SURFING SOAPBOX: Traditions make Laguna a ‘classic’

It was another golden day Wednesday.

Walking along Victoria Beach without another soul on the beach, I was reminded again what makes Laguna just so special.

It’s our beaches and our traditions.

Some are community-based and others are seasonal, like the southwest swell that has been running off and on (but mostly on) for the last week or more.

At Victoria Beach at the beginning of every summer, those who love to play volleyball lie in wait for that one south or southwest swell big enough to bring the sand back in, so there’s enough sand for the court to go up — and this summer is no different.

With another day or two of swell, the sand should be back, and the court should be up.

This time of year also brings us another great tradition, a tradition that our Laguna community loves and lives for: the opening of the Sawdust Festival. Many of us love to attend opening night and see old friends, reminiscing of the “good old days.”

This is in many ways the official kick-off to the beginning of the frantic summer holiday in which our town is transformed into a hustling and bustling traffic-jammed town, which many businesses live on. For others it’s merely an inconvenience of traffic and overcrowded beaches.

One of my all-time favorite traditions growing up in Laguna Beach is the Brooks Street surfing classic. I used to love competing in the Brooks Street, watching my older brother, John, compete.

My mom would take me to Jack in the Box for a hot apple turnover, and every once in a while my dad would come down and watch as well.

It’s been 10 years now that I have surfed in the Brooks Street classic and it’s time I compete in it again and pass my torch on to the younger generations of Laguna surfers.

Who knows, maybe I can talk my brother into competing — now that would be classic.

Long live the old Laguna traditions.

Peace.

JAMES PRIBRAM is a Laguna Beach native, professional surfer and John Kelly Environmental Award winner. He can be reached at Jamo@Aloha SchoolofSurfing.com