Michael Hynson

Biography

Mike Hynson was born on June 28, 1942, in Crescent City, California, to Robert Hynson, a U.S. Navy engineer and Grace (Wheaton) Hynson. He took up surfing as a teenager and, after graduating from La Jolla High School, began sidestepping draft notices for the Vietnam War by the age of 21. Known for his skills in both surfing and surfboard shaping, particularly the Red Fin long board, Hynson was featured in Bruce Brown's 1966 documentary "The Endless Summer" alongside Robert August. He later became instrumental in creating the film "Rainbow Bridge" (1971), originally conceived as a surfing film titled "Wave".