Surf Figure Is Honored in Exhibit at Heritage

Surf’s up at the Heritage of San Clemente cultural center, with a new exhibit dedicated to a local longboard legend, the late Lorrin “Whitey” Harrison.

Whitey’s homemade surfboards and signature coconut straw hats, as well as countless surf photographs dating back to the 1940s, are part of the exhibit titled “Legends of Surfing: A Tribute to Whitey Harrison.”

“He surfed his whole life, from 14 to age 80,” said his widow, Cecelia.

Known as a jack of all “water trades,” Whitey, who died at 80 in 1993, worked as a fisherman, abalone diver and surfboard designer and builder.

In addition to being an accomplished longboarder, he played the ukulele, taught surfing to hundreds of people and started the Dana Outrigger Canoe Club, which honors its founder with an annual race in August.

Many of his six children traveled from all over the country for the opening of the exhibit.

“It’s so exciting,” said Rosie Harrison Clark, who is writing a book about her father called “Let’s Go, Let’s Go!”

“Daddy had so much fun surfing. . . . His motto in life was to have fun.”

Regular admission to the center is $2.75 for adults and $1.75 for seniors, children and active military personnel. The Heritage is open daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at 415 N. El Camino Real. Information: (714) 369-1299.