REDWOOD CITY, Calif. — On a calm day with a clear view from shore, Jeff Clark saw an opportunity far out in the Pacific Ocean. The time had come to try a big wave he had eyed, and he encouraged a friend to join him.

“He said, ‘I’m going to call the Coast Guard and tell them where I last saw you,’” Clark recalled, “because he didn’t think I was coming back.”

That wave is known today as Mavericks, and Clark – the first person known to have surfed it – became a legend in the sport. On Tuesday, he appeared before the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors as it proclaimed October as Surfing Appreciation Month.

Supervisors David Canepa and Ray Mueller sponsored the proclamation to recognize San Mateo County's coast as a world-renowned surfing destination and reinforce the importance of beach and ocean safety.

Canepa credited 17-year-old Liam Ely, a student at San Mateo High School, with suggesting the proclamation.

Canepa also praised generations of local surfers for their contributions to the community, “not only as surfers, but most importantly as people with integrity, ethics and who really stand for what’s right.”

Mueller emphasized the connection between surfing and protecting the coastline.

“When the ocean is your sanctuary, you become fiercely dedicated to protecting it,” Mueller said. “Our local surfers are the front-line guardians of our coast and the heart of its community.”

The Board of Supervisors proclaims October 2026 as Surfing Appreciation Month. From left, Board President Noelia Corzo, Supervisors Ray Mueller and Jackie Speier, Jeff Clark, Marty Phelps, Deputy County Executive Adam Ely, Liam Ely, Supervisors Lisa Gauthier and David Canepa.

Ely, who joined Clark and longtime surfing advocate Marty Phelps at the ceremony, spoke about what the sport means to him.

“Surfing is a huge part of my life,” Ely said. “It’s so much more than just getting out in the water. It’s about community, our amazing coast, and learning to respect the ocean.”

“Show Up and Be Kind”

Phelps, who co-founded the Half Moon Bay High School Surf Club with photographer Doug Acton in 2007, said the goal was about more than developing competitive surfers. 

“We wanted to build good community members,” Phelps said. 

A saying students came up with – Show Up and Be Kind – is seen on bumper stickers around the Half Moon Bay community, he said.

Clark, now 69, had spent several years studying Mavericks from the cliffs before attempting to surf it. He learned how the waves broke and used landmarks to position himself above an underwater reef. (The wave, Clark said, was named for a dog that paddled out to a break much closer to the shore.)

More than 50 years later, Clark is still surfing. 

“You know, it’s magic,” Clark said of riding a wave. “It’s like recharging your batteries.”

Clark recalled growing up when surfers were considered renegades and there was no school surf team to join. Today, he said, organized surfing gives students an incentive to get up early, work hard and do well in school.

For anyone thinking about trying surfing for the first time, Clark offered some advice:

“Slow steps,” he said. “Get a good foundation, and you’ll be surfing for life.”

About San Mateo County
Established in 1856, the County of San Mateo stretches from the Pacific Ocean to San Francisco Bay and includes 20 cities and rural communities. Home to more than 750,000 residents, it is one of California’s most diverse counties with an economy driven by innovation, life sciences, agriculture and international trade and travel. In addition to serving unincorporated communities, the County provides countywide services that support the health, safety and quality of life of residents. Learn more at smcgov.org.