I moved southern CA '73, married/kids; then moved north of the Gate and got back in cold water. Steve's been a windsurfing alpha male at Waddell 30+ years. Now we surf (& SUP, bellyboard, bodysurf too) "sunset years" together. Coincidentally I met Sam George on a womens surf trip to Sayulita Mexico in 2001... another 6 degrees of separation. Thanks so much for posting this up. You inspired Steve to break out his old movies too. This was like finding a message in a bottle! So cool! Many thanks!
My dad grew up and was in high school in San Francisco during these years, so cool. I love these old captions of Santa Cruz 30 years ago,surf, styles and the shots of the woman, yeah. so cool.
I saw this about 3-4 years ago. It got me back to kneeboarding, and found the Cove crew in HB and encouraged me to make little surf films again...this gem was an inspiration to me. Thank you for making it availible to all of us.
Wow! Incredible! Sitting here as a 40 something in the UK who has surfed since the late 70s/early 80s but spent much of the early 70s reading surf mags and saving up for my first board. Been out of the water for the last 2 years and this got me thinking about all the great surfs and surf trips I had when I was a kid - thank you so much !!
Man, great choice of song for this video. Most modern surf videos just don't do it for me. Don't get me wrong, there are some gems, but I find that the footage from the early seventies is the best. Reading "Surfer" and watching the current pros (whatever the hell that means anyway) just makes me depressed for how little respect some of the people in the water today have for the ocean. Thanks so much for posting this video.
No crowds! Totally different vibe than today. I started surfing in Santa Cruz in "79 and although I never got very good I still could get my share of wave at the main breaks. Today the crowds and skill level is so great that the kooks have no chance. Took up surf kayaking and have been able to recapture the early surfing feeling of no crowds as the kayak allows me to paddle to breaks that surfers can not get to. Great movie and love the fact that it did not have any AIRS!
STOKED! Watched this classic wondering who I might recognize... then 6:25, kneeboarder at the Lane... is my old boyfriend Steve West! I fell off my chair, called & woke him up... yeah... it is him. While Steve surfed, Id sit on old ratty couch lodged in big rocks just above the surf . "The doobie couch" was there early 1970's & finally rotted away. We'd bodysurf Blacks (13th) often; he ruled Stockton Ave. too. more next post...
Wow, I just watched all your other films. GEMS! You really had a knack for story telling! Such fine captures of feelings of the era! Really appreciate the way you pulled out of the scene to capture scenes... like the VW Bus rolling down interstate. (Worked... even without a tripod! ;-D) You went all over the place... east, west & beyond! Reminds me of how I felt watching 5 Summer Stories. btw, there are some others in the SCruz vid I could ID... if you'd like. Thanx 4 the :-D ~ Marina Andriola
I moved to Santa Cruz in August '75 right before the "Monster from New Zealand" hit. Huge south swell that pumped for 2 weeks. Was really a backwater in those days. I surfed Pleasure Point with nobody out. Was like I died and went to heaven. I bought a wonderful little house for $80K in 1980. Got to surf the El Nino's of '82-'83. Amazing times. Things changed after mid 1980's with the advent of "Silicon Valley" and expecially after the earthquake in '89. Now I live in New Zealand - not many crowds here except at Raglan. Been pretty lucky I guess.
That's really cool! I was hoping someone might see themselves in the movie -- it is a small world after all. I sure had a lot of fun surfing Santa Cruz back in those days. Take care
So interesting to see all those good surfers on single fins. No pumping, the only thing they could do to try to outrun the lip was be really really still and hope to get some glide, which looks so odd compared to modern shortboarding.
Surfing was just a guy and the wave. Only a very small few (and they were ostracized for it) were trying to draw attention to themselves what with massive fans and getting all aggro. The goal was the pocket in the curl, balanced between getting smacked by the lip and outrunning the wave. However, there was also down the line surfing which involved late takeoffs, shifting rails and finding that perfect line to keep in front of sections. I loved the down the line because of building great speed. I have old video of me just standing there but screaming along. That is that perfect line.
Seem to me there was a beach separated by a natural bridge, which you could walk through at low tide, it was full of kids riding old round skim boards, surfers and swimmers..
I lived on 6th Ave for 10 years , surfed Blacks alone many days... The rock reef was totally different, just like Santa Cruz was... now it's just an extension of San Jose.... Silicon Valley killed they Cruz vibe....
McGillvary Freeman's absolute best. It lit me up and I still surf at 75! Love Honk & the cuts from Brian Willson. "Feel Flows" !!!😅
I moved southern CA '73, married/kids; then moved north of the Gate and got back in cold water. Steve's been a windsurfing alpha male at Waddell 30+ years. Now we surf (& SUP, bellyboard, bodysurf too) "sunset years" together. Coincidentally I met Sam George on a womens surf trip to Sayulita Mexico in 2001... another 6 degrees of separation. Thanks so much for posting this up. You inspired Steve to break out his old movies too. This was like finding a message in a bottle! So cool! Many thanks!
This is epic, what a time that must have been to be alive.
I was there...
My dad grew up and was in high school in San Francisco during these years, so cool. I love these old captions of Santa Cruz 30 years ago,surf, styles and the shots of the woman, yeah. so cool.
I saw this about 3-4 years ago. It got me back to kneeboarding, and found the Cove crew in HB and encouraged me to make little surf films again...this gem was an inspiration to me. Thank you for making it availible to all of us.
This is definitely one the best videos I have seen on youtube. Thank you for this
Truly representative of the time.
Great stuff.
Wow! Incredible! Sitting here as a 40 something in the UK who has surfed since the late 70s/early 80s but spent much of the early 70s reading surf mags and saving up for my first board. Been out of the water for the last 2 years and this got me thinking about all the great surfs and surf trips I had when I was a kid - thank you so much !!
4 years before I started surfing in Santa Cruz!! Made me sad to see the good old days I miss SC the way it was......thanks for posting your footage!!!
I moved to Santa Cruz in '75 right before the Old Catalyst closed. This captures the mood of the time. Doobie Brothers. Classic.
This is so amazing. Greetings from Brazil. Feeling so glad
thank you
Dr., all your videos are awesome! I was born in the wrong decade...
Man, great choice of song for this video. Most modern surf videos just don't do it for me. Don't get me wrong, there are some gems, but I find that the footage from the early seventies is the best. Reading "Surfer" and watching the current pros (whatever the hell that means anyway) just makes me depressed for how little respect some of the people in the water today have for the ocean. Thanks so much for posting this video.
Santa Cruz is so blown now, your lucky to have lived when you did
No crowds! Totally different vibe than today. I started surfing in Santa Cruz in "79 and although I never got very good I still could get my share of wave at the main breaks. Today the crowds and skill level is so great that the kooks have no chance. Took up surf kayaking and have been able to recapture the early surfing feeling of no crowds as the kayak allows me to paddle to breaks that surfers can not get to. Great movie and love the fact that it did not have any AIRS!
the great thing about the ocean: no matter how much things change around it, the waves always stay the same.
That old couch at the lane was replaced a few times,I know one came from my place on wilke circle,classic vid,thanks for the memories.
Reminds me of good days at the mid-south coast (triggs, gulls, u-turns etc) is south australia. Man, another lifetime ago.
Great music...too!
Do you know the names of the songs?
STOKED! Watched this classic wondering who I might recognize... then 6:25, kneeboarder at the Lane... is my old boyfriend Steve West! I fell off my chair, called & woke him up... yeah... it is him. While Steve surfed, Id sit on old ratty couch lodged in big rocks just above the surf . "The doobie couch" was there early 1970's & finally rotted away. We'd bodysurf Blacks (13th) often; he ruled Stockton Ave. too.
more next post...
Wow, I just watched all your other films. GEMS! You really had a knack for story telling! Such fine captures of feelings of the era! Really appreciate the way you pulled out of the scene to capture scenes... like the VW Bus rolling down interstate. (Worked... even without a tripod! ;-D) You went all over the place... east, west & beyond! Reminds me of how I felt watching 5 Summer Stories. btw, there are some others in the SCruz vid I could ID... if you'd like.
Thanx 4 the :-D
~ Marina Andriola
I moved to Santa Cruz in August '75 right before the "Monster from New Zealand" hit. Huge south swell that pumped for 2 weeks. Was really a backwater in those days. I surfed Pleasure Point with nobody out. Was like I died and went to heaven. I bought a wonderful little house for $80K in 1980. Got to surf the El Nino's of '82-'83. Amazing times. Things changed after mid 1980's with the advent of "Silicon Valley" and expecially after the earthquake in '89. Now I live in New Zealand - not many crowds here except at Raglan. Been pretty lucky I guess.
this is amazing!
I moved to Santa Cruz '75. Was alot like this - white single fins and black wetsuits. Oniell's still made wetsuits on 41st Ave. No crowds. Empty.
Great upload thanks!
this is an epic video.
This is really cool, nice video man
That's really cool! I was hoping someone might see themselves in the movie -- it is a small world after all. I sure had a lot of fun surfing Santa Cruz back in those days. Take care
@Hip110AndY110Hop I'm your captain/Closer to home by Grand Funk Railroad, from the album Closer to home.
Wow, that's fantastic George. It's nice to hear that sharing these films has some effect. Let me know if you post any of your films.
EVERY VIDEO YOU GOT IS AWSOME MAN...burn one for me...ha...
what a great video!! love that blacks footage, it was probably way better before the riprap was put in. got any old Finger Bowl or Its stuff??
So interesting to see all those good surfers on single fins. No pumping, the only thing they could do to try to outrun the lip was be really really still and hope to get some glide, which looks so odd compared to modern shortboarding.
Surfing was just a guy and the wave. Only a very small few (and they were ostracized for it) were trying to draw attention to themselves what with massive fans and getting all aggro. The goal was the pocket in the curl, balanced between getting smacked by the lip and outrunning the wave. However, there was also down the line surfing which involved late takeoffs, shifting rails and finding that perfect line to keep in front of sections. I loved the down the line because of building great speed. I have old video of me just standing there but screaming along. That is that perfect line.
@DrAbalone I moved to Santa Cruz in 1975. Vince Collier was just a kid but he charged already.
sweet. subscribed.
Mellow times...thanks for sharing...band is?
I just checked out your videos and they are great! Very well done. What are you using to shoot in the water?
Seem to me there was a beach separated by a natural bridge, which you could walk through at low tide, it was full of kids riding old round skim boards, surfers and swimmers..
Ya that was it's beach, or ID beach if you wanna be tech.
nice....;o)
Hey man dont know if youll see this but anyways what camera are you using for this video? I love the old look
Looks like the film transfer wasn't done in time to save this film 😢😢
What dimensions of boards were most popular for you guys back during this time? Trying to shape a board for surfing Marin county....
7'6" x 19" pintail. 1 3/4" nose rocker, hardly none in the tail..
@reggaefool - No its not Its. That Black's...back when it used to break. Love that beach!!
i was in san clemente
Blacks, cool video!
I guess the film transfer wasn't done soon enough looks bad😢😢
left beach break is Black's in midtown
1:32, that's jesus right there
I lived on 6th Ave for 10 years , surfed Blacks alone many days... The rock reef was totally different, just like Santa Cruz was... now it's just an extension of San Jose.... Silicon Valley killed they Cruz vibe....
1:31