MALIBU - THE QUEEN GIVES A TOUR OF HER KINGDOM
Last weekend, I met my friend and roommate Francesca Seely (aka Frankie) up in Malubu to chase a run of south swell that went by most of San Diego.
Frankie grew up surfing in Malibu and Topanga Canyon, so getting the lcoal tour from her (although we barely scratched the surface) was pretty special. It wasn’t long after we pulled into the Malibu parking lot that we heard the echoes of “Heyyy! Frankies back!..” coming from the spot’s classic characters.
The surf was really great, especially compared to the sleepy breaks back home in Solana Beach. As the cigarette and weed smoke from the parking lot started to settle into our clothes, we traded them out for bikinis and a wetsuit. I was shooting from the water and jumped (clumsily clambered) over the rocks to get some shots.
A starburst glow made for a magical sunset session as the swell kept creeping in, and it was a great way to get the long weekend going . The groms were frothing, the locals were getting their groove going, and the town was ready for an epic weekend.
After a couple 20 hour days with 6+ hours in the water, camera in hand.. the sun and parking lot creatures began to take their toll on our sanity. Our attempts to rest in between filming sessions never panned out and eventually we took a mandatory trip to Malibu’s infamous “Chili Cook Off”.
Another highlight was meeting Frankie’s parents … it was quickly clear where she gets her outgoing personality and creativity. They were both more than generous and it was inspiring to meet such successful people in the film industry.
Without fail, the sun took its usual stroll towards the horizon quicker than anticipated, and we arrived at Leo Carillo just in time to get a few shots for our final session. It was a great trip. A grind for sure, but it was fun to get back in the swing of shooting surf, and we got some incredible shots. I’m looking forward to seeing the end result, and I’ll be sure to share with you here once it all comes together.
With the midnight ride home to San Diego and the obligatory In-n-Out drive thru box checked, the mission was a success. Until next time!
Cliff Endsley
