Huntington Beach Surf City USA Surf City Honors Brian Wilson
On a sunny June day in Huntington Beach, California, the ocean shimmered as hundreds gathered to honor a man whose music defined a generation: Brian Wilson, the visionary co-founder of the Beach Boys.
The paddle out—a traditional surf community ritual—took place on June 21, 2025, at the north side of the Huntington Beach Pier.
The legendary Brian Wilson original founder of the Beach Boys helped spread music, good vibrations and surfing across the globe. Big kudos and respect to the community of Huntington Beach California for honoring the native Californian with a world class paddle out fit for royalty. To plan and successfully execute such an event in such a short time is a testament to why Huntington Beach is known officially Surf City USA.
The day began with dark skies, blustery winds and a passing rain shower coupled with stormy, out of control, head high wind chopped waves making it appear as if the paddle out just might have be canceled or postponed.
In Hawaii many believe a passing morning shower is a positive sign, the precursor to a blessing. And so it turned out to be. Just as reliable Don Ramsey, the man who sets up Huntington Beach events came rolling up in his trusty old cargo truck loaded with chairs, sound equipment, surfboards and everything else, the clouds began parting and the sun made its first appearance.
Under Ramsey’s guidance a team of volunteers including the Willis Brothers Milton and Michael, who drove down from Malibu to attend, along with locals Mickey Rat, Tina Toulouse and others began unloading the truck and setting up the area where the paddle out was supposed to take place.
The event coincided with International Surfing Day and was just one day after what would have been Wilson’s birthday, making it a poignant convergence of timing and tribute. The paddle out was more than just a memorial; it was a celebration of community, music, and the enduring spirit of Huntington Beach. Participants were invited to bring a beach chair or surfboard, and the event was free and open to all.
At 10am Duke Aipa, son of legendary surfboard shaper Ben Aipa, blew a conch shell to signal the start of the ceremony. The haunting sound echoed across the beach, calling surfers and fans to attention. Around 500 people gathered on the sand and a top the pier as classic Beach Boys tunes like “Good Vibrations” played over loudspeakers.
Speakers and Memories
The event was emceed by Peter “PT” Townend, the 1976 world champion surfer. Townend spoke to the crowd about Wilson’s enduring influence: “The Beach Boys and Brian Wilson had a huge part in establishing what we would call the Southern California beach culture.”
Dean Torrence, whose friendship with Wilson spanned decades, shared stories about their shared history and the camaraderie between the Beach Boys and Jan & Dean. He spoke of how Wilson wrote Jan & Dean’s biggest hit, “Surf City,” and gave it to his friends simply because they were his buddies.
He was a sweet, gentle soul as well as a fierce competitor,” said his manager Jean Sievers. “There will never ever be anyone like him again. God truly broke the mold when he created Brian Wilson. Besides being a creative genius, he was one the smartest and funniest people I’ve ever known. His message of love will live on through his music forever.”
After the speakers had celebrated Wilson and his enduring legacy P. T. made an important announcement saying that the paddle out was on but due to difficult and semi dangerous ocean conditions only the heartiest of surfers should participate in the paddle out, recommending surfers with less experience not to go out. To those brave surfers that would be paddling out, conditions allowing would attempt to form a circle holding hands, celebrating Wilson’s life and then afterwards ride a wave to shore to further honor his life.
Duke Aipa would be leading the paddle out and making the decision if the conditions were going to be too rough for the participants to form a circle holding hands or not. P. T. added, if anyone can complete a ride all the way to the shore, sticking their fins into the sand they would be awarded a lifetime membership to the prestigious Huntington Beach Surfing Museum.
Approximately 50 surfers headed out into the unruly waters, flowers in tow. Kudos to Huntington Beach lifeguards who were charged with the difficult task of protecting those who chose to paddle out. Stationed in between the surfers and the pier pilings were guards helping to prevent possible tragedy and ready to spring into action at a moments notice.
As the surfers gathered underneath the pier several 100 yards past the breakers Aipa made the call for all to join hands. Circle completed the surfers began chanting and singing together. One surfer had successfully brought out his guitar and he began playing The Beach Boys “God Only Knows” as all the surfers cheered, splashed and sang along.
Electricity filled the atmosphere, supreme love permeated the salt air. Aipa opened the tea leaf package pouring out the royal flowers representing Wilson’s remains into the ocean, the crowd began screaming.
NBC News was on hand to capture this historic event…. Brian Wilson’s tribute paddle out put on by Huntington Beach Surf City USA.
Meanwhile, getting a successful ride back to shore to honor Wilson was extremely challenging. With the bumpy waves breaking all over the place, like liquid bucking broncos. Even experienced surfers were getting bucked off. The surfers that did make the drop and manage to hang on could not complete a ride back due to a long deep spot preventing most waves from reaching the shoreline.
However, there was one surfer who managed to make the drop and ride the wave all the way, completing his ride by sticking his fins into the sand. Taking off on a head high storm wave Michael Willis navigated the rough take off, carved every mogul along the way and made it across the notorious “dead spot” to successfully reach the shoreline in honor of Brian Wilson. P. T. shouted out over the microphone “We have a winner!
Brian Wilson deserved and could not have received a better send off thanks in full to Huntington Beach Surf City USA. If you are ever in Huntington Beach make sure you visit the world famous pier and also swing by the surfing museum where aloha abounds. Aloha Brian Wilson and big mahalo Huntington Beach Surf City USA.
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