263:"The Surf Shack at Windansea Beach" was designated as an historical landmark by the San Diego Historical Resources Board on May 27, 1998. The shack was struck down by a large storm in 2003, rebuilt, and large waves knocked it down again during a high tide on December 24, 2015, but it was once again rebuilt by locals in June 2016. In 2017, a plaque was attached to the shack that reads: “Historical Landmark 358, The Surf Shack WindanSea Beach built by returning World War II surfers in 1947 for shade and aloha.” In 2022, it was replaced by a permanent plaque that read "a quintessential embodiment of surfing culture associated worldwide with Southern California, and the oldest continuously used shelter of its kind on the West Coast."
197:. The neighborhood adjacent to the beach is named Windansea after the beach. It is named after the 1909 oceanfront Strand Hotel that was renamed "Windansea" Hotel in 1919 after the owner Arthur Snell ran a "naming contest". The Windansea Hotel which was located on Neptune Avenue between Playa del Sur and Playa del Norte burned down in 1943. Geographically, it is defined by the beachfront extending north of Palomar Avenue and south of Westbourne Street.
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The
Windansea parking lot is located along Neptune Place, between Nautilus and Bonair Streets. Although recently upgraded by the City of San Diego, it offers a limited number of parking spaces. Street parking is typically widely available. There are no drinking fountains, showers or public restrooms
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The distinguishing landmark at
Windansea is a palm-covered shack that was originally constructed in 1947 by Woody Ekstrom, Fred Kenyon, Don Okey and a few others. It was constructed as a shady area to prevent the wax from melting off surfers’ boards and to protect their families from the sun. At
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The surf gang
Windansea Surf Rats was active for decades on the Windansea beach, intimidating outsiders from surfing on their beach. For many years, the break was notoriously exclusive, with non-locals or younger surfers facing harassment, intimidation, or violence, but by the 1990s, this had
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During the 1960s, the beach was sometimes a little rowdy with surfers drinking on the beach. The police would usually stand at the top of the railing stairs of the beach to intercept intoxicated people, hence the nickname "penalty box" of the upper stairs area.
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cartoon character out of cement, iron, a mop, a light bulb, and a beer can. The statue appeared on the rocks over
Windansea beach in La Jolla, holding a beer in one hand while gazing out over the ocean in search of the perfect wave. In 1964
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decreased. In 2007, the professional surfer Emery
Kauanui Jr. was beaten to death at his home by a surf gang called the Bird Rock Bandits. The trial aimed first at determining if the incriminated group acted as an organized gang or not.
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In 1960, following city-wide strife between homeowners and surfers, Windansea was designated as one of the six official “surfing beaches” in San Diego. Further ordinances restricting surfing to specific beaches were dropped by 1961.
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It was moved inland about 2 feet in 2003 when it was rebuilt after a major storm, and over the years the palm fronds replaced but its orientation has remained the same.
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213:. During the winter months, Windansea can have six-to-eight foot surf. Other breaks in the vicinity of Windansea include Middles, Turtles, Simmons (named after
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The
Windansea Surf Club was founded by Chuck Hasley in the summer of 1963 in preparation for the Malibu International surf competition. Founding members such as
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224:. The presence of surf beginners in the water may disturb the stricter surfing etiquette observed in more treacherous terrains.
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A nearby drainage pipe was painted on the inside to look like the inside of a barrel with a direct view of the iconic shack.
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Fantasy
Fantasy Femmes of Sixties Cinema: Interviews with 20 Actresses from Biker, Beach, and Elvis Movies. Tom Lisanti
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Windansea enjoys a storied reputation as a surfbreak, and has served as home break to many notable surfers, including
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618:"Windansea surf shack, one of the 'architectural icons of La Jolla,' gets San Diego plaque and proclamation"
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819:"'It needed to be done': Resident paints stairway railings at Windansea Beach without San Diego's approval"
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542:"A Plaque for The Shack: Proof of historical designation comes to WindanSea Beach in La Jolla"
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512:"Surf turf disputes at Windansea draw increased police attention after violent altercation"
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Waves at
Windansea break "harder and faster" than they do at nearby beaches like
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The
Windansea Surf and Ski Club was founded in 1947 but did not exist for long.
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257:) and palm fronds, despite eucalyptus’ instability as a construction material.
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291:. Steve Pezman, former publisher of Surfer magazine and current publisher of
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570:"Cal Living: Windansea Beach Shack Receives Historic Site Designation"
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The title of the song "Wind 'an' Sea" by La Jolla
Christian rock band
388:, is about a group of surfers from Windansea Beach who "attended the
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and Lee Teacher built a six foot, 400 pound version of their
730:"Tourmaline Canyon: Surfers vs. Homeowners during the 1960s"
671:"Wave Gangsters: Windansea's Violent Legacy Fades Away"
848:"Pro Surfer's Death Exposes Beach Town's Violent Side"
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46:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
249:and then in 1950 bigger branches gathered from
132:Panoramic photograph of Windansea Beach in 2018
217:who died at that break in 1954) and Big Rock.
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755:"Hot Curl – la Jolla, WindanSea Shack Icon"
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236:The Surf Shack at Windansea Beach in 2008
106:Learn how and when to remove this message
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918:Beaches of San Diego County, California
605:San Diego Reader, retrieved 01 Feb 2016
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616:Mackin-Solomon, Ashley (2022-03-21).
540:Mackin-Solomon, Ashley (2017-03-01).
510:Mackin-Solomon, Ashley (2022-08-22).
487:"Windansea Beach: Lifeguard Services"
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44:adding citations to reliable sources
421:List of beaches in San Diego County
411:takes its name from the community.
209:break with surf that breaks at the
491:City of San Diego Official Website
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642:"Tunnelvision at Windansea Beach"
270:Parking lot and public facilities
189:is a stretch of coastline in the
737:The Journal of San Diego History
728:Johnson Schmitt, Brooke (2016).
205:The main peak at Windansea is a
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913:Surfing locations in California
669:Smith, Hoyt (5 November 1992).
245:branches gathered from the old
31:needs additional citations for
898:Beaches of Southern California
769:"San Diego Historical Society"
426:List of California state parks
313:star and first Vice President
241:first, it was made with small
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576:. The San Diego Union-Tribune
568:Rodgers, Terry (1998-06-18).
846:Aguirre, Abby (2008-05-12).
436:La Jolla Historical Society
431:Bill Andrews (photographer)
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594:San Diego Government Site
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743:(3 & 4): 278, 285–6.
823:San Diego Union-Tribune
773:www.sandiegohistory.org
622:San Diego Union-Tribune
516:San Diego Union-Tribune
464:Tourmaline Surfing Park
699:Warshaw, Matt (2013).
407:from their 1993 album
253:, (which later became
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169:32.83111°N 117.28111°W
701:"Windansea Surf Club"
378:The title article in
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195:San Diego, California
142:San Diego, California
923:History of San Diego
705:Encyclopedia of Surf
574:The Daily Transcript
294:The Surfer's Journal
174:32.83111; -117.28111
40:improve this article
903:La Jolla, San Diego
779:on 2 September 2001
448:Marine Street Beach
385:The Pump House Gang
382:'s book of essays,
289:Butch Van Artsdalen
228:The Windansea Shack
165: /
908:Parks in San Diego
852:The New York Times
455:California beaches
392:as if it were the
374:In popular culture
339:Muscle Beach Party
310:The Endless Summer
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806:978-0-7864-0868-9
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863:. Retrieved
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825:. 2023-02-06
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409:Into the Son
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96:January 2010
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38:Please help
33:verification
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390:Watts riots
355:Don Rickles
341:" starring
315:Mike Hynson
275:available.
215:Bob Simmons
201:Surf breaks
172: /
160:117°16′52″W
148:Coordinates
892:Categories
865:2024-07-30
829:2024-07-30
783:12 January
711:2021-01-20
707:. Harcourt
680:2021-01-20
652:2024-07-30
646:SDNews.com
627:2024-07-30
580:2021-01-20
551:2021-01-20
521:2024-07-30
496:2021-01-20
473:References
361:Surf gangs
243:eucalyptus
157:32°49′52″N
66:newspapers
860:0362-4331
394:Rose Bowl
380:Tom Wolfe
324:In 1963,
319:Skip Frye
211:shoreline
415:See also
398:Pasadena
396:game in
335:Hot Curl
330:Hot Curl
191:La Jolla
138:Location
80:scholar
858:
808:. 2001
804:
353:, and
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733:(PDF)
87:JSTOR
73:books
856:ISSN
802:ISBN
785:2022
317:and
287:and
207:reef
59:news
400:."
42:by
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