Trestles to TJ Paddle with Purpose

SUP board Ambassador and former pro surfer Jodie Nelson, has supplied six 14' Surftech Bark Dominator Boards.

SAN DIEGO, California - Below the Surface and Paddle with Purpose, two non-profit organizations based in San Diego, CA and Orange County, CA will be embarking on their First Annual Trestles to TJ Paddle. They will go from the mouth of the San Mateo Creek, which feeds the world renowned surf breaks at Trestles on the San Diego-San Clemente Border, over 70 miles down the coastline to the Tijuana River at the US/Mexico border. 

15 paddlers from a variety of organizations including Below the Surface, the SUP Spot, the Mission Continues, National Geographic Young Explorers, the Eco Warrior Project, SUP Core, Expedition 1000, Red I Nation, Namaste SUP and endurance athlete Ryan Levinson are coming together for this inaugural event. Trestles to TJ is meant to draw attention to the impact of riverine water pollution on the coastline, and is the official launch of the RiverviewMobile App which is part of Below the Surface's Riverview Project, or "Google’s Streetview for Rivers". 

The Trestles to TJ paddle started on July 21st 2012 and will end on July 28th 2012. Paddlers will launch and finish at the mouth of 7 rivers where they meet the ocean, including the San Mateo Creek, Batiquitos Lagoon, San Dieguito River Mouth, La Jolla Cove Marine Protected Area, San Diego River, the Silver Strand side of theSweetwater River and the Tijuana River. Paddlers will be accompanied by chase boats provided by Hess GenInc and Oceanforce Foundation. 

Below the Surface takes a collaborative approach on its projects that help strengthen the riverine and marine ecosystems. On the Trestles to TJ paddle, long time partner & supporter Paddle with Purpose, run by Stand Up Paddle board Ambassador and former pro surfer Jodie Nelson, has generously supplied six 14' Surftech Bark Dominator Stand Up Paddle Boards and six Quickblade Paddles for the team. "Paddle with Purpose is all about empowering other non-profits and every day people to raise awareness for worthy causes through the sport of Stand Up Paddling. This is exactly what we are doing through our collaboration with Below the Surface,” said MsNelson. “The Below the Surface team is an educated group of people working hard to not only raise awarenessof the problems in our watersheds and oceans, but they are getting out there and offering up solutions! I am excited to see Trestles to TJ become a yearly pilgrimage as a celebration of our waterways."

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has worked closely with Below the Surface to develop the Riverview Mobile App, particularly to include information about the health of waterways. “EPA is excited to work with Below the Surface on this expedition and the technology for the Riverview Mobile App,” said NancyStoner, Acting Assistant Administrator for EPA’s Office of Water. “Empowering and engaging citizens is absolutely essential to clean water in this country, and the Riverview App is a fantastic tool for spurring grassrootsstewardship of our rivers, lakes and coastal waters.”

For more information about the Trestles to TJ paddle, Riverview Mobile App or Below the Surface, please contact Jared Criscuolo at Jared@belowthesurface.org.

**Below the Surface is a non-profit organization dedicated to the exploration of and education about the issues surrounding water.It is focused on identifying the issue – water pollution, and field testing economically feasible ways to recycle waste water.

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