Greg Noll

Content sourced from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Greg Noll, born Greg Lawhead on February 11, 1937, in San Diego, California, was a pioneer of big‑wave surfing and a famous longboard shaper. He later used the surname Noll, though his stepfather’s name was Ash, and he was nicknamed "Da Bull" for his bold style. He helped the U.S. lifeguards bring Malibu boards to Australia around the 1956 Melbourne Olympics and produced five Search for Surf films.

Growing up in Manhattan Beach, he started surfing at 11, learned board shaping from Dale Velzy, and worked as a lifeguard and paddleboarder. He became famous for surfing huge waves at Lunada Bay near Palos Verdes and later moved to Hawaii in 1954 to surf Makaha and the North Shore.

In November 1957 he rode Waimea Bay in 25–30 ft surf, a feat many thought impossible. In November 1964 he was the first to ride a wave breaking on the outside reef at Banzai Pipeline. In December 1969 he rode what many believed was the largest wave ever at Makaha. After that, his competitive surfing slowed and he closed his Hermosa Beach shop in the early 1970s.

He then worked as a commercial fisherman and sport-fishing guide in Northern California. The 2004 documentary Riding Giants tells his story, and he contributed to its commentary. He founded his own surfboard business in the 1950s and later revived longboard shaping with Noll Surfboards in Hiouchi, California. He had four children—Tate and Rhyn with his first wife Beverly, and Ashlyne and Jed with his second wife Laura Archuletta. He lived in Crescent City, California, in his later years and died on June 28, 2021, at age 84.