Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California: Cardiff Kook Surfer Statue
The lifestyle and the sport are celebrated with a statue that many perceive as dorky. Frequently dressed in unflattering outfits or victim of elaborate humiliating props set up by unknown pranksters.
- Address:
- Chesterfield Dr., Cardiff-by-the-Sea, CA
- Directions:
- I-5 exit 40, west on Birmingham Dr. for 1/2 mile until it ends, then south on San Elijo Ave. for three blocks, then right (west) on Chesterfield Drive. Statue dead ahead, in a recess on the west side of Hwy 101 at Chesterfield Dr.
- RA Rates:
- Worth a Detour
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Visitor Tips and News About Cardiff Kook Surfer Statue
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We captured a dramatic view of this shapeshifting boy surfer landmark -- the Cardiff Kook -- as the sun dropped into the ocean in early 2019; it really doesn't matter exactly what day. His accessories and outfit are altered without warning by mysterious pranksters, over and over -- whether for political statement, comedy, or seasonal awkwardness. The 6-ft. tall bronze sculpture by artist Matthew Antichevich is more officially titled "Magic Carpet Ride."
[RoadsideAmerica.com Team, 12/20/2019]
In a recent stunning transformation in July 2017, Cardiff-by-the-Sea's "Kook" surfer was stealth-dressed as a blonde Alice, cutting the waves above the mushroom gardens of his/her Wonderland.
[Jay Kirby, 07/22/2017]
The Cardiff Kook is dressed up in wedding dress.
[JB, 08/09/2013]
The pranksters are at it again.
[Momazilla, 08/14/2011]The LA Times reported the surfer statue was victim of an elaborate prank on Saturday morning. Against a large, painted backdrop of an erupting volcano, the surfer boy is in the clutches of a replica pterodactyl flapping above him. It was still in place today, but like last year's giant shark tableau, the city will probably swoop in quickly and carry away the comedy. The artists responsible are still anonymous.
The Botanical Society of Cardiff-by-the-Sea, a southern California beach community, wanted to honor the area's surfer culture. It raised $120,000, hired a local surfer-sculptor who had trained in Florence, Italy, and got what it believed was a great bronze statue, which was unveiled on July 22, 2007....
[08/26/2007] Complete News StoryNearby Offbeat Places
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2017 is the 10th anniversary of the unveiling of the surfer sculpture, and the 50th anniversary of Grace Slick's Jefferson Airplane song "White Rabbit." If there was any connection made between those two milestones, the celebration is apparently over; the Kook is already in a new disguise.