Malibu’s scenic beauty is the attracting factor for many Pepperdine students. Most have a desire to learn how to surf, sophomore Isabella Morton said. Pepperdine encourages its students to engage in Malibu’s culture by providing students with different surfing options.
“When I think of Malibu, I think of surf,” Morton said.
Pacific Coast Highway is home to multiple surf shops only a short drive from campus, where students are able to rent surf equipment or take classes with local instructors.
Surf Chapel
Pepperdine’s Connection Chapel program seeks to make all students feel welcome into the Christian community through different activities, including surfing, according to its website.
“The Chapel program at Seaver College seeks to express the radical hospitality of Jesus, so that all students feel welcomed into our community,” according to Pepperdine’s Chapel website.
The Surf Chapel program is hosted at Zuma Beach every Wednesday at 7 a.m. for 14 weeks in the fall, and 14 weeks in the spring. Students are quick to sign up, as spots are very limited.
“Pre-Covid we peaked,” Surf Chapel Coordinator and Prof. of Decision Science Rob Shearer said. “We got to 302 students in one meeting and it was a beach party at that point.”
Although the number of attendees balanced out after the pandemic, sometimes it is hard to transport all the necessary surfboards students have to share.
“We have an old van and I absolutely love it,” Shearer said. “But with the boards and wetsuits I have, it’s pretty jammed.”
Surf Chapel’s history dates back 15 years, and since its inception, it has been a space for Pepperdine surfers to create a sense of community and a closer bond with their faith, Shearer said.
“It is a community of believers who love Christ and each other,” Shearer said. “I love to see small groups do things together outside of Wednesday.”
Surfing culture promotes a sense of community that attracts both locals and students around the Malibu area, Shearer said.
“My goal first and foremost is for Surf Chapel to be a community,” Shearer said. “If the Chapel program went away, we would still be there.”
Students also engage in small discussion groups led by student leaders who carry conversations about different parts of the Gospel.
“My favorite part is the one I have nothing to do with,” Shearer said. “I just love sitting back and listening to the conversations.”
Malibu Makos Surf
Pepperdine also offers “Surfing Activities,” a surfing class that focuses on the fundamentals of surfing and ocean safety. The class is instructed by Malibu Makos‘ team of ocean lifeguards and surf professionals.
The class meets every Thursday and Friday at 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. for 15 weeks throughout the semester. Students are expected to attend all classes and complete a swim test, exam and assignment according to Malibu Makos’ website.
While this class enables students to gain basic surfing knowledge, it also encourages Pepperdine students to have an immersive experience into Malibu’s surfing culture. Instructors focus on teaching students the local surfing areas around Malibu so students get a sense of the different style of waves and ocean conditions.
“The goals for this course are to enable students to get the basic knowledge and enjoyment of surfing and a general understanding of ocean safety,” according to the Malibu Makos’ website.
Sea N Soul
Only 7.6 miles away from the Pepperdine campus, Sea N Soul, a sustainable luxury surf and coffee shop, offers several options for Malibu locals and students to surf.
Sea N Soul’s Surf Club offers regular and extended surf memberships for customers. It is open to choose from a wide array of monthly options and price points, where customers can choose from their hand-crafted surfboards to borrow and use during surfing sessions.
For surfers who are just starting out, they also offer a one or three day pass where you can rent a fiber or foam board and a wetsuit.
According to their website, Sea N Soul owners John and Erica Kozlowski, avid local surfers, gave Malibu a place that not only supplies sustainable luxury, but also brings the community closer together.
“We wanted to create a place to serve as a local gathering,” Kozlowski said. “A place for the creative and active community.”
Zuma Jay’s
Zuma Jay’s Surfboards, one of the longest established surf shops in Malibu, is located across from the Malibu Pier, only 2.5 miles away from Pepperdine’s campus.
The owner, Jefferson Wagner, is a local Malibu surfer and the former Malibu Mayor.
According to Zuma Jay’s website, they provide costumers with the highest quality of surfing products — surf boards, wet suits, kayaks and accessories. Rental prices of hard and soft boards go for $35 a day, and wetsuits go for $15 a day. They also offer a variety of standup paddle boards.
Pepperdine’s students who seek to become part of Malibu’s surfing community, or just want to try take part in the ultimate surfing experience, are able to conveniently rent or buy equipment from the large variety of surf essentials, like boards and wetsuits that Zuma Jay’s Surfboards has to offer, given its close proximity to campus.
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Contact Karla Suzuki via email: karla.suzuki@pepperdine.edu
