Video: Surfer Fined for Digging Standing Wave in Laguna Beach

Originally posted on SURFER | By Dashel Pierson | Last updated 2/10/24

Surfers and skimboarders are embroiled in a battle with the city of Laguna Beach.

The issue in question? Aliso Beach, a popular skimboarding wave and occasional heavy shorebreak spot for surfers, and particularly, the creek along the sand that creates a standing wave when it breaks – naturally or by human intervention.

But the city doesn’t want surfers or skimmers digging out the creek. So much so that they’re issuing citations for it. Hence the below.

@solaglocal
THIS WHOLE VIDEO IS INSANE…‍♂️ …TIKTOK DO WHAT YOU DO.. / I got a ticket for digging a HOLE- NOT A TRENCH OR DIGGING IN A LINE .... This better be dismissed …She even said it was Ok multiple times and said she was going to give me a warning “advisel” but said it was ok to keep digging! - then got upset when i was explaining what i was doing and she tried to interrupt me but i was politely explaining what i was doing. SIGN MY PETITION - LINK IN BIO - This is what is going to happen of they try to make it illegal to dig this creek out. ABSOLUTELY INSANE! Ive never recived any tickets here in town ever.. my first one is digging a hole at the beach. When i wasnt even doing that. #SoLagLocal #ParKRanger #NotCops #Cops #Police #Security #Viralvideos #Vidal
♬ Crickets and water sounds of summer night - Takeshi Shono

“What’s this citation for?” Greg Viviani, aka SoLagLocal, says in the video above.

“Digging a hole,” replies the officer.

One commenter on the video, sarcastically, wrote:

"Do they also give tickets for sand castles?!"

In response to city intervention regarding the creek, the standing wave, and digging out the channel for the water to flow, Viviani and local activists have created a petition. “Stop useless laws about Aliso Creek!” the petition states.

Here’s more:

“Laguna Beach City Council is trying to make it a law to be illegal for board riders or the public to dig out the sand berm in order to make a wave to ride or sandbar.

“They are saying it is Polluting the Ocean. The digging of the sand berm is something that is going to happen regardless either by the city public works or more often than not by natural causes. This breaking of the berm by humans is literally expediting the inevitable as stated earlier.

“And one would think that the longer the creek stays stagnant and not flowing the more chances of bacteria build up and little kids playing in that bacteria filled water will happen.

“This regulation being drafted by Laguna Beach City Council will be useless and a waste of local resources and money.”

This is a developing story; stay tuned.

This article first appeared on SURFER and was syndicated with permission.

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