FROM THE NEWSROOM:Surfer theme is as timeless as it is fun

As I pulled into the parking lot of the Orange County Fair, the strains of the theme from “Endless Summer” by The Sandals was being piped in for all to hear.

Being one of my favorite songs, it seemed to me a clear omen that my assignment needed to be all about the Cowabunga theme for this year’s Orange County Fair, https://ocfair.com/ocf/.

Cowabunga is an old-timer surfer term. And while I admit to being an old-timer surfer, the truth is, no self-respecting surfer nowadays would ever use it.

And I hate to break it to you hodads (another old-timer surfer term), but surfers don’t suddenly exclaim, “surf’s up” when the waves get big either.

But Cowabunga is a perfectly fine theme for a surfing exhibit at the Orange County Fair, where cows are certainly in abundance.

So on Tuesday I wandered over to the fair’s Cowabunga Beach exhibit to see what was in store for the day.

As I walked up to the exhibit, a huge line was formed out front.

Four young female surfers from the Assn. of Surfing Professionals, https://www.aspworldtour.com/2007/index.asp, Sage Erickson, Courtney Conologue, Christie Alves and Anastasia Ashley, were busy signing posters for children and adults alike.

In-between signing autographs, I asked Ashley what she thought of the fair’s tribute to surfing.

“It’s really cool,” said Ashley, a surfing pro who grew up in Hawaii and San Clemente and now lives in Malibu. “You see so many families in here and people who wouldn’t necessarily know about surfing. It just exposes surfing to more people.”

Ashley was great with the kids who were looking for autographs and even kindly signed a few for my two girls, who I hope will become surfers someday also.

Back to Cowabunga Beach.

The exhibit is a nice tribute to the sport/hobby/lifestyle that consumed me for the better part of my life.

At the entrance is a fake wave and surfboard that kids can stand on for a picture and a huge sand pit where kids can play.

Inside, there is a booth about ocean safety and lessons about sunscreen and skin cancer and signs describing Surf Speak like “Snake, Dropping In, Cut Back, Green Room, Goofy Foot” and more.

There is a booth with a surfboard shaper, who wasn’t in when I was there. But if you want to see an example, just check out our video we took a few days ago at www.dailypilot.com/video.

But my favorite is the historical exhibit that shows the ancient guys who started the sport, like George Freeth and Duke Kahanamoku through the more modern era with guys like Dick Brewer and Simon Anderson, the father of the thruster.

The thruster, basically a surfboard with three fins, is the style of board that most people ride today.

And if Cowabunga Beach isn’t enough for you surfing fanatics, visitors to the fair can mosey over to the Visual Arts Building where the movie “Endless Summer” can be seen and surf photography and art is on display.

While we are talking about the Cowabunga theme, don’t forget to get a front row seat for Friday’s cattle drive, https://www.ocfair.com/2007/ConcertsEntertainment/CattleDrive.asp. The drive will begin at 10:30 a.m. at Fairview Park and wind its way down Placentia Avenue, to Victoria Street, to Harbor Boulevard to Fair Drive, ending up at the fair front entrance on Vanguard Way about noon. And if you don’t get to see it firsthand, we should have video up on www.dailypilot.com that day.

The fair runs through Aug. 3.