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Oregon Paddle Out, Agate Beach, Newport, OR (2026)

07/18/2025

The OPO board is supported by local businesses and individuals. Thanks to
4. Ralph Meier of Envisions Surf Boards and Pura Vida surf shop owners Robert Rube and Al Krieger. (Photo Sandy Blackman)
5. Thanks to Ossies Surf shop owner Dan Hasselschwerts, and Jeff and Julie Hollen for hosting a surfer’s party. (Photo Sandy Blackman and Julie Hollen)
6. Thanks to super volunteer Betsy who helps at surfing events at Agate Beach and James Book the owner of the Tasteetiki food cart and Friday nights Open MIC. (Photo Sandy Blackman).

07/18/2025

The Leis making party will be from 2:00 - 4:00 for any surfer, family member or friends who want to make leis for the surfers who participate in the Paddle Out. The OPO will provide orchids, ocean friendly strings, and needles. We are asking people to bring flowers, leaves from their gardens or donate flower bouquets from the stores. (Hawaiian Poster courtesy Bonnie Good, Lei making poster designed by Tani MaChetti)

07/17/2025

The OPO board has planned activities from 8:30 Am - 8:00 PM Saturday, July 19, 2025. Surfers planning on participating in the Oregon Paddle Out need to gather on the beach by 8:30. Safety instructions will be given; reading of the 80 surfers being honored and surfers are encouraged to sign release forms before paddling out.
11:00: will be the start of the Paddle Races which surfers did in the 60s. The first 25 surfers to sign up will get to be in the contest. Cash prizes are being awarded to 1st, 2nd and 3rd place. Swag bags will be given to the oldest and youngest participant, and the first female.
12:00: Surfers are encouraged to bring Vintage boards (pre-70s) and display them on the beach during the morning. The public is asked to vote on the boards in a couple of categories. Prizes will be awarded to the board with the most votes.
12:30: Surfers are encouraged to surf on the Vintage boards for a Expression Session wear trunks, swimsuits or wetsuits.
1:00: Is the start of the Hollen party for surfers and their families. Jeff and Julie live across from the Agate Beach Motel.
7:00: It's movie night at Ossies' Surf Shop. Sandy Blackman will show a vintage slide show of Oregon surfing up and down the coast during the 60s and 70s. Featuring ABSC members, their surfing friends; Surfing safaris in Oregon, California, Hawaii,and more with sketchy but typical vehicles. Surfing memorabilia including newspaper clippings, contests, trophies, and posters. James Book and friends will play music for the 60s & 70s vintage slide show. Casey Fulton will be videotaping throughout the day and will present clips from the days OPO activities. The OPO board thanks Ossies Surf Shop for hosting the free movie night. (OPO Poster designed by Amelia O'Connor).

07/15/2025

Steve Swan passed in Newport, May 2, 2025. His wife Cheryl writes, “Steve discovered the joys of surfing in 1956 when his family moved to San Diego. He made his first surfboard at age 15 and by 17 he was glassing and shaping for G & S Surfboards. He loved the life of surfing; he was the kahuna of “Pacific Beach Surf Club” San Diego and worked many surf contests up and down the southern coast of California.” (Courtesy Cheryl Swan)
Cheryl Swan continues, “Steve and his family moved to Pacific City in 1992 and he made surfboards, called “Shape by Steph.” In 2004 he moved to Newport and became Rogue’s honorary President signing up beer enthusiasts into the Rogue Nation. With the help of Rogue’s sponsorship, Steve started “The Gathering Longboard Classic” surf contests in South Beach for 9 years.” Steve always said, “My life has been a Great Ride.” (Courtesy Cheryl Swan).

07/14/2025

This image is of the contestants who raced in the first OPO Paddle Races held last summer in 2024. This popular race will return this year and begin at 11:00 AM, after the paddle out. All surfers must use surfer boards 11 feet and under. Contestants are encouraged to sign up at the beach on the day of the OPO. The first 25 surfers to sign up will be in the race. Contestants will paddle out around a buoy by Yaquina Head light house and back across finish line with board on the beach.
Cash prizes will be awarded to first, second and third place right after the end of the race this year. Swag bags with items from the local surf shops and Surfrider Foundation will be given to the oldest and youngest contestant, and the first female, unless she is one of the cash winners. (Photo Sandy Blackman)

07/11/2025

The OPO board wants to thank James Book, the owner of Tasteetiki for bring delicious food and music with his Tasteetiki Hawaiian food cart. James hosts Open MIC nights on Friday’s during the summer. In doing so he has been involved and supported the OPO event for 4 years. James Book writes, “I started stand up surfing in my 20s in southern California when I moved to be in the music wave in LA in the 1980s. On my first attempt I got up. I played the base guitar in LA, played on Conan O'Brian, opened for the Rolling Stones, other groups in concerts and toured the world. I played with the Flys. We charted and had a couple of hit songs in 1998. The two singers in the Flys were from the Paskowitz surfing family.” James Book 60th birthday party will be celebrated at the TasteeTiki on Friday, July 11th at Open Mic. Join us or stop by and wish him happy birthday any time this week !
We also want to thank the Agate Beach Motel for working with the OPO to reserve their motel for surfers over the last 4 years. This helps the OPO board, surfers and their families to network and honor their loved ones who have passed. (Tiki photos by Sandy Blackman; Musician photo by Eric Levine; Lady surfers’ photo by Emily Jessal)

07/10/2025

Ron George moved from Tillamook to Newport in 1963 and began surfing here as a teen in the mid-60s. Ron writes, “We lived half a block from the beach, and I learned about surfing at Agate Beach from my neighbor ABSC member Paul Kafoury. I didn’t have a board or the money to buy one, so I decided to build it myself. The finished board was lumpy, ugly and too heavy, but I didn’t care. I was too young to drive so I lugged the board two miles up the beach to Agate Beach. Eventually ABSC Steve Baley, whose family lived at Agate Beach generously let me store it in their basement.
Occasionally some of us would sleep at Agate among the driftwood. Sometimes there would be a fire and a portable record player with 45s. On especially cold nights we’d awaken to find ice on the boards. I was a lucky kid who had the great fortune to grow up on the Oregon coast.” Ron George continued to surf all his life … recently passed at his home in southern California. (Courtesy photo, sister Jody George)

07/07/2025

Tasha Roth works at Pura Vida Surf Shop and participated in all three OPO events last year: the Paddle Out; the Paddle Races; and seen here with no wetsuit using a 60s longboard in the Retro Surf Exhibit.
This year the OPO is encouraging all surfers to bring or borrow pre-70s boards from their friends, relatives or surf shops to the Agate Beach cove. All boards will be displayed at the beach on Saturday morning, July 19th. The public will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite boards. Based on voting the awards will be handed out for “People’s Choice”, “Best and Show” and a surprise award. All surfers with older boards are encouraged to join in the Expression Session starting at 12:30. Surfers may either wear swimsuits or some type of wetsuit from the past or present. (Photo Sandy B)

07/06/2025

The Ossies team is seen wading out into the chilly water to participate in the Retro Surf Exhibit last year in the OPO event. Surfers with 60s longboards and no wetsuits are Paul Bradley, Lesley Meyers, Tony Stein knee paddling and Dan owner of Ossies on the far right. James Book who was on the Ossies team writes, “Being around the boards ... the amount of energy is insane. The longboards were the kind of boards I learned to surf on. To reconvene with them was super special. Not to wear a wetsuit in Oregon is super special and exhilarating. The G & S Hot Curl was my favorite board.” (Photo Sandy 😎

07/05/2025

Last year’s Retro Surf Exhibit was very popular. Over ten 60s longboards were displayed at Ossies Surf Shop before and after the event. The OPO board brought the 60s longboards to Agate Beach cove and spread out on the beach. Pictured here is OPO board member Tony Stein waxing his 60s longboard with paraffin wax which was the norm for pioneer surfers in the 60s. Watching him is Dan Hasselschwerts the owner of Ossies and Mike’s Cavanaugh’s son in his wetsuit, ready to go. (Pics of Tony, Dan, Mike’s son.) Photo Sandy B

07/02/2025

Tom Nye grew up in Newport and enjoyed surfing. He graduated in 1967 from Newport High School. Tom Nye and Marion Bowers were featured in the Salem Capital Journal newspaper article about surfing at Agate Beach, January 29, 1965. Tom is pictured in the two pictures on the left with surfboards. Marion Bowers is shown surfing on the right. (Post newspaper article of Tom far left putting wax on his longboard and walking with surfboard on his head.) Courtesy photos Vicki Nye

Tom had a career as a Flight Attendant for Skywest Airlines – flying for United. His wife Vicki writes, “Tom was an avid surfer when he lived in Newport from 1949 -1972. Tom Nye passed away from brain cancer on August 18, 2024. He fought his cancer like a warrior for 3 ½ years. His daughter and I scattered his ashes in Newport, September 2024. (Post pics of Tom as Flight attendant and high school grad pic together.) Courtesy Vicki Nye

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