Malibu, California. My first time back since last summer. A lot has changed. And yet, nothing has. The fires have scarred this town, but down at the beach, the morning still starts slow. The pier stands quiet, the beach, nearly empty. It’s a peaceful illusion, Malibu’s version of the calm before the storm.
But walk closer to the water and that illusion breaks. Because Malibu doesn’t just attract surfers, it pulls them in like a magnet. Locals, groms, pros, tourists, all chasing the same thing: a slice of that perfect right. The crowd doesn’t build slowly. It appears all at once. The calm beach becomes a battlefield in the water. And sometimes it’s not about catching that perfect wave. It’s about not getting clipped by someone.
This edit captures a classic Malibu morning. Surfers battling for position in the middle of some seriously good waves. Malibu is one of the most iconic surf breaks in the world — and this is what it’s like when the waves show up. This short film gives you a feel for both sides of Malibu: the stillness… and the storm.
Find more from Brad Jacobson on his YouTube channel.
