Un Mar de Colores · Cardiff by the Sea, CA
Shuttle from partner schools for inland Cardiff by the Sea families (on the coast) — access when the beach feels far.
Un Mar de Colores offers free surf therapy sessions for Cardiff by the Sea youth ages 6–17, combining licensed mental health support with trauma-informed surf coaching. Sessions run at Cardiff Reef with full safety coverage. Referrals come through Cardiff School District counselors and community partners including San Elijo Lagoon Conservancy and Cardiff 101 Mainstreet. Cohorts are capped at 8 youth for safety and therapeutic depth.
Monthly cohorts, 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.
Immigration-related stress, family instability, and coastal access barriers intersect for Cardiff by the Sea BIPOC youth — surf therapy addresses the whole picture, not just wave count.
Environmental justice framing in therapy modules connects emotional healing to why Cardiff by the Sea beaches close after storms — watershed stress isn't abstract.
Cardiff by the Sea's relationship to the Pacific is complicated by history and economics. Our curriculum weaves Kumeyaay coastal stewardship, environmental justice, and culturally grounded instruction into every session — not as an add-on, but as the foundation.
Parents in Cardiff by the Sea often ask how a nonprofit can offer everything free. Answer: San Diego Foundation grants, community donors, and partners who believe Cardiff by the Sea youth belong in the lineup — same as any other kid in San Diego.
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.
Surf therapy at Un Mar de Colores is more than recreational — it's a structured, trauma-informed mental health program that uses the ocean as a therapeutic setting. Licensed mental health professionals partner with trauma-informed surf coaches to deliver small-group sessions (8 youth maximum) combining ocean-based mindfulness, somatic movement, and culturally grounded healing modules developed with Kumeyaay elders. The program is especially effective for youth navigating anxiety, grief, immigration-related stress, and family instability. All programming is free and open to youth referred through partner schools, mental health agencies, and community organizations.
Our impact is measured in youth served, school partnerships, and watershed stewardship hours — published annually in our impact reports at mar-de-colores.org.
“"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."”
Yes — a licensed mental health professional is on-site every session. This isn't a volunteer beach day marketed as therapy. Clinical staff work alongside trauma-informed surf coaches for Cardiff by the Sea cohorts.
Yes — pathways open to Ocean Stewards after-school, year-round surf lessons, and other Un Mar programs. Therapy cohorts are a bridge, not a dead end for Cardiff by the Sea youth.
No swimming test is required. We begin in chest-deep whitewater under direct coach and clinical supervision, building water comfort progressively. Many Cardiff by the Sea participants start with limited pool experience.
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 6–17. 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.
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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