Stories

Nick breaks eye contact and lifts his head to scan the incoming set. “Wow, look at that wave,” he murmurs in palpable awe and anticipation. It’s Saturday at El Porto beach and the torrential rain has stopped for a brief Read more…

Tamara Lentz’ bright blonde hair fell just below her shoulders. The dark denim of her overalls stood out against a row of white surfboards that leaned against the wall behind her. For over a decade Lentz, a self-proclaimed water woman, Read more…

The dress code at El Porto, a popular beach break in Los Angeles, tends to range from your standard 3/2 Rip Curl wetsuit to a 4/3 for those who are more prepared, but rarely do you see business casual. In Read more…

Bigger is usually better, but not necessarily in surfing. Being small typically equates to a lower center of gravity, providing balance through many difficult maneuvers. At a deceiving 5-foot-6, Cole Heramb, a surfer and second year biology student at UCLA, Read more…

El Porto of Manhattan Beach welcomed Lucas Favoretti and his best friend, Moon, with big waves upon his move from Brazil to Southern California in December 2015. According to Favoretti, there were two winter storms in the Pacific Ocean that Read more…

The Urban Barrels Instagram features waves both in and out of the water. Brothers JP and Matt MacDonell started the page in 2011 as part of a photo-driven blog where followers could submit photos of themselves “getting barreled” in everyday Read more…

It’s a sunny Saturday afternoon in Manhattan Beach. Locals and visitors alike crowd the sidewalks along Manhattan Beach Blvd. with ice coffees in hand and sandals on feet. Inside Love & Salt, one of South Bay’s vibrant restaurants, owner Sylvie Read more…

Beat-up longboard by his side, Ithaka Darin Pappas sits in the sand at El Porto beach, letting the waves rush by him. A smile gleaming across his face, he recalls how he first came to realize his love for surfing Read more…