An enthusiastic group of 25 people (and a few dogs) joined us for the first annual Protect our Coast Paddle Out on Saturday September 15th at 9th street in Virginia Beach. This was the first event of the Virginia Coastal Alliance, VACA (pronounced Vay Cay).
Remarks were give by Surfrider Foundation Regional Manager John Weber which included shout-outs to Oceana, Sierra Club Virginia Chapter, and Lynnhaven River NOW. Special thanks to the Virginia League of Conservation Voters who also sent a representative to the event.
To include everyone, we circled up after the remarks and joined hands the way surfers do at paddle-outs. Despite the choppy conditions, a handful of folks paddled out and did the same in the water. Special thanks to chapter volunteer Jim Deppe for spearheading the effort and coordinating with other groups, Chapter Chair Aimee Rhodes for getting all the gear etc there, Robbie Hickman for the photos, and thanks to all others who came out, helped, volunteered and participated.