Where “it” all began – it being surfing.

Santa Cruz, California

I had read that Santa Cruz is where surfing began in North America. The Polynesians are credited with starting the sport of standing on a surf board although many cultures had body surfed. But Hawaii is responsible for exporting the sport to North America and specifically to Santa Cruz. In 1885, three Hawaiian princes went to San Mateo, California for boarding school, and while there they surfed in their free time at Santa Cruz. They used custon-shaped surf boards made from redwood boards. Imagine how heavy they must have been compared to the boards they use today.

Today I headed to Santa Cruz and hoped to see some surfing for myself. And that I did, and much more. Santa Cruz is what you think of when you think of California. Surf, sand, sun and fun. It’s two industries are tourism and education. Tourism is of course pretty dead on a Tuesday in November, making it easy for me to get around and stop where I wanted.

First of all there is the Wharf, which was originally the only place in Monterey Bay to moor or launch a boat with a v-shaped hull which couldn’t be safely beached. The boats had to be brought up onto the dock using rigs to raise or lower the boats, and they still use that method today for the rental boats you find there. Now shops and restauants line the wharf.

It was on the wharf where I stopped for lunch today at a restaurant at the very tip called “Dolphin on the Wharf”. I had an excellent breaded white fish called “sand dabs”, with a great fresh salad and chowder. I’m sure it was overpriced, but you couldn’t beat the location. They have an outdoor deck which was just glorious in the sunshine. I have to say that my senses were on overload. First there were the fabulous sights from the pier, the smell and feel of the ocean breezes, and the tastes of lunch, but it was the sounds that were overwhelming. There was the Beach Boys music which provided nice context, and then there were the ubiquitous gulls circling and screeching overhead, and then on top of all that were the seals or sea lions (I can never remember which is which but I’m pretty sure these were seals), loafing on the pier pilings adding their barks to the cacophany.

After lunch I sat for a time, on a bench on the wharf reading my tourist books in the warm sun, then I headed north on the cliff drive to watch the surfers in action. I have seen surfers before, but today I found it totally mesmerizing. I got talking to some of the young “dudes” whose buddies were in the water, and they explained a bunch of the logistics of surfing to me. How to get in and out of the water without getting killed on teh rocks, how to let someone know you’re going to take the wave, which waves to take, etc. I’m not sure how they really felt about talking to some old broad about it but they seemed pretty keen to share. I spent an hour and a half at various look out points along the cliff drive and then headed downtown to check it out.

The downtown is a mix of old and new and appears to be quite vibrant, perhaps because of the university campus nearby. There are a fare number of art deco buildings among the new, and along the beach and into town there are some old Victorians that have been turned into B&Bs.

And there is a huge O’Neill Surf Shop. I’m sure you’re familiar with the O’Neill brand of bathing suits, wetsuit, etc. That brand was started by American Jack O’Neill who is credited with the invention of the wetsuit and it’s many variations. He open one of the first surf shops in San Francisco in 1952 and the moved down the coast to Santa Cruz by the end of the 1950’s. He sold the rights to the trade mark in the 80’s but started a NFP to provide hands on teaching about the relationship betwen oceans and the environment called O’Neill Sea Odyssey. In fact, I saw one of their catamaran’s in the bay this afternoon. Jack O’Neill is now 92 and since 1959 has resided on beachfront property in Santa Cruz.

I didn’t yet mention the Boardwalk. There is a historic amusement park on the boardwalk next to the wharf that is only open on weekends in the winter so it was closed today. But it looks like a fun place and it houses a couple of rides that are on the National Historic Landmark listings. The Giant Dipper, a roller coaster open since 1924 and small by today’s standards but still a huge draw, and a carousel from 1911 with 73 hand carved wooden horses.