SHOULD I STAY - OR SHOULD I GO?

Choose carefully for a moment of hesitation can make all the difference between a successful paddle out, or a rapid return to the beach with a mouthful of salt water and lots of sand imbedded in every opening of your body. That board you so carefully carried down to the waters edge may now be lurking behind the next wave, just waiting for the opportune moment to come ashore and take out everything in it's path. A beautiful moment captured by Dr. Don James circa 1966 Makaha, Hawaii. 

Baby Karen Gallagher holding a surfboard at San Onofre

Another image from this photo shoot was used as the cover for Surf Guide magazine, Volume 2, Number 9, October, 1964.  Photos: Dr. Don James"

Venice Pier, Sept. 1940. Tommy Zahn collection.

 

 September 1940 - the surfing area just north of Sunset Pier, with Venice Pier visible on the right. Note the interesting architecture of the building in the background, possibly some sort of amusement ride. Photo from the Tommy Zahn Collection.

Tom Blake's Waikiki Surf Club card

Picture by LeRoy Grannis of "Gecko Toes"

This aerial re-entry was performed at Makaha back on December 19, 1962. LeRoy Grannis was fortunate enough to have been in the right place at the right time to capture this historic moment and put to rest the question of who was the first person to do an aerial re-entry. The rider still remains unidentified, however LeRoy Grannis thinks it could be one of the Makaha locals who everyone knew as "Gecko Toes". For years the surfers at Makaha have practiced various means of using the infamous backwash to their advantage, however in the years prior to the invention of the surf leash, old "Gecko Toes" was the surfer everyone wanted to see.

Bailey and Doaks - Winter 1940 by Bob Johnson

This is a photo taken by Bob Johnson during the Winter of 1940. Jim Bailey and his tandem partner are on the left and on the right side is a surfer commonly known as "Doaks". His real name was Charles Butler. Doaks became famous for surfing at the Long Beach Flood Control a few years later. His photo appeared in Doc Ball's California Surfriders in 1946. Doakes enlisted in the Navy during World War II but went down with his ship in the early stages of the war with Japan. Jim Bailey was well known for surfing waves with his dog Rusty on the front of his surfboard. Jim Bailey lived in Hermosa Beach and was an outstanding lifeguard in the South Bay for many years. More of Bob Johnson's early surfing photos can soon be seen as part of the Surfing Heritage Foundation.

Found Gem Of The Week

Each week we will focus in on one of our rare surfing artifacts and give you the Gem of the Week! Have something You would like to share? Contact Us!