"Meldahl takes the reader on a tour of coastal Southern California, deftly explaining its complex geologic history, coastal geology, surfing spots, and the processes that shape them. Richly illustrated and told with great humor and enlightening analogies, Surf, Sand, and Stone is easily accessible yet contains valuable resources for those who want to delve deeper."--Mark Johnsson, staff geologist, California Coastal Commission "How refreshing to discover a book about Southern California's complex geology that is written for those of us who want to learn, but who do not have a strong background in this field. I'll take this excellent guide with me whenever I go exploring."--Joan Easton Lentz, author of A Naturalist's Guide to the Santa Barbara Region "Surf, Sand, and Stone is an entertaining and very readable explanation of the complex geology and oceanography of the Southern California coast. Meldahl must be an excellent teacher as he has a real gift for writing about complex topics in a comfortable, engaging, and fascinating manner."--Gary Griggs, Director, Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz