Will Rogers State Beach
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Nothing defines Southern California more than the beach.
Maybe it’s the fresh ocean air, or the amazing sunsets, or the energy of the ocean, but virtually everyone who lives here or visits here is drawn to one spot or another along the hundreds of miles of coastline from Mexico on north.
The water is cold most of the year but that doesn’t stop people from swimming, surfing, walking, running, sun-bathing and enjoying this incredible space.
“You live in a paradise.” said a friend from Colombia who recently visited me. Those of us who live here take this for granted. We forget that while roughly 40% of the world’s population lives within 100km of the ocean, much fewer live in places like this where you can enjoy it most of the year.
While surfing originated in Polynesia, it was in Post-War Los Angeles that surfing took on a new cultural importance. An entire industry was born around a sport that has spread across the globe, made possible by the movies and TV shows that glamorized life on Southern California beaches in the 1950’s and 60’s.
And while most people think of surfing as a high energy sport for adrenaline junkies, most of the time it looks more like this… floating, talking with friends and waiting while the ocean prepares its next set of waves.
Often times the size or quality of the waves have nothing to do with what is happening in Southern California and everything to do with weather thousands of miles away.
The ocean brings out a diverse collective of people who share a common love for this place.
And for as any people as there are who love to ride the waves, there are just as many, if not more, who love to watch the spectacle.
