By Jim Kempton
Celebrating 250 Years of American Independence—One Dawn Patrol, Backyard BBQ, and Beach Day at a Time.
Today is a grand day for the USA. It’s a time to celebrate freedom and independence… surf in unbelievably crowded lineups… and eat as many BBQ ribs as humanly possible.
But every crowd has a silver lining. There are a few tricks to making the Fourth a great surf day.
Rule No. 1: Be out of the water by 8:00 a.m.
Rule No. 2: Surf a beach that’s nowhere near the fireworks, stay out until sunset, and enjoy the show on the drive home.
Surfer: Kevin Skvarna – Oceanside
Otherwise? Call it a beach day, not a surf day. Wander through a maze of umbrellas, inhale enough sunscreen to moisturize from the inside out, watch kids discover shorebreak one cartwheel at a time, and enjoy the annual migration of beach traffic. Then do what every seasoned surfer knows: paddle out at first light on July 5, when everyone else is sleeping off the barbecue and the ocean has finally become civilized again.
And speaking of fireworks… leave those to the professionals. Watching a spectacular display over the ocean is a lot more fun than explaining to the emergency room how your backyard “grand finale” didn’t quite go as planned.
The patriots who signed the Declaration of Independence were tired of a king telling them how to live—and taxing them while he was at it. They believed people should govern themselves, chart their own course, and enjoy the freedom to chase happiness however they defined it.
Two hundred and fifty years later, we’ve done a pretty good job of sticking with that idea. The only royalty most surfers care about is the Royal Hawaiian, where you can celebrate Independence Day with a red, white, and blue Mai Tai. Yes, that’s actually a thing.
Our king is the Grill King. Our redcoats are lobsters on the barbecue. And for many of us, the greatest rendition of the National Anthem is still Jimi Hendrix reminding us that freedom has always sounded a little louder than expected.
The Fourth of July is America’s birthday party—and everybody’s invited. It’s a day for dawn patrols, smoky barbecues, kids running through sprinklers, beach chairs planted in the sand, old friends, new memories, and fireworks reflecting across the water.
All kidding aside, I’ve always believed Independence Day is the most uniquely American holiday. Plenty of nations celebrate their independence, but ours helped inspire the idea that ordinary people could govern themselves and pursue lives built on liberty.
This year feels even more special as we celebrate America’s 250th birthday. A milestone that reminds us just how remarkable this grand experiment has been. For surfers, it’s also a reminder that some of life’s greatest freedoms are the simplest: paddling into the ocean at sunrise, sharing a meal with family and friends, and ending the day beneath a sky lit up over the Pacific.
So get in a quick surf. Fire up the grill. Spend time with family and friends. Watch the fireworks over the water. And take a moment to appreciate 250 years of freedom—and the simple joy of living in a place where we can chase waves, gather together, and celebrate another American summer.
There’s nothing quite like it.
Happy Fourth of July.
