Travel Tales by Afar

A Blind Surfer Takes on Kauai’s Legendary Waves


Listen Later

For writer Ryan Knighton, surfing is one of the rare occurrences where he feels completely free. Because, in addition to being an excellent writer, a dad, and a curious individual, Ryan is blind. But that's never stopped him from exploring the world. So more than a decade ago, he learned to surf and has been riding the waves near his home in British Columbia ever since. But he’s always had a hankering to surf in a location he doesn’t know intimately. So this year, he traveled to Kaua‘i, where he found a guide—a surfer named Johnny—who pushed both of their boundaries so that Ryan could ride a new wave.

Don't miss these moments!

  • 4:21: An interview with Ryan about how he learned to surf and what it's like to spend most of your life on other people's elbows.
  • 24:03: Ryan's travel tale, read by actor Andrew Galteland

  • Meet this week’s guest

    Ryan Knighton, AFAR contributing writer 


    Resources

    • Read this episode’s show notes, including a full transcript of the episode.
    • Read Ryan's story about going on safari in Zimbabwe, his trip to Jordan, and his original Spin the Globe in Cairo.
    • Listen to Ryan's original Travel Tale.
    • Read Ryan’s book, Cockeyed: A Memoir.
    • Watch Billions
    • Follow him on X

    • A special thanks to Andrew Galteland, who read Ryan's story for him. You can follow Andrew on his podcast, Looters, a sci-fi western role-playing show. Be sure to subscribe to the show and to sign up for our podcast newsletter, Behind the Mic, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. And explore our second podcast, Unpacked, which unpacks a tricky topic in travel each week.

      And a special thanks to our season four Travel Tales by AFAR sponsor, Avalon Waterways, who shares our belief in the transformative power of travel.

      Amazon Music link: www.tryamazonmusic.com/KjWPGN

      Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

      ...more
      View all episodesView all episodes
      Download on the App Store

      Travel Tales by AfarBy AFAR Media

      • 4.8
      • 4.8
      • 4.8
      • 4.8
      • 4.8

      4.8

      225 ratings


      More shows like Travel Tales by Afar

      View all
      Good Food by KCRW

      Good Food

      1,104 Listeners

      Travel with Rick Steves by Rick Steves

      Travel with Rick Steves

      187 Listeners

      Travel with Amateur Traveler Podcast by Chris Christensen

      Travel with Amateur Traveler Podcast

      1,082 Listeners

      The Splendid Table: Conversations & Recipes For Curious Cooks & Eaters by American Public Media

      The Splendid Table: Conversations & Recipes For Curious Cooks & Eaters

      3,065 Listeners

      Fresh Air by NPR

      Fresh Air

      38,430 Listeners

      The Sporkful by Dan Pashman

      The Sporkful

      3,936 Listeners

      Zero To Travel Podcast by Jason Moore

      Zero To Travel Podcast

      822 Listeners

      Hidden Brain by Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam

      Hidden Brain

      43,713 Listeners

      Outside Podcast by Outside

      Outside Podcast

      2,123 Listeners

      Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street Radio by Milk Street Radio

      Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street Radio

      2,985 Listeners

      Women Who Travel | Condé Nast Traveler by Condé Nast Traveler

      Women Who Travel | Condé Nast Traveler

      623 Listeners

      Where to Go by DK Travel

      Where to Go

      27 Listeners

      The Atlas Obscura Podcast by SiriusXM and Atlas Obscura

      The Atlas Obscura Podcast

      1,714 Listeners

      My Unsung Hero by Hidden Brain

      My Unsung Hero

      1,172 Listeners

      Unpacked by Afar by AFAR Media

      Unpacked by Afar

      44 Listeners

      Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus by Lemonada Media

      Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus

      10,711 Listeners

      View From Afar by Afar Media

      View From Afar

      5 Listeners