U.S. Marine Corp poised to reabsorb Old Mans.
By Chas Smith / Beach Grit / March 25, 2024
There are many places in Southern California where baby wave enthusiasts can gather with their longer craft, malinger in parking lots, talk small talk, vibe then paddle out into tiny ocean lumps for to make glide but none more iconic than San Onofre. Just south of Upper Trestles and pressed up against the Marine base Camp Pendleton, San O has long been a favorite amongst steezy toms and mollys. Though the parking lot, and road in, might have washed away, the spirit remains but might it soon be snuffed out?
While the vast majority of the golden state’s beaches are owned by Sacramento, San Onofre is actually part of the aforementioned Camp Pendleton and owned by the Marines who have benevolently leased the strip back to California for $1 per year for the past 53.
It expires on August 31, 2024.
While the state is currently negotiating with the Marine Corps, word on the strand is that rent is going to go up. Substantially. Whispers are that the asking price is roughly $5 million per year leaving cross-steppers in a cold panic. Might Old Man’s be reabsorbed thereby forcing log heads to enlist in order to toe the nose?
The Marines, for their part, are attempting to soothe nerves. First Lt. Taylor M. Dorsey, a communications representative for Camp Pendleton, told Voice of San Diego that the beach will remain public no matter what. “If a succeeding agreement cannot be established before Aug. 31, the maintenance and operation of the San Onofre Beach State Park will fall under the authority of Camp Pendleton. Camp Pendleton is dedicated to minimizing any impact to the public and will ensure that patrons retain uninterrupted access to the park regardless of lease renewal agreements.”
But we all know what China said when it reclaimed Hong Kong and we also know what has happened since.
The question, I suppose, will San Onofre creatures add to, or subtract from, America’s military might?
Can’t we all just get a longboard?
Good one, Chris.
Thank you Frank. It came from this:
This is the perfect rally cry against the strongarm takeover of the California coast statewide. Surfers stopped the 241 Troll Road that would have laid waste to Trestles, rest assured the call has gone out to all the tribes statewide. This jeopardizes EVERYTHING.
They wanna fight, they’re going to get one and soon find out that movement will encompass much more than just preseving San O, it is about preserving access to the coast for everyone!
After reading several slaps at long boarders in this piece, I quit reading. Never understood why anyone who enjoys the ocean would be so critical of anyone else enjoying the ocean, regardless of how they do it. This Beach Grit publication is the epitome of surf snobbery. The comments are even worse.
“As surf legend and former Vandal Bill “Haji” Hein always said. “Real Surfers can longboard and shortboard and typically ride the best board appropriate for the conditions. On a shortboard you attack the wave, on a longboard you befriend the wave.”
Not so much surf snobbery as much as it exposes the underbelly of a total poser Kook.
Beach Grit’s staff and writers are the first to admit they are snobs and elitists and consider that a good thing. Divisiveness is how they attract readers, so that’s a huge part of their appeal to their targeted audience. The irony of course is the majorly of them (staff and writers) have a longboard or two in their quiver.
What I’ve noticed they hate more than longboards are SUPs and recall one of their articles years back advocating violence.
In the end it doesn’t matter. Longboards vs shortboards, everyone vs. spongers and in the last decade, everyone, including spongers vs. SUPers. Surfing is a shitshow.
Yea, I’ve read their hatred of SUPs. I’ve done them all, SUPs, longboards, one almost short board, a 7’6″ Bonzer Bing, bodyboards, and bodysurfing. It’s all about enjoying the ocean any way you can. I have no patience for anyone with attitudes like they have.
During my surfing days in high school, I had a “log” – a 9 foot 6 inch Duke Dana made right in OB.
Well, buddy, in those days, logs were all anyone had, there were no short boards. I started on a 10-foot log someone’s older brother let us use. Later, I bought a beautiful 9’6″ board in 1966. Can never remember if it was a Hobie or a G&S. I only got to use it for about four months because my dad was stationed back at the Pentagon and we left Coronado and my board behind.
Remember, the 1966 world championships (held in OB) were won by Nat Young who’s board at that time (the Magic Sam) was considered the precursor to the shortboard.
How in freakin’ hell do you know that?
Tons of articles about it out there. Here he is on his 9’4″ (considered “short” at the time)” right there next to the recently christened OB Pier. Notice he’s not doing much nose riding but instead more twisty turns. Radicle for the time and considered part of the beginning of the shortboard revolution.
To be fair, there are some understandable reasons why many don’t like SUP in the lineup, but it doesn’t change the fact they still have as much right to be there. These days I don’t really care. I don’t surf anymore and my wife and I like to just SUP in lakes and bays. No dealing with crowds and also SUPs are too much volume (plus the paddle) to deal with in the breaking waves.
BeachGrit is a jokey website where they try to be inflammatory on purpose. It always cracks me up when the OBRag reposts something by them.
We try to mix it up some. They’re hilarious!
You don’t have to be a surfer to love BeachGrit!
When I was working for State Parks from 93-03, I was part of the team trying to stop SR241, also known as the Foothill Corridor. One of the team from the Marines’ side was a bird colonel attorney. I forget his name. Everything we did to try to move the proposed route to avoid damage to our campground, the environment of the creek and the beach and its approach path was greeted by a response of “well maybe we will just cancel the lease and throw you out.” What was very clear was that OCTA, the Marines and the city of San Clemente were in agreement that the road couldn’t encroach on San Clemente and couldn’t be relocated any further south on Camp Pendleton. It basically could only be on our leasehold and in the San Mateo Creek drainage area.
It was pretty clear that they really don’t want the park, although they didn’t really have any objections to the road – go figure. They made it very clear that the they weren’t in favor of renewing the lease and would be just as happy to kick us out. I won’t be surprised if they stonewall on a renewal.
And I wouldn’t be surprised if they closed Old Man’s despite their assurances to the contrary. The previously mentioned colonel was fond of saying “we’re not in the business of running a park, we’re in the business of training young men to fight and die for their country!” I doubt that the attitude has changed.
As much as I’d hate to see Old Man’s close, we may simply have to say good by to it should the Marines choose to do so. Considering the storm damage it attained, I don’t see The Marines making it a big priority to restore it to a park for public use. We’ll have to wait and see.
Thank you Paul. We will effectively argue that for 53 years our fighting young men and women have effectively proven capably trained enough to fight and die valiantly for this country without annexing a multigenerational natural treasure of authentic California history and culture. San O’s surfing history long predates being established parkland. I’ll storm the beach and take it back myself, I have history spanning 5 decades there.
Aren’t the Marines public servants? WTF!
When has the military ever cared about the public good lol?
When they want more taxpayer dollars?
Cant disagree with that.
I remember you posting that link from the 2008 incident of Lt Daniel Neubauer dumbing his plane over Mira Mesa killing 4 people. He was ordered to do so by leadership not the least bit concerned about the safety of residents of that neighborhood. Plus he continued his training and his career. Now he’s a pilot for Delta . Go figure.
What do you reckon that event cost the US taxpayers?
Between the over 17 mil paid to the Yoon family, the destroyed F18 jet, legal costs, property damage etc. A LOT.