Surf Culture
Where It All Comes From
The People. The History. The Stoke.
Surfing is one of the oldest sports on earth and one of the richest cultures in the world. Here’s the story of how it all began, the legends who shaped it, and the lifestyle it created.
Surf History Timeline
From Ancient Hawaiʻi to the Olympics.
- Ancient times
Polynesian roots
Wave riding develops among Polynesian peoples. In Hawaiʻi, heʻe nalu (wave sliding) becomes part of daily life, religion, and status, with olo boards linked to the aliʻi.
- 1778–79
Cook expedition accounts
Captain James Cook’s expedition reaches Hawaiʻi. After Cook’s death in 1779, Lt. James King describes Hawaiians riding waves on boards at Kealakekua Bay.
- 1820
Missionary era begins
Christian missionaries arrive in Hawaiʻi. Through the 1800s, disease, social change, and missionary disapproval contribute to a sharp decline in surfing.
- 1907
Surfing reaches California
Hawaiian surfer George Freeth gives demonstrations in California and becomes one of its first ocean lifeguards. Jack London writes about surfing at Waikīkī.
- 1912
Duke wins Olympic gold
Duke Kahanamoku of Waikīkī wins the 100-meter freestyle at the Stockholm Olympics and begins using his fame to share surfing with the world.
- 1914–15
Duke in Australia
Duke’s surfing demonstration at Freshwater Beach near Sydney on December 24, 1914, is widely seen as a turning point for surfing in Australia.
- 1925
The Newport Beach rescue
Duke uses his surfboard to bring eight people to shore after a fishing boat capsizes in heavy surf at Newport Beach, California.
- 1935
Tom Blake adds the fin
Inventor Tom Blake attaches a fin to a surfboard, giving surfers far more control. He also publishes Hawaiian Surfboard, often called the first surfing book.
- Late 1950s
The foam revolution
Polyurethane foam and fiberglass boards, pioneered by Hobie Alter and Gordon Clark, make surfboards lighter, cheaper, and easier to produce.
- 1959
Gidget hits theaters
The film Gidget, based on Kathy Kohner’s Malibu summers, brings surf culture to mainstream America and helps spark a nationwide surfing boom.
- 1966
The Endless Summer
Bruce Brown’s documentary about two surfers chasing waves around the world reaches wide audiences and inspires generations of surf travelers.
- Late 1960s
The shortboard revolution
Surfers in Australia, Hawaiʻi, and California cut boards from around nine feet to under seven, opening the door to faster, sharper surfing.
- 1976
The first pro world tour
International Professional Surfers (IPS) launches the first professional world tour. A women’s world title follows in 1977.
- 1978
Eddie Would Go
Lifeguard and big-wave surfer Eddie Aikau is lost at sea after paddling for help when the voyaging canoe Hōkūleʻa capsizes, inspiring the phrase “Eddie Would Go.”
- 1981
The thruster takes over
Australian shaper Simon Anderson wins major contests on his three-fin thruster design, which becomes the standard for performance surfing.
- 1984
Surfrider Foundation founded
Surfers in Malibu, California, found the Surfrider Foundation to protect their local waves. It grows into a nationwide network for ocean protection.
- 2019
Equal prize money
The World Surf League begins paying men and women equal prize money at all of its events, following its 2018 announcement.
- 2021
Surfing’s Olympic debut
Surfing debuts at the Tokyo 2020 Games, held in 2021 in Japan. Ítalo Ferreira and Carissa Moore win the first Olympic surfing gold medals.
- 2024
Olympic surfing at Teahupoʻo
Paris 2024 holds its surfing events at Teahupoʻo in Tahiti. Kauli Vaast and Caroline Marks win gold as Olympic surfing returns to Polynesia.
Our Salute
The Red Trunks
The red in the WBS logo honors the men and women in the iconic red trunks, the ocean lifeguards who watch over every beach and run toward the water when everyone else runs away from it.
Lifeguards in Red: The Guardians of the Beach
The story of ocean lifeguards, from early surfer-rescuers to today's professionals, why red became their color, and why the WBS red is our salute to the people who watch over the water.
Read the TributeStories
Explore the Culture
- HistoryThe History of Surfing: From Heʻe Nalu to the OlympicsSurfing began in Polynesia and flourished in ancient Hawaiʻi. Follow its journey from royal pastime to near-disappearance, revival, worldwide culture, and the Olympic Games.8 min read
- HistorySurfboard Evolution: From Olo to EpoxyHow the surfboard changed from giant Hawaiian wooden olo boards to balsa, foam, shortboards, thrusters, epoxy, and soft-tops, and what each shift meant for surfers.7 min read
- LegendsDuke Kahanamoku: The Father of Modern SurfingOlympic champion, waterman, and ambassador of aloha. How Duke Kahanamoku of Waikīkī carried surfing to Australia and the U.S. mainland and became the father of modern surfing.7 min read
- LegendsSurfing Legends Every Surfer Should KnowFrom early Waikīkī watermen to world champions and big-wave pioneers, meet some of the people who shaped surfing, and what each one can teach anyone just starting out.9 min read
- LegendsWomen in Surfing: A History of Courage and GraceWomen have surfed since the days of ancient Hawaiʻi. From legendary chiefesses to Olympic champions, explore the women who shaped surfing and fought for their place in the lineup.7 min read
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- Surf LifeProtecting the Ocean: Simple Ways Surfers Can HelpThe ocean gives surfers so much. Here are practical, everyday ways to give back, from beach cleanups and reef-friendly habits to respecting wildlife and supporting conservation groups.6 min read