Malibu’s tightknit surf community came together this week to mourn the passing of surf photographer Duncan McKenzie, a fixture on Malibu’s beaches known for his generosity and easygoing nature.

Social media lit up with dozens of tributes to McKenzie after it was announced he died last Tuesday, July 25--though no one contacted by The Malibu Times was able to share details of his passing.

“Duncan McKenzie was everyone’s friend and the surf community is truly mourning the loss of an incredible person,” Tracy Wright of the Mighty Underdogs wrote in an email to The Malibu Times. “He was friends with everyone on the beach, the kindest man with the sweetest disposition and an eye for some pretty iconic Malibu images. His big straw hat was a staple at First Point, running back and forth along the beach snapping photos of all of his surfing friends.”

One of those surfers whom McKenzie photographed and befriended was Kristina de Bree, who told The Malibu Times she first met McKenzie when he photographed her at a surf therapy event through the Mauli Ola Foundation a couple of years ago.

“I had gone to surfing events before, and it’s one of those things that’s really hard to capture--the surfing experience,” de Bree explained. “My parents would come with me to these events and I’d always have dinky pictures.”

De Bree, who said she had a “pretty advanced lung disease,” was able to tandem surf with professional surfer Bobby Friedman, an unforgettable experience. When she came back to the sand, she also received a priceless gift from McKenzie--photos of the ride.

“Duncan used to voluntarily go to these events and take pictures of everyone while they were surfing, and give them the pictures,” de Bree recalled. “He was such a sweet person.”

Another friend, Allen Sarlo, posted a tribute to McKenzie.

“He was such a gentle wonderful person,” Sarlo wrote in a message to The Malibu Times. “I know he is resting in a joyful place in heaven.”

Last weekend, a paddle-out at Leo Carrillo State Beach was held in McKenzie’s honor, with another event in the planning stages for the coming weeks.

A temporary memorial for McKenzie has been erected at Surfrider Beach.

On Wednesdays, Aqua Surf School offers giveaways on Instagram. All you need to enter is to follow @aquasurfschool, and tag two friends on their Win2day post. Enter for a chance to win free rentals for 2 people (board and wetsuit). Winners announced via their comment section on Thursday. Full rules: Win2day Rules

The pool at the Venice Skatepark is finally getting all the coping replaced with new coping that is supposed to be slicker and stronger than the old coping. A small section replaced last month after having been vandalized a few month before.

CA Skateparks was hard at work this morning ripping out the old coping, and laying the new coping in place.

Photos by Six12 Media.

Brazilian WSL Pro Wesley Santos is back in town and was throwing an air show at the Venice Pier with the local hotshot grom, Beck Adler.

Shot by Six12 Media.

Beautiful morning at the pier, small but fun waves. Here's some photos from Six12 Media.











There's a lot more photos, all in high-resolution, in the complete Venice Pier - Tuesday 8-8-2017 Gallery.

Vissla has partnered up with the Surfrider Foundation to challenge you, the wave conscious, to take something that might be considered waste and create something that can be used in the ocean.


How it works:

Upcycle
You must upcycle an old or found object into a functional wave riding craft (i.e. surfboards, handplanes, paipos, fins, alaias, skim boards, boats, etc.) Be creative!

Enter
All contestants must enter a video or 3-6 photographs showing their project from start to finish via Instagram #CreatorsContest and clearly state your country of residence by September 10, 2017.

Judging
Judging will be based on innovation, functionality, creativity, design, and aesthetics. Finalists

4 finalists in 2 categories – Under 16 and Open Divisions – will be selected and asked to send in their projects for verification and final voting. Finalists will be awarded exclusive prizes and invited to an event gallery show to have their final object on display.

Gallery Show
Winners will be announced at the final event on October 21, 2017

Official Rules & Regulations

Modest Blend of S Hemi and NW Windswell.

LOLA wave height chart for the eastern NPAC.

Small/Modest blend of S hemi and NW windswell
Light AM winds for the week
Potential for larger NPAC and SPAC swells mid-month

Join Surfrider LA for their inaugural #NoStrawBarCrawl to help us raise awareness around the greatest offender of single-use plastic pollution - the plastic straw.

In an effort to encourage the city of Santa Monica to adopt an ordinance addressing the problem of plastic straw waste and pollution, Surfrider LA will be leading a bar crawl down Main Street on Saturday August 26th at various participating establishments. Event Sign-Up

After hosting They Will Surf Again in Santa Monica last month, Life Rolls On's Get On Board 2017 Tour continues with another local event, They Will Skate Again.

Held in the Venice Skatepark, this is another free event, but instead of getting waves, this is a skate clinic for people of all ages with disabilities who want to ride the skatepark in their wheelchairs. From first timers to seasoned pro wheelchair athletes, this was an all day skate clinic with a Grom Contest.

More than a day of recreational activity, They Will Skate Again also serves as an exceptional opportunity for individuals with SCI and their families to network and establish new support networks outside traditional group support settings. Founded by world champion quadriplegic surfer Jesse Billauer, Life Rolls On is dedicated to improving the quality of life for young people affected by spinal cord injury. Believing that adaptive surfing and skating could inspire infinite possibilities beyond paralysis.

These photos shot by Six12 Media.

















There's a huge gallery of photos from this event. Check them out: LRO: They Will Skate Again 2017 Photo Gallery.


You can help Life Rolls On put on more surf and skate events by donating at Get On Board 2017 Fundraiser