Surfing the Cape Charles Beach

When K-Coast surf shop first announced it would be opening in Cape Charles, this writer was extremely stoaked. Critics complained, “Why is there a surf shop in CC, when there are no waves in the Bay?” Yes, the Bay is flat, but this criticism doesn’t take into account surfer culture. Surfer culture is about nourishing a natural affinity to the water. Surfer culture is about loving and protecting coastal places every day. They understand the value of picking up plastic from the beach or leaving a place as you found it. Believe me, we will travel to the surf.

Nobody understands the beauty of this philosophy more than our own ambassador of surfer culture, K-Coast manager Spencer Travis.

Oh, and you say there are no waves in Cape Charles? Think again.

Last Saturday, Spencer and K-Coast made our dreams come to life by hosting the 1st annual K-Coast Day on the Bay–they actually created waves for us to surf. It wasn’t exactly Kelly Slater’s wave machine, but thanks to Captains Thomas and Kenneth Heath, they volunteered their beautiful deadrise boats and created some very sweet waves on the beach (they took time away from the boat docking competition preps to do this for the kids).

For several hours, the kids were able to surf real waves as well as skimboard the tide pools. The event wrapped up at the Palace Theatre with a slide show, a ukelele concert by the incredible ES Ukes, and a showing of the film The Endless Summer.

Spencer told the Mirror that they want to make this a quarterly event, with even a wet suit challenge this winter–we can’t wait!

All photos are by the awesome and talented Abigail Killmon.

Scientists are still learning why people say they feel increased amounts of unity, reverence, and happiness in the water. If you had been there last Saturday, you would understand. Being able to surf our home beach was glorious–for me, one of the best days in Cape Charles ever.

Thank you K-Coast, Spencer, and the Heath Captains for making our Endless Summer dreams a reality.

A special shoutout to Robert Beedie of the International Surfing Museum in Virginia Beach. It was with his push and support that this event happened.

Here is a little about the museum: Shed light on the unique and empowering history of Virginia Beach and International surfing, educating everyone in the lifestyle of surfing and other water sports to experience its fun and health benefits, and how important it is to protect and preserve all beaches, bays, and waterways locally as well as Internationally.