{"id":10746,"date":"2023-09-10T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-09-10T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/osiddevelopment.flywheelstaging.com\/oceanside-surf-history-csm\/"},"modified":"2025-02-12T11:13:57","modified_gmt":"2025-02-12T19:13:57","slug":"oceanside-surf-history-csm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/visitoceanside.org\/blog\/oceanside-surf-history-csm\/","title":{"rendered":"A Ride Through O’side Surf History"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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A Ride Through O’side Surf History<\/h2>
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Surfing culture is vibrant and alive in O\u2019side! The history surrounding the sport\u2019s lifestyle and uniqueness is spotlighted at none other than Oceanside\u2019s California Surf Museum<\/a> (CSM)! Since 1986, CSM has worked to preserve iconic surf memorabilia for visitors and locals alike to experience the joy, skill, culture, technique and entertainment of surfing, water sports and the ocean firsthand. The museum hosts rotating exhibits in addition to its signature historical timeline of surfboards, Bethany Hamilton\u2019s shark-bitten surfboard, the new Science of Surfing exhibition and MORE! While the exhibits explore the global influences that contributed to the sport of surfing, the museum also highlights local Oceanside surf stories and athletes. Get a taste of the historic O\u2019side surf scene with the epic throwback photos below archived by CSM Staff Historian Jane Schmauss.<\/p><\/div><\/div>

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\"California<\/div>
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California Surf Museum’s newest exhibit \u201cThe Science of Surfing<\/a>” is an eye-opening fun and informative addition to the museum that explores the many surprising connections between science and the advancement of modern surfing.<\/p>

This entertaining and educational display highlights wave energy, tides, types of surf breaks and conditions as well as custodianship of our oceans, which is explained through a series of charts, diagrams, photographs, art, and the use of video monitors. By blending history and science, the display covers a wide variety of information designed to engage all visitors, regardless of their familiarity with surfing.<\/p>

\u201cWhile modern science is forever looking for explanations of what goes on in the natural world, modern day surfers have been at the ready to apply this knowledge where they can in advancing in the art of riding waves,\u201d says CSM President Jim Kempton.<\/p>

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Surf Highlights<\/h2>
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Phil Edwards, who became the world\u2019s first professional surfer in the late 1960s, was raised in Oceanside and honed his considerable skills on the local beaches. In 1999 Surfer magazine featured him as one of the \u201c25 Most Influential Surfers of the Century.\u201d At thirteen Phil was part of the brand-new junior lifeguards program, and by age eighteen he was making and selling balsa wood surfboards out of his garage. His \u00ad\u00ad\u00adsuperb craftsmanship also extended to designing and building catamarans with a successful career with brand Hobie!<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Robert Lee \u201cBlack Mac\u201d McClendon was a San Diego local who shaped his first boards with balsa wood and eventually progressed to foam and fiberglass. His family is pictured along the Oceanside shoreline with Pacific Street in the background! Today, when you visit Oceanside beaches, Pacific Street is still an iconic coastal stretch you’ll often find surfers snagging a parking spot on before they head down to catch a wave! Even with decades gone by, the convenience, breaks and weather continue to attract phenomenal surfers and their families to Oceanside.\u00a0<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Having a surf shack on the beach was a hot idea in the late-1950s, and a group of teens decided to call themselves the Oceanside Surf Club. Overnight they constructed a wood-and-bamboo structure that would provide shade from the summer sun, support their sturdy longboards, and create a \u201cclubhouse\u201d vibe. Local authorities, however, ruled that the hut was a liability on city property, and it had to be torn down. Today the Oceanside Longboard Club maintains the surf club tradition and is an active participant in numerous community events.\u00a0<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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Surf Contest History<\/h2>
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Oceanside Longboard Contest<\/strong><\/a><\/p>

With waves shaped in part by its classic Pier on the Strand and by twin jetties at the Harbor, Oceanside has long been one of the top surf contest venues in Southern California. In the early 1980s the community-oriented Oceanside Longboard Surfing Club was formed and began a tradition that celebrated its 38th annual competition this summer. Save the Date for August 8-10th when many of the world\u2019s top longboarding men and women competed for trophies and enjoyed the family-friendly, two-day festivity at the Pier.<\/p>

World Bodysurfing Contest<\/strong><\/a><\/p>

Bodysurfers are a different breed. Give them a pair of swim fins and room to catch a wave, and they\u2019re happy as, well…seals and dolphins. Bodysurfing is one of the oldest, simplest, most playful water sports on the planet, no doubt inspired by watching our distant-cousin mammals frolic in the surf. In August, Oceanside will host the 48th annual World Bodysurfing Contest, bringing in over 300 top athletes to compete for titles and prizes in their respective categories.<\/p>

Nissan Super Girl Surf Pro<\/strong><\/a><\/p>

A crowd-packed, action-filled event held for several years at the iconic Pier, the SuperGirl Pro Series was launched in 2007 to showcase the top talent in women\u2019s action sports. It\u2019s a true celebration of female strength and camaraderie, bringing together many of the sport\u2019s established and rising stars in a team-based format. In 2020, Team California, featuring Lakey Peterson and Oceanside’s own Caity Simmers, secured the title in near-perfect surf conditions, and Caity, at age 14, became the youngest SuperGirl in the event\u2019s colorful history. Watch these Super Girls in action September, 2025.<\/p>

U.S. Open Adaptive Surfing Championship<\/strong><\/a><\/p>

Surfing is not an easy sport \u2013 right? It lifts you up, knocks you down, but you get back up and do it all over again. Now add a physical impairment or disability and there are multiple challenges to overcome. Adaptive surfers meet these challenges head-on and are an inspiration to all. They won\u2019t be held back. Catch these US Open pros on the waves September 4-7, 2025.<\/p><\/div>