People have been riding waves for hundreds, if not thousands of years. Early wave riding was not done in the classic stand up manner like surfers today. Polynesians were expert seafarers and knew how to control their outrigger canoes in the waves long before anyone stood up on a board. Since there was no written language, records of surfing’s true origins are unknown. The first written record of surfing dates back to 1778 when Captain James Cook’s ships are credited with the first European records of surfing in the Hawaiian Islands. Cook’s goal was to leave the Hawaiian Islands in search for a passage from the N. Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic. After failing to find such passage, he returned to the Big Island of Hawaii where Cook was killed in a botched plan to kidnap a Hawaiian King.

Lt. James King was tasked with continuing on with Cook’s journals and it is King who records the earliest written record of surfing. King’s description of surfing spans 2 pages and describes surfing as a dangerous, exhilarating, and skillful activity. He believes it is done for pleasure, not a testament of skill and power. However, one’s surfing ability was extremely important to their place in society. The Chiefs had the opportunity to demonstrate their superior skill while surfing and commoners had the opportunity to build their reputation. There were breaks where only Chiefs surfed, those where commoners we allowed. Commoners usually rode boards in the 12 foot range, while Chiefs’ boards were much larger, reaching up to 24 feet in length.

When King’s records of surfing were written, surfing had already evolved into much more than a mere activity. Surfing was spiritual, as was board making. The locals celebrated Gods, commenced in chants, and had board making rights and rituals. When the haole, or white men arrived, the two cultures clashed and surfing’s spirituality quickly suffered. Along with the surfing culture and religion disintegrating, so did the lineup. Previous to the haole culture invasion, commoners who dropped in on a Chief could face serious repercussions. No longer was the case as the entire culture crumbled.

When missionaries from England arrived in 1820, they pushed their Calvinistic Christian beliefs on the Hawaiians and surfing declined even further. Its role in society was oppressed, as the missionaries cast surfing, as well as many other sports, to be against the laws of God. Although they denied doing so, the missionaries brought down surfing severely. On top of the cultural degradation, the people were reduced as well. Due to disease and alcohol, the Hawaiian population went from over 400,000 at King’s first records to an astounding 40,000 by 1896. Although severely oppressed, surfing survived. To add insult to injury, in 1893 when Queen Lili’uokalani attempted to gain back control from the haoles, they overpowered and incarcerated her. By 1898 the U.S. had annexed Hawaii as a territory of the United States.

Although the haoles are credited with destroying the original Hawaiian surfing culture, it was 3 white men and one notable Hawaiian beach boy who revived it. Surfing was spread throughout the world by Jack London, George Freeth, Alexander Hume Ford, and Duke Paoa Kahanamoku. The first modern “surfing club” was the Outrigger Canoe club, formed in 1908. With board storage and changing facilities on the beach, the newly formed club grew to over 1200 members in just a few years and really set fire to surfing in the 20th century.

Of all the famous surfers in history, Duke Kahanamoku is the most well known. Duke was one of Hawaii’s most skilled watermen who was not only a great surfer, but also a successful competitive swimmer. Credited with inventing the flutter kick, a swimming technique that replaced the scissor kick, Duke travelled the globe and demonstrated surfing in all the places he stopped. In southern California, Duke’s surfing demonstrations at Corona Del Mar and Santa Monica created a storm of attention.

As surfing in California steadily grew in popularity through the 1920’s, boards were still being made of heavy wood. One of the biggest limitations for the average person wanting to surf was the gigantic, heavy boards. George Freeth is credited with being the first to cut the 16 ft boards in half, creating boards in the 6-10ft range. Then Tom Blake designed the first hollow board, which only weighed 100lbs at 15 ft long. The hollow board was the first design ever to be mass produced.

During World War II surfing died down a bit as the country focused towards the war efforts, but soon after the war was over Doc Ball’s famous book came out called California Surfriders 1946. It showed handsome men and women surfing the California coast with appealing beach parties, fresh seafood, and an undeveloped coast. These images became iconic, launching surfing into the booming industry which it has become today. Arguably the most influential image in surfing was taken in 1953, showing 3 men dropping in at Makaha on a monster wave. This photo lured many people to surf Hawaii and sparked the 50’s surfing culture explosion.

Advances in technology during the war allowed surfboard design to reach the next level. Most notable was fiberglass, plastics, and polyurethane foam. Using these materials, boards became extremely lightweight and maneuverable, opening up a new world of surfing. Due to advances in equipment, popular culture, and accessibility, over 17 million people surf today.