Surfs Down

Illustration of a person holding a surf board with red text on a white background

“Surf’s Down” is the opposite of “Surf’s Up,” which is surf slang for good waves. This graphic shows a sad surfer because “Surf’s Down” means no waves. American Surf culture began during the 1950s and 60s in Hawaii and along the California coast. The fashion, the lifestyle, and the language caught on with the mainstream, and the popularity of Surf Culture boomed. It affected music, literature, film, art, and youth jargon in popular culture. During the 1960s, teen movies like Beach Blanket Bingo, television programs like Gidget, and hit songs from Jan and Dean, and The Beach Boys featured surfing. Surfing is still very popular; its influence has spread worldwide.