southern california surfing

“In this crowded world the surfer can still seek and find the perfect day, the perfect wave, and be alone with the surf and his thoughts,” John Severson wrote in 1960 in The Surfer, a scrappy, home-made publication that eventually became Surfer Magazine. Solitude was more easily found in Southern California in 1960 than it is today, but driving the coast in pursuit of the perfect wave remains a rite of passage. While much has changed on land, out in the lineup, today’s surfers still ride the same waves and chase the same feelings of escape, freedom, and joy.

I was super stoked to work as a contributing writer on this fun guide book from Wildsam. Read it for information about where to eat, stay, and surf in Southern California. Or, browse for essays from people like Matt Warshaw and interviews with coastal conservation specialists and surfboard shapers. See the book at Wildsam.