Episode Summary

For Episode 2, I interviewed Dr. Steve Estes. Steve is a history professor at Sonoma State University and in this episode we talk about his book, Surfing the South: The Search for Waves and the People Who Ride Them. This book explores the varying ways that surfing intersects with business, music, race, gender, environmentalism, and politics in the American South.

To fully explore this unsung surfing world, Steve undertook a journey that stretched more than 2,300 miles, traveling from the coast of Texas to Ocean City, Maryland. Along the way he interviewed and surfed alongside dozens of people—wealthy and poor, men and women, Black and white—all of whom opened up about their lives, how they saw themselves, and what the sport means to them. They also talked about race, class, the environment, and how surfing has shaped their identities.

Steve’s book is featured on the homepage at surfinghistorian.com.

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Artwork by Nacer Ahmadi: IG @nacerfilez

Production by TwistedLogix and Morrisound Studios