Piers of the California Coast

by Ed Grant

Overview

For those of us who wouldn’t dare live more than a mile from the coastline, piers are the essence of beach culture: a sturdy, elegant presence against the surf while families flock along the shoreline and youthful exuberance comes to life. By night, some of California’s most famous piers become the province of high celebrity amid the neon lights and salty air. This was my experience at the Malibu, Santa Monica and Santa Cruz piers over the years – to me, nothing less than full-fledged romance. Even for the saltiest among us, however, there is much to be learned – and for landlocked dreamers fascinated by the California lifestyle, this book is an absolute treasure. Beautifully written, exquisitely photographed and historically significant, "Piers of the California Coast" is not to be missed.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780615994468
Publisher:	Grant, Ed
Publication date:	09/24/2014
Pages:	192
Sales rank:	1,039,494
Product dimensions:	6.60(w) x 9.50(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Photographer and bon vivant Ed Grant grew up combing the beaches of Southern California, embraced by the sands of Newport, Huntington and Long Beach. Like the kernels of silica that became embedded in his toes and other crevices as a lad, Ed could never imagine life without those gateways to the sea - piers. These elevated gangplanks that lead from urban sprawl to the vast unknown, piers give city-dwellers the illusion of control over their manifest destinies.

Mike Wallace has pulled in deep to surf subjects ranging from the origins of the wetsuit to computer-aided surfboard design for various blogs and publications, including Surfpulse, Good Times, The Inertia and the Half Moon Bay Review. Based in Moss Beach, California, Mike has shaped surfboards for several years under the 'Iconoclast' label in the never-ending search for the optimal combination of retro outlines and modern bottom contours to give more mature surfers a leg up over their younger rivals. He is also the head coach of the Half Moon Bay High Surf Team and has spent several seasons caravanning up and down the California coast in the lee of the state's piers coaching his two groms Konrad and Kaira. This has informed his unique perspective on 'Piers of the California Coast' as a window into regional surf culture. By trade he is a market strategist for Action Economics and has been posted in Washington, London and Bay Area covering the international financial markets for the past two decades.
Mike has shaped surfboards for several years under the 'Iconoclast' label in the never-ending search for the optimal combination of retro outlines and modern bottom contours to give more mature surfers a leg up over their younger rivals. He is also the head coach of the Half Moon Bay High Surf Team and has spent several seasons caravanning up and down the California coast in the lee of the state's piers coaching his two groms Konrad and Kaira. This has informed his unique perspective on 'Piers of the California Coast' as a window into regional surf culture. By trade he is a market strategist for Action Economics and has been posted in Washington, London and Bay Area covering the international financial markets for the past two decades.

Debra Bronow is a writer and consultant to non-profit organizations. Born in California, she grew up near beaches
(and sometimes piers) in the South Pacific and Northwestern Alaska, with regular trips back to visit grandparents - and piers - in Southern California. She has been a writer and artist since early childhood. She lives in Southern
California, somewhere between the 405 freeway and the beaches of the South Bay, with her husband, two sons, and a standard poodle. She still believes there is no better treat in the world than a Balboa Bar on a hot summer day.

Table of Contents

CALIFORNIA OCEAN PIERS

LA Area

Manhattan Beach Pier

Santa Monica Pier

Venice Pier

Hermosa Beach Pier

Redondo Beach Pier

Belmont Shore

Seal Beach Pier

Huntington Beach Pier

Newport Pier

Balboa Pier

Orange County & San Diego Area

San Clemente Pier

Oceanside Pier

Scripps Pier

Crystal Pier

Ocean Beach Pier

Imperial Beach Pier

Central Coast

Malibu Pier

Port Hueneme Pier

Ventura Pier

Stearns Wharf

Goleta Pier

Gaviota Pier

Pismo Beach Pier

Avila Pier

Cayucos Pier

Harford Pier

San Simeon Pier

Monterey

Municipal Wharf 2

Fishermen’s Wharf

Coast Guard Pier

Bay Area

Pacifica Pier

Santa Cruz Wharf

Capitola Pier

Seacliff State Beach Pier

North Coast

Crescent City Pier

Trinidad Pier

Point Arena Pier

Editorial Reviews

I had never given much thought to the existence of piers, until this book. Somehow, I always took them for granted, including their part in defining California culture. What brought them to life were the sumptuous photographs and superlative descriptions of each individual pier, including their history and uses. Author Ed Grant had the wisdom to choose writers and photographers who knew these piers by "heart", it seems. Most of the piers are located in Southern California, and some are famous, especially the Malibu Pier, which makes its cameo appearance in classic Hollywood surf films, high-fashion photo shoots, and as a backdrop for many surfing legends.

From the Publisher