Un Mar de Colores · Del Mar, CA
Pathways to Ocean Stewards and year-round surf lessons — therapy opens doors, not closes them after one cohort.
Un Mar de Colores offers free surf therapy sessions for Del Mar youth ages 6–17, combining licensed mental health support with trauma-informed surf coaching. Sessions run at 15th Street Beach with full safety coverage. Referrals come through Del Mar Union School District counselors and community partners including Del Mar Foundation and Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve. Cohorts are capped at 8 youth for safety and therapeutic depth.
Monthly cohorts, year-round · Completely free
Del Mar's 2.5-mile coastline produces some of the cleanest water and most consistent small waves in the region, protected by the San Dieguito River mouth eddies. Our 15th Street Beach lessons sit in front of Powerhouse Park, which doubles as our outdoor classroom. We partner with Del Mar Union's Del Mar Heights and Ashley Falls Elementary — serving primarily inland Del Mar Mesa and Carmel Valley neighborhoods.
BIPOC surf therapy in Del Mar addresses layered barriers: 20% of local residents are BIPOC, yet mental health and coastal access gaps compound. Our staff and alumni reflect the communities we serve — representation changes whether a child believes healing on the water is for them.
Surf therapy pathways connect to Ocean Stewards after-school and year-round lessons — Del Mar youth aren't discharged into emptiness after one cohort.
With 4,161 residents, Del Mar 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.
Cross-border watershed work matters to Del Mar 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 Del Mar location, directly in front of Powerhouse Park — which doubles as our outdoor classroom space.
15th Street sits in the heart of Del Mar Village, adjacent to Powerhouse Park, the historic 1928 beach concession building that gives the park its name.
In partnership with Del Mar Union 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.
Un Mar is a member of the surf equity ecosystem across California — connected to Surf Justice Collective, Native Like Water, and cross-border watershed coalitions.
“"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 — family and caregiver support sessions are part of the program. Del Mar parents and guardians receive bilingual updates and dedicated sessions — healing isn't isolated to the child on the board.
Un Mar de Colores surf therapy in Del Mar is 100% free — including licensed MH professionals, trauma-informed coaches, wetsuits, boards, transportation, and family caregiver sessions. Commercial ocean wellness programs often charge $150–$300 per session. We fund access through grants and donors so Del Mar families never pay.
BIPOC youth ages 6–17, especially those navigating anxiety, grief, immigration-related stress, and family instability. Referrals welcome from Del Mar Union School District counselors, mental health agencies, and community organizations in Del Mar.
Yes. All Un Mar de Colores programs in Del Mar are 100% free — including 3/2mm wetsuits, soft-top surfboards, transportation from partner schools like Del Mar Heights Elementary, Ashley Falls Elementary, and certified bilingual instruction. Funding comes from the San Diego Foundation, community grants, and individual donors. No Del Mar family has ever paid for our programming.
Primary water sessions run at 15th Street Beach. Classroom components happen at Del Mar Foundation and other partner sites. All water activities happen within lifeguard-flag zones.
We serve youth ages 6–17. In Del Mar specifically, our recruitment runs through Del Mar Union School District — with priority enrollment for students from Del Mar Heights Elementary, Ashley Falls 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 15th Street Beach, supervised by instructors certified by the San Diego Fire-Rescue Lifeguard Division. Water comfort is built progressively. In Del Mar, 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 Del Mar, where 8% 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 Del Mar surf programs charge $50–$150 per lesson; (2) we are BIPOC-led and our coaches reflect the 20%-BIPOC Del Mar 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 Del Mar, not just those who can afford access.
Visit our sign-up page or contact us directly. Priority enrollment goes to students of Del Mar Heights Elementary, Ashley Falls Elementary and referrals from Del Mar Foundation and Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve. Summer cohorts fill 3–4 weeks before start, so early contact is recommended.
Volunteer, donate, or enroll — however you join, you're helping Del Mar youth access the coast.
All Un Mar de Colores programs are free for Del Mar 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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