SHF Contest!

CONTEST DEADLINE EXTENDED 

TO FEBRUARY 10!

WIN A SURFING HERITAGE FOUNDATION MEMBERSHIP PACKAGE PLUS ADDITIONAL SWAG!

Share your stories of discovery at the Surfing Heritage Foundation! 

This contest is for individuals 18 years and older who have found records, photographs, stories, surfboards, or other treasures of some personal significance through our collections.

Have you made a discovery about surfers in your past through SHF? Have you seen historic boards that were made by a friend, or have a story relating to you somehow? Have you used our library for research on a surfing legend and discovered something that had an impact on your research?  Have you noticed people of significance in photographs we have, or simply been fascinated by the culture enough to cause a spark and get you out it the water? We want to hear about it!

If you have not yet had a chance to make a discovery, come by the museum and see what we have to offer, and make history yourself by telling us your story!

Prize package includes: 
Just added-A Flip HD Video Camera!
A Copy Of Peanuts, XM SurfMore Leash, SHF Oral History Field Guide, SHF Logo Hat, a one-year SHF Membership consisting of a pair of Limited-Edition SHF Logo Rainbow Sandals, SHF Logo Tee, $10 Swell.com Gift Certificate, 1-year subscription to Transworld Surf, bar of Sticky Bumps Wax, 2012 SHF sticker and 1-year free admittance to our San Clemente Museum

Download your entry form HERE


Here's a sample entry:

Having grown up in the beach lifestyle of Southern California, I had my fair share of surfing, lifeguarding, and being a typical sunshine-loving beach girl. That lifestyle remained with me throughout my college years in Hawaii, but when I returned to the mainland, life took a different course. I veered away from the coast for a few years, where the only ocean I saw was in photographs. After a three year stint, I finally made it back to the beaches of sunny California, but had somehow lost my passion for surfing. I hadn't been surfing since I had left California, and the void was filled with other things. About a year ago, I heard about the Surfing Heritage Foundation and visited their website. Posted there was a short article on Gene "Tarzan" Smith. Reading about his fascinating life in the beach culture of the North Shore on O'ahu moved me somehow. Not that I related to him much, other than his love for the ocean. Yet something about his life, mysterious as it may have been, reminded me that I once lived a life similar to his. I spent a good two hours researching Gene Smith and his life, excited with every new discovery. This spurred my desire to make a trip to the Surfing Heritage Foundation. While there, I rediscovered my love for certain types of surfboards. Memories of my life on the beach came rushing back, and the nostalgia was overwhelming, though inspiring at the same time. I realized how much I missed it. The longing started to work its way back into my brain. The next day, I dusted off my surfboard, added a fresh coat of wax (after sitting down and taking in a huge wiff of it...it had been way too long) pulled on my full suit, and paddled out at Old Man's, my favorite surf spot. Everything about that experience was incredible-from the simple smell of the wax, to the comfort of neoprene on me, to the catharctic moment of catching that first wave. I can attribute the desire to get back into the water to Gene Smith and SHF.

SHF Visitors

We get a wide range of visitors on any given day. Local groms, legends, pros, and a fair number from foreign lands.

Brothers Britt and Chris Janusz with a couple boards from their collection. photo: Linda Michael

Mike Schwarner, and Vincent and Emilie. Vincent and Emilie were visiting from France.
photo: Linda Michael

Paul and Karen Samuelson with a balsa board that was glassed by Danny Brawner. photo: Linda Michael

Fuzzy foto. That's Christian Driggs, Rob Givens, Lindsay Perry, and Pierce Michael Kavanagh stopping by for a visit yesterday. photo: BKH

About a dozen Adventure Guides-Big Sky Circle, Laguna Niguel Nation, came by for a visit and tour. Being second-graders, I was able to hold their attention for about 30 seconds, but their dads seemed to appreciate the info. Barry, SHF Curator, etc. photo: Linda Michael

Our archivist Becki Church's sister Amy, and her family. Husband Bryan, and kids, Katie, Isaac, Mckenzie, and Benny Thulin.

SHF Curator Barry Haun, legendary shaper Terry Martin, David Krause, SHF co-founder Spencer Croul, and SHF Executive Director Bolton Colburn

The Coalition of Surf Clubs' Team Captains and various members, met at SHF on the eve of the annual Church contest, 1/6/12. photo: Linda Michael

SHF Director & docent, Denny Michael, accepts a $1,000 donation from DLSA President Mark Calkins, and DSLA VP Bobby Knox. Thank you Doheny Longboard Surfing Association! photo: Linda Michael

Surfing legend and former Hawaii State Senator, Fred Hemmings dropped by and met our new Executive Director, Bolton Colburn. Fred's daughter, Kaui Hart Hemmings, wrote the novel, "The Descendants”, whose film version with George Clooney, is nominated for 5 Oscars. photo: Linda Michael

Kemp Aaberg and Richard Yelland working on 12 Miles North: the Nick Gabeldon Story.

Stoked Groms, Noah Cordoza, Dean Michael, and Ben Cordoza. photo: Linda Michael

Mark Weiner, San Diego charger Richard Kenvin, and designer/shaper Carl Ekstrom. photo: BKH

Scott Bass, Wade Koniakowsky and Barry Haun hold up a piece of fiberglass and resin taken from a Matt Kivlin Malibu Chip that is being restored. Wade will be painting the artwork for the Surfing Heritage Vintage Surf Auction directly on the fiberglass. photo: Linda Michael

Michael "Salt" Labita with the Jed Noll, Steven Thomas model that he created the artwork for. photo: Linda Michael

Charlie Fernandez (Jimmy Buffett's manager), and Russ Kunkle (long time drummer for Jackson Browne) came by for a visit. Charlie is now the proud owner of the JP St Pierre (Surfy Surfy) customized Enjoy handplane. photo: BKH

Another Kemp Aaberg Sighting!

Malibu transplant, Kemp Aaberg, dropped by again recently with this gem. It's a Rick Griffin original sketch Rick did of Kemp's famous "Soul Arch," taken way back when, by John Severson. The Severson photo became Surfer Magazine's logo for decades. We love Rick's minimalist approach to this timeless image. photo: Linda Michael.