Stab Magazine | Yesterday Was "The Safest Day To Surf Lunada Bay In 35 Years"

Live Now: Chapter 11 Mini-Documentary With Dane Reynolds

1229 Views

Yesterday Was “The Safest Day To Surf Lunada Bay In 35 Years”

Questionable vibrations from a peaceful protest in honour of Martin Luther King. 

news // Jan 18, 2017
Words by stab
Reading Time: 3 minutes

Nothing, in all the world, is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity. – MLK

Three years ago yesterday (Martin Luther King Day), at Lunada Bay, professional bodyboarder Chris Taloa was met by a local wearing blackface and an afro wig, who told him: “You don’t pay enough taxes to surf here.” He was then assaulted and held underwater when he tried to paddle out.

This occurred after Chris had planned an event to “celebrate the civil rights icon and protest the intense localism that has dominated the scenic surf spot,” according to an article in the LA Times.

By now, we know the saga of the Bay Boys – actually, we’re sick of it. We’ve heard stories of the rock and fist hurling, drone-smashing trust fund kids whose magnificent fort was demolished a month ago (but not before they could set fire to the demo equipment). We’ve heard tales of the surveillance state, and for some reason, like Donnie Trump, the media just can’t get enough of the stories regarding the affairs on the coast of Palos Verdes. Yesterday they were once again the subject of headlines. To be clear, we feel that in many cases, at many waves, certain forms of localism are necessary to ensure the safety of surfers and bodyboarders. As it can get heated and fights and verbal arguments become commonplace, the end goal is to create a safe environment, void of beginners occupying the inside section, or dropping in on top of someone already riding a wave. But when the locals are actively creating a dangerous and hostile environment, as Lunada has, that’s when the city and authorities are forced to intervene.

And, the Bay Boys are fucking assholes.

Lunada

Granted, this is one hell of a set up to be born into… 

Yesterday, Chris once again organised a peaceful protest in honour of MLK, inviting surfers to join in surfing the break on a day that El Segundo Police Officer Cory Spencer called, “The safest day to surf here in 35 years.”

A friend of Stab’s, who prefers to remain anonymous, went down to Lunada yesterday and had his first surf there in four years. “It was a pretty interesting experience,” he tells us. “We got escorted down to the water by a cop. There were news crews there and you could feel the tension.

“Cars were driving by slowly, yelling ‘Fucking Kooks!’ And granted, we kind of were – we were out of place, didn’t have the wave dialled, so in a sense, they were right. But, immediately I felt I didn’t have any right to be there. It was this moment where the law had provided me with a rare opportunity to surf the wave. Which is unusual for surfers, who have for so long been thought of as pot-heads, burnouts and dangers to society. But yesterday, the police were protecting a group of well-minded surfers and keeping the area safe so we could surf. The whole thing was pretty strange.”

Yesterday at Lunada there was a non-profit event hold, in honour of Dr King, to protect the civil rights of surfers born into different social classes than those of the wildly affluent Palos Verdes folk. An event put in place to combat the prejudice against those who don’t “pay enough taxes” to be there.

“The wave itself is unreal,” says our source. “It has an easy roll-in and hollows out from the takeoff. Then it drains over the reef and peels for 50 to 100 yards before hitting a rock that protrudes out of the water.”

“The locals there don’t surf that well,” he says. “They’re almost more concerned about you not having a good time than catching waves themselves and having fun. They all surf bigger vintage boards and you get vibed quickly. If you turn on a wave, they start paddling immediately, when you pull back they pull back. It’s super intentional.”

“They were not happy I was there,” he continues. “The Bay Boys in the water were snaking us, but they knew if they messed with somebody they’d get arrested. They tried surfing me into a rock, hassled my buddy; they did everything they could short of physical assault.”

And the police were aware of this. Yesterday at Lunada, what happened in the water didn’t stay there. “We had a cop come up to our car after our surf because he heard the locals were running others into the rocks and he wanted to know if we wanted to press charges,” our source continues. “We didn’t, but the fact that they’re trying to hurt people is ridiculous. Imagine if you went to the gym and someone started throwing weights at you? It’s pretty much the same thing.”

But in the end, the continued localist-extremism proved successful. “There’s no way I’d ever go back,” our friend tells us. “The wave’s good, but I surf to have fun, not to get hassled by a bunch of rich guys from PV.”

Comments

Comments are a Stab Premium feature. Gotta join to talk shop.

Already a member? Sign In

Want to join? Sign Up

Advertisement

Most Recent

Pittar’d And Feathered

Do the WSL judges deserve the internet's wrath? We asked the man of the hour.

Mar 28, 2024

Robbo, Pickles, And Tyler Wright Become The Underdogs Breakfast At Uninspiring Winkipop

The foreboding blade sharpens and inconsistent judging prevails on Day Two in Torquay.

Mar 27, 2024

“I Don’t Always Win Heats, But When I Do, I Try To Beat John John”

Slater shines and the axe begins its descent on Day 01 at Bells.

Mar 26, 2024

Back Against The Wall: The Ramzi Boukhiam Redemption

Morocco's first CT surfer on speaking six languages, having no coach, and snatching Fil Toledo's…

Mar 25, 2024

Will Kirra, Babies or JJF Stop a GOAT Winning at Bells?

Bluesky BOAG advice from a Superman specialist and former Trials winner.

Mar 25, 2024

Bells Preview: The WSL’s Victorian Sword Dancing Equinox Ritual

Will a Brazilian crack the Top 10 at Bells?

Mar 25, 2024

69 Shin Bones Later + the Anticlimactic State of Big Wave Record-Breaking

Lucas Chumbo might have surfed the biggest wave ever this year. But how will we…

Mar 23, 2024

Watch: ‘Fresh and Fried’ Ft the Quik Kids

How taxing is it to tackle the Gold Coast’s Triple Crown in a single day,…

Mar 23, 2024

The Popular Vote: The People’s Stab In The Dark With Kolohe Andino Champion

Which board looked best — to you —under Kolohe's talons?

Mar 22, 2024

João Chianca Opens Up About His Brain Injury, Rehabilitation, And Targeted Return To Competition  

"I don't just want to be the same surfer that I was. I don't even…

Mar 21, 2024

Six Key Learnings From Portugal

Three CT events in, what do we know? 

Mar 21, 2024

‘Zipper’ Is Going On Tour, Here’s Where You Can Watch It  

Dates, times + locations for the Venice, Encinitas, Sydney + Byron premieres.  

Mar 20, 2024

Dane Reynolds On His Future, His Past, And Chapter 11’s Raison D’être

Our 9-minute plunge into the collective psyche of Ventura's pillar(s).

Mar 20, 2024

From ‘Blue Ribbon Cross Country Runner’ to Vogue – How Steph Again Is Back With A Rip Curl Remix

Everything we know about the she-GOATs sponsorship boomerang.

Mar 18, 2024

Stab Interview: Darren Handley Explains Why You Can’t Buy The Winning Stab In The Dark Model

And his decades-long standoff with Slater.

Mar 17, 2024

Griff Embraces Portugal’s Eternal Time Loop To Vanquish Medina + Ewing, Defay Delays The Inevitable

A redeeming closing act at Supertubos.

Mar 16, 2024

The Secret Behind Lungi Slabb’s Inconceivable Greenmount Funnel

Six broken boards, one leaking forehead, and five days of Superbank mysticism.

Mar 16, 2024

Cheat Codes: A Million Miles Worth Of Travel Advice From Coco Ho

Hard-earned wisdom from more than 2,000 hours in the troposphere.

Mar 15, 2024
Advertisement