Surf Culture Behind the Curtain Ocean City New Jersey By Zac Kane
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From an outside perspective surfing might seem like a small culture of laidback, long haired, hippies, but with the rapid expansion of its popularity, cultural issues continue to be magnified within the sport. Subcultures in the surf world occasionally clash to create an environment unrecognizable to someone who’s exposure to the culture is limited to Keanu Reeves in Point Break. There are layers of culture that extend beyond these stereotypes and might surprise those who are not heavily invested in the world of surfing. The majority of conflict in the surfing world surrounds beginners and more experienced surfers. The general consensus is that most beginner surfers don’t understand the proper surf etiquette and end up getting in the way of more experienced surfers.
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Ocean city surfer riding a wave Apr. 19, 2022.
Lone Ocean City surfer waiting for a wave infront of one of many drainage pipes Apr. 19, 2022.
Ocean City New Jersey is one of the most popular surf towns on the east coast, where the culture surrounds the three main surf shops on the Island: Surfers Supplies, Seventh Street Surf Shop, and Heritage Surf Shop. I was able to visit all three shops and ask around what people thought about surf culture in Ocean City. The results were predictable but also informative. Surfers Supplies located on the corner of Asbury Ave. and 32nd street is the oldest surf shop in Ocean City with its roots stretching back to 1962.
Since 1986, Seventh Street surf shop earns the award for most store locations on the island (5), but their main location, photographed on the left, is located at 720 Asbury Avenue.
Heritage surf shop is the only store of the main three, that has locations on other islands along the Jersey coast line, their location photographed sits on 740 West Avenue, Right behind Seventh Street surf shop.
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believes that local surfers should
Jeremy Nordberg standing at the storefront entrance of Seventh Street Surf Shop.
Born and raised in Ocean City New Jersey, Jeremy Nordberg is a 17-year-old sponsored surfer who rides for seventh street surf shop. He is an extremely talented surfer with tons of experience packed into his young life. I asked him about surf culturev, his opinions on conflict, and hierarchy in the
water. He explained how he
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have more of a right to waves because people like him are out in the water every day working to get better. He described the frustration shared between him and other passionate local surfers when “shoobies” show up and get in the way. (Shooby is a derogatory term used for tourists. I’ve heard the name comes from the stories of weekend warriors and tourists whvo would take day trips down to the Jersey shore carrying their lunch in a shoe box). Although Jeremy talked about how locals should be more entitled to waves than shoobies, he also mentioned the hierarchy within the local surfers as well. I asked him if there were people who had more of a right to waves then himself, he responded with an explanation of how hierarchy after local respect is purely skill based, bvetter surfers have more access to waves.
Jeremy walks up the beach after a sunset surf session.
Jeremy riding a wave as his dad watches in the background.
Over at Heritage surf shop, I got a chance to talk with three local surfers: Ryan Knaup, Pete (dewy decimal), and Ron (the OG silver surfer). Ryan and Pete are experienced employees of Heritage, and Ron is the best person to go to if you need help finding the yogurt at the local ACME (according to Pete). I could have talked with these guys all day about our similar cultural experiences in and out of the water. We talked a lot about the conflicts that many local surfers experience with beginners and other locals, as well as the system of hierarchy, and how anti-social the lineup has been in recent years. I asked them if they felt like there was a general sense of hostility in the water, to which Pete responded, “there is defiantly more people in the water, surfing is more accessible than ever”. Ron also mentioned how there is a lack of space in the water due to restricted surfing beaches and drainage pipes that cut the beaches in half. When I asked about entitlement to waves Ryan responded, “Anywhere that is a thing without a doubt. It’s an unspoken hierarchy”. At this point our conversation lost some structure and the guys just started venting, “Everyone thinks they are better than they are, younger kids didn’t get beat up like we used to. I used to get held under water all the time!” – Pete here was talking about how if he fell vout
Ocean City local surfer scoring a cold wave Apr. 19, 2022
(Left to right) Ron (The OG Silver Surfer, Pete (dewy decimal), and Ryan Knaup
of line and didn’t follow the rules of etiquette, the older local guys would literally rough him up. I asked if this kind of behavior was still common, and they said that it’s not as common, but today is more of a mental game. “People don’t talk in the water like they used to” says Ryan. Pete responded by saying “A lot of silent burns and it all just boils down to ignorance”. By silent burns he means surfers paddling in front of other surfers and cutting them off. I was able to conclude that they guys felt like most people just don’t understand the etiquette and end up really pissing people off.
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I briefly spoke to Greg Beck, co-owner of Surfers Supplies to ask him similar questions and gather a conclusive opinion on surf culture in Ocean City. He talked to me about the history of localism and this hostile environment how it started when the Australians traveled over to Hawaii during the winter, crowding the lineup at some of the most coveted and now famous surf breaks in the world. Obviously local Hawaiians were not happy, and it resulted in violence and textbook localism. Greg said that we have nothing like that in Ocean City today, he had never seen any physical altercations on the beach or in the water, but he agreed that there is a relatively consistent mind game out there having to do with hierarchy, and etiquette (which most beginners and a lot of intermediate surfers still don’t understand). I asked about hostility on the island and rivalries between surf shops on the island. Ron responded by say6 | Kane
ing that the island is like a big family, all of the shops get along and hang out. Except Ron John, “Ron John isn’t a surf shop, they don’t sell surfboards and they cannot break into the loyalty that we have”.
Boardroom at Surfers Supplies (above). Old signs on a back door of Surfers Supplies (Below).
Board rack at the entrance of Surfers Supplies (Left).
Overall, my conversations with the local surf shop guys allowed me to come to the general conclusion that while surf culture in Ocean City is still hostile, it isn’t as physical as it once was. Today the main issues we see, surround people who are ignorance to surf etiquette. If you pay attention, you might hear the occasional shouting match in the water, but it is unlikely to see an altercation get “taken to the beach” as they say. Ocean City surfers waiting for waves with the Atlantic City skyline behind them Apr. 19, 2022
Ocean City surfer dropping in on a wave Apr. 19, 2022. (Above)
Ocean City surfer performs a “floater” to finish off his ride Apr. 19, 2022.
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Waves Crashing on the 5th Street Jetty Apr. 19, 2022. (Above) Waves breaking on 8th Street OCNJ Apr. 19, 2022. (Below)
“If you see someone on a wave, let them have it. It could be the best wave of their life.” – Ron (the OG silver surfer) 8 | Kane