every day. Whether it’s a mysto reef halfway around the world or a shifting sandbar down the beach, the thrill of the unknown is part of what makes surfing special.

But so is access—knowing where to go, what’s working, and what suits your level.

Caity Simmers, somewhere. Photo: Billy Watts.

For projects like Maps to Nowhere, we lean into the spirit of discovery and the unknown. It’s a reminder of all the incredible, empty waves that still exists in this world.

The balancing act is trickier as we get closer to our core service. Do we name specific spots in our written forecasts, or not? Do we put a cam there, or not?

As it relates to our camera network, we apply a consistent decision framework that considers everything from existing exposure, accessibility, community sentiment and more to decide whether to install a cam. Sometimes it’s a yes. Sometimes it’s a no. Often, we’ll wait to gather better information.

If you’ve ever wondered why a certain spot isn’t on Surfline, or why a camera hasn’t gone live, this is often why. 

Coastline Advocacy

While our Surfline Coastal Intelligence team supports communities in their coastline monitoring and protection efforts with our latest camera and modeling tech, we’re also using the Surfline platform to tell more stories about how beaches and waves change over time.

Our partnership with Bring Back Our Beaches is one example of how we’re trying to make coastal dynamics more visible and understandable to surfers everywhere.

Coastal erosion at Cottons. Courtesy of Bring Back Our Beaches. Photos: Hugh Berenger.

You’ll see more content like this—grounded in data, aimed at advocacy—in the months and years ahead.

Community

Surfline is a team of 100-plus surfers, spread across the world, trying to do right by the thing we love. 

Through our Surfline Serves program, employees use Volunteer Time Off to support local organizations doing good work in their surf communities.

But we know our reach is limited. That’s why we’re looking to support others already doing the work—boardriders clubs, youth development programs, grassroots contest organizers, surf therapy orgs, and more. If that’s you (or someone you know), let us know here.

We know we won’t get everything right. And we certainly can’t please everyone. But by committing to the surfing experience—and staying connected to the communities that know it best—we hope to leave surfing better than we found it.

Our Commitments

Upholding The

Surfing Experience

Surf Etiquette

That's The Way

What's next

Discovery

Coastline Advocacy

Community

Protecting Coastlines and Surf Breaks

Upholding the Surfing Experience