Glenn Stockwell

Humboldt Baykeeper honored longtime Surfrider activist Glenn Stockwell at last year’s Baykeeper bash. I (Jennifer Savage) was honored to present the award to Glenn’s widow, Christina, and son Eric.

 

Glenn Stockwell

 

 

Here’s the gist:

Fishermen tell tales. Surfers love to talk story. Glenn Stockwell, being both, was no exception – thank goodness. I miss his stories. He had good ones… advice on the raising of teenagers, the best ways to sauté mushrooms, the experience of being a delegate, perfect waves, near misses, how to best fix the Shelter Cove breakwater and, well, just about everything else. He was not shy about his passions – or about protecting them.

I started surfing the same time I was in Glenn’s poly sci class at CR. It was a sort of perfect storm moment in which the workings of both the electoral college and the effect of north winds made sense. He retired a few years later, prompting my sympathy for those unfortunates who would never experience such a moment.

But while Glenn may have retired from enlightening College of the Redwoods students on the finer points of political science, a ride to the beach would nonetheless include insight into exactly what was wrong with Washington. Or Sacramento. Or the folks running certain parts of Humboldt County. He knew what he was talking about, having not only taught politics, but taken personal responsibility for fixing at least some of the world’s wrongs.

Glenn was a key player in Surfrider from the time he started surfing in 1989, serving as both chairman and vice-chairman on Surfrider’s National Board of Directors.

He was instrumental in the historic lawsuit that forced Louisiana-Pacific and Simpson to stop spewing pulp mill effluent directly offshore.

He negotiated an arrangement that sent the money from that settlement – at the time, the second largest penalty ever levied by the EPA under the Clean Water Act – to the Humboldt Area Foundation, where the interest continues to subsidize projects which seek to guarantee access, water quality, education, and improved marine and aquatic recreation in the Humboldt Bay region.

His love of the coast never abated. If the surf was good, Glenn would be on the water. And if the surf wasn’t good, Glenn – self-monikered as “old’n'cold” – would still be on the water: rowing the bay, chasing fish, piloting the Baykeeper boat… or laughing at the rest of us from Molokai each winter.

Glenn served as a skipper for Humboldt Baykeeper, organized beach and highway clean-ups, and continually set an example of how to do the right thing. The list of “What Glenn did” is a long one. He taught, he traveled, he had enough stories for a dozen men his age.

The short version is, he did good. He did good for the ocean and beaches and bay he loved. He did good for the people lucky enough to be in his life.

When Glenn passed away in January, a hole was left in the line-up. His sense of humor and righteousness, however, are still carried by all of us who knew him, all of us who seek to press on, inspired by the same passions, determined to protect them. A modest man, he was nonetheless proud of Surfrider’s accomplishments, of being part of Humboldt Baykeeper.

I am greatly honored to present, on Humboldt Baykeeper’s behalf, the Waterkeeper of the Year Award to Glenn Stockwell – and at this time ask his wife Christina and son Eric to join us on stage.