The Legendary Cardiff Kook

The Legendary Cardiff Kook – many who have visited San Elijo State Beach are quite familiar with the iconic statue of a young lad catching a wave on his surfboard. The “Cardiff Kook,” as its known by locals, is located right outside the campground. You can find it at the intersection of South Coast Highway 101 and Chesterfield Drive in the Cardiff-By-The-Sea neighborhood of Encinitas, CA.

The Cardiff Kook nickname came about because local surfers thought the surfer struck a rather peculiar pose (putting it nicely).

Just about every week the Kook is mysteriously adorned with a costumes, signage and various props.

The 6-foot high bronze sculpture (“The Magic Carpet Ride”) by Matthew Antichevich, was installed in 2007. According to Antichevich, the sculpture represented the “joy and awkwardness of a young boy learning how to surf.”

The popularity of the legendary Cardiff Kook has also resulted in many themed community events such as “The Cardiff Kook Costume 5k & 10K Run.”

Here are just a few more photos. We will try and add more in the future. Please feel free to email [email protected] and send us your Kook picture to post. We’ll also make sure to give you credit!

Camping At San Elijo State Beach

San Elijo State Beach campground has 165 campsites on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean in northern San Diego County. The campground also has easy access to a large and beautiful sandy beach. Approximately 1/3 of the campsites have unobstructed oceans views. Group camping is also available at the ‘Grunion Run’ group site.

South Carlsbad State Beach is also nearby where it is rumored that Big Foot hangs out at the camp store.