Surfing is a relatively young sport.  The history of surfing may span some 80 years or more, the sport really didn't start to develop until around the 1950’s. And, the commercial side of the sport ,making surfboards as a business,  didn't start to develop until the late 1950’s. 

I’d say most of the early board builder/surfers though getting up in years are still apart of the surfing community if not still in business. This year a few of those early board builder/surfers have left us. First is was Harold Iggy, then Terry Martin and just a week ago Donald Takayama.  When I stop and think about these men and how they have impacted surfing and knowing they are no longer with us really gives me pause. 

As well, just over a week ago a long time local surfer here in Ventura past away.  His name, Jack Cantrell, passed a week before what would have been his 84^th birthday. Jack’s passing is significant to local Ventura surfing history. He was a first generation Ventura surfer… one in the small number of people that started surfing here locally many years ago. 

Few know what it is like to surf Ventura with just a handful of guys in the water… and not because of some freak swell that showed up unannounced that no one knows about but you and a couple guys that happen to be a the beach with you. But because there were only a few guys that surfed… period.  Jack did!

Not that many people have seen the changes the shore line has taken over the last 70 years here in Ventura and up the Rincon, Jack did!

Though now there are maybe a dozen guys that make surfboards in the Ventura area,  Jack was here, and surfing, when there was no one that made surfboards in Ventura. So he’s seen it all. Tom Hale, Tom Morey, Pacific Plastics, Morey Pope, William Dennis, Campbell Bothers, Steve Huerta, McCrystal, Wayne Rich, Roberts, Craig Angell , FCD, and the list goes on.  Imagine none of these or even one of the 5 retail surf shops in town.    

No surf racks, no surf wax, no leashes,  no wet suites and, sometimes, no one but you and your surfboard at the beach.  Jack was here and lived through all this history….  And, this too gives me pause.

RIP Jack.

D.R.