Skeletons on surfboards in OC — and an inflatable squirrel too – OCRegister

Posted On: October 26, 2019

Surfers showed up decked out as superheroes, spooky goblins and characters of all kinds.

The Blackies Halloween Surf Classic is the one time each year that surfers don’t mind riding party waves, with droves of them decked out Saturday, Oct. 26, smiling, hooting and hollering as they rode toward shore.

A group of surfers take off on a tiny party wave during the annual Blackies surf costume contest in Newport Beach Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019. (Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)
Surfer Jon Heywood surfs as a cow during the annual Blackies surf costume contest in Newport Beach Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019. (Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)
Surfers John Westley and his son, Wyatt, 2.5 years-old, go surfing during the annual Blackies surf costume contest in Newport Beach Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019. (Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)
Surfer Russell Toler blows up a backpack for his son Jack as they prepare to surf during the annual Blackies surf costume contest in Newport Beach Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019. (Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)
Hundreds of people watch dozens of costumed surfers ride the tiny waves during the annual Blackies surf costume contest in Newport Beach Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019. (Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)
Vampire Bart Tucker, mermaid Mona Webster and Susan Janechek chat during the annual Blackies surf costume contest in Newport Beach Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019. (Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)
A surfer watches a surfing squirrel during the annual Blackies surf costume contest in Newport Beach Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019. (Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)
A wet and soggy President Trump costume lies on the sand during during the annual Blackies surf costume contest in Newport Beach Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019. (Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)
Sharkman comes to shore during the annual Blackies surf costume contest in Newport Beach Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019. (Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)
Surfer Ryan Chalupnik, left, surfs in the contest for the seventh time, while her friend Angeleno Peterson goes for her first time as Pacman ghosts during the annual Blackies surf costume contest in Newport Beach Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019. (Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)
A group of female skeletons prepare to surf the tiny waves during the annual Blackies surf costume contest in Newport Beach Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019. (Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)
Dozens of costumed surfers ride the waves during the annual Blackies surf costume contest in Newport Beach Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019. (Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)
Mochi, the Boston Terrier pumpkin watches the surfers during the annual Blackies surf costume contest in Newport Beach Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019. (Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)
A surfer wipes out during the annual Blackies surf costume contest in Newport Beach Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019. (Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)
Hundreds of people watch dozens of costumed surfers during the annual Blackies surf costume contest in Newport Beach Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019. (Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)
A surfer with a chemical suit on rides a tiny wave during the annual Blackies surf costume contest in Newport Beach Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019. (Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)
A surfer juggles pins in the surf during the annual Blackies surf costume contest in Newport Beach Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019. (Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)
A couple surfers almost collide during the annual Blackies surf costume contest in Newport Beach Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019. (Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)
Emmet from the Lego movie, who is Martin Diaz under the mask, surfs a tiny one foot wave during the annual Blackies surf costume contest in Newport Beach Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019. (Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)
Surfer AJ Cantu rides on President Trump’s shoulders during the annual Blackies surf costume contest in Newport Beach Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019. (Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)
Hundreds of people watch the surfers during the annual Blackies surf costume contest in Newport Beach Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019. (Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)
A couple surfers surf coffin style during the annual Blackies surf costume contest in Newport Beach Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019. (Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)
A character is about to wipeout during the annual Blackies surf costume contest in Newport Beach Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019. (Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)
Surfers play catch while surfing during the annual Blackies surf costume contest in Newport Beach Saturday, Oct. 26, 2019. (Photo by Michael Fernandez, Contributing Photographer)

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The Newport Beach event, which draws more than 100 people each year, began 16 years ago with just a few surfers riding waves while wearing Halloween costumes.

It used to be organized by the Blackies Classic Longboard Association, with awards handed out for the best costumes, but eventually it became more of a grassroots effort to keep it going.

After the club dissolved, there was public demand for the event to continue, said Rick Chatillon, one of the club members who helped with the event through the years, as he looked out Saturday toward surfers in wacky costumes waiting for waves.

“The costumes are anywhere from just sunglasses to pretty extreme,” he said.

Stand-up paddleboarder Mona Webster cruised around dressed as a mermaid and one guy donned an inflatable squirrel costume.

There was a Grinch sighting and no shortage of spooky skeletons surfing, too.

The past few years have had a lower turnout, so Mario Marovic, who owns nearby Dori Deli restaurant and the Blackie’s Beach Bar, decided to sponsor the event, bringing in coffee, hot cocoa and setting up a pancakes and donuts breakfast.

“We did not want to see it fizzle,” he said. “It’s just so cool to talk to all the guys who started the event, the longboard club, and how much passion they have for not just surfing, but the area. It would be a shame to have all that history disappear.”

Marovic said giving the Halloween Surf Classic new life allows him to live vicariously through the next generation.

“I want to, hopefully, keep shifting the culture in a positive direction. When they are older, they can be a part of what we helped accomplish,” he said. “It was something we always thought was fun and unique for the area.

“It’s kind of a fun fall day at the beach,” Marovic said. “We’re blessed here with decent weather in October. It’s just a fun thing for the family, a day for the kids. It kind of brings out the kid in all of us.”

John Westley came to the event, Saturday, decked out as Batman, with his two-year-old son Wyatt wearing a Superman costume.

Then they hit the water to ride tandem.

“It kind of makes the kids feel like surfing is part of everything — and what Halloween can be,” Westley said.