In Tim Burnham’s 2016 documentary, Dirty Old Wedge, the history, controversy, and glory of Southern California’s premier mutant shorebreak wave is explored. There’s no other spot on earth like The Wedge, and accordingly, it’s deserving of such a film.
From pioneering bodysurfing, to claiming unfortunate casualties, to perennially being a focal point for heavy-water summertime shore pound, The Wedge is an icon of the surfing stratosphere. Any time it pulses, people take notice.
So, what’re the most iconic moments – or swells, rather – in The Wedge’s history? Here, Newport Beach historian Bill Lobdell (who runs the Newport Beach in the Rearview Mirror Instagram account) looks back at the biggest swells to ever hit The Wedge…