Un Mar de Colores · Pacific Beach, CA
Physical therapy, injury prevention, and mental performance training — full athlete support, not just board fees.
Un Mar de Colores's Surf Athletic Scholarship program supports competitive BIPOC youth and teens from Pacific Beach 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 Tourmaline Surfing Park, Crystal Pier. Referrals and nominations come through San Diego Unified School District athletics programs and our partner community organizations.
Ongoing · Completely free
Pacific Beach sits between Mission Bay and the open Pacific, producing the mellowest learner waves in the city. Tourmaline Surfing Park — designated a surf-only beach in 1981 — is the safest and most instructor-friendly break in San Diego. Over 55% of students at Mission Beach Elementary, Pacific Beach Middle, and Mission Bay High qualify for free or reduced meals, making this one of our highest-impact urban partnerships.
Scholarship pipeline from free surf lessons and summer camp in Pacific Beach — beginner access connects to competitive arc through San Diego Unified School District counselor referrals.
Parents searching surf scholarship near Pacific Beach, CA find pay-to-play contest culture first. Un Mar scholarship is different: BIPOC-led nonprofit support for contest fees, travel from Pacific Beach to regional events, physical therapy, mental performance training, and mentorship from professional BIPOC surfers.
Pacific Beach sits inside San Diego County's coastal equity gap — 44% of residents identify as BIPOC, yet beach access has historically been gated by cost, transportation, and culture. Un Mar de Colores closes that gap with free programming and school-based recruitment.
Cross-border watershed work matters to Pacific Beach because Tijuana River pollution and coastal health don't stop at a border fence. Our education modules name that reality honestly.
Un Mar's primary Pacific Beach teaching location. Designated a surf-only beach in 1981 — the safest and most instructor-friendly break in San Diego.
Tourmaline was designated surf-only by San Diego City in 1981, making it the first formally protected teaching beach in Southern California.
South side of pier offers a sand-bottom peak ideal for graduating students from Tourmaline.
Crystal Pier was built in 1927 and is one of only two piers in California with an overnight hotel (Crystal Pier Hotel & Cottages).
In partnership with San Diego Unified School District and local community organizations, we recruit youth from 3+ 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.
Un Mar de Colores is recognized by partners including the San Diego Foundation, Surfrider San Diego, WILDCOAST, and school districts across San Diego — not a pop-up program, a sustained movement.
“"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."”
Surf lessons serve beginners ages 6–17 with weekly instruction. Scholarship serves contest-ready BIPOC athletes with fees, travel, high-performance gear, and elite coaching. Many Pacific Beach scholars start in lessons and advance through pipeline.
California contest circuit events including NSSA and WSA regional competitions across San Diego — not limited to one beach near Pacific Beach. Coverage aligns with athlete development pathway.
Professional BIPOC surfers and Un Mar alumni who navigated contest barriers — representation matters for Pacific Beach athletes who rarely see mentors who share their background in competitive lineups.
Yes. All Un Mar de Colores programs in Pacific Beach are 100% free — including 3/2mm wetsuits, soft-top surfboards, transportation from partner schools like Pacific Beach Middle, Mission Bay High, Mission Beach Elementary, and certified bilingual instruction. Funding comes from the San Diego Foundation, community grants, and individual donors. No Pacific Beach family has ever paid for our programming.
Primary water sessions run at Tourmaline Surfing Park. We also use Crystal Pier for skill progression. Classroom components happen at Kate Sessions Park & Rec Center and other partner sites. All water activities happen within lifeguard-flag zones.
We serve youth ages Youth & teens. In Pacific Beach specifically, our recruitment runs through San Diego Unified School District — with priority enrollment for students from Pacific Beach Middle, Mission Bay High, Mission Beach 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 Tourmaline Surfing Park, supervised by instructors certified by the San Diego Fire-Rescue Lifeguard Division. Water comfort is built progressively. In Pacific Beach, 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 Pacific Beach, where 28% 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 Pacific Beach surf programs charge $50–$150 per lesson; (2) we are BIPOC-led and our coaches reflect the 44%-BIPOC Pacific Beach 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 Pacific Beach, not just those who can afford access.
Visit our sign-up page or contact us directly. Priority enrollment goes to students of Pacific Beach Middle, Mission Bay High, Mission Beach Elementary and referrals from Kate Sessions Park & Rec Center and San Diego Junior Lifeguards. Summer cohorts fill 3–4 weeks before start, so early contact is recommended.
Spots in our Pacific Beach cohorts are limited to keep instructor ratios safe. Contact us to reserve a place.
All Un Mar de Colores programs are free for Pacific Beach 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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