A key part of the conference experience was being immersed in surfing and ocean conservation culture in an authentic and respectful way. The Dream Inn venue honors surfing’s heritage in Santa Cruz with the Jack O’Neill Lounge named after the legend and founder of O’Neill wetsuits. The Santa Cruz Surfing History Museum led a walking tour from the Dream Inn to the museum at Steamer Lane to showcase the city’s rich surfing history and talk about the replica ‘Olo’ redwood surfboards shaped by local iconic shaper, Bob Pearson, which were featured along the walls of the conference room. These surfboards hold special significance as they honor the boards ridden by three Hawaiian Princes in Santa Cruz in 1885 as the first demonstration of surfing in the Americas. The GWC held a paddle out to close out the event and Hawaiian surfer and scientist, Cliff Kapono, performed a mele oli ceremony on the 17’ olo to bring the experience full circle. (Photo: Nikki Brooks)