Sam is briefly seen attempting to surf, although the California surf craze was still a few years off. Surfing on wooden longboards, however, had been introduced by Hawaiian legend Duke Kahanamoku in the early 20th century.
The title refers to the novel 'Robinson Crusoe' by Daniel Defoe that was first published in 1719 about a European castaway on a Caribbean island.
Dopey Dick the silly shark is a play on Moby Dick.
Sam calls Dopey, among other things, a flounder, a barracuda, a hammerhead, a halibut and a shovel nose. All of these are the names of salt water aquatic creatures.