Of the 40 some miles of coast line that is inside Ventura County about 30 of those miles one could actually live at the beach or a few blocks from the beach.

Maybe 20 miles are homes on the beach or areas that are beach breaks. Ventura town itself has a short area of home on the beach and there are some condos and apartments on the beach on the point.

As a kid if you were fortunate enough to have lived in one of those beach communities and started surfing…. well, most likely that’s what every surfer would like. The Campbell brothers Malcolm and Duncan lived along the beach in Ventura County in what is called Oxnard Shores. That’s where one of the most world renowned surfboard designs got its start. https://www.bonzer5.com/

Over the years there have been a number of surfboard labels that have come up out of Ventura County that have held up over the years. William Dennis being one of them getting started in 1967 and still being made today. Ventura surf shop is one of the longest established surf shops on the California coast and it is home for William Dennis Surfboard as well as a home for Campbell Bros.

In the early days of surfing there was Morey-Pope that had success and reach outside of its home of Ventura County. In contemporary times I’d say it’s Campbell Bros. that have certainly had success and reach outside of Ventura County. As a matter of fact, Campbell Bros have continued to grow. The reach of their unique design is global. There are very few surfboard labels that have a global audience. Not only a global audience but also a surfboard design like no other. If you know surfboards and see a Bonzer you know exactly what it is…. Not your normal run of the mill kind of shape. As well as many surfers favorite boards.

The population of Ventura County has grown in large proportions. Still certainly not as populated as other places along the coast of California. The more populated coastal towns and counties have certainly contributed to surfing and surfboards in very large ways. And I would say that Ventura has its contributions too. Both in the early days of the surfboard industry and now.

My post this past May got me started writing about all this Ventura stuff because… “I was recently told that a certain surf magazine publication turned away a story about Morey-Pope. The  60’s surfboard company from Ventura  and it’s very significant contribution to surfing and it’s history…..”

Well that Story has been published. In Australia not California https://www.pacificlongboarder.com/

Go figure.

D.R.