Commotion by the Ocean

The event: Ninth Waterman’s Ball, the Surf Industry Manufacturers Assn.’s big night out, at the Ritz-Carlton in Dana Point. The association staged the gala Friday to honor surf legends and raise money for ocean preservation.

*

Surf & Turf: More than 900 party-goers, many of them surf legends and local surf industry executives, gathered outside the hotel on a bluff overlooking the ocean in time for a spectacular sunset. The location pleased those who had attended past balls at landlocked hotels. “It’s good to be in an ocean setting again,” said Susan Crank, ball chairwoman and the association’s environmental fund president. “We’re back to our roots.”

In keeping with their roots, guests sported a hybrid of beach and evening wear, mixing board shorts, sarongs, Hawaiian shirts and flip-flops with tuxedos, vintage smoking jackets and slinky summer gowns. After bidding on collectible surfboards and other memorabilia at a silent auction, they enjoyed a buffet dinner and danced the night away to the B-Side Players.

*

Da Bull: Greg Noll, legendary big-wave rider, received the association’s Waterman Achievement Award.

“I think they got the wrong guy,” joked Noll, sporting a Hawaiian shirt and a lei of red roses. They didn’t.

Noll (“Da Bull”) braved massive swells in Hawaii, and in 1969 he rode what spectators considered to be the largest wave ever surfed. He rode his first board at age 11 after watching a group of surfers by the Manhattan Beach pier. “I looked at them and decided this is what I wanted to do all of my life.”

Now 61, Noll lives in Crescent City and still surfs now and then, “if I can find a little corner where I won’t embarrass myself.” Noll was joined by wife Laura, son Jed, daughter Ashlyne and childhood friend Mike Stange.

*

Bottom line: The event netted more than $200,000, to be shared among four environmental groups: the American Oceans Campaign, which lobbies Congress for clean water protection legislation; the Surfrider Foundation, a grass-roots organization dedicated to ecological conservation, research and education; the Orange County Marine Institute, for its environmental science education; and the Hidden Harbor Marine Environmental Project Inc., a Florida-based center that treats sick and injured sea turtles.

*

Quote: “Everyone here has such strong ties to the ocean,” Crank said. “We understand that a stressed ecosystem threatens people everywhere.”

*

Faces: Kelly Slater, who received the association’s first surfer of the year award for winning five world surf championships; Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard, SIMA’s environmentalist of the year; actor Ted Danson, president of the American Oceans Campaign; surf champion Mark Richards of Australia, who presented the award to Slater; women’s surf champion Lisa Andersen; Pierce Flynn, Harry Helling, Peter Townend, Bob McKnight, Bob Hurley, Rochelle Ballard, Tim Curran and Taylor Knox.

*

How to help: For more information about the manufacturers association call: (714) 248-7485.