Oil Spill – The Latest Information and How You Can Help As many of you know, the Cosco - Busan oil spill that originated in San Francisco last Wednesday November 7th has also moved south. As of 2:30pm PT today, oil had gotten as far as Pacifica , and beaches there are currently closed. Based on wind conditions and currents, it is possible that oil could reach the Mavericks area at some point, though it is possible that it will bypass the area entirely. In fact, the Pacifica beaches could be re-opened as early as 10:00am tomorrow. At this point, there is no impact on the 2007/2008 Mavericks Surf Contest, as the window is not slated to open until December 7th. We hold the health and safety of the surfers and rescue personnel in the highest regard, and will work closely with San Mateo County to assess all relevant conditions before calling a Contest. In the meantime, we would like to pass along critical information regarding coastal clean-up operations, and we encourage everyone who is able to help with these efforts to do so.

In order to take part in any clean-up efforts, you must be at least 18 years of age and must attend a 4-hour Disaster Service Training session. There you will learn safe handling, collection, and clean-up of oil; proper use of personal protective equipment; and personal safety procedures. At the conclusion of the session, you will be given a Photo ID** to demonstrate successful completion of the required training, and at that point you will be qualified to assist with official cleanup efforts. While there is no need for volunteer efforts in San Mateo County at this time, there is still the need for assistance in those North and East Bay areas that have been impacted. There are three Disaster Service Training programs being run by San Mateo County Environmental Health that are currently scheduled: - Tonight, Thursday November 15, from 5:00pm – 9:00pm at the IDES Hall, 735 Main Street in Half Moon Bay (capacity for 120 people). - Saturday November 17, Train Depot, 110 Higgins Canyon Road, Half Moon Bay, from 8:00am – 12:00pm (capacity for 65 people). - Saturday November 17, Train Depot, 110 Higgins Canyon Road, Half Moon Bay, from 1:00pm – 5:00pm (capacity for 65 people). Registration for these sessions is not required; however, the San Mateo County Office of Emergency Services is asking all interested volunteers to register at www.smcalert.info and to select the Coastside and/or Bayside CERT Groups. To stay up-to-date on the latest information including beach closures and clean-up efforts, please visit www.co.sanmateo.ca.us and click on the link ‘Oil Spill Impact on San Mateo County Coastline - Click Here’. In addition, Park Ranger Sarah Lenz from the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve (Pillar Point Marsh to Moss Beach ) is asking for volunteers to meet at 9:30am on Tuesday, November 20, to help rake the wrack line up above the high tide level. No prior training is needed to participate in this effort, but you will need to bring work gloves and boots. Please call the Reserve at 650-728-3584 for further details. Lastly, a grassroots volunteer organization called Kill the Spill (www.killthespill.org) has been set-up to gather, organize, and mobilize a growing army of volunteers to address the oil spill. We are very proud of the efforts of so many environmentally-concerned citizens, many of whom are members of the Mavericks family, to aggressively address the impact of the spill. Thank you for the inspiration. **(Image: Mavericks Surf Ventures' Eco-Manager Joao De Macedo has gone through the volunteer certification process. He is available to answer any questions on the process at joao@maverickssurf.com. Also, special thanks to Mavericks partner Capture Technologies, who assisted the City & County of San Francisco with creating these Photo ID's.)