Surfers ecstatic over judge's decision to allow public access to beach

Thursday, September 25, 2014
SAN MATEO, Calif. (KGO) -- The gate blocking Martin's beach was still up Thursday morning despite a judge's ruling in their favor over access to a popular Half Moon Bay Beach.

That's less than 24 hours after a judge ruled Silicon Valley billionaire Vinod Khosla didn't have the necessary permit to put it up in the first place back in 2008.

A director for the Surf-Rider Foundation, which sued Khosla, says it's a great day.

"I hate to say this, but I think the word that's going through my head today is 'kowabunga!' it's a great feeling," said Rob "Birdlegs" Caughlan. "I feel like sometimes the American judicial system works just the way it's supposed to and that's the way I feel this morning."

The private road is now open to the public unless Khosla can get permission from the California Coastal Commission to close it off again.
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