About 650 clothing executives, surfers and others were on hand for the annual Waterman’s Ball and Auction, held earlier this month at the Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel in Dana Point. The event was put on by the Aliso Viejo-based Surf Industry Manufacturers Association and raised money for the trade group’s SIMA Environmental Fund. This year’s ball and golf tournament raised more than $400,000 for environmental groups focused on preserving oceans and other waterways. Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an environmental lawyer, received SIMA’s Environmentalist of the Year award. Al Merrick, a surfboard shaper at Santa Barbara’s Channel Islands Surfboards, was honored with a Lifetime Achievement award. On hand were Paul Naude, president of Irvine-based Billabong USA and SIMA advisory board member, and Kelly Slater, a professional surfer sponsored by Huntington Beach-based Quiksilver Inc.
Photos below (click to enlarge)
