Early Wave Riding on the Cape Fear Coast

Surfing, or its earliest forms, could be found along the North Carolina coast as early as the turn of the 20th century. The postcard below is from 1909 and depicts a beachgoer looking to catch the next wave.

"Bathing Scene and Sea Shore Hotel, Wrightsville Beach, N.C."
Courtesy: Peter Fritzler, Randall Library, UNCW.
Postmarked 01 September 1909

"Riding the Surf, Wrightsville Beach, NC." Circa 1920s.
Courtesy: Wrightsville Beach Museum of History

Known as the "Fun Spot of the South," Lumina Pavilion attracted beachgoers from all over. Local surf historian, Skipper Funderburg discovered the gem below. Note the beachgoer with the paipo-esque surf board at middle-left.

"Lumina, Best Dancing Pavilion on South Atlantic Coast, Wrightsville Beach, near Wilmington, N.C."
Courtesy: Durwood Barbour Collection of North Carolina Postcards (P077),
North Carolina Collection Photographic Archives, Wilson Library, UNC-Chapel Hill.
Postmarked 19 June 1917

Many of the area's first surfers started out riding surf mats and later rode surfboards once introduced to them. The postcard below illustrates the use of a surf mat.

"Enjoying the Surf, Carolina Beach, near Wilmington, N.C., New Hanover County."
Courtesy: North Carolina Postcard Collection (P052),
North Carolina Collection Photographic Archives, Wilson Library, UNC-Chapel Hill.
Postmarked 12 August 1949

Page created and maintained by:Peter Fritzler, Randall Library, University of North Carolina Wilmington

First online: March 1, 2002
Last update: October 5, 2009

Citing This Page:

Cape Fear Surfing Archive. "Early Wave Riding on the Cape Fear Coast." William Randall Library, University of North Carolina Wilmington.
[Created: 01 March 2002; Updated: 05 October 2009; Cited]. Available from http://library.uncw.edu/surf.