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Design for humanity Bikinis for a good cause: Pg 26

The Nathan Fletcher interview

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Louder Than W o r d s +

Picture Perfect The Grant Ellis Portfolio Bounty of Plenty Hawai‘i Fires On All Cylinders

Dusty Payne Photo: Tom Carey

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E-Street, Rata Vulc, Srpls, and Bali.

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Life in the city means many things to many people. For some, it means bars that don’t close, a touch of fashion and a bit of culture. For others, it means one simple thing: big, round kegs at Bowls. Kainoa McGee, taking in the sights. Viva Honolulu.

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F RE E SUR F M A G A Z I NE . C O M

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Contents V7#7 July 2010

The Grant Ellis Portfolio

Soft spoken with a passion for picking the gold, Grant Ellis has been the photo editor at Surfer magazine for nearly a decade. An adept and skilled lensmen in his own right, Ellis shares a gallery of his favorite images on page 36.

firing on all cylinders

Waist deep in the pulses of summer, we’re chronicling the hot season in all its glory. Your optic journey starts on page 48.

Louder than Words

From the time Nathan Fletcher first stood on a surfboard, he’s been in the surf media’s spotlight. Three decades later, Nathan opens up about growing up in a surfing dynasty, where’s he been, and where he’s going. Page 60.

Heff

While southern hemi storms have breathed precious life into the reefs at Town, the North Shore has experienced an irregular and steady influx of swell deep into the throws of summer.

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Available with Oakley Authentic Prescription Lenses - Oakleyrebels.com

Reason is overrated.

That logic stuff can get you into trouble. Just taking time out to rationalize heavy decisions can cause critical consequences.

So over-think it later. Right now it’s about going for it. That’s pretty much how Sebastian “Seabass” Zietz approaches every area of his life. From high-pressure contest situations to heavy

freesurf sessions on his home island of Kauai to dance party shenanigans around the world, Seabass never hesitates when things get hairy. That’s the type of commitment we demonstrate every day here at Oakley, where our fearless attitude has forever given us the freedom to enjoy life to the fullest.

Sebastian Zietz in Dispatch™

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Latronic

Becky Cravens, paddling her way into the spotlight.

1st place Surf 'n Sea SUP into Summer, 1st place Rainbow Sandals Battle of the Paddle, 3rd place Quiksilver Summer Solstice.

Contents V7#7 July 2010

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Kainoa McGee trades in the slow-paced country life of winter for a taste of urban sprawl and the amenities of a summer spent in the city.

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Names, titles, and logos The FREESURF chain gang boiled down to a half-page vert.

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No arms, no legs, no problem Jeff Mull lays down the fire and brimstone. rom gang signs to the meanest F and quite possibly the hairiest, local in Tahiti, a snapshot gallery of life in Polynesia.

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Bikinis and a worthy cause collide Party of the year at Billabong’s Design for Humanity event.

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Groms abound in Waikiki The annual Town & Country Gromfest.

John “Turtle” Philbin prepares for his second act on the North Shore.

Keanu Asing wins big…again Josh Moniz claims a scalp in Huntington, and O’Neill launches an eyewear line.

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©2010 Oakley, Inc.

Alive wire.

Dance machine. Party monster. Surfing animal. Whatever role he’s playing, Sebastian Zietz gives the crowd what they came to see. It’s always a continuous feed of live streaming infectious energy and contagious personality when Seabass turns it on. He’s one of those naturally engaging entertainers who exude life and have a way of

affecting people by leaving a lasting impression wherever he goes.

And when it comes to putting on a show in the water, Seabass is 100% alive and direct. His style is of the moment, just like what Oakley has consistently delivered throughout the years. Never satisfied with reveling in yesterday. Forever focused on the future.

Sebastian Zietz in the O-Stretch Prismatic Boardshort

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A product of Manulele, Inc. Volume 7 • Number 7 Publisher Mike Latronic

Editorial Editor Jeff Mull Photo Editor Tony Heff Art Director Richard Hutter

Free Thinkers Bernie Baker, Beau Flemister, Janna Irons, Shawn Pila, Rima Rackauskas

Staff Photographers Eric Baeseman, Bernie Baker, Tony Heff, Mike Latronic, Rima Rackauskas, Tyler Rock

Contributing Photographers Nathan Adams, Eric Aeder, Kirk Lee Aeder, Jamie Ballenger, Brian Bielmann, John Bilderback, Holt Blanchard, Tom Carey, Vince Cavataio, Mike Coots, Hilton Dawe, Patrick Devault, Damea Dorsey, Willi Edwards, Brandon Ells, Beau Flemister, Isaac Frazer, Pete Frieden, Kirby Fukunaga, Ryan Gamma, Noah Hamilton, Chris Hagan, John Helper, Rick Hurst, Ehitu Keeling, Kin Kimoto, Ric Larsen, Bruno Lemos, Mana, Mike McGinnis, Ikaika Michaels, Justin Morizono, Allen Mozo, Dave Nelson, Carol Oliva, Manny Pangilinan, Christian Peralta, Pake Solomon, Epes Sargent, Bobby Schutz, Vince Street, Spencer Suitt, Bill Taylor, Paul Teruya, Jimmy Wilson

Sales Director of Sales and Marketing Sean Wingate Advertising Executive Shaun Lopez Advertising Executive Chris Latronic Business Coordinator Cora Sanchez Executive Assistant Siri Masterson

Advertising Inquiries Sean Wingate swingate@freesurfmagazine.com 808-429-8460 FREESURF MAGAZINE is distributed at all Jamba Juice locations, most fine surf shops and select specialty stores throughout Hawai‘i. You can also pick up FREESURFon the mainland at Barnes & Noble and Borders bookstores and select newsstands. Ask for it by name at your local surf shop!

Subscribe at freesurfmagazine.com Other than “Free Postage” letters, we do not accept unsolicited editorial submissions without first establishing contact with the editor. FreeSurf, Manulele Inc. and its associates is not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged submissions or their return.

One-way correspondence can be sent to P.O. Box 1161, Hale‘iwa, HI 96712 E-mail editorial inquiries to info@freesurfmagazine.com

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And don’t forget Board Stories on Mondays at 2pm, Tuesdays at 5pm and 8:30pm, Wednesdays at 2:30am and 9:30am, Thursdays at 5:30am and 5:30pm and Saturdays at 2:30am and 7:30am and Sundays at 9:30am and 4pm.

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No Excuses

Nick Vujicic Doesn’t Take No For An Answer, And Neither Should You

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here’s a little wedge close to my house that I’ve been courting for the past six or so years. It’s nothing special, really, just a mediocre left with the occasional ramp or two. Given its less-thanstellar reputation, the lineup is nearly empty most days, and that’s just the way I like it. I don’t necessarily surf there for the wave itself, but rather for the solitude. To use a cliché, I like to paddle out and be alone with my thoughts. Midway through a 2-foot wind ravaged surf at this underdeveloped peak, I found myself making excuses for why I couldn’t put together a decent wave. It was the board. It was my trunks. It was my leash. It was my wax. Excuses.

And that’s when I had it. Something inside me buckled, creased, and snapped. I was sick of hearing myself come up for reasons why I couldn’t get this or that done. Why this feature wouldn’t work or how this idea will never fly. I was crossing excuses off my list forever. Excuses.

So I began forcing myself to think of ways I could get this or that squared away. After a few weeks of being completely honest with myself, I actually began believing it. Given a touch of extra effort (once again with the blatant clichés) I began thinking that our potential knows no boundaries. It was with that train of thought that I began thinking about a story I had written a few years back for the Honolulu Advertiser. It wasn’t a story about AI or Kelly or the Triple Crown, but rather a story about a surfer most of us will never know. His name is Nick Vujicic and his is a story that can’t be shaken.

Nick was born without any arms or legs, the result of a birth defect that left him otherwise completely healthy.

“I was born this way,” said Vujicic about his condition. “There’s no medical reason this happened to me, I was the first child my parents had.

Going to school was pretty hard for me…ya know all of the bullying and all of that. It was quite difficult dealing with all of that and trying to find out who I am. I would wonder, is it OK to be me? Is my life worth living? As I grew up I realized a principle in my life: you don’t know what you can do until you try.”

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So one day Nick tried surfing.

On a warm summer afternoon, a friend of mine told me to head down to Queens for a potential story. Bethany Hamilton was going to teach Nick Vujicic how to surf and I should be there. Granted, the thought of a female phenom with one arm teaching a man without any arms and legs was appealing, but I was a little worried about Nick. “What if he falls? Can he even swim? Is this whole thing a really bad idea with disaster written all over it? Am I about to see someone die?”

Well, it turns out that Nick didn’t fall, he can swim, and this was

To see Bethany Hamilton and Nick partner up on their first wave, she guiding him from the tail with him firmly planted on the nose, was to see the remarkable unfold. unequivocally the best session I’ve ever documented. Hands down.

To see Bethany Hamilton and Nick partner up on their first wave, she guiding him from the tail with him firmly planted on the nose, was to see the remarkable unfold. I didn’t think it could be done. But it happened. Right in front of me and a hundred other people on the beach.

It happened because Nick tried and didn’t take no for an answer. Nick wanted it and he went out and got it.

So let’s bring this full circle, shall we? If Nick can do half the things he’s already accomplished, what’s stopping you from getting into the thick of making your dreams a reality? Take a second and actually ask yourself that question. And I don’t want to hear any excuses. —Jeff Mull

Noah Hamilton

Editor’s note

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1. C ome 2020, there’s a good chance this grom will be earning himself glossy spreads in the mag.

2. Hanna Harrison, North Shore catwalk.

3. Leashless.

4. Kalani Chapman enjoys the finer things in life… like Tahiti.

5. Leila Hurst, throwing up the Vans gang sign.

6. Kamalei Alexander and one of Tahiti’s most feared, and loved, locals: Benji the dog.

Latronic

howzit

inside section As of press time, Design for Humanity has raised an estimated $75,000 for the nonprofit. The Director of PR at Invisible Children, Jedidiah Jenkins, was beaming at the success of the event. “Design for Humanity was the best event Invisible Children has ever been a part of. The synergy between the staff, vision, and heart behind the event brought out the best in everyone, and it was a colossal success on all fronts. Billabong has set the bar impossibly high when it comes to partnerships.

According to the United Nations, since the rebellion began in the 1980s, some 30,000 children have been abducted to work as child soldiers and porters, or to serve as “wives” of rebels and bear their children.

Raging with a Conscience

Courtesy Billabong

Bikinis For A Good Cause At Billabong’s Design for Humanity

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ikinis, women, and a worthy cause—is there a better way to spend an evening? We think not. In their fourth annual Design for Humanity event, Billabong took over the NY Street Backlot at Paramount Studios in Hollywood, formulating a makeshift Brooklyn rager for the surf industry in So Cal. If the sight of scantily clad 10s parading through the hippest-albeitpseudo city in the world doesn’t spark something inside of you, then maybe the fact that the fashion show benefits The Invisible Children Foundation, a nonprofit group that seeks to put an end to the use of child soldiers in northern Uganda, will set you at ease.

According to the United Nations, since the rebellion began in Uganda in the 1980s, some 30,000 children have been abducted to work as child soldiers and porters, or to serve as “wives” of rebels and bear their children. These numbers have soared, with 10,000 children abducted in the past 18 months alone.

“We could not be more thrilled with Billabong, the folks at Paramount Studios, and all of the sponsors that made it possible: Verizon Wireless, Samsung, Sony, Sebastian, Smashbox, and Vitamin Water.”

With the marketing, art, and design teams at Billabong melting their collective talent into this event, Design for Humanity repeatedly sets a new standard for creating an original way to raise money for a nonprofit. In the past, with an array of bands like Shiny Toy Guns playing so hard and sweet that it would melt your ears, the lead up to the event

never fails to electrify the crowd.

This year, the electrofusion sounds of Fischerspooner rocked the streets of the event. Couple your favorite beats with a few DJs, live art exhibits, free-flowing drinks, and you’re staring down one of the finest nights in the industry.

Billabong’s Brand Director Candy Harris said, “It was such an honor to be a part of the great movement Invisible Children started seven years ago, and we are so proud that we could use our Design For Humanity event as a way to raise funds and help tell their story. It was an amazing night, a truly inspiring experience for our brand and we are already looking forward to next year.”

For more information on this one-of-a-kind event check out DesignforHumanity.com. To learn more about how you can help put an end to the use of child soldiers in Uganda, please go to InvisibleChildren.com.

The likes of Modern Collective and Landscape Altered are redefining how we view professional surfing. The World Tour

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inside section

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Courtesy Ride Nature Organization

Ride Nature Gives Back To Nicaragua

ore than 80 percent of the world’s population lives in poverty. Living in Hawai‘i, it’s sometimes easy to take our lifestyle for granted, especially in the thick of work, traffic, kids, and bills. But it’s nice to know that someone out there wants to reach out across boarders and oceans to help the world experience stoke that we (not only as a developed nation but also as a tiny fraction of the population who gets to live in a Pacific paradise) have every day.

Up-and-coming Florida-based nonprofit Ride Nature has big dreams of helping emerging nations. How big? Their mission is to provide children living in poverty with an opportunity to “ride nature” and experience the thrill and excitement only board riding can bring. Eight individuals from the group journeyed on their maiden voyage to Nicaragua, the poorest country in all of Central America, to deliver gifts, food and supplies, and even host a surf contest.

The majority of the population in Nicaragua struggle to survive on less than $1 per day and the privilege of owning a surfboard and/or skateboard is one of the last concerns for many families there.

It was the hope of Ride Nature to give some of the children of Nicaragua a gift that was their very own.

They successfully gave away more than 400 articles of clothing, 50 pairs of new shoes, 23 skateboards, and six surfboards. And in addition to feeding a crowd of more than 200 people they gave away soccer balls, baseballs, and a ton of school supplies to several local schools in the San Juan area.

“People live in huts made of scrap wood and sheet metal without running water or

electricity. To give those individuals a free surfboard or skateboard is like winning the lottery for them. It’s a gift we knew they would truly appreciate,” says 25-year-old Mark Koch, founder of Ride Nature. Major contributors to the cause included Target, Surf World Surf Shop, BC Surf Shop in Ft. Lauderdale, Walking on Water, Jedidiah, Christafari, Monster, Mangrove Outfitters, and Sheels Sports Store.

On May 22 at Playa Remanso the First Annual Ride Nature Amateur Surf Competition transpired and was a huge success. “We had about 30 of the local surfers there to compete.

Amazingly, we were able to have four of the eight members of the Nicaragua Surf team there as judges for the competition. Two of our judges for the contest included Jose Vanega, ‘The Nicaragua Longboard National Champion’ and Rex Calderon, ‘The Reigning Central American Junior Surfing Champion.’ We set up the competition just like the real deal with a total of eight heats, four surfers in each heat. At the end of the tournament everyone who competed received a prize for being a part of the contest and the top four received the first pickings of the prizes.”

They successfully gave away more than 400 articles of clothing, 50 pairs of new shoes, 23 skateboards, and six surfboards. And in addition to feeding a crowd of more than 200 people they gave away soccer balls, baseballs, and a ton of school supplies to several local schools in the San Juan area.

Mark and his wife Shannon, residents of Naples, FL, started Ride Nature a few years ago. They, like most of us, work normal jobs and live a normal life but their simultaneous love of helping people and board sports spurred them to start a non-profit so they could more effectively reach out to others. They are in the process of starting a ministry and their next mission is Peru, where they will be doing more of the same good Samaritan stuff. For more info, visit www. ridenature.com —Siri Masterson

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Heff

First class in the third world

The Kelly Slater Resolution Granted, Kelly Slater has a list of accolades to his name (think mid-90s Pam Anderson, Giselle, and that whole nine-time world champ thing) that could stretch from Pipeline to Snapper, but you’d be hard pressed to find anyone that could have predicted his latest set of stripes. In a maneuver by the US Congress, a resolution was enacted meant to honor Slater. Led by Hawaiian Congresswoman (D) Mazie Hirono and Florida’s (R) Bill Posey, the pair introduced a bipartisan piece of legislation backslappin’ the champ DC style for his achievements in the sport. In all, 60 house members cosponsored the Kelly Slater Resolution.

“Slater has worked hard to master a sport that so many have tried but so few have actually been able to conquer,” said Congressman Posey who represents Slater’s home town of Cocoa Beach, FL. “His world championship record is impressive and is certainly worthy of recognition.”

Hirono added to Posey’s admiration for the nine-time champ.

“Kelly Slater’s skill and achievements have earned him many fans in Hawai‘i, the birthplace of surfing,” she said. “Two decades after winning his first professional surf contest, we in the islands are proud of our part-time resident as he continues to add to his string of successes out on the waves.”

Already off to a strong start on the 2010 tour, if Slater can add a 10th title to his name and be honored

by Congress in the same year, this may very well be highpoint of an already glorified career—given he doesn’t get elected to the White House in 2012.

is no longer the be all end all and that’s a good thing. // Do they come any classier and talented than Malia Manuel? The

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Hilary Walsh

The love for Jack was all around at Santa Monica, despite the cold.

After the first song, Johnson spoke to the crowd. “The reason this show is free is we haven’t played together in a month. We’re preparing for a big tour and we have to tighten up.” The crowd loved that and then they performed some of his greatest hits, including “Upside Down,” “If I Had Eyes,” “Same Girl,” and “Sitting, Waiting, Wishing.”

Johnson also did a ukulele version of “Breakdown” and “Staple It Together” and covered the Steve Miller Band’s “The Joker” and Bob Marley’s “Mellow Mood.”

It was cold. Really cold. Jack Johnson even commented on the cold, but stayed warm in a puffy Patagonia jacket, while thousands of fans huddled together and took in the Hawaiian-sun warmth of Jack Johnson’s music, and stayed for the whole show, which went until around 10:00.

At the end of the night, Jack Johnson reminded all the good people on the beach to pick up after themselves – because clean beaches are what the concert was all about. Johnson came back out for a solo encore of “Better Together” and then he was gone, to get warm and rest up and prepare for his 2010 To the Sea Tour, which will play more than 50 dates from June to December, from Europe to the UK to the United States,

To the Sea, By the Sea Jack Johnson Debuts His New Album

It was a dark and chilly night in Southern California at the Santa Monica Pier where thousands of music fans braved the cold weather and came to the beach for a free concert put on by Jack Johnson. The concert was orchestrated to announce Johnson’s fifth studio album, To the Sea, which was released on June 1 – and also his 2010 tour, which will start in Germany on June 16 and play 50 dates around the world, ending in Queensland, Australia in December.

Many of the thousands of music fans who came to the beach had participated in beach cleanups along Los Angeles County that earned them a free ticket to the concert. Most of the music fans took up positions on the beach south of the Pier, where Rob Machado’s latest surf movie, The Drifter, played on a giant screen TV as the sun went down and the Los Angeles sky turned purple and blue.

Jack Johnson played on a stripped-down stage on the Santa Monica Pier, close to the Ferris Wheel. There were a few hundred special guests just below the stage, while several thousand on the beach watched the show on the big screen.

Johnson came on stage and started with the first single off his new album, “You and Your Heart.” It sounded good, it sounded like Jack Johnson, the former professional surfer whose goal to become a moviemaker was sidetracked by an unexpected music career that has sold more than 20 million records and made him an international superstar.

The love for Jack was all around at Santa Monica, despite the cold. After the first song, Johnson spoke to the crowd. “The reason this show is free is we haven’t played together in a month. We’re preparing for a big tour and we have to tighten up.” The crowd loved that.

Australia and New Zealand.

The next night, Jack Johnson’s manager Emmett Malloy was in Santa Monica at a showing of his cousin Chris Malloy’s movie 180 South.

Emmett still looked cold, and he admitted that Jack’s show was “…brutal, but we pulled it off, and it was a good launch to the album and the tour.”

Emmett Malloy is responsible for many of the logistics of the To the Sea tour, while also doing his own movie and music projects. Emmett and Jack are in for a long six months of touring, but it’s not such a bad thing, when Jack is almost guaranteed to sell two to three million records. “And Jack will be donating the proceeds of the entire tour to his Kokua Foundation,” Malloy said. While Malloy wouldn’t say just how much that was, Jack Johnson’s shows are already selling out months in advance and that could mean millions of dollars flowing a lot of aloha to Hawaii from their favorite son.

Icelandic volcanoes permitting, Jack Johnson’s To the Sea Tour begins in Germany on June 16 and then goes to France and then the UK. Round round get around, it will take a few months for Jack to make it back to California, and hopefully the weather will be better by then.

Jack’s first California shows will be at the Greek Theater in Berkeley on October 5 and 6, then a whirlwind tour through the first half of October to Hollywood, Chula Vista, Phoenix, and Irvine before what appears to be a triumphant homecoming at the Santa Barbara Bowl on October 13 and 14 – because both shows are already sold out, six months in advance.

After that Jack will be off to the lands down under for shows in New Zealand and Australia. And then he’s gonna go home and surf, surf, surf.—Ben Marcus

answer is an unequivocal NO. // Keanu Asing was born to win contests, lots of them // If you think all of the good spots

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inside section

Off The Map: Ecuador radiant contrasts

Leaving the stark and barren desertscapes of coastal Peru, I headed north to its radiant contrast-country, one of color, exuberance, and constant movement: Ecuador. While on the coast of Peru it can require a committed search to find some sort of joie de vivre, Ecuador, a small nation sitting along Earth’s waistline, can’t help but pulsate.

Ecuador is a million makeshift ghetto-markets bulging with an array of lush fruits and vegetables. It’s an Indian woman suckling a baby in plain sight with one hand, and bagging your bananas while giving you your change with the other.

Ecuador is a million makeshift ghetto-markets bulging with an array of lush fruits and vegetables. It’s an Indian woman suckling a baby in plain sight with one hand, and bagging your bananas while giving you your change with the other. It’s the rebellion of dapper, pressed suits and fedoras walking upon dirtroads or pregnant mamas strutting high-heeled in inconceivably tight denim. It’s pelagic fish for sale on a beach, straight out of the boat, so fresh the gills are still heaving. It’s evening soccer games on the beach played until the high tide swallows the field. It’s

dusty boomtowns blaring the violent backbeat of reggaeton or shrieking horns of salsa, heard from a mile away. It’s hushed Andean villages clinging to the potholed and crooked Pan-American. It’s extravagant Catholic funeral parades along cobblestoned streets, or a traveling circus for kids in the town square performed by dreadlocked vagabonds, or a workers’ protest blasted by megaphones chanting pissed-off mantras over raised fists.

Ecuador is various methods of transportation. It is a 13-hour bus ride on a filthy broken seat that was advertised as eight. It’s children squeezing through the aisles selling half melted ice cream on the same bus, the sugary milk carelessly dripping onto your already sweat sopped t-shirt. It’s old men shoving just-fried fish cakes through the cracks of the bus windows at a quarter apiece, the oil still so hot it burns through the napkins and into your palms. It’s a ferry ride at dusk across a windy sea channel with 20 strangers, together watching the sun drip languidly into the horizon. It’s the look of indifference on a rickshaw driver’s face as he nearly flips the pedaled contraption you all ride in due to the weight of three boardbags and dive gear strapped haphazardly to the canopy above.

It’s getting dropped off at some unmarked jungle road somewhere near the Colombian border and hitchhiking on an industrial combine to some “left you heard of that might have swell.” It’s that village by the bay with lines vaguely funneling off the southern corner with the scent of the sea mixed with cooking smoke mixed with horse manure that for a small time smells like home. —Beau Flemister

have been discovered and sold to the masses, think again. Trust us on this one. // Buy your shaper a 6-pack, but buy your

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inside section

Please Recycle

Bret Marumoto Sustains the Green Initiative Bret Marumoto has a tanning bed in his shaping bay. Well, sort of.

A sign of the green movement’s success in planting long-lasting roots in the surf world, things like UV-style tanning beds used to hasten the curing time in glassing a board have found homes in the foam-dusted shaping rooms the world over. But for shapers like Marumoto, there’s a lot more that goes into making a “green” board than cutting down on VOCs entering the atmosphere. For Marumoto, who cuts blanks just a stone’s throw away from Sunset Beach, his commitment to minimizing the impact of surfboards on the environment is as legitimate, and often honest, as possible.

“I’ll be the first one to admit that we deal with a lot of toxic stuff in the shaping industry, but we’re trying to do what we can,” says Marumoto. “We recycle our acetone, use the recycled blanks, basically just try and do the best we can where we can.”

When I ask about the recycled blanks, Marumoto’s eyes light up as he picks up a seemingly standard PU blanks stamped “GREEN” on the deck. He proceeds to eye its curves and outlines, gently caresses it like a woman, and explain just what makes this blank so special.

“This blank looks like any other standard blank. It’s a polyurethane blank, but what makes this board so different is that it’s composed of 30 percent recycled foam waste from other shaping rooms,” says Marumoto. “So all of the dust that goes on the floor and usually goes into a landfill ends up mixed in with this board. You can’t tell the difference when you ride the board. They feel exactly the same, but you can also feel good about not putting three to four bags of foam in a landfill.” In essence, the board is composed of the recycled dust of other blanks, their shaved layers acting as the spine for a new board.

Beginning to experiment with responsible shaping methods nearly three years ago, Marumoto has seen the business model for eco-driven shaping morph in recent years. “This is the first generation of the manufacturing of green boards that I’ve really been involved with. I’m really excited to see the day when we can move to boards that are 75 percent green.”

With shapers like Bret at the helm, with any luck, that day isn’t far from becoming a reality. —Jeff Mull To learn more about Marumoto, go to Bretboardshawaii.com.

T&C Surf Designs Locations:

Ala Moana Center Pearlridge Center Kahala Mall Ward Warehouse Windward Mall International Marketplace

glasser a keg // The leash ALWAYS goes on your back foot.

A N A R C H Y E Y E W E A R . C O M

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OAHU // Ala Moana Center • Waikiki • Koko Marina • Windward Mall • Pearlridge • Waikele MAUI // Queen Ka‘ahumanu Center • Kukui Mall • Lahaina BIG ISLAND // Queen‘s MarketPlace

This is a shot of Dave Rastovich in Indo. I actually shot this on black and white film. I really like the composition of this shot— you have the local guy in the foreground and Rasta in the background. We had a great crew on this trip: Occy, Andy, Rasta, Luke Egan, it was definitely one of the best trips I’ve ever been on and this is one of my favorite photos from that trip.

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Grant Ellis Portfolio the

All Photos and Captions by Grant Ellis

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Here’s Andy at Sunset. I think this was shot in 2002 when Andy was really coming into his own. This shot is actually a favorite of Andy’s. For this photo, I made a point of trying to set myself away from the pack of the rest of the photographers and for this image it really seemed to work. To me, it’s a great moment and a super special image where everything—the wind, swell direction, and surfer—just came together.

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Above: I shot this image of Jack Johnson about five or so years ago in Ojai, California. Jack and Chris Malloy were working as the guest editors for Surfer and I drove up to Ojai to show them some prints of the layout and stuff like that.

While I was there, Jack did this little mini impromptu concert and his son went and sat in his lap. Overall, I think it’s a really great moment.

Top right: In 2007 I went on this quick strike mission to Nicaragua with Cory Lopez and some other guys. It was a pretty amazing trip but the thing I took away the most was just what an animal Cory is in the water. He was the first one in the water and the last one out every day. It’s cool to see someone that’s still super pumped.

Bottom right: I think I took this image of Uppers in 2004. That winter, we had a lot of rain in Southern California and it created these really good banks. What I love about this photo is that it doesn’t really look like Uppers because you can’t see anyone else out, everyone’s sort of hidden behind the wave in the background.

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Top left: Here’s another shot of a place called Colorado’s in Nicaragua. For me, all of the different elements are what makes this photo special: the color of the water, the foreground, the rain cloud in the back, I think it’s just really unique and sort of sells the dream. It’s really moody. Middle left: I took this photo on a whim this year at Snapper. I was just walking down the beach and Coco Ho and Laura Enever came up and sort of posed real quick and I just snapped off a shot or two. Not really much to it, but it kinda says a lot about their personality. Lower left: This shot’s of Julian Wilson and was also taken in Nicaragua last year on a trip I went on for the filming of Julian’s movie, Scratching the Surface. Kolohe Andino was also on the trip, and both those kids are pretty much everything they say they are.

Above: This photo was taken from one of my favorite trips. Nate Tyler and I went to Australia, rented a car, and just drove around looking for waves. It was super fun, no pressure, really relaxed. This shot was actually taken on a really bad day, but there was this one ramp and Nate went for it. What I really like about this shot is how he’s positioned above the horizon and you can see his shadow in his spray.

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This shot of Andy was from a trip with Occy, Luke Egan, and Rasta.

They were all claiming that the surf wasn't all that great for the trip, but it looked pretty good to me. It was actually better that they weren't standing in barrels all day because I was able to get shots like this.

This one was taken of Greg Long at Dungeon’s a few years ago at the Red Bull big-wave Africa event. This is when Greg and Twiggy and all of these crazy paddle-in guys were first starting to break out. They were charging just as hard back then as they are now.

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PHOTO: ERIK AEDER

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The Eddie this year was a really special event and the surf was pretty amazing. While I was shooting, this huge set came in and I snapped this shot. This barrel is so huge, I can’t help but look at this shot and not wonder what it would like if someone was pulling in. n

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There are worse places to be than holed up in Honolua. Just ask Micah Nickens.

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Epes Sargent

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Bruno Lemos

Just when you thought it was time to put away your big-wave board‌ you pull up to the parking lot at Sunset and it looks something like this.

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Seq: Bobby Schutz

Kaimana Jaquias and the new outer island model of textbook surfing.

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A sign of the times, the new frame of professional surfers are starting to resemble basketball players instead of jockeys. Casey Brown, above the rim in the Big Island.

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Ehitu Keeling

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louder than words The

N at h a n F l e tc h e r I nt e rv i e w

By Beau Flemister

JP VanSwae

More than the cigarette-and-inadvertentgunslinger stare, there’s a quiet and almost dangerous quality to Nathan Fletcher. As someone that’s been in the media’s spotlight from the moment he first stood up on a surfboard and, by all means, comes from one of surfing’s most enigmatic and sometimes controversial families, it’s hard to come to grips with the idea that most of us simply don’t know much about Nathan Fletcher. Softspoken and hard charging, his steely glare and nonchalant attitude have kept him mysterious to the masses. Unknown.

After decades of sitting in the dark, we made the attempt to sit down and talk to Nathan, bring him in to the light. It wasn’t easy, and true to reputation, his actions have always spoken louder than his words. This is Nathan Fletcher.

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Freesurf: Can you talk about what it was like growing up in the Fletcher household?

Nathan Fletcher: I couldn’t ask for a better life or parents. My mom and dad gave up their whole lives to give me and my brother the best lives they could. They’re honest and don’t f--k people over and have been together through all the years. They’ve stayed together through all kinds of problems like alchohol, drugs, kids, debt, money.

My parents and brother were great influences, and I couldn’t ask for anything better, just purely thankful. I mean, it’s different on the inside. Everyone thinks they come off as super radical and punk-rock, but on the inside it’s different, it’s very loving.

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FS: There was a period in your life when you didn’t surf for five or so years? Where’d you go and why’d you leave surfing?

really, so much more. It definitely gave me a different approach too, and maybe some stiffness in my style. [laughs]

NF: I started snowboarding and skateboarding—just learning things that I wasn’t good at. I had to go through that “random kook” phase a lot, like everyone does when they’re learning something new. But it was great, because for me, learning something is funner than getting to the point where you’re equal to so many people.

There are no expectations, and the feelings are purer and new.

When I came back to surfing, I still had no expectations, but was lucky enough to get a few good ones. After those five years too, I appreciated surfing, every day

FS: What’s your take on the current state of surfing? Do you think the surfing world’s harder than ever or has it gone soft these days?

NF: Ahh, people are definitely going bigger than they’ve ever gone now. Whether paddling or towing in…but, at least when I was a kid, things on the North Shore were different. I mean like the level of respect. You couldn’t just be anyone and paddle out to V-Land. It was pretty rough and raw still; incidents weren’t tracked like they are now. If someone got

beat up for something, they took it, and that was that, no police involved. The Larry Rios and Michael Ho generation were a tough bunch. But I’ve been surfing Pipe since I was 8 or 9 years old, grabbing onto Michael Ho’s leash to get out. Respect was and always will be the issue on the North Shore. I learned it, just like my peers at that time—Tamayo, Jack, Adam, Briley, Labrador.

Overall it was still pretty wild, right before the sponsors made it over.

FS: What’s your take on localism?

NF: Aah, I got no time for negative anything.

FS: In your eyes, what’s wrong

Heff

NF: I think if anything, contests are what’s wrong with surfing.

This isn’t baseball or basketball on ESPN, but people want it to be. There used to be no money, no 60-70 board quivers. F—k, my mom would make my dad’s trunks! Sew them for him. In the past surfers were the outcasts of society, and they had no money, and it was all about style. They had no money, but at the same time had the style of rock stars.

Now it’s like an AYSO soccer thing at times with the contests and all. It takes the fun out of it to make it so competitive. It used to be a radical movement, where everyone was involved in the

Heff

with the surfing world today?

What would you change?

“I started snowboarding and skateboarding— just learning things that I wasn’t good at.

I had to go through that ‘random kook’ phase a lot, like everyone does when they’re learning something new.”

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Van Swae

process, like making boards and knowing your shaper; now no one knows what they ride.

FS: So you’ve lived in Hawai‘i for a while now; what draws you here, over, say, California?

NF: It’s just the best place on earth, plain and simple.

FS: You’ve definitely got your own uniqes style.

To you, what is style and how would you describe your own style?

NF: Style is being in tune with the flow of energy.

My style is called Nathan. True style is total nonthought within the moment. It’s having the rhythm of totally being yourself and not thinking about it while you’re doing it. It’s the way one holds their arms, like Bruce Irons for example. When he’s on, he is the definition of pure style. He becomes totally part of the moment, without thought.

FS: You’re also a bit of an artist. When did you get into creating art and what draws you to it?

NF: I think I got into art when I was 12 years old.

I think I started with sculpture. My mom took art classes so she taught me some key things about light, composition, and depth of field, about making things two dimensional or three.

Most importantly she taught me not to focus on

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perfection, and that there are no mistakes in art, which is something that’s stuck with me till this day—not to be hung up on being perfect.

thing in Maui, so I identify with that as well. But the way he played was pure art—just being totally within the moment—pure freedom.

FS: What artists do you look up to?

NF: Jimi Hendrix, without a question. I know he’s more musical, but really he isn’t. He was a revolutionary. The way he played, the way he dressed, everything; he changed everything. And for being a black man too in that time, the racial boundaries he broke and faced all the time, he’s an idol. His message too, about love and freedom, not to get caught up in all the material bullshit or politics, that’s special to me. He seemed to be really in touch with the spirits and himself, and of course, his guitar. He also seemed to be attracted to Hawai‘i too with the whole Rainbow Bridge

FS: You’ve developed a reputation as being pretty diverse in the water. Big waves or small, you’re at your game. Have you always loved big waves or was there point in your life one winter when you just stepped it up?

NF: I’ve loved big waves for as long as I know. It makes me who I am.

FS: Do you read any and what are some of your favorite books?

NF: No.

“I think if anything, contests are what’s wrong with surfing. This isn’t baseball or basketball on ESPN, but people want it to be. There used to be no money, no 60-70 board quivers. F––k, my mom would make my dad’s trunks!”

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FS: What do you think abut America today?

NF: That it’s north of Mexico and south of Canada.

Naah, I dunno, it can be at times a bit of a policecountry, over governed and controlled, but seriously, I’m lucky to be here. I could’ve been born in Tijuana or something.

FS: In your eyes is big-wave surfing more of a mental or physical game?

NF: It’s both. But since I broke my leg I’ve had to learn how to train, whether doing cardio, lifting weights, whatever pro surfers do. But training does give you confidence and confidence is everything in big waves.

FS: What is Trash Art? NF: I’m not entirely sure. Hahaha. Vans put those words together for an advertising campaign, but ultimately to get people to clean up the beaches. Get the trash off the beach, and then maybe get creative with it afterwards.

FS: Who are your old influences and who are your modern day heros?

Baeseman

NF: My parents of course. Then, Marvin, Mickey, Dane, Tom Caroll. Larry Rios and Micheal Ho. Danny Way and Christian Hosoi for style influences. These days, still guys like Bruce and Andy Irons, even John John inspires me. Shane Beschen too, for they way he still surfs and runs a family now. n

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Remember when 2 feet was overhead?

A festival of youth The Town & Country Grom Fest Lights Up Waikiki

O

n any day of the year, at almost any moment in time, the small stretch of Honolulu beachfront known as Waikiki will reek havoc on your senses. Far from the calming scenes that sold Western tourists the image of a utopic, dreamy Polynesian paradise nearly 100 years ago, the modern version of Waikiki is a veritable smorgasbord of lights, smells, sounds, and visions. It is a high-octane town in fifth gear. But today, on this late May weekend, it is something special, something unique, something unfiltered. It’s the effervescent joy A new generation takes hold of an old staple. and smiles of keiki going tandem with their dad. It’s high-fives, burritos, plate-lunches, won’t be featured on America’s Best Dance Crew anytime soon, they and energy drinks. It’s surfing solely for the fun of surfing. It’s the annual gave it go and one grom even busted out a one-handed handstand for Town & Country Grom Fest and it is wonderful. the win.

“This is my favorite event of the year,” said Town & Country founder, In the lineup, the raw talent exuded from children as young as 5 Craig Sugihara. “I really look forward to it. I mean, how could you not? always impresses, perhaps this year even more so than others. One thing Look at all the kids having such a good time.” is abundantly clear: The future looks as bright as the blazing Waikiki sun Sugihara speaks the truth. A quick glance down the beach at the for the next generation of Hawaiian surfers. But the Grom Fest isn’t an event reveals an army of young surfers running wild in oversized contest event meant to harden the competitive spirit. On the contrary, it’s much tees. Out to sea, the southern hemisphere is sliding a three-foot swell into more about giving young kids a chance to get their feet wet in the contest the lineup. Uncrowded Queens and a whole mess of swell—it’s a wonder scene and have some fun with their friends without any of the pressure there weren’t more parents dragging their kids out to a heat in the tandem that comes with competing in other events. divisions just to score an empty slice of the surf.

“This is a really special event in Hawaii…I don’t even know how long Between heats, the team from Town & Country kept the we’ve been doing it. A long time. I bet if you were to ask any of Hawaii’s contestants busy with a slew of games, including an ad-hoc dance-off. top surfers now, they’d all surfed in this event. It’s really special. Plus, There was only one catch: you had to do it in a fake mustache courtesy somehow we always get good surf for it!” of Donavon Frankenreiter. (Big mahalos Donnie). Although these kids

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Heff

news & events

A Sign of the Times

The Local Motion Surf into Summer Event Kicks off the Season Can you smell the barbecue at Magic Island? Are you slathered in SPF 45?

Did you get a parking ticket yet? Of all the things that let you know that summer is beaming down upon us, none of them trumpet the arrival quite like the opening heats of the Local Motion Surf Into Summer contest.

Presented by O’Neill, this year’s Surf into Summer bathed in the tepid waters of Bowls once again as one of the longest-running amateur events churned through Memorial Day weekend. Always rippable, Bowls once again provided the mouth-watering opportunity for competitiors to get the peak with just a few other souls, albeit in 15-minute intervals.

True to form, the event showcased some of the finest damned amateur surfers in the islands dancing with the Queen of Town.

Rounding out the highlights of the event, the likes of Seth Moniz, Matt Costa, and Derek Wong took scalps in the menehune, boys, and mens division respectively. To boot, FREESURF’s own frontman, Mike Latronic, claimed a win in the Industry division. Big mahalos to Local Motion, O’Neill, and the other sponsors for supporting one of Hawai‘i’s favorite surf contests.

Results MENEHUNE S.B. NOA MIZUNO BOYS S.B. SETH MONIZ JUNIOR MEN S.B. MATTHEW COSTA MEN S.B. DEREK WONG MASTER S.B. GREGG NAKAMURA SENIOR MEN S.B. SCOTT SHIMODA GIRLS S.B. DAX MCGILL WOMEN S.B. IZUMI BALDWIN Women L.B. ANGELA VERNON BODYBOARD JR. MEN TREVOR KAM BODYBOARD MEN KURT SASAOKA

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Nearly a quarter of a century has passed since the memorable quote, “nobody listens to Turtle” was coined in the movie North Shore. At that time, nobody could have predicted the subsequent reverberations of such a simple statement, not even John Philbin, who diligently prepped and polished himself to become that quotable character famously known as Turtle.

Twenty-three years, and 30 movies later, Philbin still gets his fair share of shakas and shout-outs of: “Hey, Turtle!”

Having just returned from his ninth consecutive winter pilgrimage to O‘ahu’s North Shore, John is back in Los Angeles, where he continues to toggle an ongoing acting career, a successful self-made surf instruction business, and a life-long love affair with surfing. John manages to take my call in between movie screenings, and grabs a Red Bull while he recaps his most recent Hawaiian excursion. Speaking quickly and candidly, John sounds as though he has a million things going on as he recites his story, yet it’s easy to get an instant feel for how much humility and passion this guy has for surfing.

John has created a niche for himself in the motion picture industry.

Some actors can surf and some surfers can act, but Philbin has taken both roles to the next level, inventing an anomalous character. It’s visible that he has trained and committed himself to acting, and in turn, through his acting he has excelled in surfing. It’s easy to see why, when Helen Hunt landed a lead in the movie, Soul Surfer, she called her friend and surf instructor, John Philbin, and pushed for him to participate in the making of the film.

Philbin found himself filming yet another surf movie on the North Shore. He says, “This year was weird, it was like going back to being a kid again. I had no rental car, I was couch sitting...and hitch-hiking to work in the morning...” Philbin stepped onto the set of Soul Surfer, only to be once again reunited with many of the same crew from previous surf movies he had done, including Brian Keaulana, and Noah Johnson.

Philbin was brought on first as the role of a reporter, and then transitioned into the task of being a “stand in” for Dennis Quaid. (For anyone that doesn’t know what a stand-in does, it is an actor who’s height, weight, skin tone, hair color, and looks are similar to one of the leads in the film.

His or her job is to temporarily stand-in for the star while the shot is blocked out and camera, lights, etc. are set up.)

Philbin then worked on set every day until the movie wrapped, spent the next week at Jim Russi’s house and surfed Ehukai sandbar for a week straight. He then taught two days of surf lessons, hopped on a plane back to Los Angeles, straight to Monster Palooza, to a horror movie convention in Burbank, where he traded his surfer hat to answer questions from his cult fans.

He finishes our conversation by telling me, “Every movie I’ve ever done on the North Shore has been an amazing experience,” with Soul Surfer being the best one yet. “I try to get over there every year just so I can watch Jamie surf pipe.” —Rima Rackauskas

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In an effort to leave no doubt that he is one of the most competitively savvy junior surfers alive, Ewa’s Keanu Asing added another notch to his belt recently when he won the Arnette All Day Antics event in Newport.

“I’m just so psyched,” Asing said. “I kind of had not such a good run at the last two Grade-2 events, so coming here, getting this one, especially after the runner up finish here last year, I felt like I had a bit of a confidence booster. I’m just happy to have a win and to make a Final again is just epic.”

Another Hawaiian making a killing in SoCal this summer, Josh Moniz claimed another big win for himself when he demolished his competition at the King of the Groms event in Huntington Beach, proving that the Moniz clan will be a dominant force in surfing for years to come.

Trying to keep that summer glare out of your peepers? Well, O’Neill is ready to lend a hand and a pair of shades as the company recently launched a line of eyewear. After building wetsuits for more than half a century, we’re looking forward to getting our hands on their latest venture.

As we were going to press, our boy Jason Shibata claimed a big win at the Sponsor Me Pro at Ala Moana Bowls. The surf was firing and the boys were getting looney in the only non-winter WQS event in Hawai‘i.

Look for in-depth coverage and interview with Shibata in our next issue.

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Andy Irons, taking in the view.

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Next Issue: Frequent-flyer miles, passports, and vaccines abound as we hit the road in search of the Far-flung and forgotten in our next travel issue.

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