Navy Makes Waves, Then Relents : Compromise: The military has lifted its surfing ban at strip of sand in Seal Beach that is well-known to locals, who hike in from half a mile away.

For 20 years, the unspoiled and uncrowded strip of beach at the mouth of Anaheim Bay was a secluded surfing paradise for Sean Collins.

Sandwiched anonymously between Surfside and the Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station, the beach has long been a favorite spot for local surfers such as Collins willing to hike in the sand for more than half a mile to enjoy the big waves and a peaceful, litter-free environment.

But that harmony was shattered in August when armed Navy guards began enforcing a ban on surfing and fishing at the beach, which is part of the weapons station. Collins, 40, was in the water with his 9-year-old son when they were confronted by several Navy guards who ordered them on shore and off the beach.

“It was an extreme shock. I’ve been surfing here for years without any trouble,” said Collins, a Seal Beach resident and owner of Surfline/Wavetrak, a surf-forecasting firm. “It really hit me when my son said: ‘You learned to surf here. Why can’t I?’ ”

The sudden surfing ban had other beach-goers asking the same question. Unsatisfied with the Navy’s answers, the surfers banded together in protest, enlisting the help of the national Surfrider Foundation. After a meeting with Navy brass two weeks ago, both sides agreed on a compromise that allows surfers to ride the waves once again.

From the Navy’s point of view, the whole conflict had to do with protecting surfers’ safety. The ban was prompted by fears that rough waves could send surfers crashing into the nearby rock jetty, causing serious injuries and liability problems for the Navy, said Lt. Cmdr. Cris Shattuck.

“It’s an isolated area . . . and it’s not typically manned” by lifeguards or Navy personnel, he said. “If there was an accident on the rocks, it would be difficult to get help over there quickly.”

Shattuck contended that the area has always been off-limits to the public. But over the years, civilians have broken through a chain-link fence that blocks beach access and removed the “no trespassing” signs for use as barbecue grills and table tops.

The surfing prohibition was also a security measure designed to protect the base’s stockpile of weapons and ammunition that, if not faithfully guarded, “could fall into the wrong hands,” Shattuck said.

The surfers expressed respect for the Navy’s desire to protect its arsenal but said they couldn’t understand how surfing on a beach far from the center of the base constituted a security risk.

As for the safety concerns, opponents of the ban pointed out that the tide flows away from the jetty, making it unlikely that surfers would be thrust onto the rocks.

In any case, surfers complained that the Navy was far too abrupt in carrying out the ban.

“The locals were sure mad. This was quite a change in policy,” said Gordon LaBedz, a Seal Beach surfer and member of the city’s Beaches Commission. “You have surfers who have been there for 20 years and suddenly a guy with a gun is harassing you and saying you can’t.”

In hopes of getting the Navy to soften its position, LaBedz began talks with base officials. Two weeks ago, the two sides met. Aiding the surfers was the local chapter of the Surfrider Foundation, an environmental group concerned with public access to beaches, among other issues.

What emerged from the meeting was a set of rules that all sides said they can live with.

Surfers are now allowed back in the water, but only if they stay at least 50 feet away from the jetty. Fishing remains prohibited. Surfers are allowed to walk along the shoreline on the wet part of the sand, but are asked to keep off of the dry part.

These rules are stated on a sign posted on the sand that bears the logos of both the Navy and Seal Beach as well as that of the Surfrider Foundation.

“It gives the sign some validity for some of the younger riders who wouldn’t respect the Seal Beach and Navy (logos) but will respect Surfrider,” LaBedz said.

The new rules conform with surfing guidelines at other coast-side military bases, including Camp Pendleton in San Diego County and Vandenberg Air Force Base near Santa Barbara, LaBedz said.

A day of good surf could attract several dozen people to the beach, where the nearby jetty sometimes doubles the size of waves. The quality of the surf varies, but Collins said: “When it’s good, it’s great.”

The beach itself is somewhat hidden behind Surfside, a gated community just south of Anaheim Bay. Parking is more than half a mile away and the only way to get there is by walking along the sand.

As a result, it is less popular than nearby Sunset Beach--something that suits some surfers just fine.

“It’s off the beaten track,” Collins said. “It’s very pristine.”