This Sunday, Oct. 18, during a ceremony at the Blockade Runner Beach Resort, seven Wrightsville Beach community members will be recognized for their contributions to the island’s watersport culture and inducted into the Wrightsville Beach Waterman Hall of Fame. This year’s inductees were selected by Wrightsville Beach Museum of History board members from a pool of nominations.
Historian Skipper Funderburg is being inducted for his contributions to beach culture.
“Skipper Funderburg is, in my opinion, the foremost surf historian on the east coast,” said Haywood Newkirk, Hall of Fame chairman.
Mike Merritt will be recognized for his commitment to fishing and boating in Wrightsville Beach. He was a successful speedboat racer during the 70s and 80s, Newkirk said, and he co-founded Atlantic Marine.
“He’s also one of the most well-respected and most innovative fishermen to ever live at Wrightsville Beach,” Newkirk added.
Dave Baker will be honored in the ocean rescue and swimming category for raising the level of the Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue staff. He is also a dedicated prone paddleboarder and offshore swimmer.
“In my opinion, he’s done as much as anybody in the history of this beach to make our lifeguards into a professional organization,” Newkirk said.
The sailing award will go to lifelong resident Joseph James, who has won numerous boating competitions and two surfers, Will Allison and Ben Bourgeois, will be recognized for the contributions to the surfing community.
Allison is not only a talented surfer, but also a renowned surfboard shaper.
“He’s probably sold thousands of boards around the world,” Newkirk said.
Bourgeois represented Wrightsville Beach at surfing’s highest echelon, the World Championship Tour. He is also a kiteboarder and longboarder and his family owns Sweetwater Surf Shop.
“He’s known throughout the surfing world for his free surfing abilities showcased on surf trips around the world,” Newkirk added.
Surfer Cissie Brooks will be inducted as Woman of the Year, but Newkirk said it’s not only her surfing ability that earned her the honor.
“In my opinion, Cissie’s greatest contribution to our community has been the development of the Marine Science Program at Wrightsville Beach School,” he said
During his daughters’ Wrightsville Beach School graduation ceremonies, he added, every child gave a short speech, and nearly every student talked about how much they liked Brooks and her Marine Science classes.
“To me, that is her legacy,” he said. “Not just her ability as a surfer, but her impact on the children that have grown up at the beach.”
