August 21, 2015
At Huntington and Malibu, they’re shootin’ the pier
(Surfin’ Safari, The Beach Boys)
Apart from Hawaii, perhaps no place is more associated with surfing than Southern California. And in California, Huntington Beach is the center of surf culture. Each year, it is the site of the World surfing championships and has earned its nickname of “Surf City”. People have been surfing there since 1914 when George Freeth first paddled out along side the iconic pier. On a hot summer day, we headed to the beach.
Point of Interest: At one time an encyclopedia company gave away free parcels of land (with the purchase of a complete set for $126) in the Huntington Beach area. The lucky buyers got more than they had bargained for when oil was discovered in the area, and enormous development of the reserves followed. Although many of the old reserves are depleted, you can still spot skip jacks bobbing up and down at various spots. In fact, the Chevron corporation remains a major land owner in the city.
Mal and Lauren 