Lance Carson, a legendary figure in Malibu’s surf culture, is among the victims of the devastating wildfires that ravaged Los Angeles this week. Known for his contributions to the sport of surfing and his role in shaping Malibu’s beach culture, Carson is now facing a tremendous loss.
Carson, who was diagnosed with spina bifida as an infant, has overcome numerous challenges throughout his life. Despite his early health issues, he learned to surf at just four years old, later becoming one of the top-ranked nose riders in the world. In 1965, he was named the second-best tip rider in the world, following David Nuuhiwa in a prestigious ranking by SURFER Magazine.
As surfing evolved in the 1960s with the rise of shortboards, Carson refused to abandon longboarding, instead founding his own surfboard label, Lance Carson Surfboards. Even as Malibu’s pristine waves became polluted and overcrowded, Carson was instrumental in the founding of the Surfrider Foundation, an organization that helped spark the environmental movement within the surf community.
Despite the growing dominance of mass-produced boards, Carson continued to craft custom longboards by hand, maintaining his reputation as one of the finest shapers in the world. However, these achievements now seem insignificant compared to the destruction that has impacted his life this week.
“It’s all gone,” Carson said, surveying the devastation in the Palisades, an area central to Los Angeles’ beach culture. “For three days, we watched it burn to the ground. The Palisades is gone.”
The fire has left Carson and many other residents without homes, a startling reality for a man who, alongside other iconic surfers, helped define the Malibu lifestyle. Carson, though, remains resilient. “I’m making do,” he said with surprising optimism. He spent the first two nights sleeping in his van, salvaging only clothes and his dog in the chaos.
Known for his distinct surfing style, Carson’s approach to longboarding was revolutionary. Unlike Miki Dora’s smooth, narrow-stance technique, Carson’s upright, bob-and-weave style, featuring tail block stalls and cross-stepping to the nose, became a hallmark of Malibu surf. His contributions to the sport were immortalized in Hollywood, with Carson inspiring the characters of “Lance” and “Matt Johnson” in John Milius’ films Apocalypse Now and Big Wednesday.
Denny Aaberg, a close friend of Carson’s and the screenwriter for Big Wednesday, once described Carson as brash, unrepentant, and self-assured, but also deeply sensitive. Throughout his life, Carson maintained a simple, stylish existence, often overshadowed by the mythology surrounding his persona.
Now, as the wildfire aftermath unfolds, Carson is left to rebuild both his home and his legacy. Authorities have yet to allow residents back into the Palisades due to the hazardous conditions left by the fire. While Carson’s home, which he has lived in for over five decades, remains standing, he is unsure of its condition. Among the items he hopes to recover is a cherished relic: his first surfboard, a four-foot model made by his father when Carson was just four years old.
Despite the devastation, there are some bright spots. Carson’s shaping room, located near Point Dume, survived the blaze unscathed. “I’ll still be able to shape boards,” he said, noting that his tools, blanks, and materials were all spared. Additionally, his musical instruments are safely stored in Hermosa Beach.
Though Carson faces a monumental loss, he finds solace in reconnecting with old friends. “Some of my oldest friends have gotten in touch,” he reflected. “Sometimes it takes something like this to bring us all together.”
However, like many others affected by the fire, Carson knows that the landscape of Malibu—and the larger surfing community—will never be the same. As the ashes settle, surfers and residents alike must come to terms with the profound changes that have reshaped their world.
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