When it’s flat, paddle
Los Angeles County Lifeguard Brian Murphy is one of the world’s top paddlers. He and brother Mike organize the South Bay Dozen races each summer. Photo When the surf is flat in the South Bay, which is most of the summer because Palos Verdes and Catalina Island block the south swells, local surfers dust off their paddleboards to train for races that are held just about every weekend. The number of competitors has grown significantly in recent years with the explosion in popularity of stand-up paddling. Hennessey Return to the Pier, Monday, May 27 The race season starts with Hennessey’s Return to the Pier, a 3.5 mile race from the Hermosa Pier to the Manhattan Pier and back. In previous years the race was held on the Friday evening of Memorial Day Weekend. But evening wind swells often made it difficult just to paddle out to the start at the end of the Hermosa Pier. Last year, conditions were so rough that the race was canceled. This year, the race will be held in hopefully calmer conditions, on Memorial Day morning, starting at 8 a.m. The day will include a lifeguard sprint race around the Hermosa pier, followed by an awards party at Hennessey’s Tavern on Pier Plaza…
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