Jack Cantrell was born in Oxnard on October 31, 1928. He attended school in Oxnard and Ventura, graduating from Ventura College in 1950. Cantrell began surfing in 1953 after meeting a fireman named Mike Melrose. He bought boards from Velzy and glassed them himself. Cantrell surfed at Mondo's and Rincon, and he named Mary Monks "Mary Mondo." There were few people in the water when Jack began surfing and fewer options for surfboard shapers to buy boards from. Listen now to learn about the history of surfing in Ventura County!

Voices of Ventura County - Jack Cantrell

KPPQ-LP Ventura