Public Safety

Surfing (Or Not) In The Time Of Coronavirus

By Maureen Cavanaugh / KPBS Midday Edition Co-Host, Pat Finn / Producer

Published March 25, 2020 at 9:00 AM PDT

This story was published more than 4 years ago.

The parking lot at La Jolla shores is closed following orders from the city of San Diego in order to prevent spread of COVID-19, March 22, 2020.

As beaches in San Diego County close down, what's a dedicated surfer to do? And what kind of place is San Diego without its surfers?

For the next few weeks or maybe months, there will be no surfin' safaris. No California girls will go joy-riding in anyone's little deuce coupe, and good vibrations will be at a minimum.

Since Monday, most San Diego County beaches and their adjacent parking lots are closed until further notice.

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Over the weekend, San Diego County officials got a glimpse of the throngs of surfers and strollers enjoying the beaches on a beautiful day, pretty much rubbing elbows, and that was it.

But what now? A robust surfing culture has been part of San Diego life since before Brian Wilson was a baby. Surf shops and surf academies abound. Surfing legends like Skip Frye live here. Imperial Beach Mayor Serge Dedina surfs — when he can. Carlsbad City Council Member Cori Schumacher is a multiple-award winning surfer. There is a daily Surf Report from Scott Bass, which airs on KPBS.

Serge Dedina, Cori Schumacher, Scott Bass and Randy Strunk, owner of the Pacific Beach Surf Shop, join Midday Edition on Wednesday to talk about San Diego's surfing culture and how it is coping with closed beaches.

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Maureen Cavanaugh

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Maureen Cavanaugh has been a familiar voice for KPBS listeners for more than 15 years, serving in a variety of capacities including announcer, host, and producer. As host of KPBS Midday Edition, Maureen has interviewed a wide range of notables, such as comedienne Sandra Bernhardt, actor John Lequizamo, author Chuck Palahniuk, composer Marvin Hamlisch, artist Robert Irwin, and designer Zandra Rhodes. But of all the interviews Maureen has conducted, her most special was with His Holiness, the Dalai Lama. Before joining KPBS in 1997, she worked as a news anchor for KSDO and KOGO News Radio in San Diego. While working for commercial radio stations in San Diego and in Salt Lake City, Utah, Maureen reported on both hard news and lifestyle features. Maureen has received three "Golden Mike" awards from the Radio and TV News Association of Southern California for economic reporting and breaking news. She has also received a "Best of Show" and “Best Radio Newscast” awards from the San Diego Press Club and the "Flo" Award from Public Radio Program Directors Association for Best Public Radio Announcer in a large market. Maureen is a native of Queens, New York, but after more than 20 years in San Diego she feels she qualifies as a real Southern Californian.

What do you want to hear host Jade Hindmon talk about on Midday?

Pat Finn

Pat Finn previously served as a producer for KPBS Midday Edition and KPBS Evening Edition. Finn began her career in broadcasting at KTLA and KCET in Los Angeles. In 1979 she became KPBS’ Public Information Director, then Director of Advertising and Promotion, Program Director, and Director of Broadcasting. She oversaw the station’s local and national productions, including the one-hour documentary Los Romeros: The Royal Family of the Guitar, and Child Protective Services, a one-hour look inside the San Diego County agency responsible for the welfare of at risk children. Both programs also aired on public television stations nationwide. Finn has earned honors from the Society of Professional Journalists and the Pacific Southwest Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

See stories by Pat Finn