Santa Monica surf spot in Ocean Beach

Name: Kens Sullivan Jr. and Sr.

Vehicle: 1992 Jeep Cherokee

Lives: Point Loma

Surfing: Santa Monica surf spot in Ocean Beach

Ken Sullivan Sr. calls his Jeep Cherokee 4x4 the "soul car" because he can pack up "four kids, four boards, and an old dog and hit the beach." He bought the Jeep because of its storage capacity and off-road ability in case the mood strikes him to go camping. Ken Sr. has surfed for 40 years. At ten years old, Ken Jr. has surfed for three years. Atop the Jeep, on a stock rack fitted with aftermarket board pads, Ken carries a "South Coast Surf Shop longboard for 'Big Ken' and a South Coast 7'0" for 'Little Ken.'"

The Kens spend each Saturday morning with a group of fathers and sons, surfing breaks around Ocean Beach. "We start the day at a donut shop, get our glazed donut, and go surfing," says Ken Sr. The glazed donut is "surf fuel." Ken Sr. enjoys surfing with the fathers and sons because, "It's clean family fun and relatively inexpensive. There are no lift tickets or greens fees."

The Sullivans' summer culminates with "Gromfest" on August 25 at the Ocean Beach Pier. As treasurer of the Sunset Cliffs Surfing Association, Ken Sr. helps put on a day of surfing competition and barbecue for little kids. "Grommet," Ken says, "is Hawaiian slang for a young surfer. And it's their day; we have prizes and trophies. It's free to enter."