Oceanside Surf Camp — free ocean program by Un Mar de Colores

Un Mar de Colores · Oceanside, CA

Free Surf Camp in Oceanside — Year-Round, Not Just Summer

Free, year-round surf camp for BIPOC youth in Oceanside. Ocean education, cultural arts, environmental stewardship — and waves. All equipment provided.

Un Mar de Colores runs free summer surf camps for Oceanside youth ages 6–17. Each week-long Monday–Friday cohort combines morning surf instruction at The Strand, Wisconsin Street Beach with afternoons of marine ecology, cultural arts, and Kumeyaay coastal history. Priority enrollment goes to students of South Oceanside Elementary, Cesar Chavez Middle School, Ditmar Elementary and other Title I schools in Oceanside Unified School District. Wetsuits, soft-top boards, daily lunch, and round-trip transportation are all included.

Free year-round. Not just summer.

More Than a Summer Camp

Searching for surf camp in Oceanside usually turns up summer-only city or commercial camps. Un Mar de Colores runs free year-round programs near the Oceanside Pier — combining surf instruction with STEM education aligned to California Next Generation Science Standards, environmental stewardship, and cultural arts rooted in Kumeyaay heritage.

See how our youth programs flow together →

Schedule — Oceanside Program Days

Summer (June–August), Monday–Friday cohorts · Completely free

Summer intensives run in weekly Monday–Friday cohorts (announced each year). Year-round, Ocean Stewards continues after school Tuesday–Thursday, and One Ocean runs on a full-year scholarship rhythm. Contact us for open seats — enrollment is free.

You Might Be Feeling This

—Summer camp flyers in Oceanside list prices that equal a month's groceries — surf camps feel impossible.
—Every paid surf camp assumes you already own gear and can drive to The Strand, Wisconsin Street Beach every morning at 8am.
—After-school is packed during the year — summer is the only window, and affordable options in Oceanside vanish fast.

What Changes When Youth Get in the Water

Trauma-informed, joy-forward culture welcomes anxious first-timers and experienced youth alike.
Friday family showcase celebrates every camper — grandparents, siblings, and neighbors welcome on the sand.
Your family joins a BIPOC-led movement rewriting coastal access across San Diego County — not a tourist camp.

Why We Run This Program in Oceanside

Oceanside is Un Mar de Colores's home city — where free surf lessons, summer surf camp, and Ocean Stewards after-school were built for BIPOC youth, not as a commercial surf school. With 3.5 miles of coastline, the 1,942-foot Oceanside Pier, and 53,000+ students in Oceanside Unified, it is the epicenter of our work. The Strand, Wisconsin Street, and South Oceanside Beach host nearly all of our year-round programming, and most of our staff and youth come from the MLK Community Center and Boys & Girls Club of Oceanside.

Population: 174,068
BIPOC residents: 61%
Spanish-speaking households: 36%
Distance to beach: Coastal

Surf Camp in Oceanside — What You Should Know

While many Oceanside camps only run in summer, our model continues through Ocean Stewards after school (Tuesday–Thursday), One Ocean as a year-long scholarship for younger youth, and summer intensives like Watershed Explorers. Surf camp here means immersion in community — not a one-week tourist product.

We partner with Oceanside Unified School District, the Oceanside Boys & Girls Club, and community sites that reach inland and military families. Wetsuits, boards, snacks, instruction, and transportation support are included at no cost to families.

Representation in the lineup changes camp outcomes. When Oceanside kids see coaches who share their language and background, retention and joy rise — they're not guests in someone else's surf culture.

Why Oceanside Matters to Our Mission

Oceanside's Spanish-speaking households (36%) get parent communications in both languages, every time. Coastal access fails when language is treated as an afterthought.

The ocean off Oceanside belongs to everyone. Un Mar de Colores exists because San Diego has spent decades telling BIPOC youth otherwise — and we're changing that story one cohort at a time.

Where We Surf in Oceanside

Oceanside camp and immersion days center on The Strand and nearby beginner breaks by the pier — consistent summer conditions for first-time campers, with Wisconsin Street available for progression. City beaches and school-bus access keep days practical for OUSD families.

The Strand

Beginner

Un Mar's primary Oceanside teaching beach — south of the pier. Sand-bottom beginner reform, year-round lifeguards, and direct access from Oceanside Unified make The Strand where most free surf lessons and Thursday Ocean Stewards sessions start.

South of Oceanside Pier, The Strand has been a teaching beach for San Diego County surf programs for decades. The Oceanside Fire-Rescue Lifeguard Division covers this stretch year-round. Summer swells here are often knee-to-waist high — ideal for first paddles without resorting to steeper North County point breaks.

Bottom: SandWave: 1–3 ft typicalLifeguard: Year-round

Wisconsin Street Beach

Beginner

Secondary Oceanside teaching beach between the pier and harbor jetty — used for Wednesday cohorts and intermediate progression after youth build confidence at The Strand.

Wisconsin Street sits between Oceanside Pier and the harbor breakwater. Slightly more exposed than The Strand, it is still a sand-bottom city beach with lifeguard coverage — our step-up spot before youth see heavier North County water.

Bottom: SandWave: 1–4 ft typicalLifeguard: Seasonal

Camp in action — Oceanside

Local Oceanside Partners & Referral Sources

In partnership with Oceanside Unified School District and local community organizations, we recruit youth from 7+ Title I schools.

Community partners

◆Oceanside Boys & Girls Club (Carmelo Drive)
◆MLK Community Center (Division Street)
◆Oceanside Public Library
◆City of Oceanside Parks & Recreation
◆North County Lifeline
◆MiraCosta College Outreach

Program Curriculum

Our summer surf camps run Monday through Friday across North County and San Diego, serving BIPOC youth ages 6–17. Each one-week cohort combines four mornings of in-water surf instruction with afternoon programming in marine ecology, Kumeyaay coastal history, and cultural arts. Camps are capped at 18 students per cohort to maintain a 4:1 student-to-instructor ratio, and every camp ends with a Friday family showcase on the beach. Camps are entirely free — wetsuits, boards, transportation, daily lunch, and all materials included.

→Daily in-water surf instruction (4 hrs/day)
→Marine ecology & watershed education
→Cultural arts workshops (painting, poetry, storytelling)
→Kumeyaay coastal history and stewardship
→Nutrition and hydration for athletes
→Friday family showcase and celebration

What's Included — Free for Every Oceanside Youth

✓5-day Monday–Friday full-day camp (8am–3pm)
✓Certified bilingual instructors (CPR + First Aid, 4:1 ratio)
✓Wetsuit, soft-top surfboard, and rashguard for the week
✓Free daily lunch and snacks
✓Round-trip transportation from Title I schools
✓Cultural arts and marine biology enrichment
✓Family showcase and photo album
✓Certified bilingual instruction + all equipment
✓Ocean education & cultural arts — more than a summer camp
✓Year-round pathways after summer week ends

How Oceanside Families Enroll (Free)

1Enroll through Contact Us — it’s free.
2Share your youth’s age so we can place them in One Ocean (6–12), Ocean Stewards (13–17), or the right summer intensive.
3We confirm week or after-school cohort, beach meetup, and gear — everything remains free.
4Families are welcomed into showcase and community moments, not a sales funnel.

Who Leads This Work

Real community leadership — not hired tourist-lesson instructors from a commercial surf school.

Mario Ordoñez-Calderón

Co-Founder & Executive Director

Leads Un Mar’s Oceanside-rooted work — free ocean access for BIPOC youth and familias across San Diego County and beyond borders.

Katia Gibson

Youth Programs Coordinator

Coordinates Oceanside youth cohorts, school partnerships, and family enrollment for Strand and Wisconsin Street sessions.

Chuy Reyna

Board · Lifelong Oceanside Surfer

Former pro surfer and Oceanside local — helping keep programming grounded in North County community and ocean culture.

Meet the full team

Why Un Mar de Colores

Un Mar’s Oceanside surf camp is free community programming from a BIPOC-led nonprofit founded here in 2018 — the same Youth Programs cycle that meets young people where they are and walks with them as they grow.

What our community says

“"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."”
— Middle school student— Parent, One Ocean

Frequently Asked Questions — Surf Camp in Oceanside

Is surf camp in Oceanside really free?+

Yes. All Un Mar de Colores surf camp programs are completely free for participants. We provide wetsuits, surfboards, certified instruction, ocean education materials, and transportation support at no cost.

What ages can attend surf camp in Oceanside?+

We serve youth ages 6 through 17. One Ocean is for ages 6–12, Ocean Stewards serves ages 13–17, and Watershed Explorers opens a broader youth age range during summer.

Is surf camp only in summer or year-round?+

Unlike most Oceanside surf camps that only run in summer, Un Mar offers year-round programming. Ocean Stewards runs after school Tuesday through Thursday, One Ocean is a year-long scholarship, and Watershed Explorers is our summer intensive.

What’s included in the surf camp?+

Certified bilingual surf instruction, all equipment (wetsuits, surfboards, rash guards), ocean safety training, environmental education, cultural arts programming, and snacks. Transportation support is available for families who need it.

What ages can attend free surf camp in Oceanside?+

We serve youth ages 6–17 with age-appropriate cohort groupings. Camps cap at 18 students per week with a 4:1 student-to-instructor ratio. Enrollment runs through Oceanside Unified School District partners and community referrals in Oceanside.

What is the daily schedule for surf camp in Oceanside?+

Camp runs Monday through Friday, 8am–3pm. Mornings include up to four hours of in-water surf instruction. Afternoons cover marine ecology, Kumeyaay coastal history, cultural arts workshops, and nutrition education. Friday ends with a family showcase on the beach.

Are surf camp in Oceanside really free?+

Yes. All Un Mar de Colores programs in Oceanside are 100% free — including 3/2mm wetsuits, soft-top surfboards, transportation from partner schools like South Oceanside Elementary, Cesar Chavez Middle School, Ditmar Elementary, and certified bilingual instruction. Funding comes from the San Diego Foundation, community grants, and individual donors. No Oceanside family has ever paid for our programming.

Where exactly do surf camp happen in Oceanside?+

Primary water sessions run at The Strand. We also use Wisconsin Street Beach for skill progression. Classroom components happen at Oceanside Boys & Girls Club (Carmelo Drive) and other partner sites. All water activities happen within lifeguard-flag zones.

What ages can enroll in Oceanside?+

We serve youth ages 6–17. In Oceanside specifically, our recruitment runs through Oceanside Unified School District — with priority enrollment for students from South Oceanside Elementary, Cesar Chavez Middle School, Ditmar Elementary and 4 other Title I schools. Cohorts are age-appropriate (One Ocean for 6–12, Ocean Stewards for 13–17).

Does my child need to know how to swim before starting?+

No. We begin every cohort with ocean-safety fundamentals in chest-deep whitewater at The Strand, supervised by instructors certified by the San Diego Fire-Rescue Lifeguard Division. Water comfort is built progressively. In Oceanside, we also run pre-cohort pool-familiarization sessions at local community pools for students who request extra comfort-building.

Ready to Get in the Water?

Every Oceanside child deserves the ocean. Start with a single conversation — we'll handle the rest.

All Un Mar de Colores programs are free for Oceanside 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.

Web platform architecture and development by Codinito.