Aggressive Surf Localism Investigated at Topanga Beach
Historically, Topanga Canyon’s been known as a sleepy, bohemian enclave on the outskirts of Los Angeles, once a hangout (or home) to the likes of Neil Young and Jim Morrison; and today, the aroma of pot smoke and patchouli still lingers.
But in the water, out in the open from the cover of the canyon, and right alongside PCH, Topanga is one of LA’s most crowded, and apparently aggressively localized surf spots – despite being a somewhat mediocre wave, especially when compared to its cousin to the north, Malibu – per a new report from local news station, KCRW.
Listen below:
“Topangry” is what some surfers call the spot, or the localism seen there, according to the story from the KCRW weekday show, Greater LA.
After recounting the heyday of local enforcement at Topanga back in the 1970s – in which one longtime surfer at the spot recalled, “Every time they came to surf here, they’d have to fight” – the report delves into the situation seen at the fickle righthander today:
“While most folks agree that the culture is not as intense these days, especially with the rise of smartphones that can capture fights on camera, the Topangry mindset still exists. Yelling, arguments, and tension in the water are common. One surfer described how during a recent session, he was ‘fully chewed out by a Topangry 12-year-old girl, and fully got bullied into submission as a 34-year-old man who's surfed here most of my life.’”
The report goes on to mention racism, sexism, and other isms seen at Topanga, much like a microcosm for surfing globally. But it also notes that, while aggression has been present at Topanga since the 1970s, it’s only gotten worse with the post-COVID surf boom seen across lineups worldwide. More surfers = more problems.
“If you have too many people trying to go after one limited resource,” said Topanga local, Chad White, “it doesn't matter what that is in human life, we turn into a**holes.”
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