Antique Postcard Ocean Bathers

A circa 1890 postcard. Maybe Santa Monica, Long Beach or Hermosa California. The rope was called a life line. The earliest device to try to prevent drownings, which were epidemic. With those heavy, full cover, bathing suits I'm sure it was a literally a lifesaver. 9,000 drownings in the US in 1910. In those early days the beach and getting in the water was a very popular summer vacation but getting naked was not cool. Duke Kahanamoku gave his surfboard to the Long Beach lifeguards when he was on his tour in 1907 and the Life Guards started their quiver. This postcard is a photograph printed in dark sepia. It's a good example of a limited pallet. De LeCroix's black and burnt umber. Winslow Homer's paintings were popular at the time, around 1890, and this resembles his composition and subject.

surfing history post card

1918 postcard......the pier in Long Beach. Pretty big breakers that day.

Newport Beach Surfing History Photo

I found this one pasted in Polly Launers beach photo album of 1936. As a postcard by Hitchcock, it dates to the mid-thirties. There are many pictures of kayaks and beach play at Newport, Balboa and Corona. I think this is before the Wedge was created by the jetty. I don't know. I think the picture is out at the end of the peninsula but where? The street? I'd sure like to know.

Old Surfing Photos Manhattan Beach

This is the north side of the Manhattan Beach Pier sometime before 1955, the year this brouchure was published. The picture 2 inches square is inside the brochure.

Surf History Is this Velzy? Manhattan Beach

The front and back of the brochure of 1940. 9 inches tall....4 1/4in wide. I wonder who it is really. It kinda looks like some Dale Velzy pictures from the pier I saw once, maybe. I wonder?

Surf History Manhattan Beach

These are chamber of commerce brouchures from Manhattan Beach. This is more stuff from the basement of the first house built in that city. Sold away from the family long ago. I still have the boxes though and there are a just handful of beach pictures in there.

I found these in a box of old family photographs. In 1902 my great Grand-parents built the first house in Manhattan Beach at 712 Manhattan Ave. My Grandmother was raised there and so was my father and I spent many summers there. These are pictures of Ethel Horner Launer and her beach bum friend, Ennis Wilson. Is that a surfboard? I'm want to think it is. Being a shaper isn't easy. Enninis hadn't likely seen much in the way of surf boards. in 1915. Right about 8th street, Manhattan Beach, California. 1915 Summertime