Surfer Rides the Waves of Change at Ocean Beach

photo: Philip Liborio Gangi

Bob Wise has been surfing at
Ocean Beach since the '60s.

By John McKee

It is believed that southern California has the best surfing, but for his dollar, Bob Wise, of San Francisco's Wise Surf Shop, feels surfing in San Francisco ranks just as high.

He's seen it all, from surfing as a kid during the '60s, to making surfboards in the '70s, to owning the Wise Surf Shop today. He's surfed almost every break, heard every story and met just about everyone seriously involved in San Francisco's surfing scene.

Wise was one of the first surf shop owners north of Santa Cruz and has seen the surf scene rise, fall and rise again numerous times.

"Back in the '60s, with the Beach Boys and Jan & Dean, you had Macy's at Union Square selling surfboards. It faded and came back, most recently behind the popularity of surfers like Kelly Slater," he said.

Wise points to the rise in cell phones as a major reason the waters are getting crowded again. He theorizes that before cell phones, surfers had to go to the water's edge to see the conditions first-hand and maybe run into a friend or two at their favorite spots.

Now, if someone finds good wave conditions, they can call 10 friends and the spot gets crowded. Avid surfers, like Wise, know that a wetsuit is needed to surf in Ocean Beach's chilly waters. Some beaches may have more consistent waves, but San Francisco has much the same waves, set against some of the world's most beautiful backdrops - the Golden Gate Bridge and the coastal  cliffs at the Great Highway.  

Wise also noted the difference between riding small waves at Stinson and Ocean beaches and the world-famous big wave riding spots, such as Mavericks, near Half Moon Bay.

"That's like comparing a tap dancer and a bullfighter. One is more skillful but the other has more to lose. Hey, if a tap dancer falls, no big deal, but if a bullfighter falls, he's getting gored," Wise said.

Yet he sees the beauty in both types of surfing conditions because they require different types of surfboards and his shop carries more than 500 different surf boards. 

As for the business side of his shop, Wise doesn't believe in sponsoring professional riders, feeling that it would be an affront to his long-time customers. 

"I'm all for the youth in the sport, but what do I say to a customer of 30 years when I'm buying boards for a 14 year old?" he said. 

He does not believe sponsoring wave riders actually generates additional revenue for a shop such as his - it might be good for a surfboard manufacturer, where branding is a top priority.

But local branding is an aspect of Wise's business. Check out most vehicle roof racks in the City and chances are, if its owned by a surfer, it will have a Wise Surf Shop rack protector. 

Concerning surfing, Wise puts on his oceanographer hat and says there are some conditions that are better than others for riding a good wave.

"The high tide can't be too high and the low tide can't be too low, and then you have to make sure the wind is minimal. This, combined with other factors, makes Autumn the best season for surfing in San Francisco," he said. 

Recently, the surfing world made headlines when a shark attacked a young girl in Hawaii, but Wise said the Bay Area would be hard pressed to have a similar incident despite the waters being a breeding ground for great whites. He points to the fact that there have been few attacks in the Bay Area and none in San Francisco waters. 

Some things have changed over the years, Wise said, including a reduction in the seal population that used to live in San Francisco waters.

"Surfing's not like other sports, golfing for instance," Wise muses. "Anyone can hit a golf ball, maybe not well, but they can hit it. Getting up on a surfboard and riding a wave, that's another matter entirely." 

Wise Surf Shop is located at 800 La Playa. For more information, go to the website at www.wisesurfboards.com.