Elaine Davis is a legend in St. Augustine surfing history. At eight years old she moved to Florida with her family and started surfing around the age of fourteen. She attended Flagler College and then moved to Hawaii to pursue surfing for ten…
Zander Morton started surfing when he was five, inspired by his family. His family moved to St. Augustine to run the restaurant A1A Ale Works. He surfed for St. Augustine’s Surf Station, and O’Neill and Local Motion Surfboards sponsored him. He…
In his youth, David Farina spent time in surf shops to learn how to shape boards. At age 19, Surfing Magazine ranked him among America’s Top 30 “Up and Coming” shapers. Farina moved to St. Augustine and started Zion Surf Company. He sells Farina…
Jamie Davis started surfing when his father went out fishing. He moved to St. Augustine, Florida when he was twenty years old. He is one of three sons of surfing parents Ron and Lynn Davis who sheltered, mentored, and fed young surfers in the…
Patrick Madden started surfing in 1964 in Jacksonville. He moved to St. Augustine and surfed North Beach. He ran a surf shop out of Camachee Cove and later began making his own surfboards. His factory was north of town, close to the Autrey…
Rick Shiver spent his childhood surfing in St. Augustine until he moved to Hawaii. Upon his return to the continental United States, Shiver lived in Atlanta, GA and Daytona Beach, FL and continued surfing. He discussed the naming of various St.…
Rick Zappone came to St. Augustine in 1981 to attend Flagler College. Zappone surfed at a competitive level and later became a representative for several surfing brands. He discussed the Flagler College Surf Team, the NSSA’s first attempt at a…
Greg Rockwell began surfing with his family in Cocoa Beach, Florida on vacations. He attended Flagler College, and as a college student he surfed almost daily. He discussed territorialism, favorite surf spots, and the feeling of being with God out…
Bill Conner first starting coming to St. Augustine as a child to visit his grandparents. He surfed in the late 1950s with his uncle and brothers. He moved to Australia in 1970. He discussed surf etiquette in Florida and Australia, his friendships in…
Since the 1970s, Burgess Autrey has lived near Vilano Beach, his favorite spot to surf. He discussed his surfboard business, the Vilano Indians, Fourth of July surf competitions, the St. Augustine Longboard Club, being a Regional Director for the…
The Bailey brothers grew up in St. Augustine surfing at the Pier, Blowhole, and Vilano Beach. Surfing shaped the childhood and young adulthood of each brother. The Baileys, discussed the health benefits of surfing, international surfing, altercations…
Brandi Schmidt attended Flagler College, and moved to St. Augustine Beach to have better access to the surf. She began surfing Eastern Surfing Association contests and then the Op Pro. She discussed her family’s surfing background, her first board,…
Matt Jeffs moved to St. Augustine with his parents in the early 1970s. Jeffs began lifeguarding in 1978 and became a member of the elite lifeguard corps at Anastasia Park. He discussed local board shops and shapers, harrowing rescues, the power of…
Eric Norton discussed his first surfboard, bought and shipped from California. He also spoke about some of his surfing influences and what it was like to surf around the St. Augustine Pier in the 1970s.
Ric Schilling was born in Jacksonville, but he grew up surfing in St. Augustine. He traveled to surf in Hawaii, South America, and Puerto Rico. He was friends with many other local surfers and board shapers. He had a successful career as a…
