This Ocean Life Podcast

Join us on an exhilarating journey as we dive into the world of Moroccan surf culture, guided by the remarkable Dris Mhammedi, a true son of this captivating land. In this episode, we explore Dris's incredible progression in surfing, from his early days as a part of the development of surf culture in Morocco to his current role as the driving force behind a professional development program centered the flow from riding waves. Immerse yourself in the magic of Morocco's remote and perfect surf spots, as Dris shares his personal experiences and reflections on the state of flow that surfing provides. Discover how this state of mind has profoundly shaped his own journey in life, propelling him to harness the power of the flow state in sport psychology and leadership training. Dris's global program, Mind Surf Experiences, offers a unique perspective on the transformative impact of flow, both on and off the waves. Through insightful anecdotes and captivating storytelling, Dris invites us to explore the intersection of surfing, personal growth, and professional development. Gain a deeper understanding of how the flow state can unlock hidden potential, foster resilience, and enhance performance in various aspects of life. Prepare to be inspired by Dris Mhammedi's unwavering passion for surfing and his dedication to empowering others. Together, we'll embark on a journey that unveils the beauty of Moroccan surf culture, while uncovering the possibilities for us all that lie within the flow state. So grab your virtual surfboard, tune in, and get ready to ride the waves of flow with Dris Mhammedi on this extraordinary episode of This Ocean Life Podcast. You can also find Dris on Instagram. This Ocean Life Podcast is available on all major podcast platforms. Don't miss out on our captivating conversations with remarkable individuals from around the world. Subscribe now and join us on this transformative audio adventure.

Vince Broglio of Santa Cruz, CA is the definition of 'waterman'. Strong across a wide variety of disciplines in the ocean for over 40+ years, the cliff notes of his waterman resume go like this: 40 plus years surfing Santa Cruz, surfing Mavericks before pictures were ever published of that wave in a magazine, running jet skis as water patrol on the biggest swell days out there, hand shaping and glassing 1,000's of surf boards and other water craft, kite surfing, tow surfing, wing foiling, And on top of it all, he's an incredible artist creating unreal sculptures out of surfboard resin. But perhaps my favorite aspect of Vince is his longevity in the water -- he's still ripping today when many other guys have hung it up or taken steps back.  You can learn more about Vince, his boards and art on his website https://www.vincebrogliosurfboards.com/ and Instagram @vbsurfboards. Also, check out our sponsor Kalletka Undersea and enter promo code THISOCEAN15 at checkout to receive 15% off all merch.

Bill Newton is a man of Hawaiian fishing tackle. Whether it's providing the best gear to fisherman worldwide or crafting his own line of equipment, Bill has built a strong brand and reputation in the fishing world today.   I had the privilege of visiting Bill at his tackle shop on the island of Oahu where he talks story with me on his humble roots growing up in Hawaii, finding his his love for fishing, and creating the famous HIFishGear.com. Bill also shares his perspective on the multi-cultural roots of Hawaiian fishing, the various fish species that are highly prized in his local waters, and overall a fun chat about many different aspects of pursuing fish.   You don't even need to love fishing to love listening to Bill today. You can find Bill's online tackle store at HIFishGear.com and check out his daily live webcasts on Instagram at @hifishgear. And for rad apparel with your favorite ocean imagery, check our sponsor Kalletka Undersea and enter coupon code THISOCEAN15 for 15% off all merch at check out.

In this episode, Amber Jade, born and raised in the Hawaiian Islands, shares her stories of the beautiful challenge of underwater modeling on a breath. Amber shares her perspective on finding flow in the ocean, setting up for underwater photo shoots, free dive training, and life growing up on the island of Oahu. We also hear about Amber's world travels to over 30 countries and push to reach the 100' depth mark on a single breath. You can find Amber's amazing underwater photos and a wealth of inspiration on her Instagram @the.amber.jade. And for rad apparel with your favorite ocean imagery, check our sponsor Kalletka Undersea and enter coupon code THISOCEAN15 for 15% off all merch at check out.

Anesti Vega's colorful life includes homelessness, combat duty in the US Army, film making, activism for indigenous peoples, and more. But in this podcast episode we hear of Anesti's core passion for scuba diving and the ocean. Anesti takes us through his progression of scuba dive training, making scuba available to military veterans and disabled persons, his love for citizen-based marine science, and his recognized achievements across many ocean-related organizations, and much more. Anesti shares a wonderful perspective on balancing his passion for the ocean with a strong devotion to family and culture.  You can learn more about Anesti on his website at https://www.anestivega.com/ and follow his adventures on Instagram @anestivega.

In the relatively niche sport of prone paddling, a few names stand out across the world -- one of those is Lachie Lansdown. As a top finisher of world class events such as Molokai 2 Oahu and The Catalina Classic, Lachie has built an incredible competitive career that has taken him around the world. From top athlete on Team Australia in the ISA World Paddleboard Championships to ripping waves on his 10' race board, Lachie's endurance and skill in the water is only rivaled by his charisma and thirst for adventure and fun.    ** Pick up your trash and save the plastic for another day :)

** Interview episode 129 ** Brooke Basse is a legend on and under the water. Growing up in Southern California Brooke has found her calling as part-time commercial diver, part-time spearfisher, and full-time charger. From surfing to blue water breath holds waiting for the right shot on huge fish, Brooke spends her days finding new adventures in her local waters and has tons of stories to share. With the landing of a 200+ lb blue fin tuna under her belt, her own boat, shark encounters, and a true appreciation for the camaraderie that her ocean life has brought her, Brooke shares a humble perspective on her time in the ocean with us. You can check her out on Instagram @brookebasse.

** Interview episode 128 **   I’m really excited to share with you all a figure in modern surfing that continues to evolve and expand his influence in the surf industry, Mr CJ Hobgood. You hear his name, and you may automatically identify CJ with an amazing professional surfing career where he was ASP rookie of the year and former world champion but what I really enjoyed learning was there is so much more to CJ than riding waves. He’s an identical twin to his brother, Damien, CJ is a dedicated family man, he just created a movie, he’s podcasting, he’s helping support a major ocean lifestyle brand, and way more. We play some clips from the movie, And Two If By Sea, where CJ shares his own human experience in the world of professional surfing, we talk about pushing our limits in the ocean, the power of story telling, raising families, and more. Lots of good stuff with CJ that I’m really stoked to share with you all. Be sure to check out And Two if By Sea — it’s available on Amazon Prime and as you’ll hear today you don’t need to love surfing to love this movie, there’s something in it for everybody. And because we are all looking for more podcasts to add to our lineup, go find and follow the Salty Stories Ship's Log podcast that CJ’s launched with Salty Crew. So thanks again everyone.   I also appreciate the support of my awesome sponsors. ROAM Generation. Like me you maybe trying to create a lifestyle business based on the ocean and adventure but need some help growing your brand. ROAM Generation is just the solution. As a full service PR agency, ROAM will help with social media management, content creation, and much more to help make sure your unique story is heard by the world.  You can learn more at roamgeneration.comand see the long list of their adventure lifestyle clients, like SV Delos and more.   Need some straps for your surfboard or paddleboards that won’t let you down? Monster Straps from my good friends at Mile 22 are so strong, so long, wide, and easy to use it’s awesome. I’ve had a bunch of pairs for years now and never go on a trip without them. Go to Mile22.com to learn more and grab a pair of Monster Straps for 20% off when you enter the coupon code TOL20.

** Interview episode 127 ** Born and bred in the UK, Sam Clothier has found his calling diving and foraging in and around the ocean. From a young age Sam found his deep connection with the water and has been on a path of pursuit ever since. Honing his skllls in the breath hold and spearfishing on the rugged British Coast Sam has experienced waters and fish around the world from Fiji, Southeast Asia, Australia, and more.   With stories of handling sharks in Western Australia to discovering new experiences in his local waters Sam shares a great perspective on sustainably enjoying foods of the ocean that we rarely consider, the challenges of diving alone, and his own personal connection with being in the ocean. To see what Sam is up to go visit his YouTube channel, Wet Mammal, and think about foraging for some new, fresh food straight from the ocean that’s never been on your menu before. Enjoy!   If you like what you hear on the podcast today, I appreciate you following This Ocean Life on your podcast app and/or sharing with a friend. Hope everyone is well and safe. You can find more fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV website, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Host: Josh Pederson, @surfpaddletailgate

** Interview episode 126 ** Today Vicky Durand takes us through the colorful life of her mother, Betty, charging waves in the 1950’s. From stories she’s captured in her recent book, Wave Woman, Vicky tells the story of her mother finding and thriving in the world of surfing, the legendary Waikiki surf scene, the first international surfing competition for woman, and much more. Vicky takes us through her own teen years of surfing on Hawaii, the characters, the waves, and her own stories of progressing in the ocean, and surfing with her mother. You can find the whole story in Wave Woman, available at wavewomanbook.com and major online book retailers, and if you love hearing about what I consider the golden days of surfing, you’ll love this book. Hope you’re all well and enjoy our time today with Vicky. If you like what you hear on the podcast today, I appreciate you following This Ocean Life on your podcast app and/or sharing with a friend. Hope everyone is well and safe. You can find more fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV website, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Host: Josh Pederson, @surfpaddletailgate

** Interview episode 125 **   Dr Enric Sala grew up in Spain along Costa Brava where at a young age he found passion for the undersea world by watching Jacques Cousteau's Undersea World television series (like so many of us did). Pursuing a life of research and conservation to help protect all of the oceans Dr Sala came to the US and spent years as a tenured professor and researcher with Scripps Institute. We hear the story of his epiphany that his research felt more like writing an obituary of the sea rather than inspiring protection. This took Dr Sala to creating the Pristine Seas Project with National Geographic that for the past 12 years has taken him around the world documenting over 30 remote and untouched areas of marine life with the goal to inspire decision makers in all countries to take strong action to protect their waters. He shares stories of still unspoiled areas of the ocean and stories of areas like the Galapagos struggling to heal themselves from human impacts such as overfishing. Through them all, Dr Sala has used his stories to write an amazing new book, The Nature of Nature, that helps all of us understand the importance of biodiversity and how the health of our planet is fundamental to human health, wellbeing, economic prosperity, and so much more. I really love the final chapter tying COVID pandemic to our general disconnect from the natural world.   So definitely go check out the Pristine Seas Project and Dr Sala’s book, The Nature of Nature, for a dose of inspiration that we together can help our oceans truly return to the clean, healthy, and vibrant places that we all dream about.   If you like what you hear on the podcast today, I appreciate you following This Ocean Life on your podcast app and/or sharing with a friend. Hope everyone is well and safe. You can find more fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV website, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Host: Josh Pederson, @surfpaddletailgate

** Interview episode 124 **   Today we talk story with Sean McClenahan, skim boarder, surfer, skater, family man, and much more. Sean takes us through his days surfing the left at Jaws, including the story of his personal biggest wave this last winter of 2019. We hear of Sean’s dedication to the sport of skim boarding, his favorite spots, growing the sport in the Hawaiian Islands as a skim boarding ambassador, and through his training business, SkimHawaii. Sean tells a gnarly story of paddling out at Jaws on his skim board for a tow session (which you gotta check out on YouTube). As a dedicated a family man, Sean talks about raising ocean-focused kids on Maui and tells the story of helping his 9 year old son Asher, a full charger in his own right, score an absolute freight train barrel at Honolua Bay (another video clip you’ll lose your mind over). Really great perspective today from Sean, a man well focused on his family, the ocean, and finding new limits in the water. Next time you’re on Maui — go check him out and throw a skimboard with him.   If you like what you hear on the podcast today, I appreciate you following This Ocean Life on your podcast app and/or sharing with a friend. Hope everyone is well and safe. You can find more fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV website, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Host: Josh Pederson, @surfpaddletailgate

** Stoked Grom Stories #9 **   Born and raised in the legendary Outer Banks of North Carolina, two great friends, Bella and Leila, share their stories with us today. As young women of the water, Bella and Leila, take us through their local surf scene describing the waves, the community, and the quiver of boards they ride. Bella and Leila share perspective on charging hurricane swells, travel, and representing the next generation of water woman in their area. With their well rounded skills in the ocean, the girls also talk story of freediving local shipwrecks, paddling, teaching surf lessons, and much more. Tons of fun stuff with these two stoked groms today —I hope you enjoy.   ****   Today's sponsors: LiveCrepic.com -- use the coupon code Ocean20 to get 20% off any purchase of their rad hats, shirts, and more. Mile22.com -- grab a pair of Monster Straps for 20% off when you enter the coupon code TOL15.   Check out the This Ocean Life blog now available and sign-up for the bi-weekly newsletter to stay informed on all the latest podcast episodes, articles, news, and more.

** Interview episode 123 ** Today, we have Dr Gregory Stone. Career oceanographer, conservationist, author of books, and overall expert on the ocean. Dr Stone takes us through his transition from ocean researcher to ocean protector touching on the many roles he’s held within his career culminating into today with Deep Green. We learn about polymetallic nodules and the massive potential these undersea rock formations provide for the key materials of cobalt, manganese, nickel and more that we use to create our electric vehicle batteries. Dr Stone takes us through Deep Green’s mission to extract these nodules from the deep sea as a sustainable and eco-conscious alternative to today’s destructive land-based mining practices. Along the way Dr Stone shares his passion for all things ocean — mammals, sharks, marine reserves and shares his perspective on developing socially responsible and economically viable business models that help protect our natural world. With the continued rise of electric vehicles, which my family has 2 ourselves, today’s conversation with Dr Stone is fun, inspirational, and educational. You can learn more online by going to Deep.Green and finding Dr Greg Stone’s page on Wikipedia.    I hope you are well and getting in, on, or under the water, maybe not 6,000 meters deep like Dr Stone here, but getting wet nonetheless — thanks for being here with me and Dr Gregory Stone.   Today's sponsors: LiveCrepic.com -- use the coupon code Ocean20 to get 20% off any purchase of their rad hats, shirts, and more. Mile22.com -- grab a pair of Monster Straps for 20% off when you enter the coupon code TOL15.   Check out the This Ocean Life blog now available and sign-up for the bi-weekly newsletter to stay informed on all the latest podcast episodes, articles, news, and more.

** Interview episode 122 **   Today we talk with Eric Anderson who checked out of the military life and into an ocean life here in the waters of Northern California. Eric takes us through his time deployed around the world as a United States Marine to finding his true calling underwater through his wife and family. With a commendable obsession for freediving and spearfishing, Eric takes us through diving California’s Channel Islands, white sharks, to days hunting abalone and pursuing fish of all shapes and sizes along the very epic Big Sur coast. Throughout, Eric provides a great perspective on conservation, limiting your take from the ocean, and dedication to introducing the next generation to the ocean and his own kids find that connection that we all feel. Our conversation begins around one random day where we met each other at a top secret dive spot. If you like what you hear on the podcast today, I appreciate you following This Ocean Life on your podcast app and/or sharing with a friend. Hope everyone is well and safe. You can find more fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV website, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Host: Josh Pederson, @surfpaddletailgate    Day to day in the ocean we all have sometimes crazy experiences, sometimes epic experiences, and sometimes a mix of both. That’s why two young brothers started ‘Crepic’ an ocean lifestyle apparel company that purpose-built to encourage each of us to get in the water and live a crazy and epic lives in our own way. I’m stoked for them to be a sponsor of the podcast — check them out at LiveCrepic.com and use the coupon code Ocean20 to get 20% off any purchase of their rad hats, shirts, and more.   Let me ask you - do you love your surfboard and paddlebord straps? I’m not afraid to admit that I do — the Monster Straps from my good friends at Mile 22 are so strong, so long, and so easy to use it’s insane. I’ve had 4 pairs for years now and never go on a surf, dive, or paddle trip without them. Go to Mile22.com to learn more and grab a pair of Monster Straps for 15% off when you enter the coupon code TOL15.

**Interview episode 121** Madison Stewart has been focused on sharks since she was 7 years old. Growing up on the Gold Coast she was attached to the ocean at an early age, scuba diving and traveling the world as a teen ager, spending countless hours in the water with sharks of all kinds. Today we hear of Madi’s commitment to helping protect sharks in Indonesia by working with local shark fishermen to convert their boats and livelihoods into ecotourism. Her story of gaining trust from a fishing village, bringing them a new, sustainable business, and helping locals develop their own sustainable model is really amazing. The horrors of shark fishing are real and present in Madi’s story in Indonesia and back home where she helped document the 80 year shark culling program ran by the Australian government, now being brought to the public with a new movie, Envoy: Cull (you can hear from both the director and Madi in episode 118 to learn more). Madi balances the reality of shark fishing with her own unique style and feminine strength in the ocean, which you can see more of on her website www.projecthiu.com and Instagram. For now, sit back and enjoy the stories of this dynamic, young woman making a difference in our natural world. If you like what you hear on the podcast today, I appreciate you following This Ocean Life on your podcast app and/or sharing with a friend. Hope everyone is well and safe. You can find more fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV website, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Host: Josh Pederson, @surfpaddletailgate

** Interview episode 120 ** Neil Pearlberg surfs, SUPs, writes and talks on all things skate and surf. As co-host of Off The Lip Radio Show Neil has been documenting the colorful surfing and skateboard lifestyle of Santa Cruz for over a decade. With over 375 episodes, Off The Lip Radio show shares the stories and perspectives from famous big wave chargers, local shapers, musicians, technologists, and much more. Today, Neil takes us through his days writing for the local newspaper, starting Off The Lip Radio, and being an early adopter of stand up paddle boarding in Santa Cruz. We hear his perspective on the evolution of santa cruz surfing over the last decade, sharing thoughts on the hot bed of talent and crazy characters that Santa Cruz waters have produced. Neil pulls no punches and tells it like it is —I hope you enjoy.   Find more about Off The Lip Radio Show and give a listen -- visit https://offthelipradio.com/podcast or find it on all the major podcast platforms. If you like what you hear, I appreciate you following This Ocean Life on your podcast app and/or sharing with a friend. Hope everyone is well and safe. You can find fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV website, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Host: Josh Pederson, @surfpaddletailgate

** Episode 119 ** In the waters of South Florida, marine biologist and podcaster Kara Muzia splits her time between working to protect sea turtles and sharing stories from other marine biologists. With a strong dedication to helping the next generation understand the wide variety of paths to becoming a marine biologist and the realities of the profession, Kara hosts ’So You Want to Be A Marine Biologist Podcast’ that provides unique perspectives and stories from others in her profession. Throughout her own career in Marine Biology, Kara has worked across different disciplines and now today focuses on sea turtle research and conservation. On the topic of sensitivity to human impact on beaches by nesting turtles, Kara shares an interesting perspective on what the COVID-19 lockdown has done for sea turtles through less disturbed beaches near her in South Florida. Now Kara rounds out her ocean life with strong dedication to exposing her young family to the water and providing guided nature tours by paddle board around her area.    Learn more about Kara and her podcast on her website, Instagram, and Facebook.   I hope you get inspired today by Kara like I did. If you like what you hear, I appreciate you following This Ocean Life on your podcast app and/or sharing with a friend. Hope everyone is well and safe. You can find fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV website, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Host: Josh Pederson, @surfpaddletailgate

** Stoked Grom Stories #8 ** Max Hart is a 12-year old legend-in-the-making from Sydney's Gold Coast. With a well rounded set of skills and knowledge in the ocean that includes fishing, surfing, and spearfishing Max is constantly busy enjoying life in the water with friends and family. Competing in state championship paddle races and surf competitions, Max is no stranger to pressure. Playing a leading role in the School of Rock Musical in both South Korea and Australia, totaling over 130 performances, Max rips on the guitar and continues to add this gift to his already impressive set of skills in the water. Max shares the ins and outs of his favorite surf breaks, like Byron Bay and Snapper Rock, talks about his favorite dive spots, and masterfully handles the dreaded lightening round of questions. I hope you get inspired today by this stoked grom like I did. If you like what you hear, I appreciate you following This Ocean Life on your podcast app and/or sharing with a friend. Hope everyone is well and safe. You can find fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV website, Instagram, and Facebook, and Twitter. Host: Josh Pederson, @surfpaddletailgate

** Interview Episode 118 **   For over 80 years the Australian Government has supported the killing of sharks along popular Queensland and New South Wales beaches through nets and baited hooks under the guise of public safety. Today we hear the truth behind this senseless ‘culling’ of sharks that not only kills other animals, such as whales, dolphins, and rays, but also has zero proof of positive impact on human safety in the water. Today Andre Borrell, director and producer, with Madison Stewart, shark conservationist and co-star, take us through the history and horrors of the Australian shark culling program and how they have came together with many others to create this amazing movie, Envoy:Cull, that has the sole purpose of ending this 83-year government program. In this we have epic stories of bravery and passion for the ocean, with tales of following an undeniable calling in life that some, like Andre and Madi, are fortunate to realize. Remember the old saying, ‘If you’re not mad, you’re not paying attention’? Well sometimes there is so little information availabel on a tragic activity, like shark culling, that there’s almost nothing to pay attention to. That’s exactly why Envoy, is so important — the film is bringing awareness to all of us around the world about shark culling in Australia and is exactly that ‘thing' that we can pay attention to. So now that we know, how about we do something? Dive deeper at envoyfilm.com.au and share the Envoy trailer on Facebook — @envoyfilmau. With more people paying attention, more people will be mad, and more people will be willing to do something to make change happen to save sharks. Let’s all be part of that together.   You can also find fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV website, Instagram, and Facebook, and Twitter. Host: Josh Pederson, @surfpaddletailgate

** Interview episode 117 ** Today we hear the rad story of two people coming together and building a lifestyle business around their love of the ocean. This story of Steve and Monika takes us from the waters around Turkey where they first bonded over their mutual obsession for kiteboarding, to their time around the Greek Islands, crossing the Atlantic, and into the Caribbean where they are today. We hear about Steve and Monika running their adventure travel business aboard their sailing catamaran, treating guests to the beautiful waters and wind of the Caribbean, and enjoying their own ocean life living afloat. If you’re into kiting, sailing, or just pure freedom on the ocean, you’ll like today’s story from Steve and Monika. Once we get back to normal life after the COVID-19 pandemic and you’re itching for an adventure on the water, check out what Steve and Monika are up to at SailingWildside.com. Top notch comfort, amazing setting, and great hosts — you won’t go wrong :)  You can also find fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV website, Instagram, and Facebook, and Twitter. Host: Josh Pederson, @surfpaddletailgate

Francesca Trotman has dedicated her life to preserving the marine life of Mozambique. From setting up marine protected areas to engaging on numerous scientific studies, educating local school children and more, Francesca’s non-profit foundation, Love The Oceans, is her legacy for protecting the ocean in that area of the African continent.

** Interview episode 115 ** Erin Carey and family set out to sail the world with zero previous experience at sea. With true grit, determination, and some luck her family of 5 enjoyed 18 months sailing the Caribbean aboard S/V ROAM and topped it off with an Atlantic crossing into the Azores. With moments of inspiration and perseverance to the incredibly sketchy and borderline dangerous, this is the story of Erin, her family, and sailing vessel ROAM. See more about Erin, S/V ROAM, and her company ROAM Generation. You can also find fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV website, Instagram, and Facebook, and Twitter. Host: Josh Pederson, @surfpaddletailgate   With the current state of plastic pollution, climate change, and COVID-19, I’d say it’s a perfect time for each of us to make a long-term change. Any change, in any way that reduces our footprint on the world leaving more possibility for future generations to enjoy the magic of the ocean. Moving to reusable silicon bags instead of plastic for your food storage is one, buying local and sustainable farmed seafood or produce is another, or skipping Starbucks a couple times a month and donating that money to a non-profit doing good for the world. The list of possibilities is long and I guarantee there is something in it for each of us. So get creative and get committed.

** Interview episode 114 ** Sam Hart is a man of the paddle. With deep experience in surf ski racing, including a relay win at Molokai 2 Oahu in 2017, he rounds out his paddling with both the prone and SUP boards. Along the Sydney's Northern Beaches Sam has been involved in the surf rescue club lifestyle for many years, contributing as active volunteer, and strong team competitor in local events, including the famous Coolangatta Gold where Sam ran, swam, ski paddled, and board paddled his way to top finishes in 2012 and 2013. With a strong focus on outdoor lifestyle and raising his kids in the water, Sam shares with us a humble perspective on his ocean life around Sydney his love for paddling. I caught up with Sam in late March of 2020, in the middle of the COVID pandemic.   ** Friendly PSA to us all ** No story ever told by a guest on This Ocean Life is as gnarly as what’s happening around the world today from the COVID-19 virus. My heart goes out to people around the world suffering from the virus and my request here goes out to all the rest of us to contribute in any way we can. Whether its being a bit more patient in line at the gas pump or donating a few bucks to help purchase lacking medical supplies in your area, we can all help out. So take a minute and Google up something that you can do to help, then do it. Best of health to us all. You can find fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV website, Instagram, and Facebook, and Twitter. Host: Josh Pederson, @surfpaddletailgate

** Stoked Grom Stories Episode 7 ** Growing up in my hometown of Santa Cruz, CA, The Cooper Sisters, 9 year old Isla and 12 year old Malia, left it all behind with their parents for life at sea. Since January 2019, the entire family has been living in the South Pacific aboard sailing vessel Renegade where the girls have transformed personally, spiritually, and athletically. With daily life of surfing, diving, fishing, and sailing both Malia and Isla have chosen unique paths in the ocean, developing strength and confidence extremely unique for their age — from surfing hollow waves to diving with sharks. With frequent visits to the outer Fijian Islands, the girls have developed strong understanding and respect for the customs of tribal culture and have made friends with villagers, attended local school, and developed their own strong sense of self-confidence. To see more about the Cooper Family, visit their website at http://www.sailingwithrenegade.com/. You can also find fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV website, Instagram, and Facebook, and Twitter. Host: Josh Pederson, @surfpaddletailgate

** Interview Episode 113 ** With a family name synonymous with the sport of golf, Greg Norman Jr has carved out an incredibly deep and well—rounded life in the ocean. From growing up in the waters of Florida to years on Maui Greg has developed love and skill for riding all types of boards on the water — from surfing, kiting, foiling, to wake boarding. Adding on to this a strong passion for the hunt, Greg pushes himself underwater with spearfishing both reefs and blue water, enjoying getting lost in the flow that being in the ocean provides to us all. Throughout, Greg has placed high emphasis on close connection to family and providing greater access to board sports for all with his Shark Cable Park. We started our conversation around the role that the ocean played in his recent engagement to his wife-to-be (it’s a rad story). Check out the Shark Cable Park at www.sharkwakepark.com It’s no secret that I love fish art and KC Scott, a name you’ll hear a few times on today’s episode, is one of my favorite marine artists out there. Whether it’s blue marlin pushing bait or a hog fish hovering above the reef, KC captures scenes of the wild that many of us lay awake at night dreaming about. Have a look at kcscottartist.com and if you find apparel or artwork that you like, enter coupon code OCEAN20 (all caps) at checkout and you’ll get 20% off your order. When you do you’ll be supporting this family owned and operated business that’s dedicated to helping us all grow our connection to the ocean.   Other pieces to our conversation: Growing up with his father introducing Greg to the ocean — surfing, diving Living on Maui and pursuing love for kiting — competing professionally in the early 2000’s Story of his first date spearfishing with his wife to be Discuss the ins and outs of foiling and how it changes our perspective on waves Kiting and wake boarding trip in Prince William Sound Alaska with hair raising exit by boat Wearing dry suits to wakeboard and forgetting to zipper Spearfishing in the Bahamas and team sport of hunting and landing cobia Wonder and beauty of interacting with sharks underwater Sense of flow in golf and sports in the ocean and challenge of changing your mindset to slow down and focus on the present   You can also find fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV website, Instagram, and Facebook, and Twitter. Host: Josh Pederson, @surfpaddletailgate

** Interview Episode 112 **   From professional snowboarding to organizing big wave surfing events, Shannon Quirk has been part of the action sports world for over a decade. As a reporter and coordinator with the WSL Big Wave Tour Shannon has developed a close connection with the world's big wave breaks and the men and women who charge them. From Argentina to Portugal to Hawaii, Shannon has lived seasonally in amazing locations building a global community of friends and family that have supported her in both her surfing and professional snowboarding. Throughout, Shannon has placed high emphasis on empowering women through sport and has been heavily involved with gender equity on the big wave tour and as an advocate of health and wellness of us all through day-to-day activity in the ocean.   Lots of great videos on Shannon’s YouTube channel and a close look at latest North Shore news and events — check her out at shannonreporting.com. Other pieces of our conversation with Shannon: Settling down on Oahu, life-giving nature of the ocean, surfing, and yoga Living in various places around the world including Maui, with big focus on Nazare, Portugal for 3 years Similarities of Portugal to Northern California — cold water, wetsuits and thick heavy waves Working for the Big Wave Tour and ‘family' aspect of big wave surfers Knew as a youth that journalism was the path she wanted to pursue Focus on growing movement of women in big wave surfing and finding new ways to showcase women in the  Starting live reporting for Surf Channel at Mavericks and refining her craft of reporting over the years Dynamics of big wave rescue, driving jet skis, and preparing to help yourself and others in big surf Spent years as a pro snowboarder and traveling the world to chase winters.  Shannon talks about her quiver on the North Shore — big wave boards down to 6’5  The importance of yoga in Shannon’s regular routine   You can also find fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV website, Instagram, and Facebook, and Twitter. Host: Josh Pederson, @surfpaddletailgate

** Interview Episode #111 ** Chris Fuentes knows first hand about the growing spread of insect-born diseases associated with global warming. After battling with his own case of Lyme Disease, Chris has seen friends and family deal with the spread of ticks in the Northeastern US and associated Lyme Disease they carry. His passion for helping others while bringing a great product to market has led him on his path to develop the next generation of insect repellants, Ranger Ready, that is 100% effective while being 100% safe for people and the environment. The key ingredient, Picaridin, is a proven alternative to DEET, the not-so-good-for-you-or-the-environment ingredient in the big green bottle repellants that most of us are used to. Whether battling no-see-ums on the sand or mosquitos along the coast, Picaridin is the right choice for us to defend aginst insect born diseases in this warming world. After meeting Chris at Surf Expo I had the opportunity to spend time talking with him where we started with his own experience Lyme Disease.     Whether on a tropical surf trip or paddling the backwaters of temperate climates we are constantly exposed to biting insects that can pose a threat to our health. With the proven and healthy ingredient of Picaridin, Ranger Ready products are awesome non-toxic alternatives to the big green can repellants we are used to. With or without scent, Ranger Ready comes in a variety of applications to best protect us, from pump spray to lotion. Check them out at RangerReady.com and enter the coupon code Ocean10 (capital ‘O’) to get 10% off of your order. Now, let’s get on back to Chris.   You can also find fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV website, Instagram, and Facebook, and Twitter. Host: Josh Pederson, @surfpaddletailgate

** Interview episode 110 ** K.C. Scott has based his life off of two core natural abilities revolving around the ocean. The first, his ability to interact first-hand with fish through angling, freediving, photography, and spearfishing, to return with vivid imagery of their natural beauty and power. The second, K.C.’s ability to transfer those real-life moments into creative pieces of art that, whether on a canvas or a t-shirt, continually keep us connected back to the ocean. With a lifestyle of creating amazing art and pursuing fish in his local Florida waters and more remote locations like Costa Rica, K.C. stays humble and appreciative of his talents, nature, and those around him. To round it all out, K.C. keeps focus on surfing and enjoying life with family and guiding his young daughter toward her own ocean life. Great stories, energy, and inspiration from K.C. Scott. Enjoy. I love art of the ocean and seeing highly descriptive paintings on canvas and images on clothing of the magnificent fish are key ways that keep me amped for my next adventure in, on, or under the water. If ocean art also resonates with you, check out K.C. Scott’s art at kcscottartist.com where you can find art and apparell that will look good on your wall or the back of your shirt. If you find something you like, use coupon code OCEAN20 at checkout and you’ll get 20% off your order. When you do you’ll be supporting a family owned and operated business that’s dedicated to helping us all grow our connection to the ocean. You can also find fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV website, Instagram, and Facebook, and Twitter. Host: Josh Pederson, @surfpaddletailgate

** Interview episode 109 ** Raised in the waters of Jamaica, educated in England, from his earliest days Guy Harvey has had a strong connection to the ocean that has manifested into a lifelong career of art, science, and business.  With a doctorate in marine biology and incredible natural gift for drawing and painting, Guy has pursued his passion for the ocean and the pelagic fish and sharks that make it home to build one of the first apparel brands focused on the ocean. Decades later, Guy has grown his brand into a thriving, sustainable company that funds ocean research projects that deliver new insights into highly migratory animals and raises awareness of their strong value to ecotourism. Stories, perspectives, inspiration — we hear it all today with Guy Harvey. Enjoy. Listening to a podcast like this with stories from the ocean can help keep us energized and inspired to do great things in the ocean. So can wearing some good looking gear with your favorite underwater scenes and animals from the ocean — especially when it’s sustainably made and directly benefits research and protection. Guy Harvey’s brand is just that — it looks great and does good for the ocean. So check out his art and apparel at guyharvey.com where you can also learn more about his ocean foundation and all of the science we’re getting into today.   You can also find fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV website, Instagram, and Facebook, and Twitter. Host: Josh Pederson, @surfpaddletailgate

** Interview episode 108 ** Sailing Vessel Delos is a 53 foot boat that has journeyed over 70,000 nautical miles, visited 45 countries, and kept safe over 50 different visiting crew for the past ten years. Brady Trautman, and brother Bryan, started their epic adventure together in 2010 and have since added partners Karin and Alex to this core crew of four, sailing the world and documenting the people, places, and activities of life at sea. We hear from Brady and Alex today about the history of Delos, how a crew of four functions together, their recent adventures in 2019 including sharks, lightning, and 2 transatlantic crossings, and hear their perspective on a sustainable life at sea and passion for creating their awesome SV Delos Youtube series.   So definitely check them out online at SVDelos.com and see their YouTube channel — it’s by far some of the best ocean-focused videos out there. I hope Alex and Brady help inspire you get out on the water and find something new — whether it’s an entire ocean away or just down the coast from you — there’s always something new out there for each of us. Enjoy.   You can also find fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV website, Instagram, and Facebook, and Twitter. Host: Josh Pederson, @surfpaddletailgate        Other parts of our conversation: Brian and Brady Trautman brothers started sailing together in 2010 Initial 3-week trip from Mexico to Marquesas Islands turned into 10 years Alex, joined Delos 3 years ago, running her own business, doing dive training. Reached out to Delos to join a trip and never left Day to day life with 4 people aboard, from cooking to maintenance of the boat Year recap of 2019 for Delos and crew, including 2 trans-Atlantic crossings and a gnarly lightning storm in the Bermuda Triangle Working with the sextant to measure position on the ocean in absence of electronics Amazing experience diving with blue sharks in the Azores 200+ youtube videos and the love and effort the Delos crew puts in to produce amazing content

** Interview episode 107 **   Born and raised in the rich fishing area of Maine, Noah Oppenheim has pursued a life on the ocean that has taken him from the beauty of the Galapagos Islands, to the wide open expanse of the south pacific, up to the rich waters of Alaska. On his way to building a career around the management of fish populations, Noah has been a scientific scuba diver, commercial fisherman, and federal observer on fishing vessels, developing a rich perspective on the challenges we face with managing our fish populations today. Nobody likes shark finning, but behind that is a human element of people doing so to make money to feed their families, just like all other fishing practices around the world, and Noah sheds light on all of that for us.    While we are focusing on fish today, take a minute when you’re done listening and check out a couple non-profits doing good for fish populations — WWF and Institute for Fisheries Resources — and any time you can, buy local caught fish. You can also find fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV website, Instagram, and Facebook, and Twitter. Host: Josh Pederson, @surfpaddletailgate     Other parts of our conversation: Born and raised in Maine Scuba certified as a teenager and moved quickly to becoming a dive master Took marine biology internship in the Galapagos  Dialog with local fisherman on how to move from wasteful practices, such as shark finning, to something that still provides them a livelihood Sailing 32 days from Seychelles to Tonga Fisheries observer program in Anchorage Alaska, then moved to a season of commercial salmon fishing Went to get a Master's Degree in marine biology and marine policy Intricacies of modeling fish populations to predict returns and set quotas for catching

Surf Expo Stories: Part 2 Here we go with Surf Expo Part 2. So many great stories from north america’s largest watersports and beach lifestyle show in the retail industry, I had to split it into 2 episodes to be sure I could do them all justice. If you didn’t listen to it already, check out part 1 if you need some background on the what, where, and how of Surf Expo. Otherwise, sit back and enjoy this set of stories and perspectives from this event that’s much more than a watersports retail show. Surf Expo is North America’s largest watersports and beach lifestyle show in the retail industry. With hundreds of brands and thousands of retailers connecting to stock the stores that we all buy our gear from, Surf Expo is a key platform for the commercial side of many of our ocean lives. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to attend the January 2020 show and speak with a wide range of brands on the significance of the event as well as chat with the management team who puts it all together each year. What I found within all of this was that Surf Expo is like a really fun eco-friendly festival that celebrates not just great, new products, but also art, non-profit groups, the craft of shaping surfboards, the skill of skating a mini ramp, and overall — a strong community of the ocean-minded.  In this second part, we hear stories from: DMC Fins Huk Gear K.C Scott, Artist Dragon Eyewear Victoria Skimboards GoSili Marko Foam Products   You can find fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV website, Instagram, and Facebook, and Twitter. Host: Josh Pederson, @surfpaddletailgate

Surf Expo is North America’s largest watersports and beach lifestyle show in the retail industry. With hundreds of brands and thousands of retailers connecting to stock the stores that we all buy our gear from, Surf Expo is a key platform for the commercial side of many of our ocean lives. I was fortunate to have the opportunity to attend the January 2020 show and speak with a wide range of brands on the significance of the event as well as chat with the management team who puts it all together each year. What I found within all of this was that Surf Expo is like a really fun eco-friendly festival that celebrates not just great, new products, but also art, non-profit groups, the craft of shaping surfboards, the skill of skating a mini ramp, and overall — a strong community of the ocean-minded.   After you give this a listen today, take a minute and pick one plastic throw-away item that you use and commit to replacing it with a reusable version — coffee cup, water bottle, straw, ziplock sandwich bag — you get the idea. As always, thank you for caring about the ocean and thank you for listening today. Hope you enjoy   Stories captured from: Roy Turner, Surf Expo 4Ocean Zinka Fair Harbor Marine Life Rescue of Clearwater Marine Aquarium Patrick Maxcey Art Ranger Ready   You can find fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV website, Instagram, and Facebook, and Twitter. Host: Josh Pederson, @surfpaddletailgate

** Interview Episode 105 ** Nik Strong-Cevitch has travelled around the world setting up conservation and ecostourism projects in coastal communities. As a lifelong surfer NIk has been able to blend his love of surf with his professional abilities and now leads the Save The Waves Coalition to protect sensitive surf breaks the world over. With the audacious goal of protecting 1,000 waves, Nik is supported by a strong cast of characters around the world who contribute to the development of ‘world surf reserves’, help raise funds, and make sure Nik gets a wave or two at the Kelly Slater Surf Ranch. On top of all of this, Nik is a humble father, husband, and member of the Santa Cruz ocean community ready to spread good vibes to those around him. I highly encourage everyone listening to this who did, does, or will ride a wave at some point to check out SaveTheWaves.org and find ways that you can help Nik and team combat everything from water pollution to sea level rise and coastal development. When you think about how so much of our ocean culture revolves around waves, it starts to feel pretty important to be sure we preserve them for future generations. Thanks for doing that. thanks for listening, and thanks for sharing in ocean life of Nik Strong Cevitch. You can also find fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV website, Instagram, and Facebook, and Twitter. Host: Josh Pederson, @surfpaddletailgate

** Interview #104** In her early 20’s, Lin Pardey found her calling to live a sailing life at sea. 50 years later and over 200,000 miles sailed, Lin has completed 2 circumnavigations of the world, enjoyed countless adventures at sea, and sailed some of the heaviest water on the planet including Cape Horn and the Bass Strait. Throughout Lin applied her passion for writing and authored over a dozen books on sailing along with numerous articles published in magazines and journals. Today, Lin shares her story with us and provides an inspiring perspective on simplifying life to pursue our passions in the ocean that helps remind us all that we can design an ocean life that suits each of us. To learn much more about Lin, see her Facebook page, blog, and books on Amazon.com. With 2020 kicked off, let’s all make a pledge in this new year to do more for the ocean and those around us. I’m personally doubling down on removing all single use plastic in my household and raising money for underprivileged youth to participate in our local Santa Cruz Junior Lifeguards program. How about you? Whatever you decide to do, thanks for caring about the ocean and thanks for being here today sharing in the ocean life of Lin Pardey. You can also find fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV website, Instagram, and Facebook, and Twitter. Host: Josh Pederson, @surfpaddletailgate

Today we have a compilation of some of my favorite heavy water stories from past guests on the podcast. These stories include injuries at sea, insane storms and conditions, big waves and take place from the Bering Sea to Loch Ness, Mexico, and beyond. Each story is short, intense, and helps remind us of what the ocean can serve up when we’re least expecting it. I’d love to hear your suggestions for the next compilation of stories so please hit me up through social or email to josh@thisoceanlife.tv and let me know what you’d like to hear.   If you like what you hear today, or even if you don’t, take a minute and commit to removing one common type of plastic from your daily life. Starbucks straw, bottled water, plastic bags for your produce — there’s tons to choose from and our grandkids who love the ocean in the future will thank you for it.    Guests featured in this episode: Jeff Denholm, Episode 32 Maria Fernanda, Episode 101 Zach Wormhoudt, Episode 15 Nick Ayers, Episode 23 Sailing Catalpa, Episode 24 Chris Hearn, Episode 65

**Interview Episode 103** As a father, husband, surfer, licensed captain, and general man of the water, Adam has continued the legacy that his father, Doc Paskowitz, set forth some 30 years ago of living life on the road and the ocean, experiencing nature in all of its rawest forms. Whether crossing oceans or walking a beach, Adam and family focus strongly on plastic reduction, leading by their example of removing plastic and making good decisions on their daily use of it with the goal to inspire all of us to do our best to keep this pollution out of our natural world. Adam's stories of his family today at sea and on the road are fun and inspiring and tie back to his days growing up in the nomadic lifestyle that the Paskowitz family is so well known for.    If you like what you hear today, take 2 minutes and commit to using 1 less piece of plastic in your daily life. Trust me, it’s not hard!!!   Thanks for sharing Adam's ocean life with us. Be sure to check him out on Instagram, his family YouTube channel, Paskowitz Foundation website, and SurfWise -- the Paskowitz Family documentary. You can also find fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV website, Instagram, and Facebook, and Twitter. Host: Josh Pederson, @surfpaddletailgate       * Other pieces of our conversation * Newborn son, Solomon, and remembering how to care of infants like riding a bike Relative ease of land travel compared to life at sea Teachings from Adam's father, Doc Paskowitz, that have stayed with him through today Exploration on land and incredible natural beauty available to all of us, very similar to the ocean The Paskowitz Foundation heritage Adam's surfboard quiver today Perspective on open ocean boat design and the next vessel Adam takes to sea Perspective on global pollution, focusing on plastics, and the hope Adam has for humanity to solve the issue

** Episode 101 ** Maria Fernanda swims with fins and a camera in waves that most of us won’t paddle out for. As a native of Mexico City, Maria found her love of the ocean through years of family trips to the coast to ultimately discovering natural strength in big surf. Tied to Maria’s passion for photography, this has led her on a journey to photograph some of the heaviest waves on the planet such as Nazare, Pipeline, Todos Santos, and her home break of Puerto Escondido. Along the way Maria has trained in big wave rescue, survived a broken leg in the water, built a global community of friends in the ocean, and continuously pushes her physical and mental limits swimming in heavy surf.   If you like what you hear today, go check out Save the Waves Coalition, at savethewaves.org, and learn about ways thay you can help protect sensitive surf breaks and preserve them for future generations. Thanks for caring about our ocean and thanks for being here today sharing in the ocean life of Maria Fernanda.   Thanks for sharing Maria's ocean life with us. Be sure to check her out on Instagram and her website. You can also find fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV website, Instagram, and Facebook, and Twitter. Host: Josh Pederson, @surfpaddletailgate     * Other pieces of our conversation * Recent (November 2019) swell at Nazare Swimming and taking photos at legendary big wave breaks such as Jaws, Puerto Escondido, Pipeline, Todos Santos, Waimea Bay, Nazare. First photo shoots and heavy waves on Kuaui Mental and physical training for swimming in big waves Growing up in Mexico City and finding her strength in the ocean through weekend trips to the coast with family Having a mentor to teach her surf photography, starting with a disposable camera! Perspective on the mainland Mexico big wave surf scene, and global big wave surf community

** Episode 102 ** Every now and then you meet someone who blows you away with their strength across multiple disciplines in the water. Scott Kennedy is one of those people. As a fisherman, surfer, diver, spear fisherman, boater, and more Scott takes us through his life growing up in Southern California, migrating to Northern California, learning his skills in the ocean the hard way - on his own, and finding great adventure and memories throughout. From hand-shaping surfboards to a love of body surfing, working in aquaculture and sustainable seafood consulting, Scott gives us a unique and humble perspective on the ocean we all love.   If you like what you hear today, take 5 minutes and visit FishWise.org or SeafoodWatch.org and read a few things about your favorite, tasty fish and educate on best purchasing practices for you and your family. Let’s use our wallets to let seafood companies know how important sustainable fish populations are to us all. Thanks for caring about the ocean and thanks for being here today sharing in the ocean life of Scott Kennedy.   Thanks for sharing Scott's ocean life with us. Be sure to check him out on Instagram. You can also find fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV website, Instagram, and Facebook, and Twitter. Host: Josh Pederson, @surfpaddletailgate     * Other pieces of our conversation * Fishing for yellowfiin tuna on the Pacific Dawn charter boar Scott's 16ft Radoncraft skiff (boat) he spent over 600 hours on -- adventure, fishing, more Learning his way in the ocean around La Jolla, CA -- trial by fire Hand-shaping over 60 surfboards to continually experiment with different styles of craft to ride waves on Anticipation and excitement for his growing family and what it means to get his kids in the water Recent surf trip to the Maldives

Episode 99!! Zeb Walsh grew up in the waters of Southern Australia to become a world-class ocean athlete with a strong focus on long-distance and semi-crazy endurance events. Today Zeb shares his stories of winning the Molokai 2 Oahu paddle board race, paddling with friends across the Bass Strait to Tasmania, and hand-carving a dugout canoe for a 250km / 2 week paddle across the Torres Strait. Along the way we share a bunch of laughs while talking foiling, big wave rescue training, getting the groms out into the wild, and Zeb and me first meeting days before paddling M2O way back in 2011.   After you listen to Zeb here you’re gonna be fired up to get out in the water. Before you go though, decide on 1 way you will not use plastic today and then follow through on it. It’s pretty rad to do.   Thanks for sharing Zeb's ocean life with us. Be sure to check him out on Instagram and his rad documentaries on Red Bull. You can also find fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV website, Instagram, and Facebook, and Twitter. Host: Josh Pederson, @surfpaddletailgate         More highlights of our conversation: Wealth of local paddling legends, John Jacoby, inspiration to paddle hard Physical and mental torture of paddling through the gnarly conditions of Bass Strait with heavy winds and currents for multiple days Inspirations from legendary Australian prone paddlers like Jamie Mitchell, Mick Di Betta, and others Prone racing for the local surf clubs then moving to years of racing Molokai 2 Oahu starting in 2011 and winning stock prone class in 2013 Going to California to win the Catalina Classic  Importance of nutrition and hydration in endurance paddling events Paddling a hand-made dugout canoe from Papua New Guinea across the Torres Strait with 3 other guys, camping and foraging for 15 days So much more with this legend!

Born in Poland and raised in the cold ocean waters of Maine, Greg Lewandowski began scuba diving at age 9, running boats, and developing a strong love for being in the ocean at a young age. Today he takes us through his stories of living and working across the Caribbean, running scuba diving charters, fishing, and freediving on the Hawaiian Island of Kauai, his artistic approach to photography, and memorable moments with whales, sharks, manta rays, monk seals, and much more. You can find Greg on Instagram by his handle @seafeverh2o. And we can all cut way down on our plastic usage to help protect the environment and some of our favorite ocean animals we hear about today. More highlights of our conversation: First experienced tropical water at age 15 in Honduras setting him on a path of travel throughout the Caribbean serving as scuba divemaster and instructor before landing on the south shore of Kauai where Greg lives today. Shares perspective on the spirit of Kauai and the ability for the island to either accept or reject people who move there. Greg talks about running scuba tours for Fathom Five Divers, the amazing diving in the water around Niihau and the animals found there. Most memorable experience underwater floating eye-to-eye with a juvenile hump back whale in the Turks and Caicos Islands Spending time in the water with Hawaiian Monk Seal, local sharks, mantas, spinner dolphins Operating tour boats in the unpredictable waters of Kauai Fishing for the pelagic game fish in the Hawaiian waters -- tunas, ono Artistry that goes into making lures from scratch Photography, favorite photo of a model on the beach just before a wave breaks around her Evolution of freediving as another way to interact in the ocean The abstract nature of bodybuilding relative to diving and being in the ocean (hint, wetsuits don't fit so well but you need less weight to dive :) Thanks for sharing Greg's ocean life with us. Be sure to check him out on Instagram . You can also find fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV website, Instagram, and Facebook, and Twitter. Host: Josh Pederson, @surfpaddletailgate

In episode 97, we hear the stories of professional athlete and man of the water, James Casey, who takes us down his path from a young grom taking his beatings in Hawaiian surf to the dominant standup paddle boarder he is today, winning the infamous Molokai 2 Oahu paddle race on his SUP in 2019. James’s stories and perspectives on his love for coaching and foiling, traveling the world, running camps in Thailand and the Maldives, and commitment to family are fun and inspirational. I was lucky enough to have time with James before he took off from his home in Sydney to fly out for the Red Bull Heavy Water event in San Francisco. Highlights of our conversation: M20 win in 2019, top 5 finishes years leading up in the standup paddleboard division Working for months to perfect his SUP race boards for M2O with Sunova Surfboards Great perspective on top competitors that James battles in paddle contests, including Connor Baxter, Michael Booth, Travis Grant James has caught the foiling bug in a big way and is running foil training camps in Thailand Growing up splitting time near Sydney and Maui -- right near world class downwind Maliko Run How James's father inflluenced him in the water and set him up for today's success (best of wishes go out to James's dad battling health issues!!!) Coaching others, how that started, where that is today, and how James loves doing it Casey. -- the family business James operates with mom and sister at www.caseyaus.com Thanks for sharing Jame's ocean life with us. Be sure to check him out on Instagram and dive into the Casey. website. You can also find fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV website, Instagram, and Facebook, and Twitter. Host: Josh Pederson, @surfpaddletailgate

In this episode I compile 5 of my favorite animal stories from past guests that range from the gnarly to the beautiful. We have Bobby Twitchell (episode 88), free diver and spear fisherman on Maui, Mike Bolton (episode 28) legendary conservationist and shark photographer, David Ochoa (episode 8) world famous spear fisherman, movie maker, and guide, Kyle Faust (episode 20) free diver, spear fisherman, and Stefano Ulivi (episode 54) scuba diver and tour guide in Pico Island of the Azores. These guys tell some amazing stories of interacting with sharks, manta rays, whales, and more.   None of us can imagine an ocean without these critters so let’s all do something to help them out like reducing your plastic usage and donating a few bucks to Oceana or other advocacy group.    You can find fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV website, Instagram, and Facebook, and Twitter. Host: Josh Pederson, @surfpaddletailgate

In episode 96 I spend time with Hayley-Jo Carr, a woman dedicated to marine conservation in the Bahamas. Hayley-Jo takes us through her youth on the coast of England to finding her passion for scuba diving and undersea life on vacation in the Whitsunday Islands of Australia. We hear of Hayley-Jo's pursuit of her passion for diving and marine conservation over the years leading to the Bahamas where today she focuses on coral restoration. Hayley-Jo talks about her role as PADI Course Director, training the local dive shops to teach their scuba students how to contribute to coral restoration, and her role as coordinator of the Reef Rescue Network, working with NGOs and planning dive operations to expand the network of coral reef nurseries. Hayley-Jo provides great perspective on these coral nurseries, the importance of volunteer science and restoration efforts to support them, the health of the Bahamas shark populations, her love of underwater fashion modeling, impacts of the recent Hurricane Dorian, and more.  Thanks for sharing Hayley-Jo's ocean life with us. Be sure to check her out on Instagram and dive into the Reef Rescue Network. You can also find fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV website, Instagram, and Facebook, and Twitter. Host: Josh Pederson, @surfpaddletailgate

In episode 95 I speak with Kevin Dunn, founder and operator of BurnOut Suncare, one of the first environmentally-friendly and health conscious sunscreens to hit the market almost 20 years ago. Kevin takes us through his days of living and surfing on Maui, traveling and surfing Indonesia, to his kitchen where he made his first batch of sunscreen. We hear of Kevin's focus to make a sunscreen that lasted in the water while being healthy for both people and the planet, the challenges he faced early on with bringing this, then niche, product to market, and the amazing reaction to his sunscreen that the market has had since. Kevin shares his knowledge of the chemicals and ingredients used in sunscreens, their effects on people and corals, and gives us a great overview of what 'reef safe' really means. We talk global warming, ocean acidification, and the effects that sunscreen chemicals have on corals with mention of some of the responses that places like Palau and Hawaii have taken to help protect their coral reefs from these chemicals. Kevin also shares his philosophy of Burnout Suncare and his drive to minimize every aspect of their environmental impact. To get 50% off your order of Burnout Suncare products, go to their website at www.burnoutsun.com and enter the code 'ThisOceanLife50'. My family and I use Burnout exclusively and absolutely love it -- check it out! Thanks for sharing Kevin's ocean life with us. Be sure to check out BurnOut Suncare on the web and  Instagram. You can also find fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV website, Instagram, and Facebook, and Twitter. Host: Josh Pederson, @surfpaddletailgate

In episode 94 I speak with Suzie Cooney, a well-rounded athlete who has turned her love of the ocean into a lifestyle of training others. Suzie takes us through her evolution from windsurfing and motocross riding to stand up paddling (SUP) and finding her passion for the world-famous Maliko downwind course on Maui. We hear of Suzie's approach to training athletes both remotely and in person, her approach to the physical and mental aspects of endurance paddling, and her passion for spending time to help others grow strong in the ocean. Suzie shares her story of building a massive SUP event to raise awareness for women's health and leveraging that to grow an amazing lifestyle of writing books, training others, and competing in SUP events. We hear of a recent trip to Hood River, Suzie's love for riding dirt bikes, and her strength pushing through injuries to continue to thrive in the ocean. Thanks for sharing Suzie's ocean life with us. Be sure to check out photos and videos of her on Instagram, training website, and Mailko run website. You can also find fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV website, Instagram, and Facebook, and Twitter. Host: Josh Pederson, @surfpaddletailgate

In episode 93 we check in with Brian and Robyn Cooper, a family from Santa Cruz, CA who, with their 2 daughters, left it all behind 9 months prior to live a dream of sailing in the South Pacific. Brian and Robyn describe their first few months of learning their sailboat Renegade, the ins and outs of sailing among the islands and reefs of Fiji, and developing confidence in their sailing capabilities. The Coopers share perspective on traveling in the outer Fijian Islands, surfing incredible waves, diving, fishing, boat-schooling the kids, and spending time in many local villages where they've learned and embraced the Fijian culture. We hear of how the family is adapting to life afloat and how their daughters, ages 9 and 12, are growing and changing as result of spending tons of time in the ocean and interacting with the Fijian culture. Brian and Robyn talk about the next major part of their trip which takes them over a 10-day passage to New Zealand then over to Indonesia and other epic parts of the South Pacific. Thanks for sharing Brian and Robyn's ocean life with us. Be sure to check out photos and videos of them on Instagram, their website SailingWithRenegade.com. You can also find fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV website, Instagram, and Facebook, and Twitter. Host: Josh Pederson, @surfpaddletailgate

In episode 92 I speak with a good friend and legend, Pat Shaughnessy, a world class big wave surfer and prone board paddler. Pat takes us through the past few years of focusing his summers on lifeguarding at Santa Cruz beaches and competing in both the Catalina Classic and Molokai 2 Oahu paddle board races with stories of dealing with the physical and mental challenges of these long distance events. Pat takes us through the evolution of his surfing from competitive shortboarding in his early teens to following his sister, Savannah, to Mavericks for his first big wave introduction. We hear of Pat taking a cautious first few years at Mavericks before things clicking for him and finding his true love for big wave surfing and being invited to compete in the 3 recent Mavericks contests. Pat talks about his crew in the line-up, continued inspiration from his sister in big waves, no-leash days at Puerto Escondido, and spending time to help the next generation find their stoke for big waves. Thanks for sharing Pat's ocean life with us. Be sure to check out photos and videos of Pat on Instagram. You can also find fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV website, Instagram, and Facebook pages. We are on Twitter ranting about anything cool happening in the ocean. Host: Josh Pederson, @surfpaddletailgate

In episode 91 I speak with Andy Schell and Mia Karlsson, owners and operators of 59 North, an offshore sailing adventure company operating in the Atlantic Ocean. Andy and Mia tell their story of founding the company based on their love for sailing, the challenges they faced building a business of taking guests (or 'crew') with different levels of sailing experience out to sea for extended periods of time, and their own respective backgrounds in the ocean. Andy and Mia share stories from the various routes they take on their trips, from trans-Atlantic crossings to northern passages past Norway, we hear of the gear required, how they structure their crew during a voyage, and the special times they share with their crew at sea, helping others learn the love of sailing and the open ocean. Andy and Mia touch on the special connection we all share with the ocean and relate specific stories of their own spiritual interactions with animals at sea. Thanks for sharing Andy and Mia's ocean life with us. Be sure to check out photos and videos of them on Instagram, their website 59-north.com, and awesome podcast, On The Wind. You can also find fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV website, Instagram, and Facebook, and Twitter. Host: Josh Pederson, @surfpaddletailgate

In episode 90 I speak with a friend and local hero of mine, Tyler Conroy, who has built a well rounded ocean life for himself in Santa Cruz, CA. Tyler shares his stories of learning to surf as a young teen and moving quickly into some of the heavier Northern California water, his time in Jr Lifeguards, and transition into surfing big waves. We hear of Tyler's first session at Mavericks, some of the local legends who coached him into his first waves, and surfing Mavs with his group of close friends and wife, Savannah. Tyler talks about the lineup at Mavericks, working jet ski rescue in big waves, his breath hold training, love for spearfishing, and progression on the foil (and challenges of the sport here in cold, kelpy, Santa Cruz).  Thanks for sharing Tyler's ocean life with us. Be sure to check out photos and videos of Tyler on Instagram. You can also find fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV website, Instagram, and Facebook pages. We are on Twitter ranting about anything cool happening in the ocean. Host: Josh Pederson, @surfpaddletailgate

In episode 89 I speak with Luke Adolfson, a surfer and diver focusing his energy into pursuing happiness in the waters of Maui. Luke shares stories of surfing on Maui, surfing local WQS contests, and his time over the past years pushing himself at Peahi (Jaws). We hear of Luke's world travel surfing Indo, South Africa, and more with time spent helping those less fortunate with missionary work to Uganda. Luke shares his perspective on the youth of Maui today and the energy he and others in the community are putting into helping the kids stay focused on their goals in life and finding happiness on that beautiful island. Luke and I replay a recent story of a close call with a boat when spearfishing together off of Napili and hear of Luke's pursuit of breath holding and apnea training. Thanks for sharing Luke's ocean life with us. Be sure to check out photos and videos of Luke on Instagram. You can also find fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV website, Instagram, and Facebook pages. We are on Twitter ranting about anything cool happening in the ocean. Host: Josh Pederson, @surfpaddletailgate

In Episode 88 I sit down with Bobby Twitchell, a man born and bred in the waters of West Maui. Bobby shares stories of fishing and spearing from the age of 4 through today where he runs Maui Spearfishing Academy, a thriving local business introducing people to free diving and spearfishing with a major focus on education and sustainability. We hear stories of Bobby teaching himself the ways of hunting underwater and the continual progression of his free diving education and skill. Bobby shares his perspective on college life in Arizona then returning to Maui and building his business, stories of pursuing big fish and dealing with sharks and other natural challenges in the waters of Maui, and what Bobby's familiarity with the local reefs and fish of Maui means to him. We hear of Bobby's formal freedive training and his natural breath holding ability (which I am admittedly envious of) and his great perspective on competitive freediving versus doing it for the love of the hunt. And we open up by recounting a tale of Bobby and I being way to close to the path of a speeding boat during a dive on the Napili coast :) Thanks for sharing Bobby's ocean life with us. Be sure to check out photos and videos of Bobby on Instagram and his Maui Spearfishing Academy website. You can also find fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV Instagram and Facebook pages. We are on Twitter ranting about anything cool happening in the ocean.

In episode 87 I speak with Johnny Kahakaloha, a man who has found his calling on land and the water of Maui. Johhny talks story of moving to Maui and immersing himself in local Hawaiian culture within the town of Kahakuloa where he learned how to live off of the land and be in harmony with the natural world around him, all while remotely running a highly successful record label company. Johnny tells the story of his entry into the world of paddling starting with the outrigger canoe and moving to the SUP where today Johnny is a regular in the waves and downwind courses on Maui. We hear of the strong community of Maui board paddlers and people who have influenced Johnny to take on one of the biggest paddle challenges on the planet, Molokai 2 Oahu. Johnny shares his story of deciding to paddle M2O in 2019 three weeks before the race and his intense training he went through to prepare, and shares a super heavy story of being stuck in 30-knot wind less than 2-miles from the M2O finish line. Throughout, we hear a great perspective from Johnny on finding and pursuing passion in life. Thanks for sharing Johnny's ocean life with us. Be sure to check out photos and videos of Johnny on Instagram. You can also find fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV Instagram and Facebook pages. We are on Twitter ranting about anything cool happening in the ocean.

In this episode of Stoked Grom Stories I talk with Bobo Gallagher, a young man who is loving his life in the waters of Maui. Bobo shares stories of getting hooked on surfing after riding his first wave, the first time he picked up a paddle and surfed SUP, and his discovery of downwinding. We hear about the great support Bobo has from his family and crew of friends in the water who help him train and learn the ocean. Bobo talks about his love for foiling in the surf and downwind and shares his thoughts on the new foil wing and what it's like downwinding in the Hood River Gorge in Oregon. Bobo does a great job answering the lightning round of questions and shows a lot of great character and passion for his ocean life.  Thanks for sharing Bobo's ocean life with us. You can find pictures of him ripping on Instagram and more good stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV Instagram and Facebook pages. We are on Twitter ranting about anything cool happening in the ocean.

In episode 86 we continue on the theme of competitive surf lifesaving and hear stories of Amanda Calabrese, a world-class competitor in the sport. Amanda takes us through her early days in Montauk, New York as a Junior Lifeguard, finding her passion for competing at a high level, and her path leading to the US National Surf Lifesaving Team. We talk about the fringe nature, supportive community of competitors, and gender equality natural to surf lifesaving with Amanda sharing stories of her mentors who have helped push her along the way and her philosophy toward the mental aspect of competition. Amanda shares her love for training the next generation of Jr Guard groms (including my own daughters!) and balancing her own training for both prone board racing and beach flags while building her start-up, Tempo, that's driving to empower women through higher performance feminine products. We hear of Amanda's training with the Australian elite, competing on the world stage, and connection with Buell Surf and Rescue, to help push the sport forward with innovative new equipment design and grom training. Thanks for sharing Amanda's ocean life with us. Be sure to check out photos and videos of Amanda on Instagram and her new company, Tempo. You can also find fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV Instagram and Facebook pages. We are on Twitter ranting about anything cool happening in the ocean.

In episode 85 I speak with April O'Gorman, a world-class competitor in the sport of surf life saving. April shares her stories of discovering surf life saving competition later in life than most of her peers, finding her competitive strengths, and learning the skills and techniques for success. We hear of her mentors in the sport that have helped April progress from the regional to national then world stage of surf life saving competition, her time in Australia training with legends of the sport, and great stories of competing on the US National Team. April shares her perspective on the community of surf lifesaving competitors, her approach to training and competing in her favorite events such as board paddling and The Iron, a multi-discipline event of board paddling, swimming, running, and surf ski paddling, that April today (Aug 2019) is set to defend her current national title at the upcoming US National event. April shares her enjoyment of providing back to the next generation of groms to help them grow their love of competitive surf lifesaving and find their own success in the sport, and her synergy with Buell Surf and Rescue, a California company pushing the sport forward with innovative new equipment design and grom training camps. Thanks for sharing April's ocean life with us. Be sure to check out photos and videos of April on Instagram. You can also find fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV Instagram and Facebook pages. We are on Twitter ranting about anything cool happening in the ocean.

In episode 84 I sit down and talk story with two legends in the world of competitive surf lifesaving -- Ryan Paroz and Ryan Buell. We hear stories from Paroz about his competitive success today in both prone board and surf ski paddling events, his time on the US National Team, competing across the world, and crossing the Kaiwi Channel (Molokai to Oahu) six times on the surf ski. Buell takes us back into the 1980's and 90's where he competed on the world stage with major focus on prone board racing and beach flags, sharing a great history of the men and women of that era who have laid the foundation for competitive surf lifesaving of today. We talk equipment with both Ryan's sharing stories of the gear they've used and hear the story of Paroz's homemade prone sprint board that he's used for years and Buell's surf ski that he still has 25 years later. We hear of the synergy between Paroz and Buell in their mutual focus of growing the sport of surf lifesaving through bringing the best equipment to market and providing strong mentorship and coaching to the next generation of groms frothing to compete on the beach. Thanks for sharing Paroz's and Buell's ocean life with us. Be sure to check out photos and videos of Paroz on Instagram and Facebook. Check out Buell Surf and Rescue on Instagram and Facebook, and Ryan Buell himself. You can also find fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV Instagram and Facebook pages. We are on Twitter ranting about anything cool happening in the ocean. And... reduce your use of plastic!!

In episode 83 we hear the stories of Mick Slattery around his world of surfing and running SureFire Boards in his home waters of Sydney, Australia. Mick takes us through his time as a grom being in the Nipper program (Jr Lifeguard), moving from the bodyboard to surfboard, leading to hollow barrels and epic waves in the Mentawis. We hear of Mick's first SUP session way back in 2009 that brought him to experimenting with SUP shaping and design which ultimately brought him to building his SureFire Board company. Mick talks philosophy behind his board design and the importance of delivering high quality to his customers. We hear stories of Mick interviewing and surfing with some of the biggest legends of the sport like Kai Lenny and Gerry Lopez and a fun tale of beating a brand new rental truck in the sand dunes with Laird Hamilton. Thanks for sharing Mick's ocean life with us. Be sure to check out photos and videos of Mick on Instagram and Facebook. Vote for SureFire Boards to be SUP Brand of the Year!! You can also find fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV Instagram and Facebook pages. We are on Twitter ranting about anything cool happening in the ocean. And... reduce your use of plastic!!

In episode 82 we hear stories from Tony Rapacioli on his life of longboarding and surf photography in the beautiful waters of Noosa, Australia. Tony shares his stories on learning to surf at Noosa, one of the most famous longboard surf communities in the world, and his perspective on the surfers and waves that make up this special place. We hear of Tony's positive approach to surfing, enjoying both the ocean and people around him in the water. Tony talks about rediscovering his love for photography through shooting surfers at Noosa and his approach to sharing photos within the community. We also hear of great perspective on introducing children to the ocean, the animals living in and around Noosa, and Zenhiser.com, a great music business that Tony has built. Images by Fenna de King Thanks for sharing Tony's ocean life with us. Be sure to check out photos and videos of Tony on Instagram and Facebook. You can also find fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV Instagram and Facebook pages. We are on Twitter ranting about anything cool happening in the ocean.

In episode 81 we speak with Patrick Webster, an incredible underwater photographer with an artistic flair for capturing ocean scenes within the Monterey Bay and beyond. Patrick takes us through his transition from underwater video to photography and the community of local photographers he has around him in the Monterey area. We hear how Patrick's background with the UC Santa Cruz Marine Science program has influenced his photography and his focus on telling stories of the scenes and animals he photographs to inspire others. Patrick shares his perspective on developing social media content for the Monterey Bay Aquarium, a world leader in ocean education and conservation, and the importance of relating the ocean world to the everyday lives of people to help them understand and connect. We also hear about the amazing success story of Cabo Pulmo, a marine protected area near Cabo San Lucas, where Patrick has spent time photographing the amazing ocean life there. Thanks for sharing Patrick's ocean life with us. Be sure to check out photos and videos of Patrick on Instagram. You can also find fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV Instagram and Facebook pages. We are on Twitter ranting about anything cool happening in the ocean.

In part 2 of this multi-part series with stories and perspectives on the world's gnarliest paddle board race, Molokai 2 Oahu (M2O). Five of my past guests and current legends in the water -- Gerry Lopez, Josh Riccio, Alice Henley, Jenn Lee, Mike Dilloughery -- all share their past experiences paddling in the Kaiwi Channel (The Channel of Bones) including seasickness, poor choice of lines, horrific sunburns, dealing with mental fatigue, logistical nightmares, and much more. Gerry Lopez podcast stories from M2O is available here. If you enjoy this story compilation I'd be stoked if you gave a nice rating of This Ocean Life in your podcast app or even better stop using plastics whenever possible so we can keep them out of the environment and out of the stomachs of our favorite ocean critters. Thanks! Check out all podcast episodes at www.ThisOceanLife.tv.

In the continuing series around the unofficial world championships of padde board racing, Molokai 2 Oahu (M2O), we speak with Hunter Pflueger on his past years in the Kaiwi Channel. Hunter takes us from his first relay team as a 13-year old grom up to today where he is focused on challenging to win the prone stock division. Hunter shares his stories of training for the event, persevering through the various areas of the channel, pushing through the mental and physical challenges paddlers face in this heavy 32-mile stretch of water. We hear of intense paddle battles with other racers, bumping rails across the channel, and epic finishes. Hunter provides a very humble and gracious perspective on the event, the paddle community, and his own family for providing strong support for him throughout the years.  Thanks for sharing Hunter's M2O stories with us. Be sure to check out photos and videos of Hunter on Instagram. You can also find fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV Instagram and Facebook pages. We are on Twitter ranting about anything cool happening in the ocean.

In episode 79 we bring back Troy Nebeker to hear about the 2019 24 Hour Paddle for cancer and the incredible grass roots growth that the event is experiencing. Troy takes us through the fun and challenge that his own Team Seattle faced in this 2019 event, shares some stories from other teams around the nation as they paddle around the clock in their local waters, and discusses the amazing growth within the paddle board community that this organic movement has experienced in the last 5 years. Troy and I talk shop about various aspects of the 24 Hour paddle including the sense of community, commitment, and physical challenges to being in the water in the middle of the night. A lot of great inspiration to do good for others through our own time in the ocean! Thanks for sharing Troy's ocean life with us. You can find pictures and video of Troy on his Monster and Sea website and Instagram page. And always see some fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV Instagram and Facebook pages. We are also on Twitter ranting about anything cool happening in the ocean.

In this continuation of our series of Molokai 2 Oahu paddle board race stories, we hear from the legend Gerry Lopez on his time in the Kaiwi Channel. Gerry takes us through the years he competed in the M2O event on relay teams, sharing tales of big seas, epic paddle battles to the finish, choosing the wrong line, and more. We hear Gerry's perspective on the challenging conditions that the Kaiwi Channel can provide, his respect for that water, and some neat history on the M2O event and the people who have been involved with keeping the tradition alive. Photo credit: Bernie Baker. To learn more about the Molokai 2 Oahu event see their website at http://www.molokai2oahu.com/. You can also find fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV Instagram and Facebook pages. We are on Twitter ranting about anything cool happening in the ocean.

In episode 76 we hear stories from Mellisa Altenburger, a woman of the water who has spent the last 6 years in the Bahamas. Mel takes us through her journey from South Africa to the Bahamas where she crews on a 100-ft cruising yacht and found her passion for being underwater. We hear of Mel's evolution with scuba and free diving, the wealth of wrecks and animals she regularly experiences in the Bahamas, and her amazing (and heart wrenching) story of working to save a green turtle who swallowed a fishing hook. Mel takes us through her strong passion for ocean conservation with trash cleanups, her work to capture the beauty of the Bahamian waters through underwater photography, and gives a great perspective on her love for the ocean -- something we can all identify with. Thanks for sharing Mel's ocean life with us. Be sure to check out her amazing photos and videos on Instagram. You can also find fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV Instagram and Facebook pages. We are on Twitter ranting about anything cool happening in the ocean.

In this podcast episode we chat again with Steve Shlens talking about the seven Molokai 2 Oahu races he's competed in. Steve shares stories from his first time in the Kaiwi Channel and the hard learning curve everyone faces around travel, logistics, and paddling the race. We hear about Steve being lost in the Channel for 3+ hours when his escort boat was unable to locate him after the start plus great perspective on the mental challenges the race delivers and Steve's tactics for overcoming them. Steve relates stories of sinking boats, fixing large holes in his paddle board before the race, working with boat captains, and the overall amazing camaraderie of this very special event. Whether you've done M2O or are considering the attempt, there is plenty of great stories and perspective from Steve to enjoy. Thanks for sharing Steve's M2O stories with us. Be sure to check out photos and videos of Steve on Instagram. You can hear Steve's Part 1 episode here. You can also find fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV Instagram and Facebook pages. We are on Twitter ranting about anything cool happening in the ocean.

In Episode 75 we connect back with David Ochoa, one of my favorite spearos on the planet, and hear stories from the past six months of guiding and filming spearfishing trips around the world. David takes through his time scouting and leading spearfishing trips in Madagascar, Mexico, Azores, Panama, and Indonesia. David describes his version of fish paradise in Indo, sharing stories of huge fish and pristine waters. We hear stories of New Zealand and of David's massive kingie / yellowtail wrapping up at 40 meters deep and the group effort to bring the fish back to the boat. David talks about his recent film, Agua Negra, The Movie (which I love) and connecting with Red Bull to film their events. As always, David provides an amazing perspective on maintaining respect for the ocean, the fish we take, and the people we visit in our travels. Thanks for sharing David's ocean life with us. Be sure to check out Agua Negra on Vimeo and amazing photos and videos of David on Instagram. You can hear David's Part 1 episode here. You can also find fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV Instagram and Facebook pages. We are on Twitter ranting about anything cool happening in the ocean.

In Episode 74 we check back in Ryan Levinson, a hard charging man of the water living with Muscular Dystrophy in the waters of French Polynesia. Ryan recaps the past 6 months living on a sail catamaran in Tahitian waters with wife Nicole. We hear of them making the move to their new catamaran after being passed by that boat in the middle of the Pacific Ocean en route from Mexico and the learning curve to life on a new, larger boat. Ryan shares the day to day routine of life in the Tahitian Islands, scuba diving, kite boarding, sailing, and the relationships they've made with other cruisers. Ryan shares perspective on riding waves with the bodyboard in the heavy Tahitian surf as his continued loss of muscle makes it more and more challenging to ride waves. We hear about a perfect paradise island that he and Nicole have found with incredible surf and amazing local people (which Ryan is keeping secret -- I'm going to get it out of him :)). Thanks for sharing Ryan's ocean life with us. You can find pictures and video of Ryan and Nicole on their Facebook page, Instagram page and epic YouTube Channel, Two Afloat. Please also check out the adaptive sports organizations that Ryan works with: https://www.challengedathletes.org https://stokeforlife.org/ There is always some fun stuff on the This Ocean Life Instagram and Facebook pages as well. We are also on Twitter ranting about anything cool happening in the ocean. Remember -- single use plastic is BAD. About 32% never makes it to the land-fill but ends up in our waterways and environment (according to Earthday.org)

In Episode 73 we speak with Dan Haifley, an ocean activist who has spent decades working to protect California waters. Dan takes us through the amazing story of battling oil companies in the 1980's and 90's to block their offshore oil drilling north of Santa Barbara, CA. We hear of the grass roots activism Dan was involved in with Save Our Shores where he worked closely with NOAA and local government agencies to designate the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, a 6,000+ square mile protected area along California's coast. Dan talks about his interaction with Jack O'Neill leading into development of the Sea Odyssey program to educate and inspire school children on the ocean. Dan shares a lot of great perspective on citizen involvement to protect the ocean, the challenges we face today around conservation, and the amazing people he's worked with over the years. Thanks for sharing Dan's ocean life with us. You can find pictures and video of him on Facebook , Oneill Sea Odyssey, and Save Our Shores. You can also find good stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV Instagram and Facebook pages. We are on Twitter ranting about anything cool happening in the ocean.

In this episode of Stoked Grom Stories we talk with Ethan and Merritt Perlyn, two brothers enjoying their ocean lives in the waters around Miami, Florida. The boys take us through their recent adventures of surfing in Costa Rica, diving with sharks in the Bahamas, experiencing the icy waters of Northern California for the first time, and developing a deep connection with the ocean. We hear how Ethan and Merritt started their clothing and lifestyle company, CREPIC, after a great surf session that was both 'crazy' and 'epic' at the same time. They boys take us through the day to day of CREPIC and how they place strong focus on sustainability (no plastic packaging) and giving back to local non-profits (anti-bullying and Surfers for Autism). We also hear about prone paddling, shark tagging, and many more activities the boys enjoy in the water. Ethan and Merritt skillfully handle the highly anticipated grom lightening round of questions and leave us all with inspiration to do something good for the ocean. Thanks for sharing Ethan and Merritt's ocean life with us. You can find pictures of them ripping on Instagram and more good stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV Instagram and Facebook pages. We are on Twitter ranting about anything cool happening in the ocean.

In episode 72 we speak with Josh Smith, a marine biologist spending his time underwater in the kelp forests of California. Josh takes us through his research to understand the changes in kelp forests with a relatively recent explosion in sea urchin populations and the interactions of other animals like otters, abalone, and sea stars are involved. We hear about the day to day operations of doing research in the cold waters of Monterey Bay, the physical demands of daily scuba diving, and talk about how the loss of kelp forests and other changes to the ocean environment may be part of larger cycles that we humans just haven't been around long enough to understand yet. Josh also shares some neat perspective on the importance of mentors, both in the water and on land, to help us pursue our calling. If you want more on marine biology in California waters, see a related episode with Steve Lonhart. Thanks for sharing Josh's ocean life with us. You can find pictures and video of him on Instagram, Facebook and website. You can also find good stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV Instagram and Facebook pages. We are on Twitter ranting about anything cool happening in the ocean.

In Episode 71 we speak with Ginaia Kelly, a woman of the water who spends her days supporting ocean protection, volunteering to help those less fortunate, and pursuing her own passion in the water. Ginaia takes us through her work with the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation to raise awareness and support for ocean protection along the California coast. We hear of the dynamics behind supporting a designated marine sanctuary and the coordination role that Ginaia plays. Ginaia shares her stories of surfing in the waters of Santa Cruz, stand up paddleboarding with whales, and volunteering her time with Ride A Wave, getting disabled children into the surf, and volunteering with Operation Surf (getting veterans into the surf). Tons of great perspective on helping the ocean, helping others, and loving life in the water from Ginaia. Thanks for sharing Ginaia's ocean life with us. You can find pictures and video of her on Facebook and Monterey Bay Sanctuary Foundation website. You can also find good stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV Instagram and Facebook pages. We are on Twitter ranting about anything cool happening in the ocean.  Photos by Bob Island Kristin Heitzler.

In Episode 70 we speak with Ryan Croteau, a former professional surfer and world traveler turned surf guide and instructor. Ryan takes us through his early surfing days in Florida, competing in local contests, and making a move with his family out to Southern California in his teens. Ryan takes us through his time and stories from surfing in Sweden and other Scandinavian countries as well as an epic road trip from the UK down into Portugal. Ryan shares a great story of finding his passion for teaching others how to surf and how he started his company, California Surf Experience, where he takes groups of new and experienced surfers on guided trips in his home waters of Southern California, Guatemala, and more. We also talk Jiu Jitsu, used surfboards, and general stoke for doing what we love in the ocean. Thanks for sharing Ryan's ocean life with us. You can find pictures and video of him on Instagram and California Surf Experience website. You can also find good stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV Instagram and Facebook pages. We are on Twitter ranting about anything cool happening in the ocean.

In this episode we tell the story of Team Santa Cruz paddling in the Monster and Sea 24 Hour Paddle for cancer from April 2019. A team of 6 with many others paddle around the clock, relay-style, from 8 AM Saturday to 8 AM Sunday to raise funds for a local family challenged with cancer. This is a new podcast format where we mix narration with live recorded audio from the event -- hope you like it! For more information on Monster and Sea 24 Hour Paddle for Cancer see https://monsterandsea.com/.

In Episode 69 we speak with Sachi Cunningham, a legendary woman of the water who has been photographing the waves of Mavericks and other heavy breaks for close to 20 years. Sachi shares her stories of developing her strength swimming in the water as a youth then finding her passion for photography, surfing, and waves. We hear of Sachi's first day swimming and shooting at big Ocean Beach, her progression of capturing big wave photos from the water at both Mavericks and Jaws, and the big wave community she has been part of for so long. Sachi talks about her focus for helping women in professional big wave surfing reach gender equity on the world tour and her current project, She Change The Film, that documents the events and key figures in that awesome story. We also hear Sachi's physical and mental approach to swimming in big surf and introducing her young daughter to the ocean. Thanks for sharing Sachi's ocean life with us. You can find pictures and video of her on Instagram and She Change The Film website. Please consider donating a few bucks to Sachi's She Change project to help raise awareness for gender equity in surfing and beyond. You can also find good stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV Instagram and Facebook pages. We are on Twitter ranting about anything cool happening in the ocean. Photos by Maria Fernanda and Sarah Makarewicz. This episode is sponsored by Shearwater Paddleboards, a family-owned company that hand-crafts prone paddle boards and surfboards in rugged Northern California. Now offering a line of open water GROM PADDLE BOARDS! If you want to be fast, smooth, and comfortable in the water check them out at www.ShearWaterPaddleboards.com

In episode 68 we visit with Alo Slebir, a 17-year old man born and bred for the water who is up for a WSL Big Wave Paddle Award for the 2018/19 winter. Alo takes us through his progression surfing big Steamer Lane before finding his passion for the waves at Mavericks at age 14, the mentors who inspired and guided him, along with his perspective on that wave and the changes he's seen in the lineup over a few short years. Alo shares stories of being addicted to the Powerlines videos of Mavericks as a young kid, competitive surfing in the local Santa Cruz scholastic league, his love for downwind prone paddling (just like dear old dad), and recent love for freediving and spearfishing. We also hear stories of surf trips to Mainland Mexico and a recent, epic trip to Iceland. Plenty to be inspired by from this young man of the water. Thanks for sharing Alo's ocean life with us. You can find pictures and video of him on his Instagram page. There is also some fun stuff on the This Ocean Life Instagram and Facebook pages. We are also on Twitter ranting about anything cool happening in the ocean. This episode is sponsored by Burnout Suncare. A family-owned company based in Santa Cruz, CA that specializes in chemical-free, environmentally-friendly, reef-safe sunscreens for water sports athletes and health conscious families. Check them out at www.burnoutsun.com.

In Episode 67 we speak with Dan Semrad, founder of Oregon Freediving Company and life-long man of the water. Dan takes us through his evolution from scuba diving into freediving sharing stories on the people and places along the way such as Honduras, Grand Cayman, Hawaii, and more. Dan shares his perspective on training others through his work with PFI and NAUI while pushing his own breath hold limits. We hear of underwater blackouts and rescues while diving and hunting fish in the dark waters of the Oregon coast and adventures in Alaska with Dan's thoughts on learning techniques to pursue new types of fish and enjoying the overall pursuit. Thanks for sharing Dan's ocean life with us. You can find pictures and video of Dan on his Instagram page and website - if you're interested in freedive training definitely hit him up. You can also always see some fun stuff on the This Ocean Life Instagram and Facebook pages. We are also on Twitter ranting about anything cool happening in the ocean. This episode is sponsored by Kalletka Undersea, an ocean lifestyle company born from thousands of hours spent roaming in and under the sea. As a family-owned company Kalletka delivers high quality t-shirts and hats representing memorable scenes and animals in the ocean. Visit them at www.Kalletka.com and get 15% off your order with the code thisocean15. Enjoy the Humble Pursuit.

In this multi-part series I've put together the first set of stories and perspectives on the world's gnarliest paddle board race, Molokai 2 Oahu (M2O). Six of my past guests and current legends in the water -- Lincoln Dews, Mick Di Betta, Morgan Hoesterey, Nick Franco, Leanne Horton, and Jeff Denholm -- all share their past experiences paddling in the Kaiwi Channel (The Channel of Bones) including sinking boats, injuries, super heavy conditions, the first M2O event ever, competing both SUP and prone, logistical horror stories, and much, much more. If you enjoy this story compilation I'd be stoked if you gave a nice rating of This Ocean Life in your podcast app or even better stop using plastics whenever possible so we can keep them out of the environment and out of the stomachs of our favorite ocean critters. Thanks! Check out all podcast episodes at www.ThisOceanLife.tv.

In this episode of Stoked Grom Stories we speak with Riley Auble, a young man enjoying a life growing up in Santa Cruz, California. We hear of Riley's adventures traveling to Vietnam and his favorite surf spots on Maui. Riley talks about his love for fishing, helping disabled children enjoy the waves with Ride-A-Wave, and the epic finish of his Junior Lifeguard paddle team at the 2018 California Regional competition. Riley takes us through some of his strategy for competitive surfing and his stoke for paddling prone boards.  Thanks for sharing Riley's ocean life with us. You can find pictures of him ripping on Instagram and more good stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV Instagram and Facebook pages. We are on Twitter ranting about anything cool happening in the ocean. This episode is sponsored by Shearwater Paddleboards, a family-owned company that hand-crafts prone paddle boards and surfboards in rugged Northern California. Now offering a line of open water GROM PADDLE BOARDS! If your grom wants to be fast, smooth, and comfortable in the water check them out at www.ShearWaterPaddleboards.com

In Episode 66 we speak with Chris Aguilar, a man of the water who has built an amazing lifestyle of board paddling and documenting the people and events of the sport. Chris takes us through his years filming the Molokai 2 Oahu paddleboard race and shares some of his favorite moments that he's been a part of. We hear about the evolution of Chris's video work and his passion for using this medium to tell stories from events like M2O, Carolina Cup, Battle of the Paddle while also pushing his own physical and mental limits competing as a prone paddler in many events. Chris talks about the 10+ Catalina Channel crossings that he's done as well as his love for the Chattajack Race in Tennessee and shares his perspective on the paddle community and participating in fund raisers for those less fortunate, like the 24 Hour Paddle. Thanks for sharing Chris's ocean life with us. You can find Chris's videos on Vimeo, pictures and video of him on his Instagram page and Facebook. There is also some fun stuff on the This Ocean Life Instagram and Facebook pages. We are also on Twitter ranting about anything cool happening in the ocean. This episode is sponsored by Burnout Suncare. A family-owned company based in Santa Cruz, CA that specializes in chemical-free, environmentally-friendly, reef-safe sunscreens for water sports athletes and health conscious families. Check them out at www.burnoutsun.com.

In podcast Episode 64 we speak with Chris Hearn, a man of the ocean from Newfoundland who is part of Discovery Channel's 'Disasters at Sea' television series that reexamine some of the most mysterious and harrowing sea disasters of the last 50 years. Chris takes us through his his work on the show helping to capture the human experience of maritime disasters that the show re-creates. We hear about Chris's 15+ year career at sea, traveling the world, and reaching the level of Master Mariner. Chris talks about a variety of vessels he has operated from ice breakers, to cargo ships, drilling, and more while sharing his perspective on life at sea running a ship and living with the raw wild of the ocean. Chris shares an incredible story of being caught in a 'perfect storm' scenario near the Grand Banks and talks about his current role as director of a marine simulation center helping the maritime industry become more safe. Disasters at Seas is really well done show that makes you feel part of the actual disaster. Check it out on the Discovery Channel website. Thanks for sharing Chris's ocean life with us. You can find more information on his work with Disasters at Sea here.There is also some fun stuff on the This Ocean Life Instagram and Facebook pages and we are also on Twitter ranting about all kinds of ocean stuff. This episode is sponsored by Mile 22, makers of surf and paddle board straps — including world famous Monster Straps (which I LOVE and use regularly) — designed in California by folks who surf and paddle every day. Check them at www.Mile22.com.

In Episode 64 we speak with Mike Lenane, a man of Western Australia with strong passion for sharing the world of standup paddleboarding SUP with others. Mike takes us through his life growing up near Perth and the evolution of his ocean life with bodyboarding, surfing, and then SUP. We hear stories of Mike discovering SUP, building a lifestyle business around the sport, and his stoke for introducing others to the water. Mike talks about his video production work on projects like "SUP in the 1920's" a spin on the old silent movies and his latest project, "This is Stand Up Paddle" that puts a new twist on nature documentaries (you must watch it here on YouTube) and was part of the first SUP Film Fest. Mike also has a new YouTube channel, "The SUP Show" that dives into the world of SUP and all things ocean. Thanks for sharing Mike's ocean life with us. You can find pictures and video of him on Facebook. Plus check out his Sunset Standup Paddle website. There is also some fun stuff on the This Ocean Life Instagram and Facebook pages and we are also on Twitter ranting about stuff. This episode is sponsored by Burnout Suncare. A family-owned company based in Santa Cruz, CA that specializes in chemical-free, environmentally-friendly, reef-safe sunscreens for water sports athletes and health conscious families. Check them out at www.burnoutsun.com.

In Episode 63 we speak with Stefan Simkovics, a man who found his passion for the ocean after spending time traveling the world with the US Navy. Stefan takes us through his enlistment process, choosing a ship to serve on, and the officer role he served on a 400 ft frigate ship. We hear of Stefan becoming a Navy rescue swimmer, his daily life on the ship, and operating along the east coast of Africa supporting operations to combat piracy. Stefan shares his perspective on finding his passion for surfing and prone paddling as he left the Navy and joined as a lifeguard in San Diego.  Thanks for sharing Stefan's ocean life with us. You can find good stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV Instagram and Facebook pages. We are on Twitter ranting about anything cool happening in the ocean. This episode is sponsored by Shearwater Paddleboards, a family-owned company that hand-crafts prone paddle boards and surfboards in rugged Northern California. If you want to be fast, smooth, and comfortable in the water check them out at www.ShearWaterPaddleboards.com

In Episode 62 we speak with Duke Brouwer, a man who has built an incredible life around the ocean and the surf industry. Duke takes us through his story of learning to surf in the 82/83 El Nino, managing the legendary Gordon & Smith surf shop in Southern California, and his years living, surfing, and diving on Maui. We hear of Duke's 14-year career with Surftech, the arrival of SUP, and great stories of the legendary people he spent time with (Joe Bark, Gerry Lopez, more). Duke shares his perspective on giving back to the ocean community and those less fortunate through volunteer work (Jay Moriatry Paddle Race, 24 Hour Paddle) and hear about his work with Buell Wetsuits to inspire the next generation of ocean athletes.  Thanks for sharing Duke's ocean life with us. You can find pictures and video of him on Instagram and Facebook. There is also some fun stuff on the This Ocean Life Instagram and Facebook pages. We are also on Twitter ranting about anything cool happening in the ocean. This episode is sponsored by Buell Wetsuits. Driven by their passion for surfing, Buell Wetsuits & Surf was born out of Ryan Buell's garage and today creates quality products for core surfers the world over. From frothing groms to touring pros, Buell Wetsuits are trusted and worn in line-ups from Steamer Lane to Sebastian Inlet and beyond... For your next wetsuit go to buellsurf.com or stop by Buell Surf Shop at 912 41st Ave in Santa Cruz.

In Episode 61 we speak with George Peterson, a man of the water who has spent almost 2 decades years educating the world about our oceans through scuba diving. George takes us through his youth in Iowa, finding scuba diving in Colorado, and ultimately moving to the island of Utila, Honduras. We hear the story of George and friends building the first eco-friendly dive resort on Utila, stories of whale shark pods, and George finding his true passion for education and conservation of the oceans which he pursued back to California where he joined the Monterey Bay Aquarium. George talks about the amazing work the aquarium does for our oceans, young people, and the disabled through the Underwater Explorers program and Day of Discovery, talks about their white shark program, and shares his recent trip to Oman where he witnessed some of the most pristine and amazing underwater life he has ever seen. Thanks for sharing George's ocean life with us. You can find pictures and video of George on his Instagram page and Facebook. Check out the Monterey Bay Aquarium youth dive program as well. There is also some fun stuff on the This Ocean Life Instagram and Facebook pages. We are also on Twitter ranting about anything cool happening in the ocean. This episode is sponsored by Burnout Suncare. A family-owned company based in Santa Cruz, CA that specializes in chemical-free, environmentally-friendly, reef-safe sunscreens for water sports athletes and health conscious families. Check them out at www.burnoutsun.com.

In Episode 60 we speak with Tom Wegener, a legend in the world of surfboard shaping who has spent the last 4 decades building and riding boards. Tom takes us through the story of his youth surfing and shaping in Southern California, the influence of Donald Takayama that helped guide Tom to pursue the art of shaping and find the spirit of "ohana", or family, that is a key part of longboard surfing culture. Tom describes the evolution of his shaping from fiberglass and foam into wooden boards and his shares his passion for the traditional "Olo" and "Alaia" wooden boards that he continues to focus on building, and teaching others how to build, today. We hear Tom's perspective and excitement for a transformation happening in longboarding with a convergence of high performance and traditional riding he recently witnessed at the famous Noosa Festival of Surfing. A ton of great history and perspective on longboard surfing culture from a man who has been front and center within it for decades.  Thanks for sharing Tom's ocean life with us. You can find pictures and video of him on Facebook, his website, and Instagram. There is also some fun stuff on the This Ocean Life Instagram and Facebook pages. We are also on Twitter ranting about anything cool happening in the ocean. This episode is sponsored by Mile 22, makers of surf and paddle board straps — including world famous Monster Straps (which I LOVE and use regularly) — designed in California by folks who surf and paddle every day. Check them at www.Mile22.com.

In Episode 59 we speak with Maddi Leblanc, an amazing young woman from Ontario, Canada who continually shares her passion for standup paddling / SUP. We hear of Maddie's discovery of the sport of SUP as a young girl, the evolution of her paddling in local rivers and Great Lakes. Maddie shares her story of how the loss of 2 women close to her inspired her to create her non-profit event, On Board, to raise money for cancer research through standup paddling. Maddie takes us through her competitive racing in the Ontario area and tells the amazing story of being invited to represent Team Canada in the ISA World Paddleboarding Championships in China and the challenges she faced during the event. Maddie shares some great thoughts on what SUP and being on the water means to her from a spiritual and environmental perspective and how she is actively sharing that with others through her own college thesis project and active speaking engagements.  Thanks for sharing Maddi's ocean life with us. You can find pictures and video of Maddi on Facebook, her website, and Instagram. There is also some fun stuff on the This Ocean Life Instagram and Facebook pages. We are also on Twitter ranting about anything cool happening in the ocean. This episode is sponsored by Mile 22, makers of surf and paddle board straps — including world famous Monster Straps (which I LOVE and take on surf trips) — designed in California by folks who surf and paddle every day. Check them at www.Mile22.com.

In the third episode of Stoked Grom Stories we speak with Levi and Judah Mulder, two young men who enjoy a life in the cold ocean around Santa Cruz, California. We hear of the brothers surfing together, competing on the middle school surf team, and growing up steps from Steamer Lane with a great group of friends. Levi and Judah take us through their move from Chicago to Santa Cruz as young kids, their stories as Junior Lifeguards and both being on the fastest paddle relay teams in California. The boys share their stoke for helping disabled persons enjoy the ocean with their time volunteering with Ride A Wave, tell us a shark story, and do an amazing job handling the dreaded lightning round of grom questions. Great stuff from two great, young watermen. Thanks for sharing Levi and Judah's ocean life with us. You can find good stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV Instagram and Facebook pages. We are on Twitter ranting about anything cool happening in the ocean. This episode is sponsored by Shearwater Paddleboards, a family-owned company that hand-crafts prone paddle boards and surfboards in rugged Northern California. Now offering a line of open water GROM PADDLE BOARDS! If your grom wants to be fast, smooth, and comfortable in the water check them out at www.ShearWaterPaddleboards.com

In Episode 58 we speak with Alice Henley, a woman of South Florida who thrives on land and ocean endurance challenges. Alice shares her stories of finding her passion for prone paddling, her evolution as a competitive racer, and her mind-set to pull through the heavy mental challenges endurance sports present. Alice takes us through being seasick in the 2017 M2O race, and the incredible story of her 2018 M2O solo crossing where almost everything went wrong -- except her will to finish (this may be the gnarliest M2O story I've heard so far...). We hear of the marine rescue scene in South Florida, Alice's well-rounded cross-training regimen, and Alice's major focus on Crossing For A Cure where she plans to paddle 80 miles from Bimini, Bahamas back to Florida to raise money for Cystic Fibrosis in June, 2019 (link to donate is below!!!) Thanks for sharing Alice's ocean life with us. You can find pictures and video of her on Instagram , Facebook, and support her Crossing For A Cure paddle by donating on her fundraising website. You can also find good stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV Instagram and Facebook pages. We are on Twitter ranting about anything cool happening in the ocean. This episode is sponsored by Shearwater Paddleboards, a family-owned company that hand-crafts prone paddle boards and surfboards in rugged Northern California. Now offering a line of open water GROM PADDLE BOARDS! If you want to be fast, smooth, and comfortable in the water check them out at www.ShearWaterPaddleboards.com

In Episode 57 we speak with Max Montgomery, a surfer, diver, board paddler and man dedicated to helping others through ocean events. Max shares his stories of volunteering time for Ride A Wave and others that focus on getting persons with disabilities into the ocean. We hear of multiple events that Max has started himself including Paddle4Good and BestDay Foundation which continue to thrive around the USA. Max recounts an incredible story of a heart attack on the beach then surviving after 15+ minutes of no pulse with 6 defibrillator shocks and incredible hands-on effort from his wife-to-be and others on the beach. It's an epic story... Max continues today to put full effort into helping others and shares his current project with the first-ever SUP film festival due in March 2019. Thanks for sharing Max's ocean life with us. If you've been thinking about volunteering to help less fortunate children and adults enjoy the ocean, Max will give you the inspiration to get out and do it. You can find pictures and video of Max on Facebook, SUP Film Fest website, Paddle4Good, and BestDay Foundation websites. There is also some fun stuff on the This Ocean Life Instagram and Facebook pages. We are also on Twitter ranting about anything cool happening in the ocean. This episode is sponsored by Burnout Suncare. A family-owned company based in Santa Cruz, CA that specializes in chemical-free, environmentally-friendly, reef-safe sunscreens for water sports athletes and health conscious families. Check them out at www.burnoutsun.com.

In Episode 56 we chat with Kailyn Winter, a 15-year old woman of the water who represented Team USA in the 2018 ISA World Paddleboard Championships. Kailyn shares her story of training and qualifying in rough water for the USA Team in Santa Cruz at the legendary Jay Race, the excitement of making the team, and her months of dedicated training and preparation for the ISA event. We hear of Kailyn's travel to the island of Hainan, China, her perspective on representing the USA on this international stage, and competing in both team and individual board paddling events. Kailyn shares a gnarly story of losing her water bottles at the start of the 12-mile distance race and overcoming physical and emotional challenges to be part of an incredible photo finish at the end of a grueling event. Huge congratulations to Kailyn for her success at the ISAs and for being an amazing representative of USA paddle sports. Thanks for sharing Kailyn's ocean life with us. You can find pictures and video of her on Instagram and the ISA website. There is also some fun stuff on the This Ocean Life Instagram and Facebook pages. We are also on Twitter ranting about anything cool happening in the ocean. This episode is sponsored by Buell Wetsuits. Driven by their passion for surfing, Buell Wetsuits & Surf was born out of Ryan Buell's garage and today creates quality products for core surfers the world over. From frothing groms to touring pros, Buell Wetsuits are trusted and worn in line-ups from Steamer Lane to Sebastian Inlet and beyond... For your next wetsuit go to buellsurf.com or stop by Buell Surf Shop at 912 41st Ave in Santa Cruz.

In Episode 55 we speak with Ted Harty, a man dedicated to helping freedivers around the world stay safe and and enjoy this great sport.Ted takes us through leaving his 9-5 corporate job for a life of scuba diving in the Florida Keys and ultimately finding his passion for freediving. We hear of Ted's pursuit to improve his freediving skills, training with some of the best in the world, and becoming a highly successful competitive freediver where he set a US National record for dynamic apnea. Along the way Ted became the US National Freediving Coach and found another passion for helping others to be safe in the water. Ted takes us through his approach to developing his Immersion Freediving training program that provides both in-water and online components intended to educate divers anywhere on how to dive safe. Ted also shares the recent launch of www.FreeDivingSafety.com, an amazing online resource of information for all freedivers. Thanks for sharing Ted's ocean life with us. You can find pictures and video of him on Instagram and Facebook pages. View all of Ted’s online freediving classes www.onlineclasses.ImmersionFreediving.com -- enter coupon code OCEANLIFE to receive 20% off all online courses!! You can also find good stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV Instagram and Facebook pages. We are on Twitter ranting about anything cool happening in the ocean.

In episode 54 we speak with Stefano Ulivi, a man of Italy who has devoted his life to raising awareness of ocean conservation through underwater filming. Stefano describes the underwater world of the Azores, an island group off the coast of Portugal, where he leads scuba diving tours and films the amazing animals of this special place. We hear of Pico Island, a relatively new volcanic island that hosts huge schools of manta rays and many species of marine mammals. Stefano shares his story of finding his passion for the ocean and his perspective on the evident decline in shark populations due to overfishing and poor management. We hear of trips to Tonga and Baja California where Stefano interacted with a 2-week old humpback whale and a 'tornado' of huge fish. Stefano shares a ton of enthusiasm for protecting the ocean that we can all be inspired by. Thanks for sharing Stefano's ocean life with us. You can find pictures and video of Stefano on his Instagram page and Facebook. There is also some fun stuff on the This Ocean Life Instagram and Facebook pages. We are also on Twitter ranting about anything cool happening in the ocean. This episode is sponsored by Burnout Suncare. A family-owned company based in Santa Cruz, CA that specializes in chemical-free, environmentally-friendly, reef-safe sunscreens for water sports athletes and health conscious families. Check them out at www.burnoutsun.com.

In episode 53 we continue our conversation with Jenn Lee, a woman of Oahu who raced across the Kaiwi Channel on 4 different paddle craft in 2018. Jenn picks up toward the end of her race season as she joins a novice 6-man outrigger canoe team to battle the best teams in the world in the Na Wahine O Ke Kai race. We hear the story of Jenn's team challenging the field, working through the always gnarly Kaiwi Channel, and taking an epic inside line through the surf at Waikiki to make an amazing finish. Jenn then takes us to California where she immediately competes in SUP races of Battle of the Bay and Pacific Paddle Games, capping an incredible year of paddle racing. And of course, we talk pet chickens as well :) Thanks for sharing Jenn's ocean life with us. You can find pictures and video of her on Instagram and Facebook pages. You can also find good stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV Instagram and Facebook pages. We are on Twitter ranting about anything cool happening in the ocean. This episode is sponsored by Shearwater Paddleboards, a family-owned company that hand-crafts prone paddle boards and surfboards in rugged Northern California. If you want to be fast, smooth, and comfortable in the water check them out at www.ShearWaterPaddleboards.com

In Episode 52 we speak with Mike Wood, a lifelong surfer who grew up in the cold, kelpy waters of Santa Cruz in the 1950's. Mike takes us back to that time and describes the beach and surf scene in Santa Cruz and what the line-up was like at famous breaks like Cowells and Steamer Lane. We hear of Mike experimenting with various ways to stay warm in the cold water, like wearing wool sweaters, before the wetsuit came out and what the boards of that time were like to ride (and carry up the cliff!). Mike shares his stories of interacting with Jack O'neill, hanging out down at the 'Surf Shack', and many other characters who made the beach their home back in the 50's. Mike tells great stories of exploring the rugged Santa Cruz coast and finding new, unknown waves and taking a surf trip with his buddies down to Southern California when he was 15 years old. A ton of great nostalgia and depiction of teen surf life during this golden era of surfing. Thanks for sharing Mike's ocean life with us. There is some fun stuff on the This Ocean Life Instagram and Facebook pages. We are also on Twitter ranting about anything cool happening in the ocean. This episode is sponsored by Burnout Suncare. A family-owned company based in Santa Cruz, CA that specializes in chemical-free, environmentally-friendly, reef-safe sunscreens for water sports athletes and health conscious families. Check them out at www.burnoutsun.com.

In Episode 51 we speak with Victoria Burgess, an incredible woman of the water and world record holder. Victoria shares her stories of paddling 115 miles from Cuba to Florida in 27 hours to break the World Record for fastest solo female SUP paddle to cross the Florida Straits. We hear of Victorias approach to training for her record paddle, years of competitive surfing and SUP racing, paddling in Molokai 2 Oahu, and finding her love for foiling and the waters of Southern Florida. Victoria shares her thoughts on nutrition and training for competitive paddling and her philosophy around preparing body and mind for endurance sports in the water. Thanks for sharing Victoria's ocean life with us. You can find pictures and video of Victoria on Instagram, Facebook, and her website. You can also find fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV Instagram, and Facebook pages. We are also on Twitter ranting about anything cool happening in the ocean. This episode is sponsored by Mile 22, makers of surf and paddle board straps — including world famous Monster Straps (which I LOVE) — designed in California by folks who surf and paddle every day. Check them at www.Mile22.com.

In Episode 2 of Stoked Grom Stories we talk with a legend-in-the-making, Jonah Susskind. Jonah takes us through his life of surfing and paddling in Santa Cruz, traveling and surfing the world in locations such as El Salvador and Samoa, and enjoying a strong crew of great friends in the water. We hear of Jonah paddling in the 12-mile Jay Moriarty Paddleboard Race at age 10, his pursuit of becoming a well rounded man of the water, volunteering his time to help less fortunate kids with Ride-A-Wave, and love for french fries over tater tots (!). Thanks for sharing Jonah's ocean life with us. You can find pictures and video of Jonah on his Instagram page. You can also always see some fun stuff on the This Ocean Life Instagram and Facebook pages. We are also on Twitter ranting about anything cool happening in the ocean. This episode is sponsored by Kalletka Undersea, a strong supporter of the groms and ocean lifestyle company born from thousands of hours spent roaming in and under the sea. As a family-owned company Kalletka delivers high quality t-shirts and hats representing memorable scenes and animals in the ocean. Visit them at www.Kalletka.com. Enjoy the Humble Pursuit.

In Episode 50 (50!?) we speak with one of my favorite legends in the board paddling world, Mick Di Betta. Mick takes us through his amazing life of growing up in the waters of Gold Coast with heavy focus on surf lifesaving, surfing, and competitive sports. We hear of Mick developing a strong connection with the Hawaiian ocean community, creating his very first paddling training program, and winning the inaugural Molokai 2 Oahu (M20) race in 1997. Mick shares his perspective on his first time in the Kaiwi Channel and paddling in the M2O event for over 22 years since while training many of the top competitors. We get some great insight into Mick's approach to performance training and the impact he made to SUP board design. Plus so much more from this board paddling legend... (Photos courtesy of Chris Aguilar) Thanks for sharing Mick's ocean life with us. You can find pictures and video of him on Instagram and Facebook pages. Also learn more about how you can benefit from Mick's training program on his JustPaddling.com website. You can also find good stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV Instagram and Facebook pages. We are on Twitter ranting about anything cool happening in the ocean. This episode is sponsored by Shearwater Paddleboards, a family-owned company that hand-crafts prone paddle boards and surfboards in rugged Northern California. If you want to be fast, smooth, and comfortable in the water check them out at www.ShearWaterPaddleboards.com