The salt-water sea doesn’t care if they are missing limbs or have impaired eyesight, a degenerative disease or paralysis that has stopped their bodies from moving. The ocean is their competitive arena, a place they can showcase their stellar surfing skills.   

“Being on land is like walking on mud, but being in the water is weightless,” said Mark Hagger, a 49-year-old surfer from England who is losing the use of his legs due to a degenerative multiple sclerosis. “So you feel more unshackled when you are out there.”

The International Surfing Association’s World Para Surfing Championship, an Olympic-style event being held for the first time in Huntington Beach, has brought about 200 surfers from 30 countries to compete this week – and give a glimpse at how surfing could be added if it were to be accepted into the Los Angeles 2028 Para Olympic Games.

All week, surfers have been hanging out proudly near their country flags on the sand, surrounded by supporters and volunteers on hand to assist the athletes. The championship event kicked off with a parade down Main Street on Sunday, Nov. 5, and runs through Saturday, Nov. 11, with closing ceremonies to be held on the sand.

Life Rolls On founder Jesse Billauer is one of the more well-known Southern California surfers competing in the championships. A pro surfer who was paralyzed during a surf accident on his 17th birthday, Billauer was inducted over the summer into the Surfing Walk of Fame across from the pier in front of Jack’s Surfboards.

“It’s rad to have it in Huntington Beach, in Southern California, instead of driving far or flying somewhere,” said Billauer, from Pacific Palisades. “We’re lucky to have it here.”

He knows it was no easy task for those who came from overseas for the competition – from places as far as Israel, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Germany, Brazil, Spain and beyond.

“It just shows the dedication of all the athletes who travel so far to enter a contest where you don’t even win any money,” said Billauer, a longtime member of Team USA. “It’s amazing that they are dedicated to the sport.

“It’s cool to be able to see all the inspiration, all the disabilities that are able to surf, showing they are capable.”

Surfers have been competing in the qualifying rounds since Monday to make it into the final heats. The divisions are broken up into categories –  some in a stand or kneel division, others in the prone or sit division. There is also a division for visually impaired.

A surfer’s highest two scoring waves out of their first two heats will register in a leaderboard. From there, the top competitors in each division will progress to the next round. Waves all week have been in the 2- to 4-foot range.

Brazilian and two-time ISA Para Surfing world champion Davi Teixeira, 18, is looking to defend his title.

Teixeira was born with a congenital birth defect called Amniotic Band Syndrome. He was 9 when someone on the beach offered to take him surfing and it was love at first ride, the person seeing his joy and giving him the surfboard.

“The ISA world adaptive surfing is an important event, not just for my career but for every surfer here,” he said. “When I’m in the sea, I feel so comfortable.”

Huntington Beach local Rocky McKinnon, who runs an adaptive surfing program year-round in Huntington Beach, was one of the volunteers helping athletes – hoisting those needing to transfer from wheelchairs to surfboards, catching riders in the water and helping if the surfers turned over on their board and went underwater.

The event is what Hawaiian surf legend Duke Kahanamoku meant about sharing surfing with the world, he said.

“These are people who have special needs, yet they have the desire to get into the ocean. And we have the opportunity in Huntington Beach and Surf City to showcase their talent, even though they may have issues with getting out in the water or riding waves,” he said.

The event is “absolutely inspiring,” he said. “I get choked up. It’s such an amazing thing to see, the draw of the ocean for everybody.”

With all the surfers from around the world who have come to compete, McKinnon called on fellow surfers or anyone who could help on the sand to come out to volunteer, with more support needed through Saturday.

There’s shifts open in the morning and afternoons, even just for a hours would help, he said. Some people have motor-skill issues that, without assistance, can’t swim.

“Everybody should be down here helping out and lending our expertise and showing them the true meaning of aloha here in Huntington Beach,” McKinnon said. “Lend your support, lend your help and your expertise – we need it. We need people here to add that extra layer of safety. I would really love to see more of my surfing brothers and sisters out down here helping out.”

Team USA surfer Jacob Pacheco, from Long Beach, is competing in his first ISA world championships. It has always been his dream to be an elite athlete, never knowing that taking up surfing 10 years ago would lead him to the world championships.

Born with cerebral palsy, getting to the beach to surf is no easy task. Every step he takes feels like he’s walking in wet sand, he said.

“At the end of the day, I’ve conquered a lot more than this in my life,” he said of the contest. “This is playing. This is surfing.”

It’s the volunteers and friends who help make it possible, he said, the ones who show up, help bring boards down the sand and help the athletes in and out of the water, ensuring they are safe.

“It is the heart of the volunteer that makes what we do possible,” Pacheco said. “To me, this is a validation for the hard work and commitment to make something you want happen.”

Hagger, who started surfing in England as an “able-bodied” teen, said many people don’t realize the challenges people with disabilities go through on a daily basis. They were little things he never thought of – walking up a set of steps, where to park, what’s going to be accessible for his wheelchair.

He was impressed by the temporary mats set out by sponsor Access Trax, a set up that allows athletes to get close to the water without having to trek through sand.

“You just want to get down, smell the salt down on the edge of the ocean. When that’s taken away from you or you’ve never had to worry about that, it’s quite hard to comprehend those little things,” he said. “I was able bodied, so I never thought about it … it’s exhausting to think about all the extra stuff you never had to. But those are your cards, you get on with it. That’s life.”

Being on the sand at the event, with people from around the world from all different backgrounds and abilities, was a breath of fresh, salty air.

“I think you look at everybody, whether you are in a chair, whether you have limbs missing, whether you are blind – that’s your package and no one looks at you differently. We are one the same,” he said. “That’s what I love about it, the uniqueness of everybody just being themselves, and no one is staring or looking at each other.”

Having the Access Trax portable walkways was an important logistical component to get down to the water, something he hopes to see at more beaches around the world.

Kelly Twichel, co-founder of the event sponsor Access Trax, said the product is currently in 17 countries and many in National Parks, to allow all people to access nature.

Access Trax is different from the permanent walkways already in Huntington Beach, with the ability for any user to store and transport the pathways wherever they go.

Twitchel, from San Diego, created the product as a school project and took it to market a few years ago.

“I was inspired by the stories of adaptive surfers, we wanted to try and solve this problem to help surfers who use wheelchairs or have other mobility, to cross the sand with independence and dignity,” she said.  “It’s about helping these athletes feel like they are getting the tools they need to know they are being the best they can be in the sport.”

Some films are about perseverance in conquering mountains or oceans. Other films to be shown during the Coast Film & Music Festival show examples of humans making the world a better place through action.

The Laguna Beach festival, now in its fifth year, kicks off on Wednesday, Nov. 8, drawing film lovers, outdoor enthusiasts and environmental activists together for a five-day event that will showcase more than 70 films.

“It’s our saying: Come curious, leave inspired,” said Enich Harris, who along with Ben Warner founded the festival.

Though the festival doesn’t officially start until mid-week, San Clemente big-wave surfer Greg Long spoke with local elementary school kids on Monday, a way for the festival creators to give back to the community.

“These are the change makers – the kids in the school – of the future,” Harris said. “If we can inspire them and turn their little lights on, it’s a win for everyone.”

The festival is more than just films, with a lineup of music acts, inspirational and cultural change-maker speakers and a calendar of events aimed at exploring the coastal town’s natural landscape.

There is also a Do Good Village to inspire visitors of all ages to learn about causes and make changes in their daily lives.

There are also several guided outdoor experiences being held throughout Laguna Beach in conjunction with the festival, some requiring tickets, others free, though all require registration due to limited spaces available. There’s everything from kayaking off Fisherman’s Cove to mountain bike riding and yoga sessions.

Opening night will kick off at Hobie Surf Shop in Laguna Beach with the showing of “Wild Life,” which follows conservationist Kris Tompkins through the wild landscapes she has dedicated her life to protecting.

The remainder of the screenings will be held at the Festival of the Arts.

New this year is the Coast Summit presented by A New Earth Project from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m on Thursday. It will be a day of learning about conservation and social responsibility, organizers said.

The speakers range from environmental advocates to adventure athletes, including pro skier Amie Engerbretson, Surfrider Foundation CEO Chad Nelsen,  pro snowboarder and Protect Our Winters founder Jeremy Jones, pro big-wave surfers Kai Lenny and Ramon Navarro and more.

“We get all these incredible filmmakers and athletes and everyone together once a year,” Harris said. “We thought what a great opportunity … let’s add something new that has the potential to have a nice ripple effect in the world.”

Tickets for the Coast Summit are being sold separately, cost is $85 online or $115 at the door and includes lunch and a networking happy hour.

The featured films throughout the festival will range from outdoor pursuits, passion and preservation.

One of the bigger names is two-time world champion John John Florence’s film “Advice To My Younger Self,” following the pro surfer during a 3,000-mile sailing expedition with his brothers, where they encountered a massive storm in the middle of nowhere while on their 48-foot catamaran.

“Trilogy: New Wave” will have its world premiere on Friday night. The film follows three up-and-coming  surfers, including San Clemente’s Griffin Colapinto, as they travel to remote destinations searching for waves to rediscover the joy of surfing free from contest scores.

A Q & A will happen following the film with director Andrew Mackenzie, Hawaiian surfer Seth Moniz, filmmaker Taylor Steele, Colapinto and Harris, producer of the film.

Harris worked with legendary surf film maker Steele on the original “Trilogy” film released in 2007, which  featured Andy Irons, Taj Burrow and Joel Parkinson. While the new film pays homage to that original, it looks at the next generation coming up.

The Coast Student Film Program on Saturday morning will showcase short documentaries made by Orange County middle school and high school students.

The art of photography will also be celebrated on Saturday with The Surfer’s Journal photo editor Grant Ellis showcasing “A Lesson in Three Images,” an exploration of photography’s lasting impact on the culture and history of surfing and its place in a post-print landscape.

That night will also be the annual “Follow The Light” surf photography awards in honor of Larry “Flame” Moore.

On the final day, Sunday, Nov. 12, there will be a director’s preview of “Cities of the Future,” which shows an imagined future 50 years from now when cities are designed to be totally sustainable.

“Cities of the Future” is produced by Laguna Beach-based MacGillivray Freeman Films in association with the American Society of Civil Engineers.

More information or tickets, visit: coastfilmmusicfestival.com

Flyers have been posted in the area and community messages sent out by the California Department Fish and Wildlife via social media to spread the word.

“Recently, we have reason to believe that potentially there are people feeding coyotes in the nearby neighborhood or even on the wetlands edge,” said Melissa Borde, environmental scientist and reserve manager for CDFW. “What we’re looking for is the community support to educate others about not feeding wildlife.”

Officials believe the animals are being fed because they are “habituating” to humans and starting to approach without fear.

“Naturally, coyotes are fearful of humans,” Borde said. “The wildlife conflict incidents are increasing, we noticed, from the urban environment.”

The 1,300-acre coastal estuary is an important open space and coastal wetland with an estimated 800 species living there, including coyotes – they play an important role in helping keep the rodent population under control.

Coyotes are “opportunistic feeders,” feeding on anything from rodents to fruit, garbage and pet food.

“Historically, we had found meats out in the areas and we immediately did outreach,” Borde said. In an area off Graham and Bolsa Chica streets, there was evidence of someone who had put leftover meat in the lot. In a neighborhood near the wetlands, someone left behind steak.

“The one thing that I want to highlight is that the coyotes can be unpredictable and in some cases cause human injury,” she said.

Many attacks are directly related to food sourcing or human feeding.

“We don’t want that, we want visitors to feel safe when they’re here. We also want to protect the wildlife. So prevention is key. Even though humans sometimes think they’re doing good for wildlife, they are actually causing more harm,” Borde said about trying to provide food for the animals. “They become habituated and it can be more dangerous for pets and humans.”

She also warns people to not leave pet food or water outside at home.

“If they’re able to access these things, or if we’re feeding them, it changes their natural behavior,” she said, adding that a “problematic coyote that has become habituated to humans cannot be trapped and released somewhere else because you’re not fixing the problem. You’re just moving it to another neighborhood.”

In some cases, a coyote may have to be killed if it becomes a safety risk to humans.

It is illegal to feed the wildlife, and is considered harassment of animals, Borde said.

“You’re basically altering or disrupting their natural behavior. Naturally, they should be out hunting, foraging – they are part of our ecosystem they need to be eating natural rodents, whatever it be, not human food, not pet food,” she said. “And then it can also cause them to eventually be a human safety risk.”

Last week, there was a human interaction where the coyote wasn’t aggressive, but it wasn’t fearful, either, Borde said.

“That is a sign that they are being fed and it’s near the urban area. It’s right near the neighborhood at the edge of the property where we’re seeing them on the east side of the ecological reserve,” she said.

A month ago, there were seven reports in three days about coyotes approaching humans.

The coyotes recently encountering humans are standing nearby, within 5-to-10 feet, just staring at the people, likely waiting for food, according to reports.

“Hazing is absolutely critical in that situation,” Borde said. “You want to make yourself big, make sounds, clap your hands. Whatever you need to do for human safety that makes that coyote very uncomfortable.”

It’s also important, Borde added, to report encounters so officials can track interactions or acts of aggression.

The small whale – identified by staff at the Pacific Marine Mammal Center as a male pygmy sperm whale – was discovered near Tower 22 around 3:45 p.m. Sunday after beachgoers alerted Huntington Beach City Lifeguards about the whale, which was still alive and struggling to swim.

“Lifeguards confirmed the whale was in the surf and that it had bite marks on it,” said Jennifer Carey, spokesperson for the city. “Afterwards, they asked people on the beach if they saw anything, and they said they saw a shark and thrashing, and then the whale washed ashore.”

Carey said there were no injuries to people.

The shoreline and ocean on either side of Tower 22 will remain closed for one mile in each direction, per city policy, Carey said. The closure, which began on Sunday at 4:30 p.m. will remain in place until Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.

Carey said the whale was picked up from the beach by a rescue team from the Pacific Marine Mammal Center around 7 p.m. 

The center’s veterinarian, Dr. Alissa Deming, said the whale was euthanized because it was too sick and wouldn’t have survived transport.

When the rescue team showed up, a large group of people had formed a circle around the whale, but Huntington Beach City Lifeguards were good at keeping people safe and from pushing the animal back into the water, Deming said. Struggling whales and dolphins have less chance of survival if they are pushed into the water when they already have difficulty breathing.

“It did have a shark bite, which is very common,” Deming said. “Scrapes and scratches are essentially a dinner bell for a shark.”

The rescue team first sedated the whale, which Deming said was clearly struggling and ill.

“We always go to the beach with the intention of rescuing the animal,” she said, adding that, in this case, the whale was going in and out of cardiac arrest during the evaluation process. “It was suffering and never going to survive a transport. This was an unfortunate outcome, but the best possible one for this animal.”

Deming said this whale species is known to be elusive and is not often seen in near-shore waters or even by boaters. They are also known to be among the deepest-diving cetaceans in North America.

On Monday, Deming and her team began work on a necropsy to see why the whale was so sick. Initial findings suggest it suffered from sepsis — an infection of the blood. Samples will be sent to a lab for further studies, which is a focus of the Laguna Beach rescue center.

“It’s very exciting to sample this animal,” Deming said, setting aside her veterinarian role and putting on her researcher’s cap. “It’s like sampling the depths of the ocean. It gives us an opportunity to learn about something we wouldn’t normally know about.”

PMMC has been called to Orange County beaches to rescue a pygmy sperm whale three times since Deming has headed up the rescue and research work. In 2019, one was also found beached in Surfside; in 2021, one was found on the sand in San Clemente, and earlier this year, another one was found on Bolsa Chica State Beach.

In 2019, another pygmy sperm whale washed up on Zuma Beach. It was also euthanized after it was determined it was too weak to survive in the ocean.

Justin Viezbicke, stranding coordinator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said seeing this species near shore is “very uncommon.”

“They do inhabit areas offshore and are rarely seen,” he said, “except when they occasionally strand.”

Just as PMMC was wrapping up work on the whale, Deming was called out for a report of a struggling common dolphin off Newport Beach. As she headed out, she was optimistic, calling the dolphin species, the “pitbull of dolphins.”

Nearly 200 adaptive surfers from 30 countries joined the Parade of Nations down Main Street on Sunday, Nov. 5, for the International Surfing Association’s World Para Surfing Championship, an Olympic-style event being held for the first time in Surf City.

The competition runs through Nov. 11, with the surf action starting at 7 a.m. Monday, Nov. 6, on the south side of the pier.

“If you look at these athletes, some of them blind or who have lost several limbs, competing at a world-class level in a world-class competition, it’s something to behold in person here in Huntington Beach,” said Kelly Miller, CEO of Visit Huntington Beach.

The event is not only a historic moment for the city’s rich surf history, but also marks a record number of participants, Miller said.

The 2023 World Para Surfing Championship is the eighth major ISA event held in Surf City, with the city hosting four ISA World Surfing Games –1984, 1996, 2006 and 2022 – as well as the ISA World Juniors in 2005, 2018 and 2019.

The Parade of Nations drew spectators and supporters who cheered on the athletes, and there was a sand ceremony at Pier Plaza where athletes poured sand they brought from their home countries into one large clear jar, signifying unity through surfing.

Team USA boasts several Southern California surfers, including Jacob Pacheco, who lives in Long Beach but calls Huntington Beach his home break.

Life Rolls On founder Jesse Billauer, from Pacific Palisades, will be going for another world championship. Billauer, a pro surfer who was paralyzed during a surf accident as a teenager, was inducted into the Surfing Walk of Fame last summer just across from the pier in front of Jack’s Surfboards. 

San Diego has several adaptive athletes in the event, including past world champions Liv Stone, Jose Martinez and Sarah Bettencourt.

Huntington Beach has expressed interest in hosting the surfing portion of the LA2028 Olympic Games when it comes to the region, and competitions like this showcase how the beach town can hold large-scale events with plenty of nearby hotels, sand space for a festival-like arena and accessibility, Miller said.

Surfing has yet to be added to the Paralympics, but athletes and the ISA hope the sport will be added for the games in LA, though it still needs approval by the International Paralympic Committee. And if it does get the green light, Miller said Huntington is hoping to host that surfing event as well.

Huntington Beach in recent years has made an increased effort to add Mobi-Mats, strips of blue mesh material that lay across the sand as beach paths, near the pier so people in wheelchairs or who need a more solid surface can get closer to the water’s edge.

A temporary mat by sponsor Access Trax, based in San Diego, will be set out for this event, but there’s plans to make it a permanent fixture, Miller said.

“We’ve been really focused on accessibility,” Miller said. “We are doing everything we can to inspire residents and visitors who may have physical challenges to come to our beaches, which are becoming more and more accessible for all populations. That’s a big deal for us.”

For more info about the World Para Surfing Championship, go to: isasurf.org/learning/para-surfing.

The Polynesian canoe Hōkūleʻa has been making its way down the Southern California coastline, previously stopping in Marina Del Rey and earlier this week in Newport Beach.  It will be docking at the Ocean Institute in Dana Point on Saturday for the weekend before heading to the Maritime Museum of San Diego from Nov. 8-14.

It is all part of a four-year adventure navigating the Pacific Ocean.

“It’s a great way to disconnect and reconnect with the nature around us,” said crewmember Jonah Apo, from Oahu.  “We are fully immersed when we are deep at sea.”

Thousands of years ago, voyagers used only nature and ancestral knowledge as their map to navigate between islands, but through the generations the knowledge was lost.

In an attempt to resurrect the traditional methods, the Polynesian Voyaging Society built the Hōkūleʻa, a double-hulled canoe, for an inaugural trip from Hawaii to Tahiti in 1976.

“Voyaging is the origin of how Polynesians migrated throughout the Pacific, they were exceptional navigators and adventurers. They were the astronauts of their time,” Apo said. “At one point, that knowledge and history was lost.

“We’re reclaiming that culture and knowledge of navigators,” he said. “When you think of the people who came before you, it’s an important aspect in Hawaiian culture.”

During a tragic trip two years after the first voyage, in 1978, surfing big-wave legend Eddie Aikau died while trying to save fellow crew members caught in a storm. He attempted to paddle to shore for help, but was never seen again.

The rest of the crew was eventually saved, and a plaque at the front of the ship today reminds people of Aikau’s legacy.

Not wanting to end the ship’s story with Aikau’s death, one of the last remaining experienced voyagers, Mau Piailug, trained others to navigate the Hōkūle‘a in an attempt to replicate the successful 1976 voyage.

They made the journey from Tahiti back to Hawaii, a feat that hadn’t been accomplished in 600 years. It was the beginning of many more successful voyages in the following decades. In 2000, Hōkūleʻa was proclaimed as Hawaii’s first state treasure.

The vessel has been on 15 major excursions. Most recently, it went on a world-wide voyage from 2014 to 2017 with its sister ship, the Hikianalia Voyaging Canoe, visiting Dana Point in 2018. 

Hōkūleʻa’s current adventure kicked off in Alaska in June for a four-year trek that will cover 43,000 nautical miles.

The plan has shifted because of the El Nino and hurricane season expected to hit this winter, as well as the devastating fires on Maui, so the crew will head home to Hawaii following the San Diego stop.

The voyage will resume in the South Pacific through New Zealand, Australia and eventually up to Japan, before the Hōkūleʻa is shipped back to Los Angeles to make its way down to Mexico and South America.

Apo said he was first introduced to the vessel in high school, joining a few training sails, and quickly fell in love with the canoe and voyaging. He became a volunteer at age 16 and now, at 23, is part of the crew.

At each port, the reception has been amazing, he said.

“We’ve been met with many gracious hosts,” he said, noting that before coming to shore, they always get permission from indigenous tribes to enter the water and land.

“There’s so much excitement about the canoe, kids are curious about it,” he said. “Sharing our canoe with them is one of my favorite parts of the voyage.”

“Legacy is important and being able to share our knowledge with future generations,” he said.

The Hōkūleʻa will arrive in Dana Point Harbor on Saturday, Nov. 4, with a ceremony at sea at 4 p.m. and a welcome ceremony at the Ocean Institute at 5 p.m. On Sunday, there will be a screening of the Disney movie “Moana” at 6:45 p.m., with commentary from the crew.

Free dockside canoe tours will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday; 1 to 5 p.m. on Monday; and 9 to 11 a.m. Tuesday.

More info: hokulea.com

The forecast called for massive 20-foot waves leading up to the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games in Pichelimu, Chile. At the last Pan American Games in 2019, the stand-up paddle competitor suffered the worst wipeout of her life, slammed by the shorebreak as she neared the finish line, sucked out into a rip current and battered by wave after wave – a wipeout that cost her the gold medal.

“I knew I was going to have to trust God to do for me what I couldn’t do for myself, to give me strength I didn’t have,” Appleby said. “I learned a big lesson about fear. It’s a waste of time and energy.”

She found the strength and determination she needed to earn gold in the SUP racing division on Oct. 30 at the Pan American Games, a redemption four years in the making that puts her at the top of the sport she’s dominated for nearly two decades.

SUP surfer Zane Schweitzer and fellow SUP racer Connor Baxter, both from Maui, also earned gold for Team USA.

“I’m stoked and grateful and happy to be home,” Appleby said, fresh off the plane and back in San Clemente on Wednesday, Nov. 1. “I don’t know if it’s all sunk in yet.”

In total, 88 athletes from 16 countries competed in the SUP and surfing contests and 24 medals were won by athletes from nine different nations. Peru took the overall rankings lead with six medals, three of which were gold.

The Pan American Games are the world’s second largest sporting event next to the Olympics, with an estimated 6,000 athletes competing.

Appleby has also earned five International Surfing Association SUP world championships gold medals, three in technical races and two distance races, a silver in sprint, and a bronze technical medal.

Appleby earned her spot in the Chile event with her gold medal win in SUP technical at the ISA world championships in Puerto Rico last year.

She also qualified for the SUP surfing competition, but opted out after suffering increased pain throughout her shoulders, back and neck earlier this year from over training for the competition and helping others at her Ocean Academy in Dana Point, she said.

“My body hit a wall and said no more,” she said. “I was in a lot of pain for quite a few months.”

She eased up on her training and focused just on the SUP racing division. She was still dealing with an injury to her shin prior to the event that required stitches.

On the day of the races, organizers changed the course to better protect the athletes from the massive waves, she said, and “all my nerves went away and I wasn’t stressed anymore.”

With each lap, Appleby improved her lead, finishing 23 seconds ahead of the second-place opponent for a total time of 15 minutes, 24.90 seconds.

At age 38, Appleby said the race might be her last, she’s been thinking of retiring. When she won a world title last year, she thought of making a full-time comeback, but the sponsorship support for the sport wasn’t there. And with her company Ocean Academy thriving, she may focus her energy on helping others train, she said.

“Maybe I’ll do a race here and there. I’m not saying I’m totally throwing in the towel. If this is a swan song, this is a good one for me,” she said.

But if the sport makes it into the LA 28 Olympics, she’ll be back on board, she said.

“If SUP does make it in, for sure, I’m going for it.”

Or so it seems. Often, the reserved spots end up empty, with no-shows leaving the coveted sites unused. But starting next year, a slew of changes by State Parks could make nabbing a campsite easier.

Changes recently signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom will add heftier penalties for people who book campsites in advance, but don’t bother to cancel them, as well as penalties for people who don’t cancel well in advance to allow others to stay and play.

“There’s a bunch of dynamic changes, making it easier and more accessible,” said State Parks Superintendent Kevin Pearsall.

Since the pandemic, getting outdoors and camping have become even more popular pastimes throughout the state. A campsite and park in Humboldt County that was typically getting 100,000 visitors a year, for example, now gets 600,000 people visiting, he said.

With 279 state parks, the department offers an estimated 15,000 camping sites and lodgings available across the state.

The biggest frustration is when people book a spot and don’t bother to cancel if they can’t make it.

“You have people who make double and triple reservations to invite friends, then they don’t come and they don’t cancel and we’re stuck,” Pearsall said. “A lot of parks, that’s affecting their overall gross sales receipts.”

Although the bill goes into effect on Jan. 1, the changes will be implemented when a new reservation system contract goes into place at the end of summer.

A reservation holder who cancels a reservation within two to six days before the reservation start date will have to forfeit the cost of the reservation for the first night, plus any reservation fees.

Currently, campers can cancel their reservation up to 5 p.m. the night before their reservation and only incur a processing fee penalty of $7.99. Under the new rules, a reservation holder can cancel seven days or more and only incur the cost of the processing fee.

Within 24 hours of the first night or for no shows, the entire cost of a reservation and fees will be forfeited. Currently for no-shows, State Parks holds the campsite for one night and then allows it to be reserved and available for a walk-up. A no-show loses the first night fee only, plus reservation and cancellation fees.

The parks department may restrict a person from reserving a site for more than seven consecutive nights during peak season if the person has occupied the same campsite proposed for reservation for more than 30 days in a calendar year, or if they fail to show up for at least three reservations made online in one calendar year.

The new rules also require the department to, by Jan. 1, 2025, create a reservation drawing for canceled spots at five of the most popular locations in the state park system, with a report on how it goes by 2028.

The state is also looking to crack down on third-party vendors that use software to gobble up campsites and resell them at a higher price.

“We’re keeping on top of it, but part of the new reservation system is to key in on that quicker,” Pearsall said.

California’s reservation system, ReserveCalifornia, underwent an overhaul in 2018 — a change that was meant to make reservations easier, but has prompted an increase in campers complaining it’s actually harder to nab a spot.

Instead of an entire month of reservation spots opening up on the first of each month six months in advance, it’s now a rolling system for each date. For example, a spot for June 20 would have to be reserved on Jan. 20. If you want a reservation for Christmas Day, you have to jump online on June 25 for a chance to get it. This part of the reservation system isn’t expected to change next year.

At Doheny State Beach in Dana Point on a recent day, campers expressed frustration about the reservation system.

Mike and Bev Helders were on a road trip from Canada, first stopping at Carlsbad in San Diego further south. When they arrived, a sign said the campsite was full.

“When we got there, it was half empty,” Mike Helders said. “It’s weird.”

They had to go online to see if any last-minute cancellations popped up, and luckily grabbed a spot for the night.

“We came back and got a site, but our whole section was empty,” Bev Helders said.

Katie Harper, from Las Vegas, has an elaborate tactic to get a spot at the beachfront campgrounds, considered one of the most popular in the state. She hops on six months in advance, enlisting family members to do the same, to get one of the sites right on the sand.

For 10 years, she and family have made the trek during “Nevada Day,” a state holiday where kids get off school, a perfect time because it’s not too hot, she said.

“We have friends trying to get in this week,” she said. “They couldn’t get a spot, but then it’s empty.”

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  Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Buckingham cruise in style while taking part in the Corgi Beach Day “Howl-O-Ween” costume contest in Huntington Beach on Saturday, October 28, 2023. The royal pair was 1-year-old Rumi Jen who didn’t enjoy wearing her fancy hat, and Ken the corgi whose crown fell off. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  Cowgirl Haddie Ray Laseter, 1, and her corgi horse, Duck, so named for the first word she spoke, take part in the Corgi Beach Day “Howl-O-Ween” costume contest in Huntington Beach on Saturday, October 28, 2023. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  As the crowd watches, Violet goes high during the Corgi Beach Day “Fetch Fanatic” contest in Huntington Beach on Saturday, October 28, 2023. Thousands of low-rider-pups hit the sand and the surf during the 11th annual event. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  Lily gets ready to nab a tennis ball during the Corgi Beach Day “Fetch Fanatic” contest in Huntington Beach on Saturday, October 28, 2023. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  Joel Mallare celebrates with 3-month-old Suki after winning the “Best Cardigan” contest during Corgi Beach Day in Huntington Beach on Saturday, October 28, 2023. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  Strudel, a 5-year-old corgi owned by Crystal Siri, dresses as Cerberus, a three-headed hound during Corgi Beach Day in Huntington Beach on Saturday, October 28, 2023. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  Yogi, owned by Caroline Reyes, poses in the pumpkin patch during Corgi Beach Day in Huntington Beach on Saturday, October 28, 2023. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  Mazi can’t wait to show off her houseplant costume as she sprints to the runway during the Corgi Beach Day “Howl-O-Ween” costume contest in Huntington Beach on Saturday, October 28, 2023. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  A Ronald McDonald corgi competes in the Corgi Beach Day “Howl-O-Ween” costume contest in Huntington Beach on Saturday, October 28, 2023. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  Hunter Gray, who just moved to California from Japan, shows off Winston, the fluffiest corgi winner during Corgi Beach Day in Huntington Beach on Saturday, October 28, 2023. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  Denise Ramos-Vega and her dog, Chet, take part in the Corgi Beach Day “Howl-O-Ween” costume contest in Huntington Beach on Saturday, October 28, 2023. Chet was dressed as a bottle of anti-depressants because Ramos-Vega says her pup is a natural mood enhancer. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  More than 1,000 corgis of all shapes and sizes come together in Huntington Beach for Corgi Beach Day on Saturday, October 28, 2023. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  Corgi Beach Day organizer Dan McLemore emcees the 11th annual event featuring more than 1,000 corgis in Huntington Beach on Saturday, October 28, 2023. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  Sandra Gonzalez of San Diego wears Tank, a 5-year-old corgi, on her back during Corgi Beach Day in Huntington Beach on Saturday, October 28, 2023. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  More than 1,000 Corgis in the surf and on the sand, take part in Corgi Beach Day in Huntington Beach on Saturday, October 28, 2023. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  A costumed corgi hits the runway during the Corgi Beach Day “Howl-O-Ween” costume contest in Huntington Beach on Saturday, October 28, 2023. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

The costume contest at the fall edition of Corgi Beach Day is always fierce … and adorable.

The whole day is a lot of fun with corgis and their humans crowding the sand in Huntington Beach.

Along with the contests, the Howl-o-ween event on Saturday, Oct. 28, also featured corgi rescue groups, a marketplace for all things corgi and pet related and selfie stations.

Corgi Beach Day is regularly held each spring and fall. Find out more at socalcorgibeachday.com.

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  Debby Falese, left, and Jennifer Calonico, both of Huntington Beach, make their way along the beach just north of the Newport Beach Pier early on Saturday morning, October 28, 2023, as surfers wearing a variety of Halloween costumes gather for the annual holiday event of riding the waves in Newport Beach. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  Laura Steel of Newport Beach rides a wave just north of the Newport Beach Pier early on Saturday morning, October 28, 2023, as surfers wearing a variety of Halloween costumes gather for the annual holiday event of riding the waves in Newport Beach. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  Che Shayne, left, of Costa Mesa and Sarah Evangelista, right, of Huntington Beach, show off their costumes on the beach just north of the Newport Beach Pier early on Saturday morning, October 28, 2023, as surfers wearing a variety of Halloween costumes gather for the annual holiday event of riding the waves in Newport Beach. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  A surfer rides her surfboard just north of the Newport Beach Pier early on Saturday morning, October 28, 2023, as surfers wearing a variety of Halloween costumes gather for the annual holiday event of riding the waves in Newport Beach. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  Russell Toler rides a wave with his daughter, Summer, 8, both of Costa Mesa, just north of the Newport Beach Pier early on Saturday morning, October 28, 2023, as surfers wearing a variety of Halloween costumes gather for the annual holiday event of riding the waves in Newport Beach. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  Wearing a Richard Nixon mask, Bill Morck of Costa Mesa rides his surfboard just north of the Newport Beach Pier early on Saturday morning, October 28, 2023, as surfers wearing a variety of Halloween costumes gather for the annual holiday event of riding the waves in Newport Beach. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  Members of the free community surf group, Surfista, pose for a photo on the beach just north of the Newport Beach Pier early on Saturday morning, October 28, 2023, as surfers wearing a variety of Halloween costumes gather for the annual holiday event of riding the waves in Newport Beach. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  A surfer rides his surfboard just north of the Newport Beach Pier early on Saturday morning, October 28, 2023, as surfers wearing a variety of Halloween costumes gather for the annual holiday event of riding the waves in Newport Beach. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  Charles Mendola, left, and Jessica Stiffler of Huntington Beach make their way along the beach just north of the Newport Beach Pier early on Saturday morning, October 28, 2023, as surfers wearing a variety of Halloween costumes gather for the annual holiday event of riding the waves in Newport Beach. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  Debby Falese of Huntington Beach rides her surfboard into the beach just north of the Newport Beach Pier early on Saturday morning, October 28, 2023, as surfers wearing a variety of Halloween costumes gather for the annual holiday event of riding the waves in Newport Beach. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  A surfer makes his way through the shore break just north of the Newport Beach Pier early on Saturday morning, October 28, 2023, as surfers wearing a variety of Halloween costumes gather for the annual holiday event of riding the waves in Newport Beach. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  A surfer looks back at the beach as he makes his way out to ride the waves just north of the Newport Beach Pier early on Saturday morning, October 28, 2023, as surfers wearing a variety of Halloween costumes gather for the annual holiday event of riding the waves in Newport Beach. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  Surfers ride their surfboards just north of the Newport Beach Pier early on Saturday morning, October 28, 2023, as surfers wearing a variety of Halloween costumes gather for the annual holiday event of riding the waves in Newport Beach. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  Wearing a Richard Nixon mask, Bill Morck of Costa Mesa makes his way along the beach just north of the Newport Beach Pier early on Saturday morning, October 28, 2023, as surfers wearing a variety of Halloween costumes gather for the annual holiday event of riding the waves in Newport Beach. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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  Jennifer Calonico, left, and Debby Falese, right, both of Huntington Beach, show off their costumes just north of the Newport Beach Pier early on Saturday morning, October 28, 2023, as surfers wearing a variety of Halloween costumes gather for the annual holiday event of riding the waves in Newport Beach. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Surfers got spooky in Newport Beach on Saturday, Oct. 28, just north of the pier, joining an annual gathering that has grown through the years and draws a big crowd to watch the festivities.

For 20 years, surfers young and old have braved the waves in Halloween costumes – which usually get shredded pretty quickly by the salt water and wipeouts. Now more of an information gathering, the tradition was started by the Blackies Classic Longboard Association, which at first gave out prizes and awards, with judges on the sand.

It’s one of those days when surfers don’t mind taking party waves together, mostly for fun photos, as the crowd hoots and hollers.

While the Blackies event is the largest of it’s kind around, there were also surfers who hit the water on Saturday further south at Boneyards surf break at Doheny State Beach. And, the Wahine Kai women’s surf group rode waves in costumes at Bolsa Chica State Beach.

If you missed the fun, an event at 10 a.m. on Saturday in the Dana Point Harbor will bring paddlers and kayakers decked out in witch costumes together to cruising around the waterways. Last year, more than 150 people joined in. The event is open to the public.