ALEXANDER HUME FORD

Aloha and welcome to this chapter of Volume 2 of LEGENDARY SURFERS.

Alexander Hume Ford (1868-1945) is remembered as the guy who turned Jack London on to surfing; the promoter of George Freeth, Duke Kahanamoku, and of Hawai‘i, itself.

Most significantly, Alexander Hume Ford is best remembered by us surfers as a founder of the Outrigger Canoe Club; a man who – more than most anyone of his time – helped revive Hawaiian surfing, spreading it around the world.

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ALEXANDER HUME FORD


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ALEXANDER HUME FORD

GEORGE FREETH by Verge

In 2001, Arthur C. Verge's "George Freeth: King of the Surfers and California's Forgotten Hero" was published in the California Historical Society's magazine California History, quickly establishing his work as the major resource on the man best known as "The Father of California Surfing."





Arthur's article is reproduced here, with his permission and with a number of images from the original publication. We just ask that if you really enjoy this look into the life of George Freeth and want to donate to a good cause, that you make a donation to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Southern California Chapter:

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Southern California Chapter
CFF, So Cal Chapter Donations
CFF Volunteering

To read , please go to:

"George Freeth: King of the Surfers and California's Forgotten Hero"

"The Cruise of The Snark"

Some of the earliest writings about "The Revival" period of surfing (1988-1910) were done at the hands of the great American novelist Jack London.

In "The Cruise of The Snark," London writes of his travels in Polynesia, his attempt at learning to surf under the guidance of Alexander Hume Ford, and of Twentieth Century's first surfing great, George Freeth.

Recently, I discovered the book is free, as a download from Project Gutenberg (please consider donating to the project - There are many more titles available). Please go to:

"The Cruise of The Snark"

... and free at Google Books: "The Cruise of The Snark"

It can also be purchased via Amazon for a little over $10 USD: