From Virginia to Georgia, the Southeast Surfrider chapters have been hard at work running beach cleanups, facilitating summer swim & surf camps, taking action to protect our coastlines, and so much more. Our chapters also celebrated International Surfing Day on June 20th and the Dirtiest Beach Day of the Year on July 5th! Curious to learn more about the work and impact of the Southeast Surfrider chapters this summer? Read on!
Southeast Program Updates
Core to the mission of the Surfrider Foundation are our volunteer led programs which turn action into impact. Here is a glimpse of 4 programs which made a big splash this summer in the Southeast:
Beach Cleanup Program
Surfrider beach cleanups bring volunteers together to remove trash from our shoreline and build a strong community of coastal advocates. Every cleanup also contributes valuable citizen science data which helps us identify the most common pollutants reaching our beaches and advocate for plastic reduction policies which tackle these pollutants at the source. This summer, Southeast chapters removed over 300 pounds of litter—that’s a lot of debris saved from entering our ocean and waterways!
Blue Water Task Force
Did you know that we have 2 Blue Water Task Force (BWTF) labs in the Southeast that monitor water quality throughout the year in Virginia and Cape Fear? BWTF volunteers test local water quality to help keep our beaches safe for swimming, surfing, and enjoying the ocean. By collecting and sharing water quality data, volunteers help fill gaps in existing monitoring efforts and record data which helps us better understand the health of our waterways. Before your next beach day, check-out our BWTF map to view the water quality near you!
Ocean Friendly Restaurants
Our The Ocean Friendly Restaurants (OFR) program brings together local restaurants committed to reducing single-use plastics and making more sustainable choices. Through simple, practical changes like reducing single-use foodware and eliminating polystyrene and plastic bags, restaurants can both help decrease demand for plastic products and single-use plastic pollution. This summer, our Southeast volunteers worked to add/renew 24 restaurants into the program including all 3 dining halls at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. Check-out a map of OFRs here!
All in the Water
The Cape Fear Chapter celebrated their fifth year collaborating with local groups to put on the ALL (Aquatic Love and Learning) in the Water program. Surfrider is committed to making the ocean accessible, for all. This program puts that commitment into action by working to address historical inequities that have kept marginalized communities from safely enjoying local waterways through increasing water and beach accessibility. The ALL in the Water program offers free swim lessons, lifeguard certification, surf instruction, kayak eco-education, and ocean-related career pathways, overall helping participants to build confidence, skills, and a deeper connection to the water. Learn more here!
Southeast Campaign Updates: How We Took Action
This summer, our Southeast chapters have been working hard on two large campaigns: coastal armoring and seabed mining. Check-out a recap of these two campaigns below:
Protect North Carolina Coasts from Coasts from Coastal Armoring
Surfrider members and volunteers across North Carolina have been taking action to protect the coast by telling their senator to oppose a harmful new bill. Coastal erosion is a major problem in North Carolina and across the Southeast. North Carolina has long acknowledged that hardened structures are not appropriate solutions to coastal erosion issues, banning them in 2003 through the Coastal Area Management Act (CAMA). The ban passed because alterations from hard structures cause increased erosion for neighboring beaches. In other words, hard structures move coastal erosion problems elsewhere, creating winners and losers instead of long-term solutions. In April 2026, the North Carolina General Assembly put forth Senate Bill 1009 to repeal this ban. As erosion issues accelerate in areas like the Outer Banks, it is imperative that this ban stays in place and sustainable solutions are explored. Learn more and take action today!
Protect the Eastern Seaboard from Harmful Seabed Mining
Hundreds of Surfrider members and volunteers up and down the East Coast took action to prevent seabed mining off of Virginia’s coast by submitting a public comment. On June 23rd, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announced it was opening a public comment period on an unsolicited proposal from Odyssey Marine Exploration to conduct offshore mining for metals and phosphates off the coast of Virginia. Seabed mining is the industrial-scale prospecting for metals and other minerals along the ocean floor. BOEM invited public feedback on potential mining across 2,764 square miles (an area of ocean larger than Delaware) for an extended 60-day comment period ending on August 22nd, 2026. Seabed mining off the coast of Virginia presents serious economic and environmental concerns for the Eastern Seaboard and begs a question of which waters might be next. Learn more here!
What's coming up next in the Southeast?!
Summer may be coming to close but our chapters still have volunteer opportunities for you! This fall, many of our chapters will be celebrating International Coastal Cleanup Day on September 19th, Surfrider Climate Week the first week of October, and Ocean Friendly Restaurant Month for the entire month of October. Find your local chapter today to stay in the loop about upcoming volunteer opportunities and ways to take action. Additionally, many of our chapters are looking for volunteer leaders to join their chapter Executive Committees. Interested in learning more? Check-out your local chapter website today!