lets talk story
KELLYS COVE / SF
Between the Pier (torn down 1967) and the Cliffhouse at Ocean Beach in San Francisco, resides a small patch of sand we call Kellys Cove. From the late 40's through today, surfers have braved these frigid conditions to surf perfect A-frame peaks and survive to tell stories from the rapture of the deep. We honor those who have lived and died with these memories emblazoned in their hearts and minds. Each year, we build a fire and toss names of our brothers and sisters who have passed on to that great heavenly surf spot in the sky.
We welcome you to surf through our store and catch a few wave articles that will remind you of this epic moment in time we all shared, and those who wish to share as a symbol of being a fringe dweller of the concrete jungle we call city life.
Ocean Beach History 1960's-1980's
More Talk Story
History of Kellys Cove - Hana Hou Magazine
https://hanahou.com/18.1/a-walk-in-the-clouds
Great Highway Clips - Mark Gunson
https://richmondsfblog.com/2013/09/26/great-highway-local-surfing-documentary-at-the-balboa-saturday/
Kelly Slater at OB -https://www.nps.gov/goga/learn/historyculture/upload/Surfing_sr_2014_v2.pdf
Kellys Cove Reunion - Arne Wong
https://outsidelands.org/kellys/wong_interview1.ph
Gary Silberstein Interview - Almost lost at sea
https://archive.storycorps.org/interviews/delphine-foo-matkin-and-gary-silberstein/#transcript
2017 Kellys Cove Reunion Origin story
https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10226135395830770&set=gm.1190697608089230
2023 Bob Wise Memorial
https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Bob-Wise-San-Francisco-surfing-pioneer-dies-at-17713890.php?fbclid=IwAR1tbqDzWSZLeRv8TiFQnjC2rH06qrymM4hr5m9C_Bh1zudS_kb-3I-Wj2I
2026 KELLYS COVE REUNION / OCEAN BEACH SURF DESIGN
OCEAN BEACH SURF DESIGN
It all started in the basement of Rick Valera's family home on Fulton, in the Richmond District. I first met Freddy Valera in my homeroom at George Washington High in 1966, and he invited me over after school to his house. In his basement was a homemade surf shop that his older brother Ricky Valera made his custom surfboards. Those were the days we simply ripped the fiberglass of our long boards, and reshaped it into a short board.
Rick was the master shaper and glasser, and we were his clueless minions hanging out and taking mental notes to improve our own attempts at it. In 1970, right after returning from Kauai, Ricky and Eddie Conroy opened the first surf shop in the Richmond district.
It was called "OCEAN BEACH SURF DESIGN".
KELLYS COVE 1970
One day we were standing around the fire when a newspaper reporter peeked his head over the seawall and asked if we would gather for a group photo. He said he was doing an article about Ocean Beach and the surfers who venture out in the surf. We hammed it up for the camera, but when the article appeared in the newspaper, it wasn't flattering, in fact he made us look like a bunch of Hippie Surf Bums who had nothing better to do. But that didn't phase us, as we knew the treasure of life was in the water surfing.
THE SHORT BOARD REVOLUTION
We were the first generation that took our precious longboards and ripped the fiberglass off and reshaped a short board that was to become a revolution in surfing. OCEAN BEACH SURF DESIGN provided custom professionally crafted short boards; shaped and glassed by Ricky Valera, and artistic design by Eddie Conroy. Surfing was never the same again. Eddie's brother Ross, became one of the most aggressive surfers on a short board, and was so aptly named "MAD DOG".
THE POWER SQUADRON
The surf shop was always busy with the local surfers, and eventually these surfers formed into groups, and the group that hung around the surf shop called themselves THE POWER SQUADRON, there were no leaders in this group, everyone was equal and we just wanted to hang out together and call each other nick names like Ricky was named "RV Cobra", Eddie was named "Escondido", as Ross was "Mad Dog". Everyone got a nick name, even I was dubbed "Da Fly", because I surfed in a low crouch like a fly on the wall.
HOME AWAY FROM HOME
Many of us found a new family and a new home at Kellys Cove, to be with like-minded and stoked about venturing out into the treacherous but thrilling surf. Our baby boomer generation hit the beach like a tsunami, the beach was packed day and night, conga drums could be heard all day on weekends. The Cove became a local hot spot for the dissidents and radicals, and I was a fly on the wall for all of it.
Indian Summer in San Francisco
The staircase went down 7 tiers.
OCEAN BEACH SURF DESIGN FAMILY
Our beach family was comprised of many families, particularly brothers who surfed together: The Valera's, the Scobies, the Wahlstroms, the Elfanos, the Buttorffs, the Ramians, the Giles Bros. and the Conroys to name a few.
Roger Miller "Minister of Pyschedelics" and the local beach girls.
Glenn "Savage Coconut", Harry "Moose", Roger "Minister of Psychedelics", Larry Giles, and the indomitable "Quasar".
Ricky Valera, standing clueless in front of his future wife to be: Debbie Scobie.
Albert "King", Arne "Da Fly", Rick "RV Cobra", two beach regulars, Danny Scobie, Glenn "Savage Coconut".
Ricky cruising on his new custom surfboard.
A rare photo of OBSD custom board by Rick Valera
Ricky and Debbie, who said first loves never last.
2026 KC DESIGN / BACK LOGO
2026 KC DESIGN / FRONT LOGO
This year's reunion design was inspired by the OCEAN BEACH SURF DESIGN, the first surf shop in my neighborhood that specialized in custom short boards designed by Eddie Conroy, shaped and glassed by Ricky Valera. I asked Ricky and Eddie who were the regulars that hung out at the Surf Shop and I put their names in the design of the shop Logo.
KC 2026 OCEAN BEACH SURF DESIGN
100% COTTON T FEATURED BELOW, IS THE CLASSIC VERSION WE HAVE EACH YEAR, PLEASE CHECK DIMENSIONS FOR EACH SIZE
T-SHIRT, AS SOME RUN SMALLER THAN OTHERS.
PLEASE MAKE SURE THE SHIRT DIMENSIONS MATCH YOUR SIZE,
SINCE THEY ARE "PRINT ON DEMAND" & SENT DIRECTLY TO YOU,
WE ARE UNABLE TO DO EXCHANGES.
WHEN YOU SEE THE T-SHIRT DESIGN OF YOUR CHOICE, PLEASE SCROLL DOWN TO SEE BOTH FRONT AND BACK DESIGNS. SOMETIMES THE PRODUCT WILL SHOW BACK SIDE INSTEAD OF FRONT SIDE. SOME ONLY FRONT DESIGN. ALSO LOOK FOR "SORT BY" - AND CHOOSE NEWEST TO OLDEST.
GO TO COLLECTIONS CATEGORY- "KC 2026 OCEAN BEACH SURF DESIGN"
surf kona collection
TAI CHI TAO
HOME AWAY FROM HOME
Many of us found a new family and a new home at Kellys Cove, to be with like-minded and stoked about venturing out into the frigid treacherous but thrilling surf. Our baby boomer generation hit the beach like a tsunami, the beach was packed day and night, congo drums could be heard all day on weekends, and listening to the music while surfing was incredible. The Cove became a local hot spot for the dissidents and radicals, and I was fortunate to be a fly on that wall at Kellys Cove.