Martin’s Beach Protest More of a Press Event, Less of a Surf Session

A small group of surfing advocates gathered in the fog on Highway 1 in front of the Martin's Beach gate Thursday morning, readying themselves with “Open the Gate” and “Save Martin’s Beach” signs in hand to breach the barricade and access the road that leads down to the shore.

News groups and broadcasting vans from around the Bay Area were also there, many expecting a larger crowd to what turned out to be a rather small and peaceful demonstration and more of a press event than a surf session. The gate was not busted through and only one surfer — professional surfer Joao Demacedo — suit up to catch some waves at the coveted beach, later coming out of the water to explain to a throng of journalists, photographers and newscasters how important this stretch of beach is for not only surfers but also for the world, signifying the importance of what the California Coastal Act is all about.

Former U.S. Rep. Pete McCloskey and the Martin's Beach supporters led the media on a walk down the restricted road Thursday morning, a move designed to increase the pressure on the owner of the land. Martins Beach LLC purchased the property in 2008 for $37.5 million. The owner is widely presumed to be venture capitalist Vinod Khosla.

The protest is just days after a lawsuit was filed against new owners who erected the gate in 2010.

The lawsuit claims that owners failed to obtain a coastal development permit for the new gates and restrictive signs that prevent the public from accessing Martin's Beach Road, in direct violation of the California Coastal Act.

Led by McCloskey, attorney Eric Buescher, the Surfrider Foundation and surfing attorney Mark Massara, the lawsuit seeks to open the gates at Martin's Beach, allowing vehicle access.

Also at the protest was Rob "Birdlegs" Caughlan, former president of the Surfrider Foundation, and Mike Wallace, a Surfrider spokesman and coach of the Half Moon Bay High School surf team, fielding questions from media groups about the fight over public access to Martin's Beach, and why there’s now a lawsuit to force the property's secretive owner to reopen the road to the shore.

San Mateo County Sheriff's deputies were there but made no effort to arrest the protestors.

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