About The Book
Gene was born in 1946, and growing up in the 50s, he witnessed Santa Cruz during simpler times. Not crowded or polluted and fast becoming recognized as a Surfing Mecca. These stories cover those times, describing adventures through his adult life – moving to Hawaii and Australia with many exciting experiences along the way, travel adventures, ways, and places, and yes, a few surfing stories.Growing up in Santa Cruz for the first twenty-six years starting in 1946, these are stories from Gene Hall’s experiences, friends, and others included. These events occurred over seven decades that have passed.
At 12 years old, the author started riding surfboards. In 1958, this meant riding heavy balsa wood boards. There was a small group of young guys, about 20 of them. They were called Gremlins by the older surfers. Gene’s mother told him once that he couldn’t surf all his life. Turns out, she was right! He should have started much younger. In 1959, Jack O’niell opened his first surf shop on the hill that overlooks Cowells Beach.
More or less, this was the start of the Surf Scene. Then came the surf clubs and surf shop team riders, magazines, surf films/full wetsuits, shortboards, leashes, and all the stuff that didn’t exist in the first couple of years. Not even surf wax that was called paraffin and used to can food! By 1972, when Gene was married and had a two-year-old son, his little family immigrated to Australia. Their second son was born in 1977 in Busselton, Western Australia. After 18 years, he and his family moved permanently to Kauai in 1996; they still live there. Many of the people that are written about are well known in surf lore. Others are not, and this will be their last stories. Many of the stories are not about surfing; however, most of Gene’s life revolved around the ocean. Knowing that most young surfers don’t care about history, this is for the ones that do.
