Tale of two surf cities

Most of the world’s problems can be solved over a can of peaches and

a warm campfire.

Just ask Ike, the hero from “Tapping the Source” a great novel on

1970s surf culture by Kem Nunn. Although the book is set on the

gritty streets of “old Huntington Beach,” one scene in the novel has

Turner sneak up to Santa Barbara with surfer-turned-biker Preston to

trespass on to The Ranch, an outlaw surf-spot famous for its long

waves and reliable point break.

It was a temporary escape from the problems they left behind in

Orange County; a chance to ride truly wonderful waves and enjoy

relaxation’s simplest pleasures, like a day’s end with a can of

peaches and a warm camp-fire.

Isn’t that what surfing is really about? Losing oneself, even if

just for a five-second blast to shore. I don’t remember any talk of

senate resolutions, trademarks or licensing agreements in Nunn’s

book.

Ok, you probably figured out where I’m going with this -- the

so-called Surf City war between Huntington Beach and Santa Cruz.

First, a little disclosure: yes, I live in southeast Huntington

Beach and work for a newspaper with Huntington Beach in the title,

but I actually hail from the northern part of the state. I spent the

last six years of my life in Santa Cruz, first attending college, and

then working as a reporter. I’ve lived in Santa Cruz, I’ve surfed in

Santa Cruz and I have a pretty good idea of how things work around

those parts.

So who is the true Surf City you ask? Well, I’ll leave that up to

you. Besides, Surf City doesn’t really have to be one place; it’s

more of state of mind, a place one finds that represents everything

they value about the surfing lifestyle.

So then how can Huntington Beach go and trademark the darn name,

and how can Santa Cruz fight to get a senate resolution passed

recognizing it as the true Surf City? A lot of things have led up to

this moment, a lot of silliness really, driven by the usual culprit

of misunderstandings.

I was having a conversation with tourism honcho Doug Traub the

other day, trying to explain that the people of Santa Cruz are very

different from the people of Huntington Beach. Santa Cruzians loathe

getting a raw deal and there is nothing they hate more than

injustice, especially against the little guy. They feel like

Huntington Beach did this behind their backs to spite them, as if

this whole thing was really about Santa Cruz. Almost makes you wonder

if they want it simply because they can’t have it.

And then there’s Huntington Beach, a strong business community

that doesn’t stand for interference into its money-making ventures.

Sometimes in the hustle and bustle to find success, we forget that

not everyone responds to the same values we do. Perhaps Huntington

Beach ignored Santa Cruz’s complaints until it had spun out of

control.

Anyway, that’s water under the bridge for now. I think it’s time

for a truce.

Why don’t we get both sides together in a neutral place, like

Malibu or Morro Bay, and work out a formal peace agreement to end

this silly war.

Huntington Beach must promise to never go after businesses in

Santa Cruz, or anywhere for that matter, that use the title “Surf

City” in their name. They must also do their best to better

communicate with Santa Cruz about its trademark efforts and promote

good-will trips between the two.

For its part, Santa Cruz must agree to drop the plans to disrupt

Huntington Beach’s trademark application and tone down it’s rhetoric

-- no more name calling. It should also remember that Huntington

Beach is simply trying to market a beach and clothing brand, just

like Santa Cruz-based companies O’Neil and Pacific Wave.

After the treaty is signed, both sides can put down their pens,

grab their short boards or fun boards -- which ever they prefer --

and paddle out into the perfect dawn swell, taking turns dropping

into waves while the other watches and cheers. It’s going to be

wonderful, really -- a chance to reconnect the soul with ocean,

rediscover the rhythm of the earth and remember what it was like to

just lose yourself doing something you absolutely love.

So Huntington Beach, you’re in charge of bringing the sun block,

Santa Cruz you take care of the matches and I’ll make sure to bring

plenty of peaches, canned of course.

You’ll be stoked bro. See you in the water.