Whether you are a history buff or big kahuna, you are invited to catch a wave to the Ocean City Historical Museum for their latest exhibit. Local officials were in attendance last Saturday as the museum unveiled “Surfin’ OCNJ.” This brand-new display explores the rise of surfing in Ocean City with historic artifacts, classic boards, and styles that defined the island’s early surf scene.
Tom DiGiovanni is the guest curator behind the project. He is an intern at the museum and is studying for a master’s in public history at Rutgers Camden. “I grew up [surfing] in Portland, Maine, then I moved down here for my undergrad, went to Temple University, and now I’m studying surf history and intersections of class and race in surf culture,” DiGiovanni said.
The new surf exhibit comprises over 25 surfboards, each donated by local sources. The display is organized in chronological order, showcasing the evolution of surfboard designs, including mid to late 1960s longboards, 70s mid-length and big wave boards, and shortboards.
Surf aficionados and novices alike will be awe-inspired by the collection of historical images, medals, surf jackets, and apparel on display. “We’ve created a little narrative of the journey of how surfing was established in Ocean City through the decades; there’s a concrete culture and sport in the community,” DiGiovanni said.
Local historian Bill Simon says there is a significant amount of surf history throughout New Jersey, including recollections of the late Duke Kahanamoku surfing among our shores. “Kahanamoku wasn’t the first person to surf New Jersey but was by far the most famous,” Simon said. Among winning the gold medal in Stockholm, the Duke took part in various surf exhibitions. He surfed Atlantic City and Ocean City in 1912 and 1916, SImon said.
Many of the artifacts on display were donated or loaned to the museum by several contributors and collaborators, including John Loeper, Bill Simon, Shore Local publisher Bob Fertsch, Jack Gardner, Greg Beck of Surfer Supply, and Jim Hennessey of Heritage Surf & Sport. The museum also credited Joe Santella for constructing bamboo walls and stands for the surfboards. “He’s really the man that should get all of the credit; Joe was really involved,” DiGiovanni said.
Among other contributors include Robert Hendrikson, who donated a collection of 237 books, including original surfing magazines, videos, and other paraphernalia for the project. The avid surfer became friends with Surfer Supplies founder George Gerlach, who was one of the most prominent board shapers on the East Coast.
Over the last ten years, Ocean City Mayor Jay Gillian has been diligently seeking to create a dedicated East Coast surf and beach patrol museum for residents and visitors alike. Work is underway to find a location that will house a permanent display of surf culture and history. “The mantra would be to have a venue in which we can share surf culture with the community, if not all of Southern New Jersey,” Hennessey said.
Surfin’ OCNJ is on display at the Ocean City Historical Museum, located inside the Community Center at 1735 Simpson Avenue. They are open Monday – Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and closed on Sundays.
Photos by Steffen Klenk
