Newport Beach. Photo: Herson Rodriguez//Unsplash
Southern California surf-school instructor Jason Murchison is suing the City of Newport Beach, California for “running a mafia-style racket” on surf instruction.
The complaint states: “A Newport Beach municipal ordinance forbids anyone from giving paid surfing or stand-up paddleboard (SUP) lessons on nearly nine miles of City beaches without a contract with the City. Despite Mr. Murchison’s multiple attempts to obtain a contract with the City — and despite his willingness to hand the City a sizable portion of the proceeds for the privilege — he has been rebuffed each time with little explanation other than the City’s view that it has enough surf instructors.“
I spoke with Jason to hear his side of the story. Murchison is not your run-of-the-mill surf-school instructor. You know the type, a stoned high schooler with a van and some Wavestorms. Jason attended the University of Hawaii, and is a veteran of the U.S. Navy. In 2016, he graduated law school.
Murchison started Learn To Surf in order to create a “superior lesson with a higher safety standard and better equipment.” He contracts with other instructors and gives lessons for all surfers, from young to old, kooks to kings. Learn To Surf has worked with the Wounded Warriors Foundation and drug rehabilitation centers.
And yet, Murchison is a professional surf instructor without a license. Between all the legalese lies one point: In Newport it’s okay to give lessons, but not for money. In order to give paid surf lessons, the City must enter into a contract with the provider. Only three providers have a contract.
Murchison has tried several times to get a contract, but without luck. Jason says he’s been harassed since day one. He’s received tickets, been followed by code enforcement, kicked off the beach by cops, and even been involved in a paddleboard sting operation. Yes, a paddleboard sting operation. (I like to think it was code named “50-Year Wavestorm.”)
In 2016, Murchison was cited and then sued by the City. The lawsuit was settled in 2017. But his business is taking a toll. Murchison faces tens of thousands of dollars in fines, his instructors are sometimes bullied by cops, and he still does not have a license to operate in Newport.
“I Just hope to repeal this illegal system they have and open it up to everyone,” concludes Murchison. “I want to live a life in peace and just teach people to surf and share my passion.”
Surfing is a growing business, just like the lineups. In a 2019 article in the Newport Beach Independent, a Huntington Beach surf school owner opined, “If there is a surf school between every jetty, where does the public go to surf?”
It’s a valid point. There ought to be rules in place, but should it be able to stop someone from achieving their American dream? Murchison doesn’t think so.
