60th year of Agate Beach surfing will be celebrated Saturday with “Paddle Out” and other events

Casey Felton **Saturday’s celebration of 60 years of surfing at Agate Beach Cove will include a demonstration using 1960s surfboards.**

By Oregon Coast TODAY

The third annual Oregon Paddle Out to honor all Oregon surfers who have passed will be held at the Agate Beach Cove on Saturday, July 20 as part of an all-day beach party with multiple events this year to celebrate the 60th year of surfing at Agate Beach.

A Retro Surf Demo to celebrate the pioneer days of surfing will start at 11 a.m. at the cove. Ossies and Pura Vida surf shops have each selected a six-member team of men and women who will demonstrate what surfing was like in the 60s.

“I have been describing this year’s retro demonstration as like a Civil War reenactment type event,” Dan Hasselschwert said. “No wetsuits, no leashes and only 1960’s technology in the waves! I think this event will breathe new life into the desire and appreciation for these boards and the surfing for fathers that came before us.”

Local surfers have loaned their 60s longboards to be used at the demo. Currently, they are being displayed at Ossies.

“I was blown away by the size and uniqueness of the 60’s era surfboard fins,” said Paddle Out board member Casey Felton. “In particular the gigantic Dewey Weber hatchet fin that protruded off the board like a huge misshapen bat wing.”

Surfers will gather at the cove at 12:45 a.m. Saturday for a short ceremony to hear the names of the 39 Oregon surfers who have passed. At 1 p.m., surfers will paddle out following paddle out board leaders Jay Sennewald and Tony Stein past the breakers, along the Yaquina Head cliffs. They will form a circle and each surfer will take a turn to yell out the name(s) of who they are honoring.

People wishing to watch the ceremony can watch from the cliffs of the Yaquina Head Natural Preserve. Depending upon where the circle forms observers may be able to hear the names while watching the surfer’s ceremony.

A paddle race begins at 2:30 p.m. and the first 25 contestants to sign up on Saturday at the beach will be entered in the contest. Jack Skriver and his wife, Teri Jernigan, owner of Dance And All That Jazz have donated money as prizes for the winners.

The celebration will end at Ossies with a free popcorn party and videos by Felton from 6:30- 8 p.m. The TasteeTiki cart and beer garden just outside the shop will be open during the event. Ossies Surf Shop is located at 4900 U.S. Highway 101, Newport.