Surfing on the Cape Fear Coast By Joseph “Skipper” Funderburg Slapdash Publishing, LLC Carolina Beach, North Carolina, USA May 2008 viii ix Table of contents 1 Preface 15 Introduction 23 History Buff 31 The Beginning 35 Secret Spot 38 Early Years of Wave Riding 46 They Ride Surfboards 59 Wrightsville Beach Surf Club History 72 Wrightsville Originals Reunion 74 Wrightsville Beach Jetties and Berm 79 Carolina Beach & Kure Beach Surfing History 93 Fort Fisher Cove Surfing History 98 Surf City & Topsail Beach Surfing History 99 Long Bay Surfing History 100 Onslow Bay Surf Team 105 First Female Contemporary Surfers 110 Hobie Cats and Product Expansion 110 Water Skiing, Marine Technology 114 Butch Van Artsdalen 115 Dewey Weber 119 Surf Movie Productions 121 Author’s Roots 1946 to 1966 - Contemporary Period 1967 to 1991 - Commercialization Period 1962 1982 Wipeout, by the Surfaris, UNCW Surf Club 1955 is released. J.M. Binkley (middle) officially chartered. 1991 gifts a fiberglass balsa Jet propelled, surfboard to Bill Creasy of FlowRider Wrightsville Beach, NC. 1964 1978 wave machine, East Coast Surfboards Surf City Surf Shop opens on popularized. founded, Carolina Beach, NC. Wrightsville Beach, NC. 1959 1967 1982 The movie, Gidget, shows The movie, Endless Summer, The Cove Surf Shop opens at the Colony Theatre, in shows at the Crest Theatre, in Carolina Beach, NC. Wilmington, NC. 1962 at Wrightsville Beach. 1976 Wrightsville Beach Sweetwater Surf Shop founded 1983 Surf Club founded. 1967 on Wrightsville Beach, NC. Record Bar Pro-Am surfing 1990 1959 Eastern Surfing Association competition began at Aussie Island Surf founded. The author’s college Wrightsville Beach, NC.. Shop opens in roommate, Stanley 1965 Wilmington, NC. Winbourne, surfs on 1970 1977 1985 Surfing wax becomes an Introduction of the Allison Surfboards Wrightsville Beach, Eastern Skateboard Supply available accoutrement. surfboard leash. founded in with a fiberglass founded in Wilmington, NC. and balsa board he Wilmington, NC. purchased in Virginia Beach, VA. 1960 Surfer Magazine founded. 1946 1966 1967 1991 Fiberglass over foam shortboard Fiberglass over balsa with fin Fiberglass over foam longboard Surfing on the 33 Cape Fear Coast 34 buddy system was a requirement to advance we kicked off the bottom. The position of wave into breaking waves. We learned to body surf breaking is important to the body surfer. We as the waves broke near the shore creating a would swim out with a buddy to an observ- turbulent surf front of bubbles, foam, spray able position where the waves were constantly and splashes of water. As the waves propelled breaking. The crests generally overturn down our bodies through the breakers, we fell into the face of the wave, the wave is of the spilling a deeper love for the sea. We honed our skills, or rolling variety and is ideal for body surfing. all the sensations our feet. I started mat surfing at several loca- racing man to man, as we traveled shoreward We termed the method of catching a wave, Surf Mat Competition and excited people. tions on the Cape Fear Coast, typically Johnnie on broken waves. We also learned to roll over porpoising, because it is clearly used by bot- In 1954 at the Makaha International It was in that atmo- Mercers Fishing Pier, Lumina Pavilion, and on our backs while body surfing. tlenose dolphins and porpoises to play in the Surfing Championships in Oahu, sphere, I was bitten Crystal Fishing Pier on Wrightsville Beach or waves near the shoreline just before the waves Our formal swim and dive training paid off. A Hawaii mat surfing was included in by the surfing bug. the Boardwalk Area and Fisherman’s Steel Pier break. By watching porpoises we learned to significant part of body surfing was also devel- the surfing competitions. According at Carolina Beach. From 1954 until 1960, I was exit out of the back of waves. If the waves are oping a strong kick stroke with your legs and to World Surfing Champion Fred We learned from the in swimming and canoe training at the YMCA. too large, they are not suitable for body surf- feet. We developed as strong bodysurfers, as Hemmings, “Events included wom- waves - feeling the mo- My family taught me gentle body surfing and I ing and at that time we utilized a wave riding en’s open, senior open and junior tion and energy of the was swimming like a fish by 4 or 5 years old. surf. In 1954, at 6 years men championships, bodysurfing, old, I started my wave rid- This was at a time when contemporary surf- Wrightsville Beach - 1954 paddleboard races, tandem surfing ing apprenticeship, uti- boards were not readily available on the Cape Skipper and his brother, “Buddy”, enjoy a day playing on their surf mat and mat surfing.” California’s George lizing inflatable surf mats. Fear Coast. However, in the early to middle at Johnnie Mercer’s Fishing Pier. Greenough, was riding surf mats in Inflatable mat surfing was 1950’s, low density styrofoam surfboards were the mid fifties and is credited for popular and we learned available and we rode them in the prone po- starting the short board revolution in to ride prone, crouch, ride sition. There were at least two contemporary the late sixties. Mat surfing earned its straight in and angle across surfboards (Bill Creasy and Stanley Winborne, rightful place in surfing history, before the waves. The mats were typi- owners) around Wrightsville Beach between the boogie boards were invented in cally made by Converse, the 1954 and 1959, but focus of their use was as a 1973. shoe manufacturer. The rent- family and not as an individual. That was the ed mats were made in match- kind of relationships that turned us into the ing colors and were numbered contemporary pioneer surfers. for identification. Our surf mats The Cape Fear Coast wave is perfect for body were inflated to a higher air pres- surfing, which some locals considerer the pur- sure than for tourists. Ours were est form of surfing. By 1956, your author was inflated as hard as rocks, so they developing the skills to handle the waves of did not bend on a breaking wave. the ocean breaking near the shore. We of- My family provided us with many ten learned to body surf by piggy backing or privately owned surf mats. As well, doubling with an older relative or friend. The we did not wear rubber swim fins on Surfing on the 35 Cape Fear Coast 36 vehicle. It was important On Onslow Bay, there was only a fishing with wildlife – what not to like for a budding to practice body surf- shack or two and no houses on Lea Hutaff waterman or waterwoman! It was the twilight ing skills, particuraly if it Island, Figure Eight Island, Masonboro Island of Cape Fear Coast contemporary surfing and was a dumping or plung- or Bald Head Island. Your author a sport of a relative few. We grew up and lived ing wave. We learned to recalls boating to the locations during Cape Fear Coast’s sleeping giant era. avoid turbulence, by div- dozens of times and there were We were the fortunate ones who embraced ing under breaking waves ocean is strong, not any people on the entire isolated stoke and undisturbed privacy. We as they moved towards the you must go with it, island, save a fisherman or two. had to look around for someone to go surf- beach. The turbulence pass- don’t fight it.” In the early days Going to Baldhead Island was as ing with, so you did not have to be alone in es overhead when the body surfboard riding, wipe outs generally re- much a hunting and fishing trip, the water. If, you ended up surfing alone, you surfer dives to the bottom and quired swimming to retrieve your surfboard, as it was a surfing safari. Topsail were constantly eyeballing the beach, hop- clings the sand. Body surfers must as surfboard leashes had not been invent- Island was little more than a tiny ing another surfer would appear. If you were be in good physical condition to ed. The interrelatedness of lifeguard train- fishing village, while Wrightsville Beach, Kure day tripping north or south, there were so few catch and ride a wave – they must ing, swimming, body surfing, mat surfing and Beach, Carolina Beach and Fort Fisher were surfers, it was difficult to find someone to go. be able to accelerate quickly water skiing set the stage for contemporary slowly developing. Successfully hidden away We all knew each other and if we didn’t, we to the wave speed. This is easily surfing in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s. on Long Bay - Holden Beach, Long Beach and made fast friends. done by standing and propelling Sunset Beach were slowly developing, but the the body forward just as the wave remaining beaches were no more than tiny This was at the time when the entire Cape touches the back of the legs or back. Secret Spot fishing villages. The tranquility of that beloved Fear Coast surfing population numbered less The next step is to swim onto the wave time is unique. Fortunately, the State of North than 50 guys and a few girls. Actually, there Why were the pioneer surfing days during the and catch it just before it breaks. Once skilled, Carolina and beach communities have been were probably less than 25 hard core surfers 1950’s and 1960’s so glorious? In our day on we could catch the wave with no swimming wise, creating some of the islands as natural during the period before 1965.