Dana Point holds a special place in my heart, for sure. It’s my children’s hometown. The surf industry in the area is run by a lot of people I call friends. And I don’t need to go on at all about the wave-riding options.
But there’s one spot in particular that is legendary to the town. Hell, a surf shop on Del Prado still bears its name. Killer Dana, the long right point that formed off of the beautiful headland below the town, was absolutely key to surf culture from the 1930s to the 1960s, before its demise at the hands of the harbor that still stands today.
I can’t vouch for every detail shared in this video from the YouTube channel Wave Collective. But the archival footage (which is insane, BTW, and I have haven’t seen a lot of it) more than supports the fact that the cove helped birth a strong surf community in Southern California. Have a look for yourself. It’s a good watch – but it might leave a lump in your throat for what could have been.
