Emerald Keepers of the Month: Blue Wave Coronado, The Seaside Ryde Coronado Surf Lessons, and Visitor Coffee Roasters

Blue Wave Coronado, The Seaside Ryde Coronado Surf Lessons, and Visitor Coffee Roasters hosted a community cleanup on Saturday, October 21.

Blue Wave Coronado owner, Jan Baker Searfus, moved along the top of the rocks with her young boys and their friends pulling out trash people had intentionally stuffed in the rocks rather than using the trash and recycle bins along Ocean Blvd. “Join us for some coffee,” she said with an easy smile pointing to a tent on the beach behind the lifeguard tower.  She wouldn’t be finished collecting trash for another 30 minutes.

Ryan Wamhoff, owner of The Seaside Ryde Coronado Surf Lessons explained, “Jan and myself are big advocates for the ocean. Coronado has had a rough run this past year and we wanted to get a little community involvement and some camaraderie going.”

The vibe among those cleaning the beach was happy, and the full buckets and bags of trash provided a sense of accomplishment.

As people finished cleaning the beach, they made their way to the tent for muffins and fruit. They were treated to coffee provided by Visitor Coffee Roasters in mugs from all three businesses. The gathering was reminiscent of a laidback surf competition and its contingent of people who love the ocean and care for it.

Visitor Coffee Roasters owner, Will Holder, said his coffee is sustainably sourced and sold in biodegradable, compostable bags. After only a few minutes of chatting, it was obvious that sustainability was important to him and fully incorporated into his product line. 

The gathering helped raise awareness about trash and plastic on our beaches and provided a sense of community working together to protect the health of our ocean. Their banner said it all, “Save our ocean.”

In organizing the event — as well dedicating time, resources, and labor to clean Coronado beach — Blue Wave Coronado, The Seaside Ryde Coronado Surf Lessons, and Visitor Coffee Roasters went above and beyond and are recognized as Emerald Keepers of the Month. Thank you, Jan Baker Searfus, Ryan Wamhoff, and Will Holder.