Huge LA Surf Lunada Bay Palos Verdes, CA 1.6.23

Huge sets, Surfline reporting 15-18ft earlier in morning
Swell Direction
WSW, W, WNW (medium to long period swells over 14sec are best)
Surf Height
Overhead to 4x overhead
Filmed in 4K
- g e a r -
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🎥 amzn.to/3vIIwfI Sony AX-53 4K Camcorder
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📹 amzn.to/3eFm1A2 Panasonic V770
✓Part 107 certified drone pilot
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[e-mail]

[@DiscGoStu]

Surprised the Bay Boys haven’t purchased a tactical, anti-drone missile defense system with their trust funds yet

[@donrios3728]

Yeah they're probably out in the water crying because there's one guy from out of town out there..

[@xisotopex]

thats a good idea actually. get some EW capability and no one would even know that it was you

[@papertrailcowboy4091]

bad boys are bad at surfing

[@tr7b410]

No anti-drone missles, but they have a covert security force that give,s your cars tires a switchblade massage.

[@artieborko4988]

Surfline asleep at the switch on this one. If there was ever a place in desperate need of an HD Cam it’s Lunada Bay! Get my lifetime membership ready when it happens! But that thing better be Extreme 4K Ultra so I can see exactly what type of guns and furniture the locals are riding before I paddle out. (Need all the help I can get as I mainly stick to soft tops and foil boarding) 💪🏻🌊🤙🏄‍♀️🤤

[@paulbradleysmith4374]

Everyone should go surf here..the locals are super friendly..

[@neilmartin99]

yeah, in a key your car sorta way. But it was a mostly peaceful keying. 🤣😂😅😆

[@newportmike8519]

I remember getting vibed by some leppo barny local on the cliff one day when I was with my girlfriend. I gave him stink eye and was ready to evacuate the air in his lungs and he quickly backed down. I think they get agro because they're embarrassed that there isn't a single surfer among them. They all ride straight and have no heart in what they're doing. Beautiful place with easy deep water, no juice waves. Think I'll send my niece there this summer so she can boogie board.. Thanks for posting. Hilarious!

[@danielparsignault3869]

Don't know what the problem is. I was out here on Friday and the locals bought me donuts and coffee and had my car washed and detailed while I surfing. What a great crew!

[@beerwaves]

Thanks for posting this I can't wait to surf there!

[@gatewaychamberadmin7087]

For those who are asking about the “localism” and “territorialism” this is reference to the notorious Lunada Bay Boys “Surfer Gang” aka Bay Boys. They’ve been active since the 1960s and still continue to be active but they’ve toned down their violence for the last 3-4 years due to several lawsuits filed against them. Just for background, the Bay Boys are local generational residents of Palos Verdes Peninsula. Most are from one family that have been responsible for the tire slashing, rock throwing and physical assault of non-locals. The Bay Boys consists of grandpas, fathers and grandsons (not kidding). Regarding the lawsuits, at least 2 are active and headed to trial. One is a class action filed against 10 or 12 members of the Bay Boys which they tried unsuccessfully to have dismissed. The court filings have been unsealed since 2020 so the name of the Bay Boys have been made public. The second lawsuit is a civil lawsuit with hate crime enhancements filed against one of the younger member of the Bay Boys who as a teen, robbed a local liquor store. He then proceeded to beat the store owner with a baseball bat resulting in great bodily injury including a broken arm. As for the criminal case against this Bay Boy, he pleaded no contest and since he committed this crime as a juvenile his sentenced was reflective as that. Also named in the lawsuit is the City of Palos Verdes Estates including their police department. It’s long been known that members of City Elected and Police are friends of the Bay Boys so almost no action were taken against them. What spearheaded all this attention was of course when the Bay Boy robbed the liquor store and when one of the non local surfers attacked happens to be a police officer I believe with LAPD. Hope this is helpful to those wondering about the reference to the “localism”.

[@TheHopetown]

Just go somewhere else, this wave is spoken for.

[@Canadian9525]

So sad it comes to this, so much hatred in this world.

[@kirkmoss6100]

@@TheHopetown come north....bro?

[@Canadian9525]

Be careful Gateway, you might get your tires slashed or get a good beat down for passing information on the bay Boys 👦. Thank you for sharing. Have a great day

[@TheHopetown]

@@kirkmoss6100 North? Where are you inviting me, bro?

[@barrylowry9252]

Very friendly local crew - bring your mates to enjoy the mush mountains. 🤙🏼

[@MatthewPropst-wi9jz]

they are super welcoming everyone go surf there!

[@dslhernandez3001]

Wow this looks like a fun mellow place to bring out the wavestorm. Maybe bring a few friends.

[@ParkingLotBacon]

It would be cool to see guys who can actually surf ride here. These bay boys are just holding on for dear life.

[@JEK]

Unfortunately Kelly Slater was south about 20 miles in Seal Beach that day.

[@williamburns4088]

Correction, gay boys. Local a*******

[@mikereed100]

I grew up in Lunada Bay and surfed the Point in the early '70's whenever I could. Localism was an issue then, as now, but it was mostly just a small handful of guys who were responsible. I saw a few incidents during my time there and it always rubbed me wrong as I used to travel to other spots to surf myself and didn't think it was right to hassle others for doing the same. For the most part, outsiders were tolerated, if not welcomed, by most which is pretty much the case anywhere you go.

[@juliotorres3618]

Is it true that most of the people who have considered themselves locals haven't even been from PV? If so, I could surely understand your frustration about the vibes that have led to violence.

[@stevesayler1920]

I was told, when I did some surfing at Topanga (long ago) that right next to the LA River outlet there is one of the best places in So. Cal. to get hepatitis or God knows what from surfing. Is that true?

[@bradfromthevalley]

@@stevesayler1920 well I just read the most commons ways to catch hepatitis are oral sex and drugs, so under that bridge is probably the best place in LA!

[@thelancemanion]

Thanks for the video. I've never seen big Lunada Bay recorded from a drone before.

[@jtrapschuh]

Congrats to the guys out there charging. It would be nice to paddle out, charge, share some waves with the locals and not worry about the hassle that comes with it. "Local" used loosely because I bet all the bay boys surf El Porto, , RD, MB, HB, NB, etc., and all the other spots when this place is flat 95% of the year. If you are going to hold the line so hard at your local break, then don't surf anywhere else. Haven't tried to paddle out here in a bit so maybe I'm behind the times...

[@helloitsmehb]

Those days are over

[@is300vids]

If you wanted to paddle out nobody was stopping you at all. Also plenty of unridden waves rolled right on through.

[@richardelliott8352]

@@helloitsmehb I hope those days are over. I never had my car vandalized or sent to the hospital like some guys, so certainly hope those actions have ended . I am an old for fun only body surfer so never needed the rocks in the break there , so only got rocks thrown at me from the cliffs above, as me and a buddy were enjoying the tideline one night.. An old guy spoke favorable of the group, on a sports radio station broadcast here in LA, because he used to enjoy cutting people off there, by the reports over the same radio station. Soon after that , the guy tore his groin muscle while on vacation with family, which severely limited his vacation enjoyment . This kind of stuff happens with old age , but anyone close to the ocean will realize the spiritual connections in life, and live accordingly, to get the best waves, on both land and sea.

[@donh3590]

thanks. facs: the place is heavy on xtra thick, open-ocean power. the rip is off the chart. the boys out there (many of them are LACFD) are on the right boards, and are def no kooks.

[@longliveavalon]

The way it was breaking that day, reminds me a bit of a super fun sesc I had at Makaha when I surfed it as a youngster. Big, thick and slow high tide fun, perfect for the kook I was🤪🤪🤣👍🏻

[@helloitsmehb]

How times have changed. To think you’d show up here with a camera a mere 25 years ago was unthinkable

[@xkristofers]

Been watching this spot for years. Pretty epic to see in person when it really shines. Good footage! at 11:37

[@mikel5582]

Nice footage. We used to surf check PV regularly in the 80s from Huntington Beach. Only saw the Bay breaking once.

[@733jigcaster6]

That was really big bay I surfed there in the late seventies and eighties always went alone went down the trail in the dark got my waves and left when the locals would get there I would go to indicators are the breakwater later in life I was working on a lobster boat that's a good place for commercial lobster fishing we got caught inside on a big day right off the point talking about gnarly it was a solid 8 to 10 foot wave we almost made it punch through the lip but our receiver with all our bugs at least 50 lb went flying back in the water all we got was rattled that was Harry

[@justjay4412]

Great footage. Sounds beautiful.

[@1booyaka1]

good to see some footage of lunada bay, something you wouldn't get to enjoy 15+ years ago. Comments would probably say something like this: 'Where do you want your body sent?''. lol.

[@kevinfisher1070]

Ya it’s hard to believe that lumpy wave was localized

[@artieborko4988]

Yeah, the Lunada Bay Bra Bois Brigade sure did like to get themselves all lathered up over a wave that doesn’t even exist 300+ days a year and when it does it’s BurgerWorld.

[@mybleachhouse]

@@artieborko4988 Haha yeah man it's the goofiest wave they chose for localism. I bet if this wave was in portugal or west australia nobody would even bother to surf it and it would break consistently half the year.

[@michaelpanagiotis7109]

Greg NoLL and Mike Stang were out there way back in the baLsa wood board days !

[@crush3095]

these shots are so beautiful the drone wide angle shots really capture the feeling of immensity of when you're a flea in the ocean

[@cashy76]

are the locals still the biggest kooks in surfing

[@rockinvida1960]

A kinder & gentler big wave…

[@derekjenkins1878]

Remember when the Bay Boys went to Pismo and got the crap kicked out of them by the Dune Dudes? That was RAD! Point Pals and Reef Buddies too scared for beach break brah. Brawl. Bruh.

[@mendellang8379]

Surf gangs are fucking pathetic

[@homelight9321]

I do remember that day, they got hassled but where still allowed to paddle out but had to sit on inside where they belonged.😢

[@timothytice3074]

thank you this is so much better than seal beach shorepound

[@ebarnard23]

John you got some sick footage! Couple bombs! Checked it out that morning before getting some snowboarding in at the local mountains. Good surf, great snow. Love all my South Bay brothers! Lets stay strong and rip together!!!

[@jefftothwmizzle]

Sure ya did. Haven't seen such a bro-dude comment in a long time. You go, winner.

[@ebarnard23]

@@jefftothwmizzle stay on the East coast kook!

[@jkm3297]

oh please

[@demarantz]

I grew up around there. Went to the hs across the street in the 70’s. I remember one day that was that big or maybe bigger- way up on Hawthorne blvd (for those who know) you could look down the canyon and see the huge bombs breaking.

[@Dayesleeper]

My cousins lived on Chelsea in the late70'sand 80's and often we would walk over and watch the surf. It holds big waves but seem so mushy.

[@PK-gi2qh]

It's funny reading all the hate below. I've got the chance to live right at the next cove for awhile. I get why they want it for themselves, it's a very sacred place. No parking lots, pier, or fake palm trees stuck in the cement here-for all the tourists to flock to.

[@scottmcwave9479]

I got three waves and two fights!

[@stephenaguilar7197]

I surfed there in the mid-70s with some residence of Palos Verdes Estates. I was from Venice living in Santa Barbara and they were kind enough to invite me to come surf the bay with them. No problems no hassles. I remember we didn't have leashes and you didn't want to lose your board there. It wasn't so much to swim it was the urchins. Probably the nicest group of guys that I've ever met in the water and out of the water.

[@longliveavalon]

Haha lucky you. Not the usual case scenario.

[@stephenaguilar7197]

I agree with you it's not the normal. But I think that it has a lot to do with respect. I've surfed all kinds of places that are notorious for localism. Stockton Avenue, Point Arena,, Sunset Point, log cabins etc. I don't show up with 10 guys I watched what's going on in the lineup take my turn and I don't take the best waves. I think the bottom line is you get what you give and if you give respect you get respect

[@strathack33]

I grew up surfing in Torrance and I’m well aware of the local boyz scene at Lunada Bay. But wow, this is laughable!! I’m over halfway through the video and haven’t seen a decent turn yet. The waves are decent size (but not that big) and a bit mushy. These local kooks are really struggling. Most of them are on boards that are junk and at least a foot too long . It would be nice to see a decent surfer out there who can do this wave some justice !!

[@rocknjock9300]

Dude you’re spot on. They’re just going, no turns or cutbacks; nothing!

[@piwits]

Why are they riding 9 and 10 footers? Waves are like 8ft hawaiian, and remind me of Monster Mush, next to Kammieland, kind a lame.

[@reeceryan1600]

and to think i had the gall to even consider paddling out yesterday, these waves are psycho. glad i stayed on the beach

[@boogieheads]

check areas like harbors or inlets for novelty waves when its this big!

[@jboyxd6573]

We should all go surf there next swell :)

[@buddyp4928]

Surfed it once in 1991. Got my tire flattened, A neighbor who witnessed it gave us a ride to buy a spare. Lol Odoyle rules/:

[@signjoey]

Energy flows through water in a circle. When it hits ground it gets elevated...SURFS UP!!!

[@davidparker149]

mush burger wave

[@danielbenfreeman]

Always heard about big Lunada Bay. Nice to see proof.

[@jason2666]

it looks fat and slow...just like the locals..

[@darreng7689]

I surfed this spot a year ago and we got hassled a lot. They still let us paddle out, but they definitely let us know that we were not welcome. We ended up sitting on the inside lol

[@tr7b410]

Your lucky your car was not given a body make over.

[@therealbeans]

I call BS we don’t live there and go all the time, I even snaked a few guys and was all good. It’s friendly now.

[@tr7b410]

@@therealbeans I think you are full of...BEANS.LOL

[@goofyfoot7106]

@Tr7b we don't want to see any of your crap. Make your home movies, hahaha

[@bobross5079]

you couldn't find one surf spot on earth with more kooks ,. outside of Malibu

[@richardelliott8352]

I am too causal to want to struggle for the parking I would need in Malibu, but am curious to know if you had also heard that Getty built there so that he might have easy access to the waves. A surfer once repeated this to me in the way of traditional oral information. Another thing I had heard about Getty was that he thought he was the reincarnation of Nero the emperor, and believed the more he acted like Nero, the better off he would be. I sought to gain some insight into that oral tradition while on a guided tour of his old coastal home, now replaced, which was built as a recreation of Nero's villa. The guide just turned and stared at me, in silence , so I never did get an enlightened response to the question. I don't have enough interest to research what the oral traditions repeat.

[@ShreddyOO7]

I so Happy

[@chir0pter]

i sure hope we get footage from Cortes Bank this winter

[@camronbay1]

So nice I live near here nice spot.

[@clay_knapp]

dude. epic squirrel shot 7:15

[@jrhamp]

Used to live near there..never saw waves like these...how about Bend Club?

[@archstanton3636]

I wonder how many car antennas were broken on this day.

[@neilmartin99]

Not many cars have antennas these days but a good ol fashion keying is never out of the question at friendly Lunada Bay.

[@MakaiMauka]

6 foot Hawaiian

[@strathack33]

Exactly, it is not that big. Most of these kooks need boards that are a foot shorter and a lot more talent.

[@jimberry2297]

Be thankful to live in paradise.

[@JEK]

🙏

[@tucko11]

Kinda like a bigger San onofre type of wave

[@russelGreene-yw8jy]

nice 2 see

[@cosmichef75]

You recorded history

[@paulricketts1089]

......GIANT MUSHBURGERS..................

[@sandysilvagiacalonetimson7868]

Great Vid What Editing Software did You Use 👍🏻?

[@JEK]

Final Cut Pro

[@derekjenkins1878]

Bay Boys? There’s Johnny. Ronnie. Lil Mikey. Big Mike. Bob. Rob. Bobbie. Bobby. Bob The Elder. Roberto. Lesser John. Greater Greg. Nick. Nicky. Saint Nicholas. Blaze. Lazer. Blazer.

[@travisguide4516]

5:36 that panic paddle in the impact zone ouch

[@ELMENDORFX]

I’ve been out a couple times at Lunda. Just a big mushburger

[@Irelandrbi]

They still breaking windshields, tearing off side mirrors and bullying anyone in the lot?

[@JEK]

I don't think so. More so out in the waters, from some surfers accounts.

[@simontemplar1]

damn fine video

[@eduardotirado839]

Awesome! Let’s all go over and drop in on the locals! Weeee!

[@gibbynyc6482]

I see a lot of angle at the top and run for the shoulder.

[@johnnyv.5142]

Doesn't go off like this very often, but Lunada is a very rideable big wave.

[@mrkroeger]

It's peeling off nicely... not walled off like many so cal beach breaks. Impressive

[@travisguide4516]

Thatt is the best shoulder ive ever seen here open face is pretty legitimate

[@stevewiegand6442]

Too easy

[@GnomicMaster]

OMG, my surf club back in the mid-1960s (Southside Surf Syndicate) had a surf-out with Windandsea around the point at Lunada Bay. Mike Purpus tried to kick out on my head and our club's enforcer paddled over to Mike and threatened to kick his ass. Such fond memories.

[@romcallis]

Mikes a pretty laid back guy...maybe it was unintentional

[@GnomicMaster]

@@romcallis Maybe he is now at his age but not so when we were teenagers. It's been almost 60 years since that event. As I recall I took off in front of Purpus on my Weber Performer, and he came up behind me and kicked out right over my head. Looking back now it's all so humorous because we were such macho jerks in those days who thought we surfers were cooler than cool. Hell, Miki Dora pushed me off a wave at Malibu first point on an overhead day, and that became a point of pride for me. By 1971 I was done with all the territorial bullshit in surfing and became a rock climber. Nobody has ever yelled "My rock, coming up" like in surfing when hearing "My wave, coming down" is the standard mantra. Rock climbers are super chill, not at all territorial like surfers. But still, lots of fond memories from my years of surfing the California coast from San Diego to Santa Cruz.

[@richardelliott8352]

@@romcallis he certainly seemed to be nice in his older years, when he wrote a small surf column for the local paper. I never knew the guy, but his local reputation was not ideal in his younger days.

[@TruthIsNot4Sale]

Great waves but where are all the ripper’s? There is so much face to play on

[@eyestick8012]

If it was low tide, this would have been an epic session...

[@jeffersonsmith6109]

Those guys have always been poor surfers. Easy to see why all the anger.

[@strathack33]

Lol, yup!

[@richardelliott8352]

anger is the ultimate deceiver. Fear only clouds the vision , while anger will set a path .

[@PK-gi2qh]

Where were you?

[@helloitsmehb]

Props to the 2 guys at 1:18 who took one on the head instead of getting in the way. Take note kookies

[@martyc5466]

Love all the rhino chasers

[@Erik-gg2vb]

I wonder how the Cove/Indicators was breaking? Those are big waves. Not common.

[@surfnow.]

magnificent. 🙄

[@PeaceBeginsOnYourPlate]

I wonder if people who actually live in Lunada Bay and aren't part of the Bay Boys get hassled.

[@johnmartin2079]

As long as you can hold your own don't immediately steal parking guaranteed fighting with damage. Now those are perfect waves don't forget your 8:15 uber transformation two no puzzy dudes

[@WhiteNacho]

Guy wearing a lid and riding what looks to be a greyish board is domo!

[@PeterKNoone]

Feels like maybe they could move up on their boards a little bit.....doesn't look that bumpy. Great footage and some great rides.

[@papertrailcowboy4091]

they dont know how to surf...beginners

[@strathack33]

Exactly bro, that’s what I’m saying. These guys are kooks. Dropping on each other constantly and struggling mightily, lol !!

[@saullandiof5768]

@@strathack33 lol and you would paddle out and rip the shit out of waves this huge?

[@Settledownsally]

I’ve got an 9ft quad stored away to ride once every 15 years

[@strathack33]

You bet Saul. They are not huge and they are extremely mushy. But yeah , I would give it a go…

[@derekjenkins1878]

Oversized boards for stuffed shirt barking toothless elephant seals

[@ApriliaRacer14]

A lot of water moving!

[@ELMENDORFX]

LONG LIVE DRONES OVER LUNADA BAY hahaha. Share to every surfer alive. All are welcome at Lunada Bay and all PV spots

[@gordonquigg9389]

I'm not too crazy about high angle shots from cliffs and drones. The high angle distorts the quality of the waves, in height, steepness, and position of actual crest and trough. I'd really like to see any and all footage from sea level or as low as possible to show the reality of the situation, the drama in each ride, and true massiveness and height of each wave.

[@CENCAL491]

Large user friendly surf , be great if we got more swells like this ..Thanks for posting

[@xxxYYZxxx]

I've never seen waves this big in So Cal before.

[@Ericxnugz]

Mavericks is bigger same with Venice beach dude locals only stay out!

[@xxxYYZxxx]

@@Ericxnugz My point was more about the ubiquity of social media videos documenting big waves like this than big waves like this existing before or since or up or down the coast for that matter.

[@Ericxnugz]

@@xxxYYZxxx haha I’m kidding dude I surf all over and any locals that are territorial are the real kooks in my opinion

[@erikromero5981]

Say what you want, 10 guy's here, 100 guy's at any other spot.

[@allensaunders449]

Lunda bay big slow moving waves

[@majorpayne8373]

Gnarlburgers...

[@rustywidebottom4678]

Big wave, they brought the big boards. Lotta shaky legs out there, just sayin. 🏄🏽‍♂️🏄🏻🏄‍♀️

[@jimmalmo909]

Mushburgers 😀

[@jimmalmo909]

The one and only time I surfed Lunada Bay (I'm from Pt. Dume and I lived at Silver Strand in Oxnard) was with my buddy Rodger who grew up there and at the top of the cliff at the bay we said "Hi how are you doing?" to some dudes and they smiled 🙂 like the cat that ate the canary haha 😆🏄🏄 and they said "have a nice surf bros!" I thought I knew localism having lived and filmed in the "Nard" with the "Nardcore" ,,,, but when we got down to the bottom of the trail baseball-size rocks were flying at us like missiles!!! If one hit you in the head it would kill you!!!!!! We were drunk and paddled out to some of the biggest waves I've ever seen!!! I almost drowned it was so gnarly!!!! Good times😎👍

[@ckarjala]

Mushburgers worth fighting for

[@dtilsner]

3 foot Hawaiian 😛

[@josephm40]

Slow moving mush. Easiest wave in the world.

[@nautiloid]

That's it??? Most locals shred their spot when it gets big. That's pretty funny.

[@adambamf9365]

this one of those places with crazy locals and average surfing Skill lol

[@fwysurfer]

Can you say Mush Burgers!!

[@donalderkelens5772]

Big and slow ss seal beach way better steep fast 3 ft water if your lucky we got local Boyz too

[@markd1057]

Looks like about 6’ NorCal and 4’ Hawaiin. Glad you the locals finally had something to fight for.

[@geraldinemcguire1698]

Great coverage, great waves,great sound.

[@uzbl997]

Do most of these gents keep a Rhino Chaser in their garage awaiting the ten year storm?

[@kevinodriscoll3904]

So Lunada Bay is nothing but a big mush burger at size with offshores?

[@KC-zs6ug]

Locals here kooking out mad they live in Torrance and not in RPV

[@leerutherford8095]

Looks like a few fun ones but this is junk compared to December of 69

[@jesseimpersonal]

December '69 was epic in Hawaii too. Bet Lunada was unreal.

[@j3f423]

Summer of December 69 was epic

[@joelp9486]

Surfers were cooler back then too.

[@nicksinderson3302]

@@joelp9486 yes, we were!

[@xwhite2020]

You should have been there on January 1912. It was all time.

[@LFUFMNX]

This reminds me of Sunset Cliffs in San Diego.