Department of Geography University of California at Santa Barbara ...

Department of Geography
University of California at Santa Barbara
GEOG 20
Dr. Stuart Sweeney
The Geography of Surfing Office: Ellison 5718
Winter 2006 Phone: 893-5647
Lecture MW 5:00-6:15, Broida Hall
Email: sweeney@geog.ucsb.edu
Discussion / Film M 6:30-7:30, Buchanan Hall 1910
Web page: www.geog.ucsb.edu/~sweeney/g20/g20.htm
Office hours: Tuesdays 11-12:30 and Wednesdays 10-11:30 or by appointment.
Assistant: Benjamin Turner, Ellison Hall 4721, Office hours: Mondays 3-4:30, Thursdays 2-3:20,
email: turner@geog.ucsb.edu.
Required Texts:
Butt, Tony, Paul Russell, and Rick Grigg (2004) Surf Science: An Introduction to Waves for Surfing.
Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press.
Course reader will be available at The Alternative Copy Shop (6556 Pardall Road, Isla Vista) after 4pm
on Tuesday, 1/9.
Course Description
To surf is to explore, to connect with nature, and to embed oneself in history. Surfing, in one respect, is
simply a recreational sport, but it is also …a multi-billion dollar global industry, a reflection of global
climate patterns interacting with reef formation and sedimentation, a globalizing culture diffusing from
strong regional identities, and a reason to travel to exotic locations and explore the planet. This course
uses a geographic perspective to study the many facets of the sport. Geography provides a perfect set
of tools to study surfing ranging from the propagation of swells to the diffusion of culture. The goal of
the course is to introduce students to the core analytical approaches used in Geography. Specific
learning objectives will be provided for each of the four major topical areas covered during the course.
Section
The course has a required section that will be used to screen surf films that are of historic, cultural, or
scientific interest. A viewing guide will be available for review before each film. There will be some
questions on each exam from the films. The films will not be on reserve and will not be circulated.
Student Evaluation
There will be two midterm exams (1/29 and 2/26) each worth 30 percent of your grade. The final exam
(3/21, 7:30-10:30pm) will be worth 40 percent of your grade. The final will be cumulative but will
emphasize material after the second midterm. Exams will be primarily in the form of multiple-choice
tests. Students are required to bring a ParSCORE sheet (the pink scantron, Form No. F-1712-PAR-L)
to each of the three exams.

Summary Lecture / Section Schedule
Winter 2007
No. Day Date Topic Section
1 M 1/8 Introduction (I) no section
2 W 1/10 History/Culture (II.1 - II.2)
3 M 1/15 Holiday - MLK Jr. Day no section
4 W 1/17 History/Culture (II.2-II.3)
5 M 1/22 History/Culture (II.4) Five Summer Stories
6 W 1/24 Oceania/Pacific Region (II.5)
7 M 1/29 Exam 1 - History and Cultural Diffusion Surfer's Journal:
8 W 1/31 Waves (III.1) (G-land, Tavarua, Bell's)
9 M 2/5 Waves (III.2) Student's Choice
10 W 2/7 Waves (III.2 -III.3)
11 M 2/12 Waves (III.4) Making the Call
12 W 2/14 Waves /Regional (III.5)
13 M 2/19 Holiday - Presidents Day no section
14 W 2/21 North Atlantic / UK Region (III.6)
15 M 2/26 Exam 2 - Ocean Waves / Forecasting Glass Love
16 W 2/28 Surf Industry - Boards (IV.1-IV.2)
17 M 3/5 Surf Industry - Travel (IV.3) The Search
18 W 3/7 Surf Industry / Central America Region (IV.3-Iv.4)
19 M 3/12 Territoriality (V.1) Student's Choice
20 W 3/14 Territoriality / East Asia (V.1-V.2)
21 W 3/21 FINAL EXAM 7:30-10:30pm

TOPICS AND READING ASSIGNMENTS
I. INTRODUCTION
Haggett, P. (2001). Chapter 1: On the beach. Geography: A Global Synthesis, Prentice Hall: 2-31.
II. SURFING CULTURE, HISTORY, AND SPATIAL DIFFUSION
1. THEORY
Haggett, P. (2001). Chapter 7: Cultural diversities. Geography: A Global Synthesis, Prentice Hall: 202-231.
Gould, P. R. (1969). Spatial Diffusion. Commission on College Geography, Resource Paper. Washington, D.C., Association
of American Geographers. Pp. 3-26.
2. HISTORY: SURFING ORIGINS
Kampion, D. (2003). The seed culture. Stoked! A history of surf culture. Salt Lake City, Gibbs Smith: 31-68.
Gault-Williams, M. (2005). Chapter 1: The first surfers. Legendary Surfers, Volume 1: 2500 B.C. to 1910 A.D.,
Cafepress.com: 17-52.
3. HISTORY: SURFING RENAISSANCE
Smith, J. T. (2003). "Reinventing the sport: Part I -- Jack London." Surfer's Journal 12(1): 26-31.
Smith, J. T. (2003). "Reinventing the sport: Part II -- Alexander Hume Ford." Surfer's Journal 12(2): 30-35.
Smith, J. T. (2003). "Reinventing the sport: Part III -- George Freeth." Surfer's Journal 12(3): 90-95.
Croul, S., G. Lynch, et al. (2001). 7. Surfer lifestyle pioneer. Tom Blake: The uncommon journey of a pioneer
waterman. Corona del Mar, California, Croul Family Foundation: 61-68.
4. HISTORY: MODERN SURFING
Kampion, D. (2003). The boom culture. Stoked! A history of surf culture. Salt Lake City, Gibbs Smith: 69-112.
Severson, J. (1964). 6. California, the pacesetter. Modern surfing around the world. Garden City, New York, Doubleday: 38-
71.
Severson, J. (1964). 10. Australia's great potential. Modern surfing around the world. Garden City, New York, Doubleday:
105-111.
Severson, J. (1964). 11. New Zealand's great beaches. Modern surfing around the world. Garden City, New York,
Doubleday: 112-116.
Severson, J. (1964). 17. Safety & courtesy. Modern surfing around the world. Garden City, New York, Doubleday: 157-161.
Severson, J. (1964). 18. Surfing terminology. Modern surfing around the world. Garden City, New York, Doubleday: 182-
185.
Walding, M. (2002). "Lo-Fi ad virtual disco, 40 years of surfing, surf mags, and youth culture." Surfing World 40th
Anniversary Issue: 110-113.
5. REGIONAL FOCUS: AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, AND THE PACIFIC
Pulsipher, L. M., A. A. Pulsipher, et al. (2002). Chapter 11: Oceania: Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific. World
Regional Geography: Global Patterns, Local Lives. New York, W.H. Freeman and Company: 568-601.
Colas, A. (2001). Australia. The world stormrider guide, Volume 1. Cornwall, Low Pressure Ltd.
Colas, A. (2001). Pacific Islands. The world stormrider guide, Volume 1. Cornwall, Low Pressure Ltd.
---- (2006). "Honoloa Bay: Reflections on some 50 years of Maui's greatest righthander." The Surfer's Path 54(May/June):
46-67.
III. OCEAN WAVES AND SURF FORECASTING
1. OCEAN REGIONS AND GLOBAL CLIMATE PATTERNS
Ch. 1 “The Paradox of Impossible Knowledge” from Surf Science
Ch. 2 “Large-Scale Weather Patterns” from Surf Science
Colas, A. (2001). Meteorology and oceanography. The world stormrider guide, Volume 1. Cornwall, Low Pressure Ltd.
2. SURFACE WINDS AND PRESSURE CHARTS
Ch. 3 “The Formation of a Depression” from Surf Science
Ahrens, D. (1991). Chapter 10. The atmosphere in motion -- Charts, forces, and winds. Meteorology Today: An
introduction to weather, climate, and the environment. New York, West Publishing Company: 241-264.

3. OCEAN WAVES I: OPEN OCEAN WAVES
Ch. 4 “The Growth of Ocean Waves” from Surf Science
Ch. 5 “Propagation of Free-Traveling Swell” from Surf Science
4. OCEAN WAVES II: NEAR SHORE WAVES
Ch. 6 “Refraction” from Surf Science
Ch. 7 “Wave-Breaking” from Surf Science
Butt, T. (2004). "Rocky Reefs -- Hard as stone, but we love 'em." The Surfer's Path 41(March/April): 64-67.
Hauser, H. (2003). "In the basements of skyscrapers." Surfer's Journal 12(3): 46-57.
5. WAVE CLIMATE, MEASUREMENT, AND FORECASTING
Ch. 13 “Wave climate” from Surf Science
Ch. 14 “Forecasting” from Surf Science
Butt, T. (2006). "The Hidden Picture." The Surfer's Path 54(May/June): 34-38.
Butt, T. (2006). "Hotter climate. Cooler water." The Surfer's Path 52(Jan/Feb): 52-56.
Butt, T. (2006). "Global warming=More hurricanes?" The Surfer's Path 53(March/April): 36-41.
6. REGIONAL FOCUS: NORTH ATLANTIC / NORTH SEA
Colas, A. (2001). Europe. The world stormrider guide, Volume 1. Cornwall, Low Pressure Ltd.
Woolf, D. K., P. D. Cotton, et al. (2003). "Measurements of the offshore wave climate around the British Isles by
satellite altimeter." Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, A 361: 27-31.
Kew, M. (2003). "Water becomes you: Inner journeys in the Outer Hebrides." Surfer's Journal 12(3): 32-37.
Himarsson, G. (2004). "Our Iceland: It's a strange kind of paradise..." The Surfer's Path 41(March/April): 78-83.
IV. SURF INDUSTRY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
1. HISTORY OF SURFBOARD MANUFACTURING
Croul, S., G. Lynch, et al. (2001). 11 Commercial boards. Tom Blake: The uncommon journey of a pioneer waterman.
Corona del Mar, California, Croul Family Foundation: 95-122.
Noll, G. and A. Gabbard (1989). Evolution of the modern surfboard. Da Bull, Life over the edge. Berkeley, CA, North
Atlantic Books: 93-100.
Noll, G. and A. Gabbard (1989). Industry and image. Da Bull, Life over the edge. Berkeley, CA, North Atlantic Books: 111-
120.
2. CLOSING OF CLARK FOAM
Finnegan, W. (2006). "Blank Monday. Will surfing ever be the same?" The New Yorker August, 21: 36-43.
Gray, M. (2006). "Shapers getting squeegeed." The Surfer's Path 53(March/April): 48-57.
3. SURF TOURISM AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Potter, R. B., T. Binns, et al. (1999). Chapter 4. Globalisation and development. Geographies of Development. New York,
Addison Wesley Longman, Inc.: 75-103.
Buckley, R. (2002). "Surf tourism and sustainable development in Indo-Pacific islands. I. The industry and the islands."
Journal of Sustainable Tourism 10(5): 405-424.
Buckley, R. (2002). "Surf tourism and sustainable development in Indo-Pacific islands. II Recreational capacity
management and case study." Journal of Sustainable Tourism 10(5): 425-442.
Osnos, E. (2006). Papua New Guinea longs for wave of prosperity. Santa Barbara News-Press. Santa Barbara: D-15.
Toghill, M. (2002). "Two sides of paradise." Surfing World 40th Anniversary Issue: 98-107.
4. REGIONAL FOCUS: CENTRAL AMERICA
Colas, A. (2001). Central America and the Caribbean. The world stormrider guide, Volume 1. Cornwall, Low Pressure Ltd.
Walker, M. (2006). "El Confessor. Atoning for surfers' sins in Nicaragua." The Surfer's Path 52(Jan/Feb): 64-75.
V. TERRITORIALITY IN SURFING
1. LOCALISM
Sweeney, S. (2004). The Spatial Behavior of Surfers. GEOG 20: The Geography of Surfing. Santa Barbara, University
of California: 10.
Jarvis, C. (2000). Imported surf rage. Surf Rage. N. Young. Angourie, NSW, Nymboida Pres: 157-177.
Severson, J. (1964). 17. Safety & courtesy. Modern surfing around the world. Garden City, New York, Doubleday: 157-161.
2. REGIONAL FOCUS: EAST ASIA

Colas, A. (2001). East Asia. The world stormrider guide, Volume 1. Cornwall, Low Pressure Ltd