Thank you.
The Coalition Summit was a spectacular reminder of what’s truly important for this work: community.
The past year was undeniably challenging for many of us, yet to bring people from around the world to sit together, laugh together, think together, learn together, and commit together…it makes one thing crystal clear: we are not alone.
The places we love may be threatened, but the biggest threat to our success is isolation. Building a community can be hard, but it’s always worth it. Our Coalition is a place where everyone belongs and everyone is committed to protect the people and places they care about. I believe the Summit reminded us of this important, underlying fact, and empowered us with the inspiration and tools to go forward and keep making a difference.
I look forward to continuing to support you all as we scale up the Coalition and our shared impact. Together, we can meet these very challenging moments and pursue our collective vision to protect the places we love for future generations.
The power of the Coalition is stronger than ever. This network is unique, and we are here to offer support for each other in the challenges ahead. As we grow, please keep in touch and let us know how we can best support you.
Thank you all for being our coalition,
Nik
INFO and LINKS
RESOURCES
Click here or the button below for the official Resources Page with all documents, reports and studies discussed at the Summit.
Documents include: Best Practices Guide, Surf Break Vulnerability Report, Surfonomics Studies, and so much more.
PHOTOS
Click here or the button below to view and download the complete photo album.
Photos were captured by Lo Frentz. All photos are available to both view and download via Dropbox.
NOTES
Click here or the button below for the typed notes from the Breakout Groups and our Collective Takeaways.
Notes include the inspiration takeaways collected during our last session, as well as the interactive notes from the 3 Breakout Groups: 1) Our California Backyard 2) Legal in LATAM 3) Reserves and Campaigns.
ABOUT THE SUMMIT:
This year’s Coalition Summit will take place at The Dream Inn in the heart of the Santa Cruz World Surfing Reserve and hometown to STW’s headquarters.
This is a 3-day event (2 half days and 1 full day) with an additional celebration dinner on the night of October 9th. The bulk of the event will be focused on speakers, workshops and lesson-sharing panels on the ongoing efforts to protect surf ecosystems globally.
When: October 8 - 10, 2025
- October 8: Summit Welcome Day & Dinner
- October 9: Summit Day with Evening Dinner
- October 10: Half Day Summit and Wrap
Where: Santa Cruz, CA
- The Dream Inn, 175 W Cliff Dr, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
WHAT: OUR GOALS
- Share lessons on protected areas, stewardship and campaigns
- Launch new tools and initiatives to support partners
- Build our collective vision to protect 1000 waves by 2030
TICKETS & ACCESS
Want to attend the 2025 Coalition Summit? Tickets for the ‘Full Summit’, ‘One Day Summit’ or ‘Dinner Only’, are still available and can be purchased online.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
ARRIVAL TIMES
FULL EVENT
"I’m attending the full 3-day event from October 8 - 10th"
If staying at The Dream Inn: Hotel check-in is at 4:00PM on October 8th.
Meet Save The Waves for event registration and Welcome Orientation at 5:00PM at Jack’s Patio, followed by Happy Hour and Dinner.
SUMMIT DAY
"I’m attending the summit day on the 9th"
You may arrive as early as 8:00AM for event registration to enjoy coffee and breakfast. Please arrive no later than 8:30AM for registration as the program will begin at 9:00AM.
EVENING
"I’m attending the dinner celebration on the 9th"
Please arrive by 5:30PM at Jack’s Patio at The Dream Inn on Thursday, October 9th for welcome and Happy Hour! Dinner begins at 6:30PM.
VENUE AND MEAL NOTICES
- If you haven’t already, let us know if you have a dietary restriction or food allergy as soon as possible at paige@savethewaves.org
- Please leave your pets at home
- No smoking on property
BEFORE THE EVENT
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
This is a casual event! Please pack and dress comfortably.
Santa Cruz can still be quite chilly in October, especially if you are acclimated to warmer weather. Please consider packing for cooler temperatures in the evenings and mornings. That said, the marine layer can blow off and we can have warmth and sunshine, too!
- Socks / shoes / sandals
- Light windbreaker
- Layers for transitioning temperatures through the day
- Puffy jacket
- Towel for beach
- Sunglasses
- Water bottle and coffee thermos
- Swimsuit
- Wetsuit (and booties) for surfing
Ride Share Information: If you’re flying into SFO or SJC and would like to ride share, we’ve created a Google Doc Here where you can add your arrival and departure times along with your contact info. Take a look, add your details, and feel free to connect with others ahead of the event!
Transportation from SFO or SJC to Santa Cruz
- https://www.santacruzshuttles.com/
- Early Bird Airport Shuttle
- Paradise Transportation
- Lyft or Uber
- If there is more than one of you attending, a rental car might be a cheaper option.
When you arrive and register on October 8th, you will check into your room via the front counter. You can tell the host that you are attending Save The Waves’ Coalition Summit event.
Please note: most attendees will be paired and sharing a room with a fellow Summit attendee. Both attendees need to check-in and receive their own room key. The first person to check in for the room will need to put down a credit card. It will be charged a $200 incidental fee but will be reimbursed when you check out. You will not be charged for any other expenses. This card cannot be charged by the room and, equally, the room cannot make charges to Save The Waves.
If you made your own reservations directly through Dream Inn, you will also check in at the front counter.
What if I arrive at The Dream Inn early due to my travel schedule?
If you arrive well before 3:30PM on October 8th, you can still go to the front counter and ask the host to hold your luggage for you.
LODGING: Considering staying overnight? Please make your reservation through The Dream Inn: you can mention that you are with “Save The Waves”. Please note that we cannot guarantee accommodation at this time as an individual guest, so please call as soon as possible once you know you’ll be staying overnight.
All meals are covered under your ticket registration! Starting from dinner on the 8th to lunch on the 10th, food and beverages will be available and catered, including our Happy Hours.
How is food handled for allergies / dietary restrictions?
The Dream Inn will have placards / labels on all the food and handle the typical allergies / dietary restrictions (gluten free, vegetarian, vegan).
If you have a dietary restriction and haven’t notified STW, please let us know. Contact Paige at paige@savethewaves.org as soon as possible.
Local Santa Cruz Transportation:
- B Cycle
- Santa Cruz Metro
- Lyft + Uber
Restaurants:
- De la Hacienda
- Steamer Lane Supply
- Picnic Basket
- Pacific Point Market
- Abbott Square Market
- Olitas Cantina and Grille
Additional Hotels: (also walking distance to the Dream Inn)
Thank you to our supporters and sponsors!
Special thank you to Clara Mokri @claramokriphoto, Ryan 'Chachi' Craig @chachfiles, and Uncle Mickey for our 2023 Summit photos.
