“IT ’S LIK E THE M A FI A . ONCE YOU ’RE IN, YOU ’RE IN. THERE’S NO G E T TING OU T.”
K ELLY SL ATER
QUIVER: SURF CULTURE IS ALL ABOUT THE SURF culture. NOT the sport of surfing itself, but the culture surrounding it. Their are two sections to this publication: The Past, and The Present. These two sections will give you a brief overview of what the surf culture started as, and where it has come too. Hopefully this book inspires you to go out and experience the culture for yourself. The culture is about adventuring, being yourself, and not caring what other people think about you. Explore who you are in the ocean. Surfing is NOT just a sport, it is a lifestyle. When people realize that, it’s like a whole new world has opened up for them. Sit back, flip forward, and ride on.
QUIVER: Surf Culture
INTRODUCTION
HISTORY OF SURFING
THE ADVENTURE
THE BOARD SHAPER
THE BOARD GUIDE
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THE PERFECT WAVE
THE BLURRY RIDE
THE STYLE GUIDE
THE BEACH BUNNY
THE BEACH BUM
MY NAME IS CAMERON MITCHELL AND THIS IS MY senior thesis project. I am a graphic design major and as a designer going through school, we are given the opportunity to work on a year long project of our choosing. One of the biggest passions in my life is surfing and the culture surrounding it. I grew up in Southern California and have been immersed in the lifestyle my entire life. One thing that interests me about surfing is everything out of the water. Their is a certain feeling that you get on the way to the beach, or showering off after you surf that is indescribable. Along with those feelings, are characteristics that might help you immerse yourself in the culture. This is my goal as a designer and a lover of the culture, to provide a basic understanding of surf culture, and how the past influenced the present.
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SURFING IS ONE OF THE OLDEST PRACTICED SPORTS on the planet. The art of wave riding, is a blend of total athleticism and the comprehension of the beauty and power of nature. Surfing is also one of the few sports that creates its own culture and lifestyle. The act of riding waves with a wooden board originated in Western Polynesia over three discovered riding waves as an efficient method of getting to shore with their catch. Eventually catching waves developed from being part of everyday work to being a pastime. This change revolutionized surfing. Making that change from efficiency to sport is what this book is all about. At its base, surfing hasn’t changed that much from now until then. The view of surfing is what has changed. Peter Westwick and Peter Neushul break it down perfectly.
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thousand years ago. The first surfers were fishermen who
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Surfing today is pursued by an estimated 20 million
surfing: a refuge for rebellious hedonists dropping
people worldwide and it supports a $10 billion global
out of mainstream society to chase waves, beer,
industry. It has acquired an inescapable cultural
and girls, and a healthy middle-class sport, one
presence. Surfers grace Times Square billboards
equally capable of entertaining tourists in Africa,
and sell beer and cars on TV and the Internet.
Australian or Waikiki, bridging tensions in Gaza,
There are thriving surf communities from Iceland
or pushing athletic boundaries in awesome big-
and Ireland to Israel and Indonesia, and frequent
wave exploits. This split personality, which pairs
media coverage of events ranging from formal
subversive social rebellion and the middle-class
competition to big-wave adventures regularly
mainstream, dates to the earliest encounters
brings surf culture even to the landlocked masses.
between
How did an ancient Polynesian pastime become a
surfers and has characterized modern surfing for
global commercial and cultural phenomenon?
the last century. The more popular and mainstream
Finding the source of surfings cool cachet requires
reconciling
two
popular
images
of
surfing. The public receives competing visions of
European
explorers
and
Polynesian
surfing becomes—thanks both to its intrinsic appeal and to the use of the cachet to make a buck—the more surfers hearken to its natural roots.
Surfing’s split personality is not unique. Many so-called extreme sports combine an edgy, outlaw
that work — being a farmer or a carpenter or a blacksmith—used to define people’s lives. From a broader view, however, surfings’s outlaw,
Surfing is the first lifestyle sport. Other board
subversive image is just that—an image. Surfers
sports that are popular today such as skateboarding
have an interest in viewing surfing as unique. That’s
and snowboarding are all branches off of surfing.
the source of their cool: we’re doing something all
Surfing has inspired so much and many people don’t
you other people can’t do. Most surf writing is done
realize that. Being a surfer involves a different level
by and for surfers, who perpetuate this perspective.
of commitment from being a golfer or basketball
As surfers, we know the thrill of wave riding and its
player. Surfing is more than an athletic pursuit that
attendant rituals (local lineup hierarchies, Hawaii
you do a couple days a week at a course or in a gym.
pilgrimages, surf-trip privations, boat adventures,
Even when surfers are out of the water, they are
beach parties, surfboard sacrifices, and so on).
watching the weather, tides, and wind, monitoring distant swell patters, and mentally tuning in the ocean. Surfing defines your life, in the same way
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vibe with middle-class commerce and competition.
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This heady cultural context set the initial course
to surfing. Surfers are not just a curiosity, or a
of modern surfing. Similarly, cultural forces later
cool subculture; rather, they are a way to see
helped surfing gain traction in Cold War California,
the history of the modern world. For example,
post-cultural-cringe Australia, and apartheid-era
surfing’s ultimate appeal is in the simple act
South Africa. This narrative taken from “The World
of riding waves, but much of its cultural image
in the Curl: An Unconventional History of Surfing”
derives from its Polynesian origins. Hawaii is the
is not going to cover every single development in
romantic soul of surfing and the original source
surfing history. They do not include every possible
of surfing’s cool. Much of this romantic image is
milestone: the first surfer to ride this or that wave
a myth, as the history of Hawaii is wrapped up in
or land an aerial, or who won the Pipe Masters
colonialism, warfare, racism, and sexism. Modern
contest in 1987. They also do not want to lament
surfing emerged in Hawaii around 1900, just when
a paradise lost, a once pure pursuit corrupted by
white elites were overthrowing the native Hawaiian
commerce. This excerpt shows how surfing, at
monarchy, developing a new tourism economy, and
every point in history, reflected—and shaped—the
welcoming a major American military presence.
world around it.
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This book is going to be thinking person’s guide
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Peter Westwick and Peter Neushul explain the
This literal immersion in nature is a large part of
surf culture and its progression perfectly. They tell
surfing’s romantic appeal. This image, too, is false.
tell the story of surfing, from its ancient Hawaiian
New technologies have driven the phenomenal
origins to today’s global culture and industry, but
growth of surfing over the last century, and surfing
at particular points they dive deeper into crucial
is now a high-tech pursuit. Modern surfboards are
themes, including technology, the environment,
a complex combination of foams, fiberglass, and
race and sex, localism and travel, big-wave riding,
polyester resins, all initially mass-produced by
and the surf industry.
the chemical industry for defense and aerospace
As a window on the modern world, surfing displays
applications. Wetsuits are another product of
all the unintended consequences and ironies
military research and development as well.
common to history. Among these we highlight the
Surfers find good waves thanks to electronic
role of technology and the environment. Surfing
buoys, swell models, and the Internet. Even some
is usually seen as a natural pursuit that doesn’t
waves themselves are man-made, as surfers seek
require a lot of fancy equipment; just a board and
to build the perfect wave through artificial reefs
a pair of boardies, and you’re alone in the ocean.
and wave pools.
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The history of modern surfing starts with
of several major empires, and a crucible for social
Hawaiians. This is not to say that they were
and cultural mixing. These intersections almost led
the only surfers. Polynesians surfed; in Peru,
to the demise of surfing,but then they also sparked
fishing villagers rode waves on reed boats called
its modern renaissance. Hawaiians wove surfing into their entire culture,
wooden planks. One can debate, as some do,
with religious festivals, political power, and gender
which one of these places was first, but there is no
relationships expressed through surfing. Many
disputing that modern surfing, the sport we know
chiefs were expert surfers; surfing demonstrated
today, came out of Hawaii. How that happened is
the strength and skill that qualified one for
the crucial question. And answering that question
leadership, and royalty enjoyed the most leisure
requires us to look beyond Hawaii itself. Hawaii’s
time to perfect their ability. Chiefs had special
geographic isolation makes it a crucial crossroads
servants who stood on the beach while they surfed
in the North Pacific, and after European contact the
and chanted of their skill and glory.
islands were a vital node in the network of global trade, a point of political friction on the boundary
Surfing was not just the sport of royalty. Everyone surf in ancient Hawaii. Surfing’s association with
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cabballitos; in West Arica, young kids surfed on
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sex added to its attraction. Surfing was a form of
on surf contests. Surfing became much more than
courtship, a way to demonstrate one’s physical
a way to impress the opposite sex. It became a way
physique and grace, with near-naked men and
to gain social and political statusas well, it was as
women mingling together in the warm water; custom
much a social function as individual pleasure.
encouraged a man and a woman who shared a wave
Several
factors
helped
Hawaiians
become
to follow it with a sexual act on the beach. Surfing
a surfing society, including geography, ocean
was particularly important to the kapu system. The
knowledge, physical fitness, and nutrition. Hawaii
kapu system is a the set of religious strictures, like
was a natural paradise for surfing. On top of the
taboos, that governed their daily life. If you wanted
characteristics that Hawaii has as a paradise, it
to meet someone of the opposite sex, surfing was
is one of the most blessed places for wave shape
one of your few options.
and consistency. Hawaiians were oceanographers
Surfing also provided a competitive outlet, often
before the word even existed. They could read
between rival chiefs, spiced with Hawaiians’ love
wind, waves, reefs, and tides. Hawaii’s extreme
of gambling. Hawaiians would wager livestock,
geographic isolation, in other words, made for
canoes, fishing nets, or their own personal freedom
better waves and better surfers.
In January 1778 Hawaii’s centuries of blessed
looking for a sea passage between the Pacific and
isolation came to an end when two tall-masted
Atlantic. The famed explorer was on his way into
sailing ships appeared over the horizon from the
the North Pacific when he bumped into Hawaii. Surfing’s social prominence impressed Cook
Kauai, residents paddled out in canoes and greeted
and his crew throughout the islands. Although he
light-skinned strangers timidly but warmly. If
was intrigued, the history of Hawaii after Captain
Hawaiians had known what would come of the
Cook was a story of big fish devouring small ones.
encounter, they might have been less friendly.
Cook saw Hawaii as a way to make a quick buck.
The two ships that came to explore, the
Throughout the next century, Hawaii became a way
Resolution and Discovery, were commanded by
of trade more so than the roots of surf culture. The
Captain James Cook. In the previous decade Cook
sandalwood market took off at the same time that
had systematically explored the South Pacific,
King Kamehameha was unifying Hawaii. Over the
initially looking for the Great Southern Continent
next two decades Kamehameha gained control
posited by geographers. After failing to find what he
over the major Hawaiian islands. By 1810 he had
came searching for, he turned his attention north,
centralized control over the land. After sandalwood
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south. Before the ships made land at the island of
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had made its mark on Hawaii, it was time to move on
remains a major staple in the Hawaiian diet: Hawaii
to other things as a culture to make money. Whaling
is the only place in the United States where you can
peaked around 1850 and then declined. Whaling is
go into a McDonald’s and buy a bowl of rice to go
basically the hunting of whales primarily for meat,
with your Big Mac.
oil, and blubber. This was popular because the oil gathered from the whales was used as fuel.
Sugar completed the economic dispossession of native Hawaiians/ The introduction of a cash
After whaling was used for all it could be used for,
economy, starting with sandalwood and whaling
sugar cane and pineapples became the market to
and maturing with the sugar trade, stifled surfing.
work with. The whites had control over the land at
Instead of enjoying the bounty of their fish farms
this point so they were the people gaining revenue
and taro fields, commoners were increasingly
off of the sugar prices. The natives wouldn’t work
conscripted by chiefs for sandalwood harvests
for the whites so they brought over Chinese and
or relegated to work in whaling warehouses
Japanese immigrant workers. This is when the rice
and shipyards. The market economy bifurcated
culture was brought to Hawaii and supplemented
Hawaiian society. As referenced earlier, the big fish
Waikiki’s fish ponds with rice paddies. Rice still
devoured the small fish (whites defeat the natives).
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The white colonizers were no less entranced
suggested that such visions of surfing inspired “the
by surfing. The early explorers not only found
pursuit of happiness“ that underlay the French and
Polynesian islands a far cry from the inhospitable
American revolutions: surfers turned happiness
North Atlantic, they also sent their reports to a
from an abstract idea into a specific lifestyle,
continent wracked by revolution and war, especially
represented by a particular person and place—
the French Revolution and the Napoleonic Wars.
the surfer on a tropical wave. Surfing was not a
Tahiti for the French and Hawaii for the British:
heathen sport to eradicate; it was a transcendent,
accounts of tropical idylls, and especially surfing,
redemptive act to emulate. The revolutions, in
provided a geographical, moral, and spiritual
other words, aimed to spread the stoke.
counterpoint to Europe’s violent convulsions. While
On top of the religious and spiritual aspects of
Europeans were at war, tropical surfers were out
surfing, sea bathing became a way to heal the spirit
riding waves. The surfer transcended politics,
as well as the body. The Romantic poets loved the
industry, and war, ignoring everything except
ocean and surfing. They used it as inspiration for
“the most supreme pleasure“ of wave riding. The
a lot of what they wrote about and a lot of the time
contrast was not lost on Europeans. Historians have
we avid swimmers in the ocean. In the missionaries
and the Romantics we see for the first time, but not
subversive, countercultural image seized on the
the last, two opposing views of surfing: one as a
idea of missionary influence. It all started here,
decadent, heathen lifestyle; the other as a natural,
surfing’s modern image of rebellious cool. But it’s
healthy outdoor sport. Much of subsequent surf
a myth. We are about to take a pretty big jump from the
views: immoral versus moral, subversive versus
history of surfing and where it originated and go to
mainstream. The idea that surfing was viewed as
the father of modern surfing: Duke Kahanamoku.
immoral, and that missionaries for that reason
Duke became the public image of the surfer —
wiped out surfing, is overstated. The idea that the
literally, a poster boy for Waikiki tourism—and,
missionaries suppressed surfing is what made
more broadly, of a new figure called the “waterman.“
surfing cool. The missionary story is surfing’s
Kahanamoku, known universally as Duke, was
origin myth. Surfing was as mainstream as you
born in 1890 in Honolulu. Duke first gained notice
can get in Hawaiian society, and, as we shall see,
through swimming. At six foot one and 190 pounds,
it became similarly mainstream in the 20th century
he was an impressive physical specimen, with size
world. But modern surfers who enjoyed surfing’s
thirteen feet that powered his swimming career.
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history involves the tension between these two
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Duke started as a world record breaking
and good nature, strumming his ukulele poolside
swimmer before jumping into the surf culture. At
between heats. After Duke’s fame rose because
age twenty, in 1911, Duke shattered the American
of his passion for the water, he started touring the
hundred-yard freestyle record by more than 4
United States. He gave surfing demonstrations as
seconds—and he did it not in a sheltered pool but
well whenever his tour landed in beach towns—
in polluted Honolulu Harbor. Mainland officials
Florida, Atlantic City, Newport Beach—and these
refused to certify the record, claiming either timing
displays, covered by local papers, helped sow the
or distance was wrong; no way could this unknown
seed of surfing on the mainland. Duke’s graceful,
young Hawaiian be that fast. Duke then traveled
easygoing style and photogenic smile, in addition
to New York and proved it, qualifying for the U.S.
to his physical prowess, made him a natural
Olympic team. Duke won gold in the one-hundred-
ambassador for surfing. While going on these
meter freestyle, after breaking the world record
American tours, Duke was invited to Australia by
by three seconds in a preliminary heat. Duke
the Australian swimming association. This trip
had already charmed the fellow competitors and
is what brought surfing to Australia. There he
spectators alike with his humility, sportsmanship,
demonstrated his surfing abilities without being
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towed in. He capped his two hour session with a
tourists. Later surfers built and sold surfboards
headstand ride, then invited a fourteen-year0old
or surf trunks. The still later development of
local swimmer, to join him for Australia’s firs
professional contests provided one more way,
tandem surf. The crowd that had gathered around
but far from the only one, of making a living off of
him went wild at this sight.
surfing. After Duke’s reign as a swimmer and traveling
as a way to spread surfing stoke. He needed them
surf ambassador he returned back to Hawaii in 1932
to pay his bills. Surfers, like all human beings,
and ended up managing two Union oil gas stations.
need food, clothing, and shelter, which presents
Surfer’s will do whatever it takes to stay afloat.
them with the fundamental question: how do you
With his connection to elites on the islands, he very
make a living and still surf? Their were a couple of
shortly afterward was eased off of his work as a
options that people took back then. Number one: A
gas station manager and became a “professional
few went the basic-substance route, diving for fish
surfer.” His image relied on more than surfing
and poaching pineapples in Hawaii. Number two:
though. He instead helped invent the more general
Lifeguarding. Number three: give surf lessons to
persona of the “waterman.“
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Duke undertook these swimming tours not just
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During Duke’s reign and many years after is
from surfing to spearfishing to outriggers. The
when the term beachboy came about. Unlike the
beachboys also cultivated a reputation as talented
harmonizing California kids from the sixties (only
musicians and perennial pranksters. Their steady
one of whom actually surfed), the original beachboys
stream of practical jokes, impromptu parades, and
from Waikiki knew surfing, and did as much in their
sunset ukulele and slack-key concerts ensure no
time to popularize surfing as the Beach Boys did
dull moments on Waikiki.
later. The tourist economy provided one of the first
The beachboys were influential in the continuing
ways for Hawaiians to make a living from surfing,
of the surf culture in Hawaii. They also helped the
and a generation of locals took advantage of the
transfer of the culture to California. Surfing had
opportunity to relist, in the process defining the
finally come to California in the nineteenth century.
subversive spirit of surfing.
The permanent California surf community stems
The beachboys introduced thousands of travelers
from George Freeth, to whom both Hawaiian and
to surfing and defined the image of the surfer for
Californian surfing owe much. Freeth came to
the general public. This involved more than just
California to actually promote Hawaiian tourism.
riding waves; it was the entire waterman lifestyle,
Upon arrival Freeth went for a surf at Venice Beach
(it was summertime, so the water temp was
to hire Freeth to surf in Redondo to attract the
tolerable). A local paper gave Freeth a prominent
public to his own ideas. These surf demonstrations
headline: “Surf Riders Have Drawn Attention.“ His
marked the first permanent roots put down by
exploit caught the eye of one Henry Huntington, the
surfing in the mainland United States. They also
namesake of Huntington Beach, the Huntington
marked the birth of professional surfing, as Freeth
Library, and other Southern California institutions.
became the first person who was paid to surf.
Huntington drew his attention from other places in
With this successful transfer of culture, the California beach culture was born. Beach towns
In 1904 a developer named Abbot Kinney, with
symbolized recreational culture, and surfing was
a fortune from the cigarette business, proposed
central. By the 1930s beach towns were popping up
to build a town modeled on the real Venice, with
all down the coast of California (mostly southern)
canals, bridges, gondolas, the works. Along with
Skip another decade, and wetsuits became a vital
those things, he added a pier and amusement rides.
piece of equipment for surfers worldwide and a
This vision was a direct competitor to Huntington’s
multimillion dollar market. The wetsuit made it
plan for Redondo beach. Huntington then decided
easier for surfers to be comfortable year round in
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SoCal to the beach.
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like California, the east coast, and Australia.
The surf culture boomed in the late 1950s and
A surf writer once called the wetsuit “one of the
1960s due to its reference in movies. The story of
most significant innovations—if not the Number
“Gidget” is one that made a big impact on the surf
One innovation in modern surfing history. Along
boom. Many things influenced the boom of surfing
with the invention of the wetsuit, surfboards
in the United States, starting from the technology
also progressed in technology. In the late 1940s
used in the Cold War, to the simple curiosity of
Bob Simmons, a mechanical engineer student
something new and inviting in the beach cities of
at Caltech, explored board shape. The boards he
Southern California. With the booming of the surf
created featured a flat or even concave planing
culture came more advances in boards and styles
surface on the bottom behind a scarfed nose. He
of riding. Bottom turns, cutbacks, tail stalls, soul
also shortened the boards substantially; four to
arches, drop-knees, cross-steps, head dips, wave
six feet shorter than past board designs. Simmons
scratches, and hanging ten were some of the most
never profited from his designs. He devoted his live
notable moves that were created as a result of the
to travel and surfing the most challenging waves
new board styles.
he could find.
Along with the boom, came the movie, music, art
of past surf culture, the present surf culture has
the surf culture really have been a huge influence
an entire world in front of them. They have the
on what the culture is like now. With music from
opportunity to really branch out and make the sport
Dick Dale to The Beach Boys, and movies from
and the culture something that the early Hawaiians
Gidget to Point Break, surfing has been influential
surfing with hand cut wood planks never thought
in more aspects than just media. It has reached
it was going to turn into. Surfing and its culture
people and influenced people that might not ever
is more than just something people can get into
live in a “beach city“ or even surf a day in their
as a way of living your life. Surfing is inspiration.
life. The culture is so wide spread now that it is
It is an opportunity for progression, a chance for
worldwide. Stretching from Hawaii to Southern
the amazing to happen. Having something that
California, from Tahiti to Australia, from France
connects us to nature and to others is so important.
to New York, from Washington to Alaska. The surf
This really brief and vague timeline hopefully gives
culture is such a broad topic now and has so many
you an idea of some of the main points in surfing
nooks and crannies that it’s impossible to define the
history and opens you up to the idea of the surf
modern day surfing completely. With the influences
culture and what it has to offer.
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and fashion influences. All of these new aspects of
THE SURF CULTURE IS SOMETHING THAT IS
both “The Beach Bum” and “The Beach Bunny.”
forever changing and taking inspiration from other
This section of the book is more focused on the
places. Now knowing a little bit about how the sport
visuals and giving you an idea what things look like
of surfing, and its culture started, I want to give you
now. If given more time and more resources, this
an idea of what the culture of surfing is like now.
book could be 1000 pages easily. Trying to narrow
The next section of this book is primarily going to
things down to this small of a publication is tough
highlight some of the main points of modern surfing
and I’m only highlighting certain aspects of both
culture. Some of those include: “The Adventure”
the past and the present culture. The culture and
people take on their journey, the importance of “The
its history is so much bigger than this project. I am
Board Shaper” as well as “The Board Guide,” “The
hoping though, that you get a basic understanding
Perfect Wave” and the search for it, “The Blurry
of what you could be involved in. Hopefully with
Ride” and explaining that sometimes life may have
the brief descriptions of each point in this section,
a blur affect on you. “The Style Guide” and what
paired with the visuals you get a good sense of what
both men’s and women’s fashion in the modern
present day surf culture is really about. To me, it’s
surf culture has come to, as well as highlighting
freedom and the love of the ocean.
times you can have with friends while out surfing.
traveling to and from a a session and just the overall fun
The images you are about to see are going to highlight the
have the ocean is one of the most assuring feelings ever.
with the idea that everything is going to be okay if you just
important part of figuring who you are as a surfer. Living
friends and family. Finding that secret spot is also a really
who you really are through the experiences you make with
part of being apart of the culture. That and finding out
surfer. Living a life of adventure is the most important
after a good session, all of these are very desirable to a
walking with friends, the drive to your favorite restaurant
THE ADVENTURE IS EVERY THING. HIKING TO THE SPOT,
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holds your future in his hand. He/She is the one that makes boards. They spend hours upon hours in shaping rooms building the very boards that you shred on. If it wasn’t for these fine people, you wouldn’t be surfing. I would like to take this section of the book to really appreciate what they do. They go unnoticed a lot of the time. Shaping a board can be both a business and a hobby. To a lot of people who surf and want to get into the culture, they end up shaping a board or two in their walk of surfing. In this section you are going to see some images that are of shapers in their natural element. They spend hours and hours in these rooms making the dream of surfing a reality.
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THE BOARD SHAPER IS THE ONE THAT BASICALLY
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BOARDS COME IN ALL SHAPES AND SIZES. THEIR ARE many different styles of board also. At the most basic level of distinction, the two board types are longboards and shortboards. To not confuse people if you are trying to pick up a board, lets separate them into shapes. Like said earlier, the board shaper is the one with your future in his
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hands, but at the same time, your choice of board is the next big decision you need to make. Picking the perfect board takes research. Smaller, thinner, shorter boards are for more experienced riders. Longer, thicker, and all around bigger boards are more for beginners. Taking into account anyone can ride any board, it is still smart to have a style of board in mind when purchasing your very own. The images shown in the next little bit are a good variance of types of boards out there for you to choose from. One thing of advice I can give you is that before you go and drop some change on a new board, DO YOUR RESEARCH.
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that are really top notch quality waves.
are just some waves from around the world
have experienced. These images you will see
dreams about but in reality most surfers
The perfect wave is something every surfer
there and the friends you brought with you.
about the friends you make while you are out
experience and the travel to the wave. It’s
not about the perfect wave, its about the
surfers on the other hand will say this: “It’s
have actually been able to find it. A lot of
are in search of that perfect wave and few
Every surfer out there will tell you that they
to really finding a place you love to surf.
the wave is half of the battle when it comes
can be a fun but long one. The search for
THE SEARCH FOR THE PERFECT WAVE
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and I personally think encompass the idea of the indescribable feeling.
referencing anything specifically, they are just really cool blurred images,
and experiencing the culture for what it is. These images aren’t really
the feeling when you aren’t worrying about anything else and just living
Ride” can mean different things to different people, but to me it describes
being apart of the surf culture can really feel like a blur. The term “Blurry
that you cant really describe unless you are experiencing them. Sometimes
having your first party wave with a bunch of your friends, can all be feelings
feeling. Dropping in on your first wave, dipping through your first barrel,
indescribable. Experiencing the culture at its fullest can really be a surreal
THE BLURRY RIDE IS SOMETHING THAT I TERMED TO DESCRIBE THE
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FASHION IS A HUGE PART IN ANY CULTURE. THESE PICTURES you are going to see are great examples of the style that a lot of surfers and people involved in the culture might have. The styles included might have some of the types of clothing such as: boardshorts, jeans, tshirts, tanks, flannels, flip flops, and hats for guys. For girls, some of the clothing might include: dresses, bikinis, jean shorts, short shorts, skirts, rompers, jeans, flip flops, kimonos, and much more. Each person with this sort of style has their own little touch that they add to each one of their outfits, whether it be an accessory or a tattoo that they might have. The style guide is here to give you an idea of the styling of clothing surfers and people in the culture might wear, not restrict you from exploring your own personal style.
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THE BEACH BUNNY IS HONESTLY ANY GIRL INTERESTED lightly and heavily but certain people. Most of the time the “Beach Bunny” term is just a run off of the snow bunny term. A beach bunny can be someone who just chills at the beach during the summer, or someone who is really into the surf culture and goes out and surfs everyday. The beach bunny can be inspired by many things, when it comes down to it, a lot of the time the beach bunny is the girl who is obsessed with Tumblr and sees famous surfers and wants to have there lives. Then again, without Tumblr and those types of people, I don’t think that the modern surf culture we have today would be where it is. The images shown in this section are just random snapshots of girls enjoying themselves either at the beach, through their journey or some fashion examples.
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in the surf culture. It’s a pretty broad term that can be taken
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surfers choose to have when submerged in the surf culture. Being a “beach bum“ might include early morning dawn patrols, not showering for a couple days, choosing comfort over style, and much more. The images in the next couple pages really highlight some clothing options as well as style of living when it comes to being a beach bum. It’s about being more focused on the relaxing aspects of life, not worrying about much, living with what is given to you, and just having fun in ocean literally as much as you possibly can. The term “Beach Bum” might have negative connotations with some people, but to me and others who are comfortable with it, it is something to be admired and respected. Living the “Beach Bum“ lifestyle is the dream for many but reality for few.
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THE BEACH BUM LIFEST YLE IS ONE THAT MANY
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SURFING AS A SPORT AND ALSO AS A CULTURE MEANS SO MUCH
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to me. The cool thing about it is that every person who experiences it has a different take on it. Not one person has the same feelings about the culture. It is a feeling that everyone needs to have for themselves. I can say with certainty that the sport and culture growing up was an outlet for me. It provided an experience personal to me that calmed me down when I was mad, cheered me up when I was sad, and shaped me to be the person I am today. It didn’t matter what aspect of it I was taking part of, being out in the water, watching a competition online, or just chilling at the beach, it is a feeling of relaxation I haven’t been able to find anywhere else. If you take one thing away from reading through this project and getting a glimpse of what I’m passionate about, I want it to be this: Experience things for yourself, don’t let other people decide who you are and what you do. If you end up in the surf culture we will welcome you with open arms, just make sure it’s what you truly want deep down. Make decisions for you, make yourself happy, and everything else will fall into place.
All content in this publication is a collaboration and collection of many different sources. I do not have the rights to most of these images. Since this publication is a personal project and one I will not be making money off of I am doing this to just point out that I didn’t come up with all of this on my own. I did a lot of research and curated the entire publication. All of the modern history section is original content but taken images. The history section is a brief overview of a book written by Peter Westwick and Peter Neushul entitled “The World In The Curl: An Unconventional History of Surfing.” I emailed with them personally and got permission to use that content. Most images were searched for with great intent. I wanted a certain feel throughout the entire publication and I think I got what I was hoping for. Most of the images were taken from various Tumblr accounts and random searches. Also, some of the images were given to me by friends who have taken the photos themselves. Overall I have a lot of people to thank for this final project. This past year has been a journey and I’m glad that I could have shared it with who I did.
SENIOR THESIS: Cameron Mitchell