Category: Surfing
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Wave Riders of the Galaxy
Listen to the audioblog (1451 words) The Voyager The Starlight Voyager hummed as it cut through the endless black of space. Its sleek hull shimmered under the light of distant stars, its powerful engines off, a silver solar sail pulling them towards their destination. Inside, the crew stood at the observation window, their faces illuminated…
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Colossus: The Monster 200 ft. Waves of Thalassa
Colossus. If you’re a surfer the name will terrify you. Although it is a fictional surf break on a fictional planet in my book Songs of Thalassa, it is the giant of all monster breaks. The largest wave in the galaxy. Cortes Bank and Nazaré all in one.
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What Lies Beneath: the mutant slab of Shipstern Bluff
For a long time is was a myth. Both a dream and a nightmare, A perfect mutant slab far off the trail. A slab of epic proportions. It’s Teahupoʻo, arguably the gnarliest wave in the world, on steroids. Welcome to Shippies.
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Did Rey Skywalker ride a monster 260 foot wave on Kef Bir, the Ocean Moon of Endor?
When I first saw the giant waves in the latest Star Wars movie, Rise of Skywalker, it took my breath away. Massive, huge and slow-moving they appeared as menacing grey-green monsters creating a terrifying barrier to the ruins of the second Death Star and the key to Rey’s search for Emperor Palpatine. Real or fantasy?…
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The Akoni Four Challenge: How Surfing Can Teach Us How To Live
As we strive to survive during the first true global pandemic, we should reflect inward and rejoice in the many gifts we receive from mother Earth that we depend on, especially the sea. Here I focus on the lessons we learn from surfing and how it teaches us to live.
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What Lies Beneath: Conquering Fear at Banzai Pipeline
PIPELINE. Just the name shoots fear through my heart. Insanely hollow tubes breaking over a shallow coral reef. The steep drop, crazy speed, and all the while the fear of the dark reef gliding below, always reminding you of what happens if you fail. Conquering that fear is the ultimate challenge. And for many years…
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Launch of Songs of Thalassa
It’s finally here! After blogging for seven years about marine biology, surfing, and science I have pulled it all together in my new book, Songs of Thalassa. The book is based on extensive scientific research, including astronomy, marine biology, surfing, and ocean science, all set in the reaches of deep space. The plot follows the…
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The Quest for a Monster 100 Foot Wave
Everyone’s trying to set a new big wave record by pushing the physical limits of wave riding. It’s extremely dangerous, and the world is watching to see who will set the next record, currently at 80 feet. It’s a sport where you can make a career out of a single giant wave. Many have tried.…
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Dawn Patrols and Paper Routes: Swept Away by the Tides of Time
The smell of the crisp, cool dawn triggers memories of the paper routes and dawn patrols of my youth. Those dark, quiet times before first light were special; a time when life shone brightly. Before dawn’s light, anything was possible and the day was promising.
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The Fight for Gender Equality in Surfing
Surfing is amazingly free sport. It’s just me and the waves and the ocean treats everyone the same. So when I see the long history of discrimination against women in surfing I know this has nothing to do about riding waves.
