Fred Van Dyke, seventy years old and still surfing, is one of the subjects of the excellent documentary Surfing for Life now playing at Roxie. He graciously took some time out to talk to posthoc about why he loves surfing in San Francisco.

Q.: Tell us about the first time you ever surfed.

It was my twenty-first birthday and I was living in Santa Cruz. I went out at Pleasure Point. My first wave was the best wave I ever rode.  It was a two-footer and I rode it all the way ashore.  I was hooked.

Q: How did you get into big wave surfing?

It was when I lived in San Francisco. I was walking along Ocean Beach one day when I ran into this guy named Cliff Kamaka and he took me out Ocean Beach for the big ones. Even then I’d never been in the ocean over my head  . . . when I caught that first wave I was ecstatic.  I went right over, landed on my back, but I was so stoked.  I was hooked!

Q: How do the surfers of today compare to those of yesterday in outlook and attitude?

Bad in most cases. Not always, but in many cases no one taught new surfers the good things that you’re supposed to do while surfing. They grew up free of conscience of being responsible for others. I can’t blame them for that attitude, but it’s very sad because the older guys forced us to do it their way, the safe way. They wouldn’t even let us go out until we were in good swimming shape. Some of the kids today don’t even know how to swim more than 25 feet.

Q: Sometimes we hear about turf wars between new surfers and those who consider themselves veterans.  Did you see a lot of that in the early days?

There were so few surfers that the veterans opened up to you. They gave you every break if you followed their rules. Their bark was worse than their bite. In Hawaii there was group who taught the kids how to swim a quarter mile to the outside breaks. That’s the way it’s supposed to be. You’re supposed to look to your elders and they’re supposed to show you the right way to do things.  And that’s what Surfing for Life is about.  It’s about a group of people who are responsible and growing old in a wonderful way. A graceful way of growing old. Every single one of us in the film is totally positive.

Q: As a San Francisco native, do you have any favorite surf spots in Northern California?

I’d say San Francisco waves are bigger than Hawaiian waves. I loved to come back to Northern California for the surfing.  The greatest surf in the world is at Steamer Lane.  It’s not as big, but it’s the greatest surf in the world. Everything is right. Then there’s Pleasure Point [at Santa Cruz].  I’ve done some wonderful surfing north of the [old] Fleischhacker Pool by Taraval, Ulloa and Vicente. It looked good to go out today, but I had too much to do!

Q: Besides “Surfing for Life”, what are your favorite surf movies?

I used to go to all of them and I was in most of them but I don’t like them.  It’s media hype. You rarely get the true feelings of the surfers. You get the views of the ones on camera making ads for surfboards or clothes.  Surfing is not about media and it’s not about clothes.  It’s getting out there, catching a wave and becoming one with the ocean and everything.  The new surfing is so cutthroat because it’s so crowded. I feel sorry for the kids who fight to catch a wave and get beat up by the bigger guys. Now, I’ve quit about once a month for the last five years. But I keep going out.  That’s what I like about surfing San Francisco.  It’s small enough for me. I go out and there are only about three or four people around and they’re friendly. 

Q: What’s the toughest spot you’ve ever surfed?

Fleischhacker outside of Sloat Boulevard here in San Francisco, because of the cold water, the riptides and the big hole that’s hard to get through. It’s the most treacherous place I’ve ever surfed. 

Q: As a younger man do you think you’d have been up for the Mavericks at Half Moon Bay?

I’m afraid I would have.  I admire the guys who are doing it now. I was a mentor for some of them. Now they’re way beyond what I would ever have done.

Q: Besides turning away from big wave surfing, what other adjustments have you had to make as an older surfer?

Mostly my knee.  It really impedes me. You have a tough time with your back, especially the lumbar because you’re arching all the time. I still surf but I go to a chiropractor to keep it in shape. As you get older your balance is not what it was. I can jump up as fast as I did when I was twenty-five, but my balance is not good all the time and I fall off. I get embarrassed. I try to surf away from the crowds so I don’t put anyone in jeopardy.

Q: Was surfing always a spiritual experience for you?

Oh, yes, but as I’ve said I don’t like the media. I fall into that category of letting myself be used by it and most of that is ego. Most of it is I haven’t worked through that fact that I’m a human being.