Rare Surfing Footage in California 1947 San Onofre , Malibu, Ventura Overhead, Rincon

Rare Surfing Footage in California 1947 San Onofre , Malibu, Ventura Overhead, Rincon

[@benjamintmaltby7453]

Love how the guys shared the waves in those days.

[@adambamf9365]

i still dont think you could just rock up and share you still had to earn it

[@andersenjed]

The cut back messed that all up

[@geoffreymilke5176]

Easy to share waves when you surf in straight lines

[@jasonjackson5696]

The first wave I surfed was Rincon in 1960 when I was 6 years old. I used my brother’s board with the giant square fin and it floated as if there was nothing on the board. I caught my first wave by angling into it & trimmed on this waist high wave for a very long time. I was hooked. There was only 2 people out in the water that afternoon. My mom collected clams on the beach & made clam chowder that night - what an awesome memory. (I learned to swim at 3 years old & I was a fish & was body surfing Newport Beach shore pound at 5 years old - no kidding. I think my parents were nuts😂)

[@paddington3028]

Your parents were on point🤙

[@radwhack1]

I saw this footage at a lunchtime presentation at Barnum Hall at Santa Monica High School in 1962. Can’t remember who presented it (to have been in high school in ‘62, I can’t remember too much of anything anymore!) but he seemed to know all about the filming of the Malibu scenes. What stuck in my mind from the narration at the time was being told the pier showing was “the old pier” and not the one we know now. What made that seriously impressive was that the old pier was south of where it pier is now so for those waves to be clearing it means they were bigger that anything I’ve seen break there in the last 50 years or so!

[@lalessing]

thanks so much for sharing. Wow takes me back to my youth. My brother and cousin started surfing in the forties and for all I know are in this footage. They used to put me on the nose of their big redwoods and we would streak across those walls. As we trimmed along I would glance under the nose and it would be out of the water so it was like flying..seemed so fast to that little kid. Also the water was so clean and lots of life in the water. Guys would go catch octopus and fish with no worries about eating them because of pollution. Plus sea urchins all over the rocks. Just so different..thanks again.

[@surfskatevideos1]

+lalessing Hi, I am the one who should say thx to you to a so beautiful and full of passion and good memories / nostalgia ! I feel the same about my youth, but, in a differente picture and period of time, I was born in 1972, in Sao Paulo and lived inside the Surfing environment / universe for about 15 years. And I am happy also because you got the real feeling, what I wanted the most, by publhishing all these rare videos, was actually exactly provoque these feelings like the ones you had. Good vibes ! Pedro Mendes, from Brasil

[@surfskatevideos1]

+surfskatevideos1 I mean, a so beautiful text ( I forgot to write the word `` text `` )

[@clafong9]

Fantastic. The shots of big Malibu at 1 minute in where it's breaking beyond the pear were awesome. And it was interesting that at least for those guys, having more than one on a wave was just fine. And the bit with the tandem team was great - she would have had quite a view from up there.

[@eddiewouldknow]

Amazing in all aspects! No wetsuits, "probably" no fins, great surfing/control of those boards, and the movie quality is awesome considering aged and transferred 8mm or 16mm film??? Ohhh and yes, the waterhousing back in that era - a Doc Ball invention? This is great stuff.

[@williamwalsh6282]

They seem ok w three on a wave... amazing how much surfing has changed

[@artlover4668]

I have always said that if I could be transported back in time to a particular time and place, it would have been So Cal from the 30s to 50s. From I hear it was paradise, beautful weather, beaches to the mountains. Incredible era

[@calfolk7381]

I’m with you Art Lover

[@davidanderson8469]

I was born in San Diego in 1950. I thought the whole world had good weather until we traveled. It was a truly wonderous world. 1/10th the population I reckon.

[@davelarose8257]

Fantastic footage! Thank you, Pedro, for sharing this history. I especially enjoyed seeing the tandem-- they made it look easy! And the bathing cap on the surfer girl...another age, one that paved it for us and which we should honor.

[@yujishinohara1uponatime]

Pre junkfood era, slim guys on uncrowded pristine waves..Those were the days. Reminds me of the days before my youth. Thanks for posting.

[@surfskatevideos1]

Veranda Tales I didn't live in the 60's and in the 70's but I had also the luck to had lived in the 80's and many spots were uncrowded, before the `` boom `` era, when surfing started to be a fever here in Brasil, after the ASP circuit comes back to Brasil with the 1987 Sundek Classic. Then, magazines, tv articles, many stores, surf shops and in the 90's ... a huge fashion.

[@jasonjackson5696]

The first wave I surfed was Rincon in 1960 when I was 6 years old. I used my brother’s board with the giant square fin and it floated as if there was nothing on the board. I caught my first wave by angling into it & trimmed on this waist high wave for a very long time. I was hooked. My mom collected clams on the beach & made clam chowder that night - what an awesome memory.

[@davidanderson8469]

They ate everything and burned it off unlike many today. Burger joints and diners were everywhere back then.

[@wasabiginger6993]

That’s gotta be Pete Peterson doing tandum. Wow, great footage, thank you so much for sharing! Pete’s wife Alice got my mom surfing and at Malibu by late 50’s … sooo many stories I heard as a kid and ended up surfing early 60’s till we moved from Malibu to NS Oahu 1963.

[@donaldbrough207]

I was thinking the same, Pete Peterson?

[@r.g.3636]

when i surfed the long beautiful point break walls of steamer lane in santa cruz,,, i would always invite surfers to ride the same wave with me just to share and have fun together.... so,, it still happens in modern surfing as well.... mr. roy

[@rhinohippo]

year I was born, I was an early 60s longboarder, I got to respect how these guys were surfing on those boards that where state of the art in their day. I can still remember a lot of the rides I had from Rincon to Stacks in Baja. Anybody remeber Stacks in Baja, south of San Miguel. This is great film, thanks

[@prowelderbill]

rhino hippo been there done it. Nice though! Hard place to climb down to beach!

[@r.g.3636]

thank you thank you thank you Pedro..... so beautiful

[@720069mf]

I like the way they share the waves;three on a good wave, and their havin' fun!

[@hackman55able]

Sooooooooooooooo awesome. Mahalo for the upload. Very inspirational. Too much for mere words.

[@bwolf2d]

be very curious as to how Pedro Mendes came by this footage. Buzzy Trent on the outside of the wave at 4:24.

[@SapphireAdizes]

same here

[@Ranger830]

Awesome! Only time I’ve seen any of those breaks not crowded !!! Ahh the good Ol days huh? Love the old films man! 😎🤙 for the dream!!!

[@clarkewi]

That is a huge south swell breaking at the end of the pier. Note how much further out first point sand was in those days when they let Malibu Creek flood at 3rd point. There was a wide beach between the water and the Ringe estate at first point that got narrower in the cove. Now its narrow all the way up to the Colony. Note in the opening shot of the lefts at first point. I used to surf on those lefts in the mid 1960's and they were never crowded - everybody wanted the rights.

[@drewnolan96]

Thank you. Was looking for this comment. The beach at Malibu in that scene looks like sort of Ventura point but…not really. Thank you for explaining.

[@drewnolan96]

It’s hard to tell with how much different it all looks now. It’s crazy what we’ve lost.

[@mozdickson]

oh them days! "War is Over - lets go surfing!"

[@lalessing]

thank you again. You certainly achieved your goal. I've never see such good footage of Malibu from that period. I know that Bud Brown showed some of the first surf movies in the early 50s and do remember going with my brother to a small community center to view one of his early films.. Maybe there were shots like this. I'm sending this on to my brother to enjoy and perhaps see if he can identify any of the surfers by style. So few at the time they all knew each other. He'll be 80 this august and will get real joy out of this. Also my cousin who is a bit older will really dig it. They may even be in some of the shots. How did you come across this fantastic footage?

[@missinglinq]

Great footage though I do not see any footage of Ventura Overhead or Rincon.

[@jasonjackson5696]

The first minute was Rincon

[@WhiteNacho]

That was some huge Malibu from the hill!!!

[@calfolk7381]

I remember watching the “Monster from New Zealand” from that vantage point. We meet again Whitenacho 👍

[@WhiteNacho]

@@calfolk7381 I totally remember that swell because I was on a three day camping / surf trip at Jalama. T's was huge but perfect. Terry Fitz and Wayne Lynch were there just toying with it. They were on a promo tour in Santa Barbara for a new wetsuit line called Rip Curl. Surfer Mag coined the swell Monster from New Zealand. I rode my winter gun. What a fucking swell!

[@calfolk7381]

Whitenacho Thanks for sharing your story. Jalama must have been magical back then. I have vivid memories of Gerry Lopez connecting the points backside at Malibu. Buttons was there too 👍

[@andrewschiff3973]

awesome footage. thanks so much.

[@panamared3681]

When everyone is just trying to ride the wave and not see how many tricks they can pull off, then three guys on a wave is no big deal.

[@markkendrick7547]

Very cool footage.......

[@zsierke]

wow, that is a really west swell. And it looks like that same boat is anchored there today....

[@77Cfriend]

I remember those good lefts off first point, a gooy foot friend of mine got me surfing there in the 60s and no one else much cared about them because they were all going right.

[@angus2004]

Nearly 70 years ago and the surf in LA was already way too crowded. Cool to see, though.

[@prowelderbill]

Angus Those were the locals,back then you wanted a few guys out otherwise you were out surfing alone. All up and down the coast. San Diego to Santa Barbara. No , that ain't crowds.

[@ejectoraircoasters222]

@@prowelderbill I mean I don't see an issue with me surfing 5-7ft malibu all to myself but maybe that's just me

[@artlover4668]

Giggle, those could have been the same guys on each wave. Still, I assume that the Malibu crew at this time was small and intimate.

[@slayerkhan]

FYI: Anyone from the South Bay should know that the RB library has a complete collection of classic surf videos, produced by the guy who made Endless Summer I (Dan Brown?), available for check out *on VHS * .

[@nunyabizness6967]

Sean Linn Animation Production Bruce Brown made Endless Summer and many other flicks.

[@lonewolf7796]

Bruce Brown

[@rebecaarnal5203]

I would like to contact you about the use of part of this video which we are interested in for a documentary project we are developing. Thank you, Kind Regards

[@davidbubbsoar2555]

the quality is OUTSDANDING!!

[@Goomer]

Terrific footage

[@calfolk7381]

These guys could have had any wave they wanted to themselves but preferred to share it seems. Pristine Malibu 🇺🇸

[@TCBeaches1]

Is that Pete Petersen tandem surfing?

[@michaelpriest9300]

where did my surf knots go from knee paddling? haha

[@Sidetrackification]

Excellent!

[@wiscgaloot]

I can't imagine there were more than a few dozen surfers in 1947, yet these waves seem crowded! How odd.

[@prowelderbill]

Kelly Cox Malibu was a hip place to go and hang. It was the surf spot in LA.

[@halheywood3910]

HUGE malibu . Nice

[@jockjay8497]

Neutral stance NICE

[@tomodog2]

The tandem pair at about the 3 minute mark, are Preston "Pete" Peterson. Ii cannot be confimed by this film, but the female partner is said to be Norma Jean Baker. Norma Jean did surf before becoming famous as Marilyn. Pete is considered a complete waterman and was also a lifeguard in Santa Monica who built boards, dorys and lifesaving equipment. He invented the soft rescue tube still in use today.

[@MyLifeBeLikeNow]

hmm wondering, with so many waves per set, why they all droppin in on da same wave ? contest ?

[@cw7526]

Camera

[@lancejackson3618]

They liked to share waves. And all wanted to be filmed too. It wasn't crowded yet in 1947.

[@SapphireAdizes]

At what minute is ventura overhead and rincon???

[@nbcruizin]

WOW...! Before houses were on Rincon point..! lol

[@tripledp]

Tom B. It’s all Malibu

[@kc72186]

How cool is that 🍻

[@marcphillips4593]

Cool. Pre jerk era.

[@vXvBALZDEEPvXv]

I think ALL this footage is Malibu. I didn't see any wave. Just the Bu

[@daves.9479]

+vXvBALZDEEPvXv Agree--100% Malibu

[@breeze344]

Days of pure..

[@moromoro2163]

Yeah, wasn't that something. Look how the shape of Malibu has changed. Nice swell from the hill shot.

[@artlover4668]

The old timers say that the winter of 69 and the way Malibu creek unloaded it's sands from the heavy rains changed the break forever.

[@ichorousmedia]

that is some big malibu, wonder if those guys shot the pier by accident, some of them look really locked into their rides haha

[@taylorwoods9885]

pre carl !

[@harryknackers7892]

Is that Big Wednesday? Where's Bear?!

[@danielbrennan5872]

wow

[@montanamornings8526]

That was all Malibu. Where’s Ventura Overhead and Rincon ?

[@johnlane9743]

OMG - - Pedro - this is heart - warming... Imagine - surfing for shear joy - no rules - no ownership. Hard to juxtapose this with too much sentiment - just a few years earlier, mankind kills nearly 60 million people in WWII. Planet Earth - both Heaven and Hell... its a very strange trip.

[@billykohler9153]

Wetsuit? We don’t need no stinking wetsuit !

[@Swayzeo]

😮

[@briseboy]

Pretty much all Boobilam, no Overhead, no Rincon, no San onofre, church, trestles...

[@BananaHammyForYou]

Dude, I was so bummed. I really wanted to see a video of Stanley's.

[@charliekosek675]

quite the logjam(for 47)

[@surfhempster]

Rad ~~~>

[@chrisp.frye-noodles8761]

Won't look like that again until 5 million years after WWIII.

[@carolynennis1829]

Malibu Carl wuz there!

[@clarkewi]

Malibu point was way better in 1947. Much of the point is washed away.

[@rickroberts1198]

Shoulder hoppers

[@derrymcintyre7176]

seems like droppin in was cool back then... every one goin striaght. w chicks on shoulders.. the good ol days!!!

[@robertruesterholtz7484]

+derry mcintyre It was a group thing back then, they were all for sharing and enjoying the waves. If you notice, they are not doing cutbacks, it would have been dangerous on those boards if even possible.

[@wasabiginger6993]

Back when real men surfed wooden boards and wore real surf shorts (that showed off their great legs).

[@Unfluencer]

the age of pre-overpopulation. Musta been nice.

[@davidtettleton2732]

These guys probably burn in the 20s....hundred years old, now!

[@geoffreymilke5176]

WTH with the sound? It was so annoying that I had to stop watching

[@stevendreith4343]

I just turned the volume off.