HISTORY: Carol Pastor recognizes women in surfi ng

Crown City History

IN COLLABORATION WITH CORONADO HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION

WOMEN

SURFING IN CORONADO

BY CAROL PASTOR CORONADO HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION VOLUNTEER

It hardly seems possible that it has been a year since I last wrote about sur ng in Coronado. People have always had many choices of sports to enjoy while visiting here, but sur ng has long been a staple for our community. We who have lived here often forget how lucky we are to reside in this small bit of heaven in southern California. Think about it: a golf course on the bay that is open nearly 365 days a year, a great skatepark, tennis courts in several locations, a great municipal pool and many parks. Oh, yes — and one of the best beaches in the country.

We in Coronado love our beaches, which are enjoyed by both visitors and locals alike. For years, our locals have enjoyed sur ng in Coronado. For as long as I can remember, there has been an ongoing friendly competition between Coronado surfers and Imperial Beach surfers. Today, people from both cities and all over appear in some of our sur ng events held at Coronado Shores beach area. Sur ng has even become a part of the elementary, middle and high school culture here, with competitive surf teams and clubs providing structured involvement in the sport.

When looking back through the history of Coronado, sur ng was a sport for men, well into the mid-1960s. Few women were mentioned at that time. One exception was Margie Manock from Imperial Beach. This discovery prompted me to contact some of the women surfers whom I had known and see what they had to say about the culture of women in sur ng.

Margo Rhodes said her family settled here in the late 1800s with her grandmother working at the Hotel del Coronado. Her father, Herb, was a Coronado lifeguard

These photos of long-time local female surfer, MaryEllen (Mel) Wiley Rogers longboarding in Coronado was taken by former Coronado resident and avid surfer, Daron Case.

in the 1950s while going to Coronado High School and later in college. Margo started sur ng at age ve, always watched over by friends and family. She still surfs and said her role model was Sandra Vickers, an early female surfer in Coronado.

In speaking with some of the other women surfers of this era, it was clear that some people felt the ocean belonged to the boys. And, how that has changed! One coach during that time period told some of the girls not to enter a particular competition because the boys’ egos were too fragile to accept a girl beating them. We can laugh about that now. Another woman shared with me that she felt women had to work harder and struggle to prove themselves in the lineup, but if they did, they were accepted according to the merit of their sur ng abilities.

Some of that bias or bullying may have changed in town due to the positive culture in the water created with the help of Stan Searfus, who worked hard with the kids from elementary school upward. He not only taught them to surf but he encouraged them all to be stewards of the ocean and surf smart in competitions, boosting their self esteem both in and out of the water.

In our own family, my granddaughter started sur ng here in town at age nine, and is still sur ng during college. Growing up, she was always encouraged by her father and uncles, who are also surfers. Another woman I know said she had started sur ng in 7th grade here. She felt that the acceptance of women in other sports helped to elevate this climate in sur ng as well.

Today it is not uncommon to see a group of women donning wetsuits in the morning after dropping their children off at school, with the Shores parking lot serving as a popular entry point for the local surf break. Social media has also helped with the recognition of women in sur ng. And we most certainly recognize Carissa Moore, who is the rst to win a medal in sur ng’s inaugural appearance in the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Thinking about these women sur ng pioneers reveals another outlook on sur ng in Coronado and a future for both young women and men to enjoy our waves.

Carol Pastor's granddaughter, Sydney Zoehrer, started surfi ng at age 9 in Coronado. Photographed before paddling out by Samantha McNall.

• Carol Pastor and her family have lived in Coronado since the mid-1970s. Mother of seven girls, many of whom still live here in the village, Carol has been involved in the community over the years with the Friends of the Library, Historic Resource Commission, and most recently writing about Coronado history for the Coronado Historical Association. An avid history buff since her college days, exploring our local history is a perfect t.