Surf Splendor

In today's show Natural Selection Surf's GM Jason Murray charts his unlikely rise to the photo editor desk at Surfer Magazine in an era where 10,000 slides would pass through monthly, the unknown charger who grabbed a board from a dumpster to nail a cover shot, why perseverance and work ethic can trump talent, the pleasure of discovering a unsurfed wave and the heartbreak of losing it to industrial development, and why a slow death of trad surf culture is giving way to a modern renaissance. Enjoy!

Publisher Steve Pezman joins us to discuss his new book, how to succeed in print publishing in 2022, why modern surfing needs more counter-culture figures, lament the interviews that he still hasn't gotten, and explain why Olympic surfing showcases a false representation of the sport. Enjoy!

In today's show Jon Rose reflects on his 15 years building Waves For Water and reveals the toll of the trauma absorbed from being a first-responding humanitarian worker in disaster zones, the breaking point that followed and how it led to the discovery of one childhood event that had unknowingly propelled his entire life's trajectory, how being proficient and successful is an impediment for receiving help, the increasing value of ritual, and why the work he's doing now is the hardest work he's ever done. Enjoy!

In today's show Icons Of Foam honoree Maurice Cole gives us his "fossil update" on the past 6 years, explains which designs have remained cutting edge for 25 years, details the extremely different requirements when shaping for Curren vs Occy vs Margo vs Taj and which variables net the same end solution, explains the need for surfing to be feral again, why the pursuit for the magic board supersedes all other obligations, and calculates what radical honesty has cost him and the gifts it has returned. Enjoy!

In today's show South Shore icon Jeannie Chesser reveals how her father's boat racing savvy led to her competitive success, the power of love at first sight, how Bob Dylan launched her 53 year career as an artist, the perpetual gift that was Rell Sun, winning Hawaii State Champs alongside her son, why she attributes her resilience to early parental discipline, shares about Todd's little known writing career, and how the solitude of surfing can deepen spirituality but community can be a salve when life seems senseless. Enjoy!

In today's show, Nearshore author Steve Hawk explains why his Google search history might trigger the authorities, how he initially got into writing for the groupies, the challenges inherent in writing about the sublingual act of surfing, why villains deserve sympathy too, how he met his wife through Tom Waits, and why he wouldn't be here today had it not been for a nuclear bomb. Enjoy!

In part two (of two) Tom Servais discusses the role that good luck played in his greatest images, the worthy risk of shooting from the left at Jaws, which person he'll never ride a Jetski with again, why he's chasing wind now more than waves, which surfer inspires his photography and lifestyle most, and why relationships are central to creating his most meaningful photos. Enjoy!

In today's show surf photographer Tom Servais shares the stories behind some of the most iconic photos of the past 30 years, how he went from Miami to the dark room at Surfer Mag, whom he views as the greatest surf photographers, the sacrifices made to be on the perpetual "trip of a lifetime", and reveals misnomers about his famed Curren cutback image. Part one of two! Enjoy!

In today's show surfer and novice cyclist Johanna Brebner discusses what prompted her to sojourn on a 3 month surf trip, bicycling from the bottom to the top of New Zealand, the clarity that comes from going slow, the benefits of a one board quiver, the empowerment that comes from setting unrealistic goals, and why you should be riding a surf mat. Enjoy!

In today's episode, nomadic pro surfer Ben Bourgeois joins us to explain how to travel the world on a perpetual surf trip, the tension of showcasing your life on social media without exploiting the resource, how investing in inner-work is the only path to progressing your surfing through midlife, the freedom of purging material possessions, and how self-sufficiency has been his biggest asset but learning to rely on other has become life's greatest unexpected gift. Enjoy!