Nick Gabaldon
Encyclopedia
Nicolas Rolando Gabaldon (1927-1951) was an early surfer who is credited by surfing
experts with being California
's first documented surfer of African-American descent at a time when many beaches were segregated and opportunities for minorities more limited than today. Despite being an amateur
recreational surfer rather than a professional
competitive surfer, he is widely considered a role model for his part in the history of surfing
and African American history in the areas of Santa Monica
and California
.
Nick was born February 23, 1927 in Los Angeles
, California. His mother was Black and his father was Latino
. Very little is known of his childhood. He lived most of his life in Santa Monica
, California and was one of 50 black students at Santa Monica High School
during the 1940s. Nick taught himself how to surf at a 200 foot roped off stretch of demarcated beach
which was part of Santa Monica State Beach
. This area of beachfront was informally referred to by names such as "Ink Well Beach", "Negro Beach", and other more derogatory names http://www.smmirror.com/volume5/issue50/nat_trives_is.asp. In 1924, after the forced closure of black owned and operated Bruce's Beach
http://www.cityprojectca.org/ourwork/brucesbeach.html and due to de facto
segregation
, that portion of beachfront near Bay Street and Ocean Bouelvard became the only place in Southern California that racial minorities were freely allowed to use without harassment or violence. The area remains popular with African American Angelenos up through present day.
, Nick enrolled in Santa Monica College
, where he divided his time between pursuing his studies, surfing and working as a lifeguard
. Around 1949, Nick began surfing in Malibu, California at Surfrider Beach
where he was accepted without question by several mainland surf pioneers. His friends and surf contemporaries included Greg Noll
, Mickey Munoz
, Ricky Grigg, Matt Kivlin, Buzzy Trent
, Robert Wilson Simmons
aka "Bob Simmons". and Les Williams. Since he did not own a vehicle, Nick would either get there by hitchhiking
on the Pacific Coast Highway, or he would use his surfboard
to paddle the 12 miles to Malibu by way of Santa Monica Bay
. According to the Encyclopedia of Surfing, Nick did this water commute each day for several weeks.
On June 5, 1951 (some reports cite June 6), Nick died when he crashed into the Malibu Pier
while attempting a surfing move known as a "pier ride" or "shooting the pier"http://www.surfpatrouille.de/surfin.htm. At that time, there was a south swell that came on, creating some of the biggest waves known in that area. Nick's surfboard was found immediately, but it would be 3 to 4 days before his body was found washed up on Las Flores Beach, further east of the Pier. The coroner
ruled that Nick died as a result of drowning. Most of his Malibu-based surfing peers had attended Nick's rosary
. His funeral was held at St. Monica Catholic Church, Santa Monica
. He is buried in Woodlawn Memorial Cemetery.
Six days prior to his death, Nick had submitted a poem for submission to the Santa Monica College literary magazine. It was entitled "Lost Lives" where he describes the sea as "capricious", "vindictive" and where men "do battle but still die." Some see the poem as being somewhat prophetic in light of how he died. The poem was published in its entirety in the now defunct newspaper Santa Monica Evening Outlook
There is also a brief reference to Nick's death in the 1957 novel, "Gidget
" by Frederick Kohner. He is not mentioned by name, but in the story, the protagonist, Franzie, refers to her parents being opposed to her surfing because of what happened to that "colored boy" who crashed into the pier. No such reference is made in any of the subsequent films.
On September 7, 2007, officials for the City of Santa Monica announced plans to commemorate the stretch of Santa Monica State Beach called the Ink Well, and to post a plaque to honor Nick Gabaldon's contribution to the sport of surf. The plaque was officially dedicated on February 7, 2008.
Encyclopedia of Surfing by Matt Warshaw http://www.mattwarshaw.com/books/eos/index.php
Magazine Articles:
Newspaper Articles:
Surfing
Surfing' is a surface water sport in which the surfer rides a surfboard on the crest and face of a wave which is carrying the surfer towards the shore...
experts with being California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
's first documented surfer of African-American descent at a time when many beaches were segregated and opportunities for minorities more limited than today. Despite being an amateur
Amateur
An amateur is generally considered a person attached to a particular pursuit, study, or science, without pay and often without formal training....
recreational surfer rather than a professional
Professional
A professional is a person who is paid to undertake a specialised set of tasks and to complete them for a fee. The traditional professions were doctors, lawyers, clergymen, and commissioned military officers. Today, the term is applied to estate agents, surveyors , environmental scientists,...
competitive surfer, he is widely considered a role model for his part in the history of surfing
History of surfing
The riding of waves has likely existed since humans began swimming in the ocean. In this sense bodysurfing is the oldest type of wave-catching. Standing up on what we now call a surfboard is a relatively recent innovation developed by the Polynesians...
and African American history in the areas of Santa Monica
Santa Monica, California
Santa Monica is a beachfront city in western Los Angeles County, California, US. Situated on Santa Monica Bay, it is surrounded on three sides by the city of Los Angeles — Pacific Palisades on the northwest, Brentwood on the north, West Los Angeles on the northeast, Mar Vista on the east, and...
and California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
.
Nick was born February 23, 1927 in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California. His mother was Black and his father was Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
. Very little is known of his childhood. He lived most of his life in Santa Monica
Santa Mônica
Santa Mônica is a town and municipality in the state of Paraná in the Southern Region of Brazil.-References:...
, California and was one of 50 black students at Santa Monica High School
Santa Monica High School
Santa Monica High School, informally known as SAMOHI, is located in Santa Monica, California. Founded in 1884, it is one of the oldest high schools in the state....
during the 1940s. Nick taught himself how to surf at a 200 foot roped off stretch of demarcated beach
Beach
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
which was part of Santa Monica State Beach
Santa Monica State Beach
Santa Monica State Beach is a California State Park operated by the city of Santa Monica.-Santa Monica Beach:The beach is located along Pacific Coast Highway in Santa Monica...
. This area of beachfront was informally referred to by names such as "Ink Well Beach", "Negro Beach", and other more derogatory names http://www.smmirror.com/volume5/issue50/nat_trives_is.asp. In 1924, after the forced closure of black owned and operated Bruce's Beach
Bruce's Beach
Bruce's Beach was a small beach resort in the city of Manhattan Beach, California, that was owned by and operated for African Americans. It provided the African American community with opportunities unavailable at other beach areas because of segregation....
http://www.cityprojectca.org/ourwork/brucesbeach.html and due to de facto
De facto
De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...
segregation
Racial segregation
Racial segregation is the separation of humans into racial groups in daily life. It may apply to activities such as eating in a restaurant, drinking from a water fountain, using a public toilet, attending school, going to the movies, or in the rental or purchase of a home...
, that portion of beachfront near Bay Street and Ocean Bouelvard became the only place in Southern California that racial minorities were freely allowed to use without harassment or violence. The area remains popular with African American Angelenos up through present day.
Accomplishments
After serving in the Navy Reserve during World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Nick enrolled in Santa Monica College
Santa Monica College
Santa Monica College is a two-year, public, junior college located in Santa Monica, California.Santa Monica College was first opened in 1929 as Santa Monica Junior College. Current enrollment is over 30,000 students in more than 90 fields of study...
, where he divided his time between pursuing his studies, surfing and working as a lifeguard
Lifeguard
A lifeguard supervises the safety and rescue of swimmers, surfers, and other water sports participants such as in a swimming pool, water park, or beach. Lifeguards are strong swimmers and trained in first aid, certified in water rescue using a variety of aids and equipment depending on...
. Around 1949, Nick began surfing in Malibu, California at Surfrider Beach
Surfrider Beach
Malibu Lagoon State Beach, formerly known as Surfrider Beach, has a long standing as a premier surfing beach.-Natural history:Malibu Lagoon is an estuary at the mouth of Malibu Creek at the Pacific Ocean in Malibu, California. It is being restored by a multiagency partnership...
where he was accepted without question by several mainland surf pioneers. His friends and surf contemporaries included Greg Noll
Greg Noll
Greg Noll , nicknamed "Da Bull" by Phil Edwards in reference to his physique and way of "charging" down the face of a wave, is an American pioneer of big wave surfing and is also acknowledged as a prominent longboard shaper. Noll was a member of a US lifeguard team that introduced malibu boards to...
, Mickey Munoz
Mickey Munoz
Mickey Munoz, born in New York City in 1937, is one of the early pioneers of surfing but is perhaps more famous for his work as a surfboard shaper. Munoz, a historical figure in the surfing world, has been featured in many popular surfing documentaries such as the 2004 film Riding Giants...
, Ricky Grigg, Matt Kivlin, Buzzy Trent
Buzzy Trent
Buzzy Trent was a pioneer of big wave surfing. Born in San Diego and raised in Santa Monica, he body surfed as a child and started surfing at age 12. He moved to Hawaii in 1952 to surf and pioneered big wave surfing along with George Downing and Greg Noll...
, Robert Wilson Simmons
Robert Wilson Simmons
Robert Wilson Simmons , better known as Bob Simmons, was an early surfing pioneer, and considered to be the father of the modern surfboard....
aka "Bob Simmons". and Les Williams. Since he did not own a vehicle, Nick would either get there by hitchhiking
Hitchhiking
Hitchhiking is a means of transportation that is gained by asking people, usually strangers, for a ride in their automobile or other road vehicle to travel a distance that may either be short or long...
on the Pacific Coast Highway, or he would use his surfboard
Surfboard
A surfboard is an elongated platform used in the sport of surfing. Surfboards are relatively light, but are strong enough to support an individual standing on them while riding a breaking wave...
to paddle the 12 miles to Malibu by way of Santa Monica Bay
Santa Monica Bay
Santa Monica Bay is a bight of the Pacific Ocean in southern California, United States. Its boundaries are slightly ambiguous, but it is generally considered to be the part of the Pacific within an imaginary line drawn between Point Dume, in Malibu, and the Palos Verdes Peninsula. Its eastern...
. According to the Encyclopedia of Surfing, Nick did this water commute each day for several weeks.
On June 5, 1951 (some reports cite June 6), Nick died when he crashed into the Malibu Pier
Pier
A pier is a raised structure, including bridge and building supports and walkways, over water, typically supported by widely spread piles or pillars...
while attempting a surfing move known as a "pier ride" or "shooting the pier"http://www.surfpatrouille.de/surfin.htm. At that time, there was a south swell that came on, creating some of the biggest waves known in that area. Nick's surfboard was found immediately, but it would be 3 to 4 days before his body was found washed up on Las Flores Beach, further east of the Pier. The coroner
Coroner
A coroner is a government official who* Investigates human deaths* Determines cause of death* Issues death certificates* Maintains death records* Responds to deaths in mass disasters* Identifies unknown dead* Other functions depending on local laws...
ruled that Nick died as a result of drowning. Most of his Malibu-based surfing peers had attended Nick's rosary
Rosary
The rosary or "garland of roses" is a traditional Catholic devotion. The term denotes the prayer beads used to count the series of prayers that make up the rosary...
. His funeral was held at St. Monica Catholic Church, Santa Monica
St. Monica Catholic Church, Santa Monica
St. Monica Catholic Church is a Catholic church in Santa Monica, California. The church, located at 7th and California Streets, was erected in 1926 and was featured in the 1944 film classic Going My Way with Bing Crosby. It is also the home parish of former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger...
. He is buried in Woodlawn Memorial Cemetery.
Six days prior to his death, Nick had submitted a poem for submission to the Santa Monica College literary magazine. It was entitled "Lost Lives" where he describes the sea as "capricious", "vindictive" and where men "do battle but still die." Some see the poem as being somewhat prophetic in light of how he died. The poem was published in its entirety in the now defunct newspaper Santa Monica Evening Outlook
There is also a brief reference to Nick's death in the 1957 novel, "Gidget
Gidget
Gidget is a fictional character created by author Frederick Kohner in his 1957 novel, Gidget, the Little Girl with Big Ideas. The novel follows the adventures of a teenage girl and her surfing friends on the beach at Malibu. The name Gidget is a portmanteau of "girl and midget"...
" by Frederick Kohner. He is not mentioned by name, but in the story, the protagonist, Franzie, refers to her parents being opposed to her surfing because of what happened to that "colored boy" who crashed into the pier. No such reference is made in any of the subsequent films.
On September 7, 2007, officials for the City of Santa Monica announced plans to commemorate the stretch of Santa Monica State Beach called the Ink Well, and to post a plaque to honor Nick Gabaldon's contribution to the sport of surf. The plaque was officially dedicated on February 7, 2008.
Further reading
Book:Encyclopedia of Surfing by Matt Warshaw http://www.mattwarshaw.com/books/eos/index.php
Magazine Articles:
- Surfer Magazine, Vol. 24 #8, August 1983
- The Surfer's Journal, Vol 14, #1 Early Spring 2005
Newspaper Articles:
- Popular CC Youth Dies In Surf Tragedy,Santa Monica Evening Outlook, 6 June 1951
- Grim Foreboding Stalks Through Lines Of Poem by Tragedy Fated Student, Santa Monica Evening Outlook, 14 June 1951
- L.A. Then and Now: In 'Whites Only' Era, an Oasis for L.A.'s Blacks, Cecilia Rasmussen, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2005http://articles.latimes.com/2005/jul/03/local/me-then3