Jason Borte had it all - a lifetime of waves under his belt, a reputation as a Virginia Beach surf legend, and even a bestselling book with Kelly Slater.

But then... he quit.

No injury or job move. Just a self-imposed year away from the ocean.

Why? To see what he was really made of without the surfboard.

In this episode, Jason opens up about that year, how it changed his relationship with surfing forever, and what inspired him to launch a grassroots campaign to preserve Virginia Beach’s surf history.

Jason is writing a book on all of the stories and the impact that surfing has had on 50 different people in the community. We were honored to be featured in the book.

You’ll also hear:

• Why surf etiquette is important and might even save your life
• The launch of Atlantic Park’s revolutionary wave tech
• And what happens when surfers become environmental stewards

🎧 Tune in now and catch the wave of wisdom!

Key Takeaways

Intro (00:00)

How the Jason’s Surf Book came to be (01:53)

Surf culture's inclusivity & evolution (05:18)

Longboarding & lineup dynamics (07:20)

Surf etiquette & safety lessons (09:26)

The “Year Off Surfing” experiment (22:44)

Kelly Slater book-writing experience (34:51)

Atlantic Park Wave facility plans (41:03)

Giving back through Surf Camps (44:41)

Why self-publishing the book matters (49:08)

Additional Resources

Virginia Is for Surfers - Instagram

Kickstarter for “Virginia Is for Surfers” – Visit Kickstarter

Pipe Dreams: Kelly Slater’s Autobiography – Amazon Link

Atlantic Park Surf Park (Wavegarden tech) – Atlantic Park

Hearth (Dinner for VIP Surf Experience) – Hearth VB

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Where The Beach Gets Fit is a podcast with a mission to entertain, inspire, and educate our community on everything fitness to help you crush all your goals and reach your peak.

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