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Lunada Bay
Lunada Bay
Lunada Bay is an area of natural beauty and cultural depth. The Bay has played an important role in coastal life on the Peninsula from the Tongva peoples through the 20th century. The breaking waves have always attracted a dedicated community of watermen, and the “Bay Boys” surf community at Lunada Bay are legendary. The bay’s geography makes it an ideal big wave spot during the winter months, and brave surfers have been shredding there since the 1960’s. Today, the community’s cultural identity is still tied to its key role in surf culture throughout California.
Saturday mornings in Lunada Bay. That was the best time. With the whole weekend in front of us, it was truly carefree. We would climb down the cliff and walk along the rocky shore. Occasionally we found a wrecked car pushed over the cliff by someone the night before and we wanted to be the first ones to get a prized steering wheel or some other artifact. As we climbed back up the trail several hours later, our pockets were filled with treasures from another memorable day.
Lunada Bay and Resort Point, Palos Verdes Estates, California.
Image shows elevated view looking south across the calm waters of Lunada Bay at Resort Point. Waves break against the rocky shore in foreground. A steaming ship is visible in distance.
Sunlight and Shade, Lunada Bay
Avenida Mirola is a street that channels rain water from surrounding streets down to a large drainage system that sends the collected water to the bay. Back in the 1950’s and 60’s there was a large drainage pipe that was about 3 1/2 feet in diameter where the water flowed into. It extended out in mid air from the upper portion of the cliff by about 12 feet. We kids would climb into the pipe and crawl out to the end and look down to the rocks below. Another kid would then straddle the pipe from above and scoot out to the end where he would get the pipe to bounce up and down giving the two kids inside quite a ride. One Friday night several years later a high school classmate died when he tried to walk out on the top of the pipe. After that the city removed the pipe and redid the entire system.
"Lunada Bay / Looking toward Resort Point"
Hand-colored postcard showing view of Lunada Bay looking south across the bay from Rocky Point. Catalina Island visible in background. Split back postcard printed on reverse with "Published for Palos Verdes Drug Store / Palos Verdes Estates, California. Made in U.S.A." and "Quality Post Cards - The Meriden Gravure Co., Meriden, Conn."
Sometimes, after our little league games, we played in the hills above the baseball field. During our games, you could hear the peacocks calling to one another. Their calls sounded like small children calling for help. There were no homes above this area. Just endless space.
Lunada Bay, Palos Verdes Estates, California
Image shows elevated view looking northwest from vicinty of Via Olivera. Visible is a farmhouse at Via Coronel and Granvia La Costa (later Palos Verdes Drive West) and several Margate area project houses all designed by Winchton Risley, among them, identified left to right, the Simonson residence (732 Cloyden Road, project house #5), the John D. Kwis residence (721 Cloyden Square, project house #4), the C.O. Jackson Residence (1749 Granvia La Costa, project house #3), the Fred M. Hodge residence (1737 Granvia La Costa, project house #6), and an unidentified residence at far right.
The fog was very much a part of our experience growing up in Lunada Bay. Walking home from school the only thing you would hear would be the fog horn. All other sounds would be absorbed by it. It had a way of making everything seem mysterious.
Lunada Bay, Palos Verdes Estates, California
Image shows elevated view looking southwest along Lunada Bay toward Resort Point. Waves break against the rocky shore in foreground.
As soon as school was over for the day we would be out playing in the fields around Lunada Bay. The dry grass along the cliffs would rustle with the ocean breezes and a light fog would often obscure the horizon. These were the signs that the seasons were changing and that soon the days would start to cool down. Halloween was just around the corner.
Rocky Point at Lunada Bay, Palos Verdes Estates, California
Image shows view looking north across Lunada Bay toward Rocky Point. Branches of a eucalyptus tree are visible in foreground at left, with coastline of Redondo Beach and the Redondo Beach Pier visible in distance.
