Zen Master of the Shaping Room, Rincon Sewer Initiative Heats Up and More...
Paddle out into the lineup at Rincon Point on any given day, and just take a moment to notice who is riding who's surfboard. If you are looking at the guys (or gals) who are cross-stepping and noseriding, chances are that they are doing so on a surfboard shaped by veteran waterman and Rincon local Wayne Rich.
Trained by legendary craftsmen of the golden age of surfing, Wayne has spent years blending modern theory with classical design - and many of his product offering are unmatched in terms of quality and workmanship.
Designs like his "Modern Classic", "Pro/Comp", and "Wildcard" have been mainstays of both the competitive and non-competitive arenas for many years. A top-notch surfer himself, Wayne has an entire legion of riders who assist with product development, and now that Wayne has become a stand-alone operation, we can all fully expect more radical stuff to follow shortly. For many years Wayne was shaper numero uno in Clyde Beatty's highly regarded surfboard manufacturing stable. A while back Wayne broke out onto his own and now has total control of production from blank procurement through customer delivery.
While I was visiting Wayne he pulled out a board that I found quite intruiging. I currently own a 9'2" Modern Classic myself, but as of late I've been riding a shortboard because the degenerated discs in my lower back cannot handle the compression that comes along with turning a heavy surfboard. I couldn't help but drool when I saw the board pictured below. As alluded to in a previous blog article, Wayne is quite proficient at shaping shortboards. This 7'11" Rounded Pintail was just about the sickest that I have ever seen...
Notice the fins on the bottom: Wayne's very own custom creations...
Here's a look inside Wayne's indoor "green room"...
Lastly, a classic example of a modern work of art. Notice the cool, extra-wide balsa stringer...
Congratulations Wayne! All of your fans and supporters wish you continued success!!
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Rincon Septic-to-Sewer Controversy Heating Up...
Below is a note that I just received from an anonymous Rincon local on behalf of Heal the Ocean.
This Rincon septic to sewer is really getting bad. These new people who have come in as opposition to the project (in the 11th hour) have $$ and aren't afraid to spend it hiring lawyers and imploding the whole thing that Heal the Ocean and the majority of Rincon homeowners have been working for 9 years.
Here are some facts:
1. An unnamed opponent has contacted a very tough bulldog Orange County lawfirm. No lawsuit has been filed, but our lawyer believes they will challenge the LAFCO annexation (one annexation) and argue that a separate EIR has to be done for all the communities (Sandyland, Sand Point, Padaro). It is their way of gumming up the works, and very hurtful for the other communities, not to mention Rincon.
2. We need each and EVERY SURFER to SHOW UP at the LAFCO protest hearing next Tuesday October 9, 10 a.m. We need surfers with signs on the beach over the weekend. Ava Everett is organizing much of this for Heal the Ocean, and an Action Alert has gone out to our very big Action Alert List.
A number of Rincon homeowners are working very hard to combat the filing of this lawsuit, by posting the EPA letter at the gate, and they’ll replace it as many times as it gets torn down. They are not the youngest of citizens, and they need our support asap. The primary opponents are out-of-towners, only have lived in Rincon one year (not to mention a drought year with minimal rainfall), "water looks clean to me mentality!!", and they are definitely doing damage to the work we have all done for all these years. I do think it would be MOST EFFECTIVE if the surfers could sit them down and let them know what’s up.
WE NEED HELP!!
Pictured below: A Rincon local surfing the point this morning. Out of all the years that I have been surfing Rincon I don't think that I have ever seen the water more clear than it was this week - the result of an extended drought of both large surf and rain...
By the way, If you've been down to the Pt. in the past few days you have seen the Heal the Ocean banners. This controvery is really heating up, and the ramifications are huge for the surfers of Rincon...
Jon, What is thier side of the story? What is thier or anyone's reason to fight this? Seems like alot of money will be spent on lawyers fees for a reason I can't figure out. Are they afraid the sewer will back up and spill into homes?
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Hi Jed,
I'm pretty sure that the resistance to moving forward with the sewer problem has something to do with the high cost (for which if I'm not mistaken the homeowners must bear the burden) plus also just the hassle and mess of construction...
If anyone else has any insight into this, please feel free to chime in.
--Jon
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i think they're worried that the project won't clean the water but will just allow the coast to get built up even further. they're asking for basic proof that the septics are causing a problem and that the sewer will actually help make the water cleaner. and all the carp sanitary district says in their environmental report is that the objective is not to clean the water. also, the carp. sanitary district doesn't have the greatest rep, since they had a lot of spills in the past, and even got called out by the EPA. also, everyone knows that beaches up and down the coast get closed because of sewer spills. it's not about saving money-- like jed said, they're spending a lot fighting it. it's about getting things done right.
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"Their" side of the story is simple, they don't want the same toxins pumped in at Rincon that are pumped in DAILY through Carpinteria. For example: up tp 54lbs of arsenic, 16 lbs of lead, .31 lbs of mercury etc... along w/ 1.6 million gallons of contaminated waste water. The Taylor's have done their due dilligence in regards to researching the facts, something all surfers acting in the best interest of Rincon should do. It seems to me that the people for the sewer are the ones who will be enjoying increased property values due to increased use of space regardless of the pollution their ocean will incur.
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Regarding increased property values, it's highly doubtful owners will recoup the $88,000 outlay. (A $1 million home will not suddenly sell for $1,088,000.) Personally, I'd more highly value a home that has self-contained, environmentally friendly wastewater treatment off the grid, rather than live on the business end of a jury-rigged two-mile uphill pipe flooded with raw sewage, pointed back at me with six tons of pressure per square foot. You do the physics.
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Hi Ben,
Thanks for your contributions in this discussion.
It's so easy for my to see why this issue has been debated for 9 years.
The whole thing is beyond convoluted.
I have only been watching things unfold from afar until recently, and I know that there are many aspects of which I am not even yet aware. Sifting through some of the points here I have formulated my own unique beliefs. Please don't think of me as "just another surfer". I've been trained as a scientist, and am being as objective as I can possibly be.
I. The issue of funding appears to be the major obstacle. 80 G's+ is a heck of alot of money for individual homeowners to come up with, on top on the 2 million that the State of California would contribute. This is no doubt a huge burden for the property owners of the Rincon Point community.
II. What a hassle/nightmare this project could be for homeowners during the construction phase. The dust, the noise, the violation of boundaries and privacy are all valid concerns.
III. The potential for eventual problems with the sewer system itself also cannot be overlooked. And if the project gets final approval -- this will be of utmost importance.
Wading through all of this mess I still feel that waiting any longer to implement a plan for the future would not be prudent.
I can't help but to ask (and answer to myself) the following questions.
A. If Rincon Point was a new development, would there be any hesitation or issue at all with regard to the installation of a sewer system? Most probably not.
B. If money were not an issue, would opposition exist at all? Maybe, at least for the inconvenience and externalities of construction.
C. Here's the kicker. It's not a stretch, and doesn't require much cognitive energy to reasonably conclude that septic tanks contribute to the pollution of the waters surrounding Rincon Point -- whether empirically demonstrated (yet) or not.
I am nobody, nothing more than a concerned citizen who wants what any or all of us wants - to do the "right" thing, and support the position that I feel will have positive consequences on the ecology of my most favorite spot on Earth, Rincon Point, CA.
Respectfully,
Jonathan Shafer, Rincon Surf Blog Editor
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thanks, Jon,
my big questions:
(1) if it's so easy to imagine that the rincon septics are polluting, then why have 9 years passed, and a lot of dollars been spent without just doing a study to prove it?
(2) is carp's sewer system in such a good state to be hooking up to? i mean, it has had a lot of problems in the past. plus, all they do is add a lot of nasty chemicals and chlorine to the mix and dump it straight into the ocean. and you're totally right...i think a big concern is that if something goes wrong with the new sewer, it will be a catastrophe-- much bigger than whatever pollution there might be now. do we think the carp sewer people are fit for the job of preventing that kind of thing when they had difficulty maintaining a much simpler system in the past?
just some thoughts. really liking the discussion, though!
Nick
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Jon,
Thanks for your questions. Our moral and emotional stance on this issue is exactly the same, believe it or not. We all want the water quality cleaned up, and I surf in it every day. To address your points:
I. Only about $1 million of state funds is allocated toward Rincon Point, and it is not guaranteed. The remaining $6 million will be paid by individual homeowners. (And ironically, some of the $1 million comes from our own taxes, not to mention yours.)
II. and III. You're right; not just construction, but ongoing breakage and maintenance and repair and aroma. Ask residents of Solimar what they think of their sewer.
A. Considering the distance from existing sewer lines, I don't think this is a given. See: http://tinyurl.com/37gy6w
B. If money were not an issue, it's likely that we wouldn't have taken the time to research the issue as thoroughly as we have. (I mean, who wants to spend their life thinking about sewers?) But, knowing what I now know, I would be hesitant to choose the sewer system even if it were free.
C. If by "kicker" you mean that the lagoon and creek tested cleaner than a swimming pool, and that the majority of the bacteria was from animal sources, then I'm not sure how you get from there to requiring a heavy-handed $7-million "solution" that is unlikely to perceptibly improve water quality. It is not reasonable or practical to expect a community of 72 homes to leave NO environmental trace; supposing we are leaching trace amounts of bacteria into the water, I'll still take that anyday over pumping tens of thousands of gallons of waste two miles upstream, only to be dumped straight back in the ocean at higher bacterial concentrations. Your computer keyboard has more coliform on it than a bathtub full of Rincon creek water. And on a dry day at Rincon, you're probably at more bacterial risk from farting in your wetsuit than you are from the creek. On a rainy day, the pollution contributed by 72 homes is utterly dwarfed by the watershed runoff. It's difficult to construct a scenario where you get sick from the water due to septic, but wouldn't if we're on sewer. In my opinion, $50,000 spent towards modernizing two or three of the septic systems closest to the creek (and only if needed) would be a tremendously better allocation of resources, and just as effective at cleaning up the water.
-Ben
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Hello Ben.
Just to clarify what I meant I will elaborate a bit. Before I do I'd like to point out that I do have graduate-level experience in experimental research. I am fluent in experimental design and statistical analysis. I also am quite proficient at critiquing experimental results. The canons of science and experimental design are what I know best. That being said I admit that I have not dedicatedmuch time to analyzing the results of the water tests that you have referred to above. At this point, so late in the game, I am inclined to accept the fact that there was a failure to demonstrate causation in previous studies. I do believe, however, that you cannot categorically rule out a relationship between septic tanks and elevated levels of bacteria and other contaminants at the point. One speaker at today's hearing - a rincon resident - argued that all of the tests over the past year have come out with favorable outcomes. Can we draw any meaningful conclusions from this? What do you think? Does the fact that we haven't had any measureable precipitation for almost 2 years possibly have a role in this finding as an intervening variable? You betchya! If I were a betting man I would wager that I could come up with valid scientific results showing a positive correlation between your septic tanks and water contamination at Rincon. Nobody's turned over the correct cobble stone yet
...Just my $02.
Your mileage may vary.
Best regards,
--Jon
cat
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Me: What seems to be the problem officer?
Cop: You were speeding back there.
Me: Really? What makes you think that?
Cop: I got a funny reading from my radar gun.
Me: What did it say? Were you pointing it at my car?
Cop: Well, no. I was just waving it around in the general area. I took 150 readings, and one of them said 68 miles per hour. All the rest were below the speed limit.
Me: Well... Could the high reading have been from something else?
Cop: Sure, there were lots of birds and ducks flying around. Most of the readings were from them, in fact.
Me: But you're going to give me a ticket anyway??
Cop: Yes. The fine is $88,000. And besides that, we're installing a massive governor on your car to make sure you don't speed anymore. It will look horrible, smell funny, and may periodically discharge raw sewage into your backseat... (But we promise to feel really bad if that happens.)
Me: What??? Can't you at least do some investigation to find the people who were actually speeding (if anyone), and fix their cars first??
Cop: No. Sorry. We're doing this to every single driver on the road.
I think you see my point. By the way, Los Angeles had 13.19 inches of rain in the 2005-2006 season; very close to normal. To put this in perspective, the average family flushes 13.19 inches of water into their septic tank about EVERY TWELVE HOURS.The DNA study that found Rincon Creek to be swimming-pool clean was done in 1999, also a normal precipitation year. Of course this past year has been dry, but what twisted logic makes that "evidence" that the septics are polluting?? (The DNA study is linked to from my blog.) You're correct that absence of evidence is not evidence of absence, but it's equally true that extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. The extraordinary claim that Rincon requires a $7 million sewer system has so far been backed up with paltry circumstantial evidence at best, plus "intuition," and a huge amount of slimy political propaganda. You wouldn't be willing to write this check either, I bet. No wonder the state is running such a huge budget deficit, if it spends so much money based on such flimsy "facts."
-Ben
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Ben,
Let's take this one step further.
Imagine for just a second that you are a kid again, playing in the sand on the beach on a nice warm Southern California summer day.
Your mom hands you a little plastic shovel and says, "Here Johnny, why don't you dig yourself a nice hole in the sand"?
Imagine still that you start digging , and soon you are about a foot or so down when all of a sudden the walls start caving in.
What happened? You have hit water, and your hole soon disintegrates into a little watery depression in the sand.
Now just imagine your much older, and you are digging a much, much deeper hole (as deep as 20 - 30 feet). Of course the walls of your hole are not going to cave in as there is too much structural reinforcement, which precludes this. However, you may be down to sea level or below, and the basic laws of physics are gonna suggest some mixing or leeching to occur. Now, you might saw that the natural substrate of the rocky Earth below acts as a filter, right? Much like the charcoal in your aquarium filter?? Maybe. But what happens if you never change you fishtank filter? Of course, it's obvious. The filter plugs up, and the organisms living in your tank all die! Now. how long have there been septic tanks in use at Rincon Point?
High tide is right about now. Feel free to continue this dialogue...
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Jon,
Your heart is in the right place, but your level of ignorance is phenomenal. (It's ok, so was mine, back when I thought the sewer was good idea.)
Ventura Country requires septic tanks to be at least 5 feet above groundwater, so your caving-in analogy does not apply. The tanks are sealed, except for leach-lines leading out at the level where treated (yes, treated by natural anaerobic bacterial processes) liquid waste percolates out into a sizeable leach-field at a very slow drip, where it is absorbed into the soil and rendered biologically inert, or taken up by plants. The septic tanks do require maintenance every several years to maintain equilibrium with their environment, but they DO NOT produce a "giant mountain of poop" or anything like that. Keep in mind, fish have been pooping in the ocean for hundreds of millions of years, yet the ocean is not a gigantic lake of poop. Why? Because natural processes break down the waste, and recycle it into the environment as natural soil. (This however doesn't apply to the toxic chemical brew Carp San is pumping into the ocean.) There are also higher-tech onsite systems that are just as effective (and much cheaper) than the proposed sewer: see http://tinyurl.com/37gy6w. The Ventura Regional Sanitation District has touted these systems as "the wave of the future" for communities like ours.
I will reply to your other post as well, but please do your homework. Intuition does not always reflect reality.
-Ben
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Jon,
There are a lot of incorrect assumptions and misinformation circulating about the situation at Rincon. Please go read my blog article:
http://www.benweiss.com/pages/blog.html
-Ben Weiss
Longtime Rincon resident and surfer
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Dear Jon,
I read with interest your comments in your blog. "Public Apology, Policy Adjustment, and More..." Now and in the past, you have indeed followed an "honorable moral compass"---except on the posting just above your comments.
Personal attacks have no place in any civilized dialogue. As the gatekeeper for your blog, you were remiss in allowing Heather Hudson's rant to be posted. And yes--an apology is owed Billy Taylor. I know him as a good and honorable man. His opinions count too.
John Stephenson
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Jon,
I'll have to 2nd John Stephenson's reply with regard to the public bashing using names on this blog. Pretty easy for someone on the outside, living in SB, to jump on the bandwagon for the sewer hookup. I can't think of anyone who would not want to see the water quality at The Con clear up, but to have individuals ranting about it without any regard or respect for anonymity is just plain wrong. The most vocal proponents for this sewer hook up will see no bills at their mailbox to foot the costs and therefore have nothing to lose. They will not be dealing with months of construction crews, substantial assessments or the risk of substantial development within the gates. The letter writer owes an apology to the couple mentioned in the post as they are only doing what they feel is a necessity, to research all of the facts and act along side their beliefs. Let's hope the water cleans up no matter what methods are eventually used, so as to remind all involved that they are working toward the same goal.
Nick
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Hi Jon,
I believe that you were referring to my comments this morning regarding the lack of septic failures at Rincon, and studies that found that water quality consistently met standards. I want to clarify that I was referencing studies and trends in water quality data that span a period of over eight years (not one year).
The Rincon Creek did not appear on 303(d) lists for coliform in 2002 or 2006. While low levels of coliform in ocean and creek waters have never been traced to any Rincon septic, I agree that this does not entirely foreclose the possibility that such a link might be established someday. However, since there is scant evidence of creek pollution, there is no reason to assume that there is a problem with septic systems.
By the way, since you speculated on wet weather conditions, during the extraordinary wet weather events of 2004 – 2005 we got a clearer picture. Rincon Beach at the Creek was the only location in Santa Barbara not to receive a D or F grade from Heal the Bay’s Annual Beach Report Card during the wet weather periods of 2004 –2005.
In light of Carpinteria Sanitary District’s history of spills and statements that “the project objectives do not include improving local water quality,” the critical question for Rincon homeowners is why should we tinker with something that isn’t broken? And why should we choose a complex and unreliable “fix” that is unlikely to improve water quality and may well threaten it? What happens if the assumptions and intuitions of sewer proponents are wrong?
--Giti
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Greetings Giti,
I must admit that while I was listening to you speak today I caught myself wondering about just what you are talking about ~ at least the last part ~ what happens if some of the fundamental assumptions are wrong? Your point was very well taken. As noted in a comment somewhere else, I have come to this discussion here in the final minutes of the game, at least as an active participant. As a concerned citizen I have followed from afar, and was surprised a while back to hear that the Rincon sewer project was not a "done deal" as was my understanding based on what I had read in local media quite some time ago. Today you questioned the integrity of the entire (clay?) sewer system, and again, your words did not fall upon deaf ears. Hindsight is 20:20, and I sure hope that some day we all won't be looking back with regret at what has transpired as a result of the decisions made throughout this process... Perhaps the next step should be to update or modernize the sewerlines themselves, and address the potential weaknesses in the existing system. Call it intuition or call it common sense, I still believe that there is something fundamentally wrong here, that septic tanks are not the best choice for disposal of human waste here in the 21st century, and that 9 years of public discourse should now make way for action. I'm personally very sorry that individual homeowners will have to bear the burden of funding the project and deal with the collateral damage and inconveniences imposed by such construction. If I were in your shoes I'd probably want to fight it too; who has the right to command me to spend that kind of money on something that I don't even want in the first place? I get it Giti. But I also recognize that Rincon is more than a collection of parcels or a place for surfers to hang out. It's bigger than all of us. If you look up and down the East Coast, the West Coast, and the Gulf Coast there is nothing else even close out there that resembles Rincon. A truly unique and special place, and not the place to be burying thousand and thousands of gallons of human excrement year after year after year after year. Look at the geology of the point. Analyze the soils and substrate. And now, with a clear and open mind please consider the possibility that those septic tanks may in fact be capable of leeching/leaking into ocean all of that waste. You might not believe it now either, but what if you and the other opponents are the ones who are wrong? You won't be the ones getting sick.
Respectfully,
--Jon Shafer
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Jon,
I WILL be the one getting sick; I surf at Rincon almost every day, and so do several of the staunchest sewer opponents. (Then again, I've lived here over 11 years, and have never once gotten sick from the water.)
The argument over the sewer is starting to sound like this:
"We should vote for the sewer, because it's the right thing to do."
"No, it's not the right thing to do, for reasons A B C."
"Fine, but we should vote for the sewer, because it's the right thing to do."
"No, it's NOT the right thing to do, for reasons X Y Z."
"Okay, but we should vote for the sewer, because it's the right thing to do."
An argument like this, in legal terms, is said to "lack foundation." The premise (that the sewer is the right thing to do) is faulty, no matter how intuitive it sounds.
The debate has been ongoing for nine years, in the back of most residents' minds, but the $88k price tag was sprung upon us only a couple months ago. (Most people were expecting more like $40k.) As described in my earlier post, septic tanks DO NOT work by "burying excrement". We are NOT creating a huge pile of poop; that's not how onsite treatment works.
Anyway, such a huge expenditure based upon three very flimsy assumptions (1. the septics are a pollution hazard; 2. the sewer will be a significant improvement; 3. there are no more cost-effective solutions) is just ludicrous. The burden is squarely on the sewer proponents to conclusively demonstrate all these points, none of which have been shown.
To draw a parallel, was it right for us to have invaded Iraq based on the flimsy or nonexistent WMD evidence, and were we right to place our trust in our leaders on their promise that it wouldn't become a quagmire?
Just a thought.
-Ben
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Hi Ben,
You are obviously very bright as well as passionate - just my kind of guy. I hope to meet you out in the lineup some time just to shake your hand. My nature is pretty non-confrontational, and we could go round-and-round and round here probably 9 more years (or longer), but I really think now the time for making peace and healing broken relationships.
Besides, you know what they say about aruing on the Internet, don't you??
I'm taking a step back now as I feel it's the right thing to do.
Again, I hope to meet you in-vivo in the lineup at the point some time. Very soon hopefully.
Kind regards,
Jon Shafer, webmaster
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Jon,
It's been a pleasure debating you as well, and I look forward to meeting you. (Perhaps at the public hearing next Tuesday?) Your blog is getting a LOT of attention on this very relevant issue, at this very important time, so I'd contest your special-olympic characterization... but hey, I'm not about to start another argument
Cheers, and enjoy Opening Day at the 'Con!
-Ben
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I am amazed at how easily people can be taken in by propaganda. Heal the Ocean (nothing to do with Heal the Bay, BTW) will stand to get a tremendous windfall from the sewer project going through, as will the city of Carp. and the sewer company. Follow the money and do some investigation. The people that live on the Rincon will have to pay a decent sum of money to have the sewer installed, but if you look at who lives there and how wealthy they are (most but not all) it is really nothing compared to the multi-million dollar price tags associated with these homes. In fact, remaining on septic systems will restrict the number and type of homes (not to mention resorts) that can be built there. By putting in a sewer system a home owner on the Rincon stands to substantially increase the value of their property. Why would greedy cheapskates not be willing to invest a couple of tens of thousands of dollars to increase their property value? Well perhaps it's because they have thoroughly researched the sewer vs. septic topic and found that a sewer is not always the best solution. The home owners that have stood up against the sewer project have nothing to gain financially relative to the returns that they could reap by putting the sewer into the Rincon. It is frightening to see an "environmental group" such as Heal the Ocean employ tactics very similar to the Bush administration while promoting this sewer project. Their typical sound bite mimics "if you're not with us you're with the terrorists". If you are not with Heal the Ocean on their pet sewer project (which they stand to get $90K from Carpenteria if and when it goes through)then you are against the environment and they will try to discredit you as either too cheap to pay your part or anti-eco. Follow the money and you will see that the people dumping all of the money to campaign for the sewer stand to gain significantly when it goes through. I'm being a broken record here but follow the money.
I live in Santa Monica, we have sewers, and when it rains here you simply DON'T go in the water unless you wish to swim with the brown trout. Just North of the Rincon maybe a mile or less, about 1500 feet off of the coast(not meters or miles) is where Carpenteria pumps it's sewage into the ocean. Heal the Ocean has never raised any concern regarding the proximity of this pipe to the Rincon (strange... or is it) If you have a city with thousands or tens of thousands of residents a sewer makes sense, in an area with 72 homes (many of them vacation homes) a sewer does not make sense. If strange bacteria show up in the lagoon, perhaps it has to do with the state park just up from the lagoon, it has many thousands of visitors per month and no real sanitation system to speak of. Currently the Rincon is all septic, if one of the tanks were to have a catastrophic failure the damage would be relatively small and easy to detect and clean up. When (not if) the sewer fails you will have 72 homes worth of sewage.
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Thanks for commenting Mark.
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