Un Mar de Colores · Cardiff by the Sea, CA
Thursday surf sessions tie directly to watershed curriculum — science isn't abstract, it's the water they paddle in.
Un Mar de Colores runs its flagship Ocean Stewards After-School Program for Cardiff by the Sea teens ages 13–17, in partnership with Cardiff School District. Students meet three afternoons a week for tutoring, environmental literacy, and career exploration, with a Thursday beach day at Cardiff Reef. Our Cardiff by the Sea cohort draws primarily from Ada Harris Elementary, Cardiff Elementary. Transportation, meals, tutoring, and surf instruction are entirely free.
Tuesday–Thursday, year-round · Completely free
Cardiff Reef is one of California's most beginner-friendly longboard breaks — cobblestone-to-sand bottom with gentle reform. Our Cardiff cohorts draw primarily from Cardiff School District's Ada Harris and Cardiff Elementary, plus Encinitas Union partner schools. The San Elijo Lagoon Ecological Reserve anchors our Cardiff marine biology curriculum, connecting surf to watershed in a way unique to this corner of North County.
Looking for free after-school for teens in Cardiff by the Sea? Every Ocean Stewards week includes certified tutoring, environmental literacy, healthy snacks, transportation, and Thursday surf sessions at breaks like Cardiff Reef — reinforcing science with ocean experience.
Thursday surf sessions aren't a reward for finishing homework — they're curriculum. Wave energy, tide cycles, and lineup ecology reinforce the week's watershed science for Cardiff by the Sea teens.
Environmental justice in Cardiff by the Sea isn't abstract: watershed health, beach closures, and plastic pollution affect the same communities we serve. Our programs connect surf skills to stewardship of San Diego's coastline.
Cardiff by the Sea families deserve instructors who look like their kids and speak their language. With 22% BIPOC residents, bilingual coaching isn't a nice-to-have — it's how we earn trust on day one.
Un Mar's primary Cardiff location. The cobblestone-to-sand bottom produces gentle, slow-reforming waves that are remarkably forgiving for first-time surfers.
Cardiff Reef's cobblestone point has formed over thousands of years from sediment deposited by the San Elijo Lagoon. One of the most welcoming beginner lineup cultures in California.
In partnership with Cardiff School District and local community organizations, we recruit youth from 2+ Title I schools.
The Ocean Stewards After-School Program is Un Mar de Colores's flagship year-round offering for BIPOC teens ages 13–17. Three afternoons a week, students meet at partner school sites for academic tutoring, environmental literacy modules aligned with the California NGSS standards, career exploration, and college preparation. Every Thursday is a beach day — students head to The Strand, Tamarack, or Moonlight for water programming that reinforces the week's environmental science curriculum. The program runs during the full school year, connecting academic outcomes with coastal stewardship and career pathways in marine science.
Our coaches include graduates of the Surf Athletic Scholarship program and bilingual educators who reflect the BIPOC communities we serve. We partner with 15+ Title I schools across North County and San Diego.
“"He used to approach new activities with extreme anxiety — to the point where sometimes we couldn't even get out of the car. Now he goes much deeper into the water."”
Teens connect to surf therapy, ocean stewardship cleanups, year-round surf lessons, and the Surf Athletic Scholarship program. After-school is a long-term arc for Cardiff by the Sea youth — not a single-semester program.
Ocean Stewards runs Tuesday through Thursday during the school year, 3pm–6pm. Tuesday and Wednesday are at partner school sites. Thursday is a beach day at local breaks near Cardiff Reef. We publish cohort calendars early for Cardiff by the Sea families.
Yes — an annual leadership retreat connects Cardiff by the Sea teens with cohorts across San Diego. It's an opportunity to build county-wide community, deepen environmental leadership skills, and connect with alumni mentors.
Yes. All Un Mar de Colores programs in Cardiff by the Sea are 100% free — including 3/2mm wetsuits, soft-top surfboards, transportation from partner schools like Ada Harris Elementary, Cardiff Elementary, and certified bilingual instruction. Funding comes from the San Diego Foundation, community grants, and individual donors. No Cardiff by the Sea family has ever paid for our programming.
Primary water sessions run at Cardiff Reef. Classroom components happen at San Elijo Lagoon Conservancy and other partner sites. All water activities happen within lifeguard-flag zones.
We serve youth ages 13–17. In Cardiff by the Sea specifically, our recruitment runs through Cardiff School District — with priority enrollment for students from Ada Harris Elementary, Cardiff Elementary. Cohorts are age-appropriate (One Ocean for 6–12, Ocean Stewards for 13–17).
No. We begin every cohort with ocean-safety fundamentals in chest-deep whitewater at Cardiff Reef, supervised by instructors certified by the San Diego Fire-Rescue Lifeguard Division. Water comfort is built progressively. In Cardiff by the Sea, we also run pre-cohort pool-familiarization sessions at local community pools for students who request extra comfort-building.
Yes. All Un Mar de Colores programs are bilingual — and in Cardiff by the Sea, where 10% of households are Spanish-speaking, we intentionally pair at least one bilingual coach to every session. Cultural programming is delivered in both languages, and parent communications are always sent in Spanish and English.
Three ways: (1) everything is free, while most Cardiff by the Sea surf programs charge $50–$150 per lesson; (2) we are BIPOC-led and our coaches reflect the 22%-BIPOC Cardiff by the Sea community we serve; (3) our curriculum includes environmental justice, Kumeyaay coastal history, and cultural arts — not just surf skills. We exist because the ocean should belong to everyone in Cardiff by the Sea, not just those who can afford access.
Visit our sign-up page or contact us directly. Priority enrollment goes to students of Ada Harris Elementary, Cardiff Elementary and referrals from San Elijo Lagoon Conservancy and Cardiff 101 Mainstreet. Summer cohorts fill 3–4 weeks before start, so early contact is recommended.
Spots in our Cardiff by the Sea cohorts are limited to keep instructor ratios safe. Contact us to reserve a place.
All Un Mar de Colores programs are free for Cardiff by the Sea youth. Reach out to enroll, volunteer, or support the movement.
Un Mar de Colores is a BIPOC-led 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Oceanside, California. We provide free surf, ocean, and environmental programming for youth across San Diego and Tijuana — bridging cultures, coasts, and communities since 2018.
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