http://www.theinertia.com/surf/nigh...-southern-california-sewage-treatment-plants/ And we are the most advanced nation in history....? The human virus continues to destroy the oceans, the other species, the planet...at an exponential pace.
If you surf Imperial Beach or 3M's (down by San Miguel, Baja) on the reg, you've got nothing to worry about. This has actually been going on for years. I remember when Tijuana's raw sewage flowed into IB unabated for decades. Finally, San Diego managed a coalition with the U.S. and Mexican governments to build a state-of-the-art treatment facility on the Mexican side. As you probably already guessed, 2 things happened: 1) By the time the treatment plant was built, it was already practically obsolete. Sewage problems were not discernibly lowered...but that may also have to do with the people (ahem) that were operating it, and 2) Mexico never paid their end of the bargain...again. The Tijuana River Slough (ever heard of Tijuana Sloughs?) was once one of the most toxic estuaries in North America. Maybe it's gotten better, or maybe the government is just doing a better job of covering everything up. Can't begin to tell you all about surfing 3M's. For one, it's the spill point for a huge Mexican seafood cannery...so the filth is only limited to your imagination. Surfed there once with perfect 2'-3' peaks when no other place in Baja Norte was breaking. My eyes burned like welding flash burns while paddling out. Sitting in the lineup, I couldn't see my knees while sitting on my bort, due to the total brown murkiness. I was alone...sharkiest feeling I've ever had in my surfing experience. This stuff happens pretty much every winter in SoCal, but it seems like the El Nino years really kick it up to "next level" $hit.
