Olympic swimming legend (and Hawaiian surf hero) Duke Kahanamoku repeatedly rubbed elbows with the early San Onofre crew during his mainland travels. In those salad days, the tiny tribe there was openly inspired by Duke’s gang of Waikiki beach boys. What they built there was the first sustainable surfing beachhead on the West Coast, and the first legit “surf camp” on earth. Today, we owe all of the early San O’ surfers a huge debt of gratitude for keeping the place cool. Sure the crowds are bigger, but the aloha spirit still runs deep.