SurfJaxPier

Jacksonville's beaches have a long history in the surfing world -- going back to the early 1960s. A new exhibit at the Beaches Museum & History Center explores the evolution of the local surf scene from those early days through the present via photos, films, surfboards and other memorabilia.

"Hanging 10, A History of Surfing at the Jacksonville Beaches" covers everything from legends such as Joe Roland to local pros of today such as Asher Nolan and Karina Petroni, and everything and most everybody who've been touched by surfing along the way.

"You can see a timeline of surfing in Jax Beach around the walls," said Mitch Kaufmann, guest curator.

Some of the artifacts include a 9'6" Bruce Clelland (who Kaufmann explains hailed from Jacksonville Beach) model longboard made by Greek Surfboards as well as surf club jackets.

"The first big club was Oceanside, in south Jax Beach," said Kaufmann. "Utika, that was the guys from Atlantic and Neptune [beaches]. That was the hottest. If you were in Utika, you were cool."

One of the guys who wore a Utika jacket was Dick "Rozo" Rosborough, who started surfing in the mid-1960s and continues today.

"Florida doesn't have the best waves in the world, but when it's good, it's really good," Rosborough said. "You have the camaraderie of everyone on the beach, but when you're paddling out, you're up against the biggest thing on the planet -- the ocean. It's challenging. It has its moods. It whips you sometimes and sometimes it's nice -- cruel or kind, if you know what I mean."

"Hanging 10, A History of Surfing at the Jacksonville Beaches" runs through the end of September at the Beaches Museum & History Center. Call (904) 241-5657 for museum admission and other information.