Un Mar de Colores · Cardiff by the Sea, CA
Representation in competitive surfing changes who believes pro pathways are possible for Cardiff by the Sea youth.
Un Mar de Colores's Surf Athletic Scholarship program supports competitive BIPOC youth and teens from Cardiff by the Sea and the greater San Diego region. Scholarship athletes receive high-performance gear, competition entry fees, coaching, and travel support across the California contest circuit. Local training happens at Cardiff Reef. Referrals and nominations come through Cardiff School District athletics programs and our partner community organizations.
Ongoing · 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.
Parents searching surf scholarship near Cardiff by the Sea, CA find pay-to-play contest culture first. Un Mar scholarship is different: BIPOC-led nonprofit support for contest fees, travel from Cardiff by the Sea to regional events, physical therapy, mental performance training, and mentorship from professional BIPOC surfers.
Surf Athletic Scholarship for BIPOC surfers in Cardiff by the Sea covers competition entry fees, California contest circuit travel, high-performance gear, and one-on-one coaching at zero family cost. Un Mar de Colores addresses financial barriers that excluded Latino, Indigenous, and Black youth from competitive surf pipelines — funded by grants and donors.
From Cardiff by the Sea's Title I schools to the sand, our pipeline is built on real partnerships — not generic 'serving the area' language. Every cohort names the schools, beaches, and community orgs involved.
With 11,724 residents, Cardiff by the Sea is one of the communities where a single free surf cohort can change dozens of lives per season. Our shuttles and school partnerships make distance (on the coast) a logistics problem we solve, not a barrier families carry alone.
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 Surf Athletic Scholarship program supports BIPOC youth and teens pursuing competitive surfing at the scholarship or professional level. The program provides high-performance wetsuits and boards, pays all competition entry fees, covers contest travel costs across the California circuit, and provides one-on-one coaching from certified trainers. Scholarship recipients are mentored by alumni and partner professional BIPOC surfers, and the program specifically addresses the financial barriers that have historically excluded Latino, Indigenous, and Black youth from the competitive surf pipeline.
We do not charge families. Ever. That policy is structural — grants, donors, and shop revenue fund access so Cardiff by the Sea youth are never waitlisted for inability to pay.
“"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."”
Professional BIPOC surfers and Un Mar alumni who navigated contest barriers — representation matters for Cardiff by the Sea athletes who rarely see mentors who share their background in competitive lineups.
California contest circuit events including NSSA and WSA regional competitions across San Diego — not limited to one beach near Cardiff by the Sea. Coverage aligns with athlete development pathway.
Latino, Indigenous, and Black youth have been historically excluded from competitive surf pipelines by cost and culture. With 22% of Cardiff by the Sea residents BIPOC, scholarship rewrites who gets fees, travel, and mentorship — access as corrective justice.
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 Youth & teens. 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.
Every Cardiff by the Sea child deserves the ocean. Start with a single conversation — we'll handle the rest.
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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