Surf Dogs Spread the Stoke in Imperial Beach

On June 16, a large crowd cheered in Imperial Beach as dogs were pushed into the whitewater of broken waves during the annual Loews Coronado Bay Resort’s Surf Dog Competition.

The last time I saw so many expensive cameras pointing to the ocean was during a Pipeline contest on Oahu’s North Shore. A broad cross section of humanity was thrilled, inspired, and entertained by the sight of dogs riding shoreward on surfboards.

A world record was achieved for the most dogs surfing on one board —14 — aided by Carlsbad surfer Scott Chandler.

As the event was to benefit the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, most participating dogs had been rescued. One example was Abbie. Competing in the small-dog division, Abbie negotiated two wave reforms on her first ride and drove her surfboard to the sand.

During the post-heat interview frenzy, Abbie placed both paws onto the rail of her surfboard while her master Michael fielded questions and they posed for cameras.