Quiver: Surf Culture VOL1

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“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.


QUIVER: Surf Culture


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


QUIVER: Surf Culture

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 becomes­â€”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


QUIVER: Surf Culture

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


QUIVER: Surf Culture

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.

025

history involves the tension between these two


QUIVER: Surf Culture

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


QUIVER: Surf Culture

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.


QUIVER: Surf Culture

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


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