Doheny Crazed

by Chuck Bassett

Everyone dreams of the golden era of surfing, that idyllic time in American history when everything seemed so carefree and easy. Sunny summer days spent along perfect beaches—the young days of teenage youth without a care in the world.

I often scour used book sites or eBay for unknown surf books.  I’d seen “Doney Crazed’ by Chuck Bassett floating around.  I had to give this book a read, Doheny is my favorite break.  Luckily a member of my surf club, the Doheny Longboard Surfing Association, gave me a copy.  I was stoked.

The book itself is an easy and fun read.  Like sitting around a campfire listening to a friend or older relative recant the memories and adventures of their youth.  Nothing over flowery yet everything is beautifully and simply described.   If you’re an Orange County native you’ll enjoy reading the book.   You’ll see street names and shops, high schools, and directions to spots that are so familiar to you but so different in this book.

The main focus of the story is the 27 days the author and his friends spent camping along the river bed at Doheny.  The Polio Pond Boys is what they called themselves.  The Doheny of the book is a different park than what we know today.  Cars parked on the sand, log curbs the only thing stopping them from rolling into the sea.  Or the way the kids had to sneak onto the Marine Base to surf Trestles.  What an adventure.

The book isn’t just filled with surf stories, but you get into a little bit of the boy’s lives and in the end, see where they end up.

All in all, this is a pretty fun read and a beautiful glimpse into time long passed.

Get your own copy of Doheny Crazed by Chuck Bassett here