
Fall 1975, The year I started Cal Poly and lived in the dorms. Surfing was my Life.
It was the fall of 1976 and I was hitchhiking home from classes at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where I was a sophomore journalism major, to Shell Beach where I had moved that summer after my first year in the dorms. I remember that moment well for it changed my life: a small sports car came tearing up the on-ramp to US 101 and stopped. I hopped in and said hi to one of Cal Poly’s most iconic professors: Dr. Fred Clogston. He was replete with professorial charm and decor: gray hair and beard, a tweed jacket, leather gloves, and smoking a large pipe. We hit it off immediately and then came the inevitable ice breaker:
“What’s your major? he said.
“Photojournalism.” I replied. “What do you teach?”
“Marine biology” My interest was immediately piqued.
“Wow, that’s great.” I said ” I was planning on taking the marine biology class at Poly but it’s junior level and requires a ton of science prerequisites.” Then he said the words that changed my life forever.
“Just take it and I’m sure you’ll do fine.
By the time he dropped me off in Shell Beach my heart was racing I was so excited. And so I took his class the next quarter, got a “B”, changed my major and never looked back. Life officially altered. Ocean passion effectively channeled. Future dreams clicked in. The world changed. I was going to be a marine biologist!

Fred Clogston (left) working with a student in 1967 at Cal Poly. Photo: El Rodeo Yearbook.
First, I was not terribly excited about my current major. I declared Journalism because it was the best fit to my interests at the time. However, once I had taken all of the “Photo” classes, which I loved, I was left with the “Journalism” classes, which didn’t really excite me. Thus, I was looking for a new major — even though I didn’t know it — and had taken a few biology general education classes, which I liked.

The Shell Beach shoreline: where my search for abalone started my career in marine biology. 1976. Photo: Brian Tissot

Map I made of the reefs off Shell Beach, CA while snorkeling, 1977.

Snorkeling in Subic Bay, Philippines, 1977. Photo: Gene Tissot.
And I wanted people to know this story. To see, that at least for me, passion about something helped to facilitate a transition to a college degree that was key to establishing a career. And although I was half-way into another degree it wasn’t too late to change. It reality, as long as you are alive it is never too late. So take your passion and do something with it! Be flexible, creative and when you find something you love latch on and never give up. There will always be bumps along the way, and there may be huge bumps, seemingly insurmountable bumps, but remember that nothing worthwhile in life is ever easy. Nor should it be.
Further Reading:
Love your posts…must have met you when we all lived in San Diego and our dads flew F8s…I lived in La Jolla for many years and dove for abs with my late husband, Peter Charlton, who helped build the original shack at Windensea…
Hi Suzanne, Nice to hear from you and yes we must have met at some point through Naval events. I really loved that area and it was so hard to move away but glad you got to stay there and enjoy abalone and Windansea!
I just bumped into your page. I found it because I was searching for information concerning Dr. Clogston because I am writing a book and my time with Dr. Clogston at Cal Poly (I also became a marine biologist) is central to the book. I would love to chat with you.
Dr. Clogston was a great man. Glad to chat, Brian.tissot@gmail.com
Hi Dave! I am one of Dr. Clogston’s children. I am very interested in seeing your book when it is finished.
I am one of Dr. Clogston’s daughters. I found this post while doing a random search for information on my father. It is nice to know that he left this type of legacy and was an inspiration to his students. As a teenager, I once tagged along with my dad when he took his students out for their Marine Biology “final”. They dragged Port San Luis with a plankton net and then made a meal from what they caught. I could tell from the stories his students told, that my dad’s class was a lot of fun. Thanks for sharing this story!