Ex-Navy diver sinks superrich beach town’s lawsuit trying to shutter his SoCal surfing business

Source: New York Post

A former Navy diver has won the right to earn a living teaching others how to surf after a nasty legal battle with the city of Newport Beach. Jason Murchison sued Newport Beach in January 2025 over a 2012 ordinance barring paid surfing and paddleboard lessons on nearly nine miles of city beaches without a city contract. The former Navy diver, who is in his early 40s and once trained with Basic Underwater Demolition/SEAL class 287, claimed officials rejected his attempts to secure a contract in 2015 and 2016 with little explanation beyond saying the city already had enough surf instructors.