Surfing Corpus Christi and Port Aransas

Book excerpt: Surf culture in the texas Coastal Bend began in the early 1960s when a few young men set up surfboard rental stands on the beach. By 1970, thousands of people had caught the surfing bug. In the decades that followed, dozens of surf shops and surfboard makers established themselves in Corpus Christi, Port Aransas, and nearby communities, coastal Bend surers won national championships for their wave-riding prowess, beating out: counterparts from the East Coast, California, and Hawaii. By the 21st century, Coastal Bend wave riders had become a force to be reckoned with, playing strong roles in local political movements that influenced public policy. Husband-and-wife team Dan Parker and Michelle Christenson, curators of the Texas Surf Museum, conducted hundreds of interviews and examined thousands of photographs to produce this book. Numerous Coastal Bend surfers assisted in the effort by contributing photographs from their private collections. Parker and Christenson are longtime Port Aransas surfers who work as newspaper jounralists. The Images of America series celebrates the history of neighborhoods, towns, and cities across the country. Using archival photographys, each title presents the distinctive stories from the past that shape the character of the community today. Arcadia is proud to play a part in the preservation of local heritage, making history available to all.