I LOVE this SO much! I'm going to print some of these out. Even though these
were probably taken before I was even born, it totally takes me back to
sitting on the beach watching my daddy surf, eating sandwhiches with my
sister, and then as the waves died down, my dad helping me 'surf' (laying on
the board taking in the wave breaks during sunset freezing my butt off and
loving every second of it while my dad guided the board into the beach until I
was shivering so hard that it was time to go home). We sure are lucky to have
lived in Santa Barbara when we did... before the hotels and tourist took over
the beaches. I also have memories of carrying a board down to the beach,
picking anise seeds on the way, through the fence and down to the beach.
I moved to Goleta in 1968, initially living on Devereaux Pt with a group of
archaeologists.  (The old navy shacks from WW II)  For many years there were
still resin drips on one of the cement slabs out there, where I made a couple of
boards.  Later the archaeological group moved up into the old Spaulding mansion
in Tecolote Canyon.  Included in the deal were keys to the gate at Haskells.  
When the archaeologists relocated to Costa Mesa,  I lucked into a job caretaking
5 acres of beach property at Arroyo Quemada, above Refugio.  I lived there for
6 golden years - pretty much hand-to-mouth.   Always made my own boards.  Had
several ranch boats - mostly of doubtful reliability.  I'm in SoCal now, but your
website brings it all back, especially the incredible beauty of that coastline.  Even
if there were no personal connection, I consider this to be the best surfing
website I have ever come across.  Thank you so much!  And I would be delighted
to be on your email list.
Great stuff from Casey.
As always, thanks for sharing the memories. Keep it up !
You are the eyes of Goleta! Thanks for that!