5 Ways for Surfers to Save Gas Money

With gas at an average of $4.71 a gallon in San Diego County, commuters, and especially surfers, are scrambling to reduce their fuel consumption.

Surfers waste gas while driving non-stop coastal loops in search of the best waves and let their vehicle idle endlessly during street end or beach parking lot surf checks.

Surfers love their gas guzzling, bro-dude monster surf mobiles that boost macho core-scores, but put a strain on bank accounts and produce smog alerts.

A fair share of surfers pack their quiver in the back of a lifted 4x4 F-350 crew cab, which makes sense when hauling a trailer filled with sand toys to the desert, but not so much when it comes to driving a mile to the beach.

There are, however, some creative and innovative ways to save fuel, the planet and money in order to arrive at the beach for a surf.

Although for some conservatives "conservation" is a dirty word, for this old-school cheapo, anything that directs less of my paycheck to the monolithic retrograde oil industry and all the dictators who love to sell us petroleum (e.g. Hugo Chavez), it's a good thing.

Trade in Your Gas Guzzler

For everyone who bought their mega-truck on zero percent financing and now pays $170 to fill the gas tank, run to your nearest auto dealer and trade it in for a hybrid or electric vehicle. My Honda hybrid averages about 40 MPG and it fits four groms. With the money I save on gas, I can afford to buy the groms tacos at Rubio's after a run to Black's. If the groms don't like your new wheels with less leg room, make them hitchhike.

Carpool

You know that really mean and grumpy silverback who screams at you everyday in the lineup even though you’ve surfed together for more than 20 years and live down the street from him? Well, next time he lovingly blasts you with an insult, pitch him on a carpool.

As in, “Hey bro—look I know surfing makes you incomprehensibly angry, but why don’t I ease your pain by joining you on the beach commute and we’ll share some tasty waves together?”

Paint a picture of all the fun you’ll have and even offer to let him slap you around in front of his crew for spilling Yerba Mate on his ride. So make some new friends, save some money and bring peace and joy to your spot by bringing carpooling to your lineup.

Recover a Bike from the Trash and Ride it to the Beach

I come from a long-line of hardened dumpster divers, or what eco-hipsters now call “freegans.” As a grom, my crew and I roamed the streets salvaging bikes, surfboards, wetsuits and anything else that could propel us to the beach and in the water (no one in IB had any money in the 70s).

I continue that tradition with my kids and often depend on the largesse of my 80-year old immigrant father—the Freegan King of California—for a parade of old bicycles we’ve cobbled together as urban surf machines (my kids' first line of bikes proudly emerged from a dumpster run—we fixed them up together).

I’m currently cruising a 80s’ Schwinn 10-speed girl’s beach cruiser that my father either liberated from the street or found very cheap at a garage sale that I’ve outfitted with Carver Surf Racks (that cost more than all of our bikes combined), and a big basket. 

No more parking problems, and I burn a few more calories during my daily surf commute. The Trestles locals are the fittest surfers in California and seem to have bike rack and trailer systems down. I have noticed more people switching to bike surf commutes in the past month than ever before.

So search the streets and alleys of your local millionaire laden beach town (La Jolla is gold) and enjoy the gifts of our throwaway consumer society in order to save money, get in shape and improve air quality.

Take the Bus

The Southern California coastal region is chock filled with trolleys, trains and buses. A monthly pass costs anywhere from $72 for adults to $18 for seniors. So go ahead and make a few friends while swinging your longboard around the bus during the morning beach commute. Last year my kids and their friend Jake caught the ferry, two buses and the Coaster from Imperial Beach to San Clemente in order to spend a few days surfing Lowers, and it only took five hours one way. Time is money and since no one seems to have any money, spend your time wisely, meet new people, and cruise to the waves in our wonderful transit system.

Stop Surfing

Your significant other and mom are correct—surfing in an incredibly selfish and self-centered sport that accomplishes very little and interferes with your job, life and relationships. So nix surfing, reduce your overhead, and spend more time at home with your spouse and children. Who knows, they might even remember who you are.

Whether or not you're a surfer, what do you do to avoid high gas costs? Please share in comments.

Serge Dedina is executive director of WiLDCOAST, an international conservation team that conserves coastal and marine ecosystems and wildlife. He is the author of Wild Sea and Saving the Gray Whale.