The accounts below are donating $1.00 for every “Mahalo Margarita” sold in 2023 to AccesSurf to support the disabled military veterans and teach them how to Surf. Cuervo Tradicional is matching those donations to AccesSurf.
OAHU
604 Alehouse
Beachhouse by 604
El Ranchero Kapolei & Wahiawa
Kuhio Avenue Food Hall
Lay Low
Mahi'ai Table (Foodland)
Manifest
Margarita's
Mekiko Cantina
Princess Kaiulani Hotel
Scratch Kitchen
Suzie Wong's
TJ's Sports Bar
Waikiki Beach Marriott
Westin Moana Surfrider Hotel
BIG ISLAND
Bianelli's Pizza
Hilo Hawaiian Hotel
Lava Shack
Luquin's Mexican
Pineapple's
MAUI
Bobby V's Italian Restaurant
Fleetwood's
KAUAI
Jimmy's Grill
Living Foods Restaurant
Milagro's
All things change, as do the seasons. Wherever you have traveled, wherever the long summer has brought you, it's time to head home. Winter is coming.
Photo Tony Heff
Treat yourself
Editorial
Editor / Publisher
Mike Latronic
Photo Director
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Contributing Writers
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Contributing Photographers
Alex Heil, Dooma Photos, Dayanidhi Das, Jason Kenworthy, Stu Soley, Mark Rodrigues, Aaron Lynton, Kurt Steinmetz, Mike Ito, Nick Gruen, Ryan Miller, Tommy Pierucki, Eric Baeseman, Ryan “Chachi” Craig, Christa Funk, Sarah Lee, Sean Evans, Tai Vandyke, Mitch McEwen
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AUTHENTIC HERITAGE MODERN PROGESSION
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Photo Mike Latronic
FIND REFUGE IN THE SEA
First of all, I would like to humbly remind all who read this that our subscription QR code is on the cover of this magazine or you can subscribe by going to our website www.freesurfmagazine.com or to our links on our social media at @freesurfmag. It makes a great Xmas gift and we appreciate you!
If you have lifted an edition of Freesurf from one of the hundreds of surf shops or specialty stores in California or Hawai'i, then there’s little doubt in my mind that you are no less a happy escape artist. That's kind of what we do when we surf or daydream about surfing, yes?
Whatever walk of life you are from, the reflection of great surf and stoke takes our minds far from the trials and tribulations of daily life. Whether it's for a few moments, a few hours, or a few weeks, daydreaming and taking time off to pursue a surf session or safari escape is revitalizing and refreshing.
Consider yourself very lucky if you are able to entertain a surf safari even once or twice a year. Those who know this may develop a mild addiction to that adventure bug and
EDITOR'S NOTE
By Mike Latronic
quickly realize the depth of strategy and anticipation of this undertaking. First comes the dream - the inspiration. Then you find yourself thinking of flight paths, budgeting, equipment prep…and it’s on. But wait, where’s your fancy? What kind of waves do you conjure up? Basically it's like the Matrix now. You can pick your script when you daydream, but planning for logistics is still key to getting the experience you want on your journey.
In this edition of Freesurf we feature a tale of two very different surf safarisBut both share inspiration and plenty of stoke.
Far or near, repositioning yourself on Earth to find new surf breaks is always going to be an adventure. Every new surfing location will have its own set of nuances, currents, and flow. The people and cultures you encounter are so very different in so many corners of the world. This can be uncharted territory for a wayward wave rider. Ocean swells combine upon shorelines, reefs, and sandbars, and the result is bliss to those happy surfers willing to venture in and start mapping the new terrain.
The curators and organizers at Rise Up Surf Retreats make the whole process of planning a surf trip very easy. From top to bottom, pick-up and drop-off, the Rise Up surf safari was a breeze. The staff, management, and guides at Rise Up Surf Retreats in Nicaragua made it simple and relaxed. The front and backend travel assist was awesome with clear communications, solid organization, scheduling, and friendly service, The WAVES were plentiful and tons of fun. We’ll get to all that in the coming pages.
On the other side of the planet comes well-traveled, longtime ISA media man Evan Quaranstrom on a major walkabout in Madagascar. Or should we say “surfabout?” Far less mapped out, this was as low-key and down home core as it comes, and EQ tells a nice tale.
There are two very different yet equally stoking travel tales here along with all kinds of news, events, industry intrigue and more. Did I mention we caught up to two young rising stars Alyssa Spencer and Imai Devault? We did. Enjoy.
COVER STORY
ARENA RODRIGUEZ VARGAS
Freesurf cover profile this month captures Arena Rodriguez Vargas absolutely hammering a beach break section on our recent surf trip with Rise Up Surf Retreats in Nicaragua. Arena recently turned 18, and is an emerging star from Peru. From what I could see Vargas is a top prospect for the proud country of Peru and there’s no doubt she will be making waves on the international stage very soon. Actually, she already has. After spending two weeks with this powerful and calculated regular foot, it became quite clear that her talents and aspirations were on the rise.
While all her energy and focus is devoted to moving up the WSL rankings, Vargas’ joy for surfing comes first. “For me it means freedom. I love just being able to do anything I want on a wave, like just being myself and being in connection with the ocean! I love the adrenaline. It gives me satisfaction to make a good wave and do good maneuvers and just flow with the wave.”
Vargas admitted that she came to our trip to Nicaragua on the invitation and patronage of Peru’s Tubos Surf School as a chance to work on her beach break repertoire. She had this to say about traveling to surf, “Surfers have the desire to travel a lot just to improve because we're ambitious. We love improving. We love having new challenges so we travel to meet and find new places that challenge ourselves to improve and to have new obstacles and surpass them.”
As one of the elder “teens” on our trip to Nicaragua she was a consistent solid performer. Early on I had only one major critique and that was that she was “trying too many things” on waves that would not allow it. As a former athlete coach for Billabong and Hurley, when asked I was happy to critique and lightly coach her. I suggested she rely and trust in her power moves and timing. Her big maneuvers were excellent and in fast beach break conditions I felt it might be best for her to set up a “knockout punch” maneuver instead of a bunch of “small jabs” with a wild swing at the end. Arena was a sponge. Not only did Arena do exactly as I suggested, focusing on her timing into the power sections for greater impact and completion in the beach break conditions, but she did so consistently. Arena is a smart and avid athlete and was keen to train her body and did yoga at Rise Up on several occasions. After our time in Nicaragua Arena left for Brazil to wrap up the last two events in the WSL South America tour with a semi final finish in the first and victory in the second! She is now rated #6 on that tour.
It was our pleasure at Freesurf to meet her. Introducing Arena Rodriguez Vargas.
Sonny Rubin
therapies in
IMAI DEVAULT
By Rebecca Parsons
Imai Devault has always gravitated toward the sea. He spent the first four years of his life living on Lanai, a Hawaiian Island approximately 10 miles off the coast of Maui. When he was four, Devault’s parents decided that there would be more opportunities for their children and family on Maui, so they made the short move. And so, Devault and his sisters spent their formative years on the west side of the Valley Isle.
Photo Marcus Rodrigues
IMAI DEVAULT
Devault’s family, composed of ocean lovers, spent their weekends at the beach. Naturally, Devault decided to give surfing a try. He paddled out at Lahaina and was quickly hooked.
“My parents had me in a few sports when I was about six like baseball and soccer, but I think they could see that I had enough love in the water for them to pull me out of those sports to focus on surfing,” says Devault. “My sisters and I would spend six to eight hours in the water surfing basically every Saturday and Sunday, and we would try to go after school whenever we could. It was all I wanted to do.”
Devault took to surfing and when he was five, he decided to enter his first contest. It was a local longboard contest for kids of all ages held at The Cove, a surf spot on the south side of Maui.
“I still remember my first contest and heat so vividly to this day.” Devault recalls. “I was a very shy kid and the concept of surfing a contest in front of a lot of people terrified me. I didn’t want to do it at all. Luckily for me, my dad talked me into it by promising me we would go buy my first real custom board if I entered and just tried, so I did.”
Devault ended up taking fourth in his heat and didn’t make it into the next round. He did, however, get his first real surfboard as promised by his dad.
“The experience left me pretty stoked, so soon after I was excited for the next chance I got to do any contests,” says Devault.
Photo Mike Latronic
BLAIR CONKLIN
IVAN FLORENCE
IMAI DEVAULT
Devault began entering contests and while he never had any major wins during his junior career, he did have some solid finishes. Highlights included a few finals at the Pipe Pro Jr., Queens Pro Jr., and making the final at the ISA World Junior Champs in Ecuador. His amateur events were similar: Devault acquired a number of second place trophies from the NSSA Nationals and the U.S. Champs.
“A big win still eludes me,” jokes Devault. “Even today on the QS and CT.”
In 2022, Devault made his debut on the Championship Tour. It was a challenging year to be a rookie, as the WSL introduced the midseason cut. Devault had a lot of nerves going into the season and was on the cusp of falling off the tour at the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach. It was a make or break contest for Devault and in round three, he drew eleven time world champion Kelly Slater. It was a tight heat, but Devault ultimately took the win against the GOAT. Devault had always dreamed of qualifying while Slater was still on tour, so getting to face him one on one and take the win was a childhood dream come true.
Despite his efforts, Devault didn’t secure enough points to stay ahead of the cut line and found himself back on the Challenger Series after the mid-season mark.
“With the mid-year cut, I definitely felt a lot of nerves, and it definitely affected me and my performance,” says Devault of his rookie season. “I had a few great moments and a couple good heats, but I felt I never got remotely close to a confident level I know I can get to on tour. It all happened so fast, and falling off at the mid-season cut was a devastating blow, but it left me hungrier to get back and perform better.”
IMAI DEVAULT
When the Challenger Series wrapped up, Devault found himself five spots short of requalifying for the Championship Tour.
“I was left pretty shocked and kind of questioning my surfing,” says Devault. “I just lost a lot of confidence. However, we had a solid break before this year’s Challenger Series started up, so I had time to really work on a lot of my mental and physical strengths and weaknesses.”
Devault’s hard work paid off. He kicked off the 2023 season with his best ever result—a second place finish at the Gold Coast Pro at Snapper Rocks. He will need a few more top finishes to secure a spot on the 2024 Championship Tour, but started out the season in a good position.
When Devault isn’t traveling for contests, the 25-year-old typically starts his day off surfing and training with his coach Pedro Robalinho. Devault has a great crew of competitive surfers that he regularly surfs with at home including Ian Gentil, who’s currently on the CT, Cody Young, as well as the upcoming talent a few years younger than him, like Jackson Bunch.
“Long term, my goals would be to have a solid run of years on the CT, fighting for world titles and winning events,” says Devault. “My goal is to inspire kids from Hawai'i just as my hero’s growing up did for me.”
Photo Brian Bielmann
LUKE SWANSON
Photo: Ryan Ell
ALYSSA SPENCER
Challenger Series Standout Alyssa Spencer Has Her Sights Set on the CT
By Rebcca Parsons
Born into a family of surfers, it’s no surprise that Alyssa Spencer took to the water. The Spencer family lived near the coast in Encinitas, California and spent their free time at the beach. When Spencer was a toddler, her dad began paddling into waves with her perched on the front of his board. She was hooked.
“I fell in love with the ocean and surfing from the amount of time we spent at the beach when I was a little kid,” says Spencer. “Encinitas was an amazing place to grow up as a surfer because there are waves for every level of surfing.”
Photo Brian Bielmann
meditation while simultaneously working with a mental health coach.
Spencer has been fired up about this season competing in the Challenger Series. She says it’s been one of her best seasons so far and the ocean has delivered, with fun waves to be had at each event. Of all the stops on the Challenger, Spencer’s favorite stop is at Snapper Rocks in Australia. She feels lucky to be able to surf the wave with only one other person.
Photo
KEANU ASING
ALA MOANA CENTER
KOKO MARINA
WINDWARD MALL
WAIKELE CENTER
OUTRIGGER REEF
LAHAINA GATEWAY
*HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA
“I am really excited for the rest of this year,” says Spencer. “My surfing, body, and mind feels at its best, so I am going to keep up with everything I have been doing to prepare for events. My plan is to keep up the consistency and aim for big results in these last events.”
When Spencer isn’t surfing, she prioritizes spending time with her friends and family. Her entire life revolves around the ocean and she enjoys fishing in her spare time as well.
“Traveling is a huge part of my life, so I enjoy eating good foods and making the most of adventuring around the places I visit around the world,” says Spencer. “I also love country music and sometimes me and my friends go line dancing for fun.”
Looking forward, the 20-year-old hopes to round out the Challenger Series in the top five and win an event. At this writing Spencer currently sits tied for 7th place, very close to her goal with a few events remaining. In the long run, she hopes to finish in the top five on the Championship Tour and dreams of winning a world title one day. She also has her sights set on Olympic qualification for the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.
Photo Brian Bielmann
Photo Kody McGregor
Bastian Pierce
Rise Up
NICARAGUA
Story
I would consider myself somewhat nomadic and venture to add that most hardcore surfers share that spirit. What red blooded surf rat didn’t grow up dreaming of far off lands and endless tubes? I was fortunate to travel much of my life even from a young age. My mother left my father when I was 7 and kept things civil enough to share older brother Steve and I with our dad Winnie throughout summertime. Based in Manhattan NYC, the Big Apple and Eastern Seaboard were an exploration in and of itself and dad typically liked to visit “Upstate” NY and places like Florida, Boston and Connecticut. Summer camp in Maine was super cool and we drove across America twice. I won’t ever forget the dime sized tick growing on my head ala a trip through Tennessee’s Blue Ridge Mountains. Reflecting back on my lifelong adherence to wanderlust, however, I give majority credit to my mom as a by-product of her knack for traveling to every place she could even when she couldn’t. We weren’t poor in spirit and or health but basically my mom Dolle was quite the hippie artist in the 60’s and 70’s. Even after two solid decades as a traveling pro surfer, mom still out flanks me on worn out passports and original intrigue. At age 90 she is still going, her latest rant is some islands off the coast of Northern California, but that’s another story.
& Photos by Mike Latronic
Arena Rodriguez Vargas
The travel bug continues to crawl steady in me. After nearly a 5 year hiatus, mostly due to pandemic issues, I finally went back on the road for a true to life surfing adventure on an epic invite from Rise Up Surf Retreats in Nicaragua! While my list of visas and storied destinations over 40 years is impressive with places like Australia, Indo, Africa, Polynesia, Ecuador, Madagascar, and New Zealand to name a few, my experience with Rise Up in Nicaragua was truly memorable.
Having already visited the Southern area of Nicaragua, the Rise Up focus was near El Transito in the central part of the country and this experience did not disappoint.
Our traveling cast and crew was a mix of younger Peruvian athletes, along with some veteran lifelong surfers traveling with their kids. Rise Up is well suited for all levels of surfers and invites were made accordingly, well suited to this adventure.
Chepo
Peruvians
Mariano Maugere Yzaga
Bastian Pierce
Luca Maui Lozado
Rise Up NICARAGUA
Reading up on many reviews for Rise Up, all were good and spot on, boasting ample surfing, healthy and delicious food, a beautiful semi private location, friendly staff and an added benefit of daily yoga, which only enhanced the surfing experience!. Rise Up surf retreats promised an unforgettable experience and that is precisely what we got.
Felipe Baca
Isabelle Baca
One of our traveling Peruvians was a young woman named Arena Rodrigues. Her approach to surfing is fierce and solid and currently ranked #6 in her region's qualifiers, Arena was a real pleasure to surf with. She saw this trip as a great opportunity to expand her horizons and train on her beach break technique. “I’ve heard about Nicaragua that it's warm water, perfect sandbars, beach breaks tubes and the waves in front of our location were always at least one meter or more with lefts and rights, and a lot of fun!”
Having just turned 18, Arena is very serious about her surfing career and knows the value of training and proper maintenance and stretching. “I do yoga. I've had several nice classes with Rise Up’s teacher Andrea here and it’s been really healing to relax the body after hours of surfing and just connect peacefully and vibe from Nicaragua. Also, the food here is great. They have a variety of healthy food that they give you. They give you a lot of options if you have allergies or intolerances, so it's great. The staff is also really nice. The vibe is good. This hotel is just so beautiful. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone. Like if you're a beginner or advanced surfer, it doesn't matter. You are gonna have a lot of fun because these beach breaks are very fun.”
Dr Sonny Rubin
Felipe Baca
Dr Sonny Rubin
NATE TYLER > CONNER COFFIN < GREYSON FLETCHER
While Rise up does offer surfing lessons for beginners our crew, like Arena, were all seasoned surfers and instead took advantage of the well informed guides to read the winds and tides to get the best possible options on any given day.
Felipe Baca is an avid surfer, savvy businessman and big supporter of Peruvian surfing. Through his company Tubos Surfing School Felipe graciously supported this training and media mission for the Peruvian youngsters on this trip and was notably happy upon arrival. “I've been very impressed since I arrived. They are well organized. We arrived at Managua and were picked up with no hassle. It’s a safe resort, very comfortable, AC in the room, beautiful setup, very well done. The location is tropical, you know, palms trees, volcanic sand, so it's black. The water it's super clean and transparent. Water temperature is great. I was amazed by the fact that it's offshore all day
Arena Rodriguez Vargas
Rise Up NICARAGUA
that you have these little wedges and peaky waves just in front of the hotel and you can surf across the tides. There are more breaks you can find if you walk along the beach. It's easy, it's friendly and the local people seem very happy. Also, it's kind of untouched and very natural. The food is great. You feel that the ingredients are very natural. It comes directly from the farm. It's a good time.”
Felipe’s a humble supporter of Peruvian surfing. He’s also a loving father, traveling with his daughter Isabelle was key.
Bastian Pierce
Rise Up NICARAGUA
“Bringing the kids to Nicaragua was ideal. My daughter and I really wanted to do a surf trip together and this worked out well to spend quality time together. This is a very family friendly place. Rise Up has created an environment that is very safe and is very well taken care of. It’s great for the kids and their parents to feel comfortable. Also, they have this amazing wave to hone skills and to train as a group. There are no crowds. It's just them by themselves. They have the opportunity to practice maneuvers and have their waves recorded by the Freesurf crew. It's great training. I don't think there could be a better place to do this other than Rise Up here in Nicaragua.”
Sonny Rubin is also a surf dad and brought his teenage son Kingston for this adventure.
“For me and my son, it's what I live for. To arrive at this amazing tropical destination with fun waves, friends, family, healthy living, Kingston, running around with the other kids. There's nothing better. There's no better experience in my opinion. Part of the beauty of surfing is traveling to far off destinations to find different waves and it brings different experiences along the way. The beauty of surfing and traveling takes you to exotic, beautiful destinations. I mean, here's been pumping waves, beautiful sunsets, barbecues, and palm trees. What more could you ask for? Nicaragua in general is a magical place. The people are amazing, the landscape, coastline, waves, I can't say enough. Rise up has their own little what I would call, tropical magical oasis.
I bring my son Kingston on every surf trip. We've been traveling the world together since he was a mini-grom. We've made friends along the way and we're all here together for this trip and it's an amazing experience. My boy is mixing it up with the other teenage grommets and, you know, it's unique, what I would call a treasurable experience.
All these trips are healthy for your mind, body, soul. We are eating great, we're surfing two to three times a day and it's a semi-private experience, The resort is privatized to your friends and family that you're traveling with. The wave is right out front of the resort. You don't have to go anywhere if you don't want to. If you want to explore, you can get in the Jeep and go 20 minutes down the road or hop in a boat for plenty of exploration.”
Nicaragua boasts world-class surf breaks that cater to different skill levels. From gentle waves for beginners to more challenging breaks for advanced surfers, There were dozens of options to explore within close proximity along the Pacific coastline. Conveniently there was a semi private beach break smack dab in front of our accommodations that got fun on the right tides and a longer stretch of beach break within a 5-10 minute walk. There were river mouths and other options nearby with a short car ride and Rise Up had boats ready to venture along the coast to access miles of relatively empty coastline.
A BOARD FOR EVERYONE
SHAPED BY THE BEST
TECHNOLOGY FOCUSED
Rise Up NICARAGUA
Besides our “cover girl” Arena and Sonny’s and Felipe’s kids, there were several other teenage surfers from Peru on the trip including Lucca “Maui” Lozado, Bastian Pierce, and two brothers elder Joaquin and Mariano Maguere.
Says Jaoquin, “I have the pleasure to travel with my little brother and his friends and it's good to watch them surf and have fun and get to know each other better. There are many waves around the hotel and it’s good they have cars to move around and also boats. You have waves for ripping, for barrels so there's a lot of variety and we really like that about this place. The kids are stoked.”
Rise Up Surf Retreat in Nicaragua was certainly an experience in stoke! Mahalo!
Isabelle Baca
The Accomodations
Nicaragua is the original Rise Up destination, and where Rise Up have called home for the last fifteen years. The local knowledge, connection to the community, and love for this place, makes for an authentic surf retreat experience.
Surf with backdrops of vivid green palm trees and perfectly blue skies. From small and gentle longboarding waves to fast and barreling A-frames, Nicaragua has waves for every style and every level.
Travel | Stuff We Like
The idea of going on an adventurous journey to unknown, surf breaks, and scoring endless barrels is certainly alluring. The reality is that to make any surf trip successful and comfortable one should apply strategy and preparation and that means bringing essential elements.
Our cast and crew was lucky enough to get a few products along the way that were truly important and ever so useful
PROJECT, REEF SUNSCREEN
Whether you are in the comfort of your own home, having a pool party on the lawn, at your local beach or 5000 miles away at a remote beach break in Nicaragua, the application of sunscreen is paramount protection. While a little sunshine is great for your health with the absorption of vitamin K, sustained time in the solar microwave is not very healthy for the human body and Project Reef has us covered!
Project Reef Sunscreen is a high-quality product line that goes on easy and stays on well. Our crew had ample sunscreen lotion and face sticks to make a difference and stay protected!
Made with non-nano zinc, coconut oil & natural fruit extracts, this organic reef safe product is a great option for protecting the ocean and your body. projectreef.com
RINSE OFF
While there is certainly a benefit to immersing our bodies in the surf and playfully acting like children upon the waves, almost every surfer feels the need to rinse that salty brine off of our bodies after some period of time.To stay salty is to become crusty, and there’s nothing worse than a once happy soul who is surfed out, tired, hungry, crusty, and ultimately grumpy. That’s why we were so stoked when Rinse Off supplied us with one of their compact units and we were all able to rinse our bodies no matter how far homebase at Rise Up we traveled. This was especially handy on our boat trip days.
The unit holds four gallons of water and with a rechargeable pump we were able to shower off at the click of a button. Big mahalo! rinseoff.com
MADA G ASCAR SURFING'S FINAL FRONTIER
By Evan Quarnstrom
As we neared the edge of a barrier reef four miles off the coast, me and six other surfers watched the horizon in awe as seemingly perfect left handers imploded in the distance. The Kiwi boat captain, Blair, broke the silence with his uniquely consistent brand of humor. “Well, there’s no one out, again, boys,” he sarcastically chuckled. Blair has called Madagascar home for fifteen years and was poking fun at the fact that crowds are essentially nonexistent on this stretch of coast, or most of the country.
Madagascar is still one of surfing’s frontiers – and certainly because it's far from anything that remotely resembles a surf industry, let alone finding a bar of wax. Surfing in one of the world’s poorest countries presents unique challenges, but the benefits are summed up as a slogan on Blair’s website: “Perfect waves no crowds”.
James Parry Photo Greg Dennis
The dreamy waves of Madagascar were first pioneered by neighboring surfers from South Africa and Reunion in the 80s. Forty years later, surfing in Madagascar isn’t exactly a secret, but at the same time, not that much has changed. You can still surf most of those waves pioneered forty years ago by yourself. A surf trip to Madagascar requires a special kind of person willing to put up with a relatively rough, no frills experience in exchange for good surf and no crowds.
TOUCHING DOWN IN TULEAR
My plane touched down on a dusty, empty airport runway in the city of Tulear. There is only one flight a week from Reunion to Tulear, so when the cash-padded French tourists arrive on Monday mornings, many-a-locals wait at the airport – drivers, guides, vendors, baggage handlers, and beggars – hoping to get piece of the pie from the small plane load of vazahas (the Malagasy word for foreigners) entering the country.
Tulear can be described as organized chaos – streets choked with weaving bike traffic and bustling markets. Despite sitting on an idyllic stretch of coast, the town’s muddy, polluted beaches are essentially unusable for leisure. It’s hard to imagine that a surfing paradise can be found anywhere within a thousand miles. But as you hop on the boat taxi, head south, and distance yourself from the city, a whole new side of Madagascar comes into view.
Crystal clear lagoons appear within the protection of expansive coral reefs. Dolphins frolic as flocks of pink flamingos soar overhead. And the best part: Scattered throughout the coastline, island chains, and barrier reefs are a treasure trove of waves, from slabs to reef passes to friendly A-frames.
My destination was the small village of Anakao. As you head south of Tulear on the boat taxi, steep cliffs give way to an endless expanse of flat sand dunes covered with arid desert shrubs. Anakao, situated on this coastal plain, is a small town of about 5,000 that consists of makeshift structures – houses, restaurants, and even a few discos – alongside a beach lined with traditional fishing canoes on which the villagers depend for subsistence.
DOLPHINS FROLIC AS FLOCKS OF PINK FLAMINGOS SOAR OVERHEAD. AND THE BEST PART: SCATTERED THROUGHOUT THE COASTLINE, ISLAND CHAINS, AND BARRIER REEFS ARE A TREASURE TROVE OF WAVES, FROM SLABS TO REEF PASSES TO FRIENDLY A-FRAMES.
James Parry Photo Greg Dennis
Big Wave is a lighter-bodied golden ale with a tropical hop aroma and flavor—smooth, easy drinking, and refreshing. The use of caramel malt contributes to the golden hue of this beer, and our special blend of hops provides a bright, quenching finish that makes it a struggle to not grab another one.
Blair and his team have provided equipment and training to seven local junior surfers – four girls and three boys – who are catching on quickly and already winning national titles. And while most of the village youth aren’t lucky enough to have access to boat trips to the outer reefs, dozens of kids can be seen playing in the shorebreak, surfing on yellowed, tattered boards, or even simply riding handshaped planks of wood.
I grew particularly fond of one of the Malagasy surf guides, Max Manapototra, who embodies the ethos of surfing in Madagascar. Max, 31, became a black sheep in his family for deciding to be a surfer, but has gone on to help found the country’s first surfing federation and become a surf guide for Blair. He exemplifies the innate stoke of surfing in Madagascar, but also the struggle and reality of being a surfer in one of the world’s poorest countries.
Max Manapotota
Photo Greg Dennis
Max told me of his childhood, growing up one of eight children in the southern Madagascar city of Fort Dauphin. His family didn’t have much, but he recalls his childhood as happy with supportive parents that wanted the best for him. Max realized he was different from the rest of his family. As he was passing the beach on his way to school every morning, he couldn’t keep his eyes off the surfers in the water.
“Every day I would see the local guys surfing,” Max told me. “I started to get curious about surfing, thinking that it must be cool. I wanted to try, but I didn’t know how to swim, so every day I went to the beach to teach myself how to swim, starting in the knee-high water.”
Max eventually mastered swimming and used his fluent French to his advantage, befriending one of the Reunion surfers on the beach who was able to lend him a board. He was hooked from the start and committed to becoming a surfer, even dropping out of high school to dedicate his life to the sport.
His mom, who was already weary of the beach bum, weed-smoking stereotype of surfers, eventually had enough of Max’s pursuit of surfing. She moved the entire family hundreds of miles away to Antananrivo, the nation’s mountainous, landlocked capital, to obligate Max to refocus on his studies.
“EVERY DAY I WOULD SEE THE LOCAL GUYS SURFING,” MAX TOLD ME. “I STARTED TO GET CURIOUS ABOUT SURFING, THINKING THAT IT MUST BE COOL. I WANTED TO TRY, BUT I DIDN’T KNOW HOW TO SWIM, SO EVERY DAY I WENT TO THE BEACH TO TEACH MYSELF HOW TO SWIM.”
Photo James Parry
While Max did indeed finish high school, and even started a university program, over the course of the ten years he spent far from the ocean, he never forgot about his passion for surfing. In 2017 the itch for the ocean was too much to overcome, he put his university studies on hold and headed to Madagascar’s surfing paradise, Tulear. That’s where he met Blair and got involved in surf guiding, proving to his mother that he can make a living from the sport. Max went on to India for six months to become an ISA certified surf coach.
“I LEARNED A LOT IN INDIA, LIKE HOW TO DEAL WITH PEOPLE YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND,” HE TOLD ME. “I WAS SHOCKED ABOUT THE CULTURE, THE RELIGIONS. THAT EXPERIENCE INSPIRED ME TO TRAVEL TO OTHER COUNTRIES.”
While Max’s family still encourages him to return to his university studies, now they are more understanding and supportive of his decision to be a surfer. Max’s $200 per month salary is more than many make in a country where poverty abounds, but he explained that it’s not enough to get ahead in life, especially if he ever has to support a family.
And being a Malagasy surfer provides a whole other set of challenges. First off, the only surf gear in the country – boards, leashes, wax, etc. – is that which has been left behind by visiting surfers. For his entire life Max has been surfing whatever board he can get his hands on, even if it’s not his ideal dimensions. He tries to make a coat of wax last one or two years since he never knows when the next bar will appear.
Despite all the challenges that Madagascar surfing faces, Max is optimistic.
“I am not sure how long it will be, but I am pretty
“THE WHOLE IDEA IS TO INSPIRE THE YOUNG SURFERS,” SAID MAX, WHO IS NOW THE TECHNICAL DIRECTOR OF THE MADAGASCAR’S SURFING FEDERATION. “THEY NEED TO KNOW THAT THEY CAN TRAVEL AROUND THE WORLD FOR SURFING, AND THEY CAN GET EDUCATED. BY DOING THIS THEY WILL MEET PEOPLE AND LEARN FROM THEM.”
Photo James Parry
positive we have a bright future,” he said.
The beginnings of a surf culture are starting to take shape in the country. In 2021 Madagascar held its first ever surfing national championship. It was the first time that surfers from all corners of the country were able to meet in person. Max was the head judge.
“The whole idea is to inspire the young surfers,” said Max, who is now the technical director of the Madagascar’s surfing federation. “They need to know that they can travel around the world for surfing, and they can get educated. By doing this they will meet people and learn from them.”
Justin Zafimahefa Photo James Parry
Mike Lay Photo Greg Dennis
THE DREAMY WAVES OF MADAGASCAR WERE FIRST PIONEERED BY NEIGHBORING SURFERS FROM SOUTH AFRICA AND REUNION IN THE 80S. FORTY YEARS LATER, SURFING IN MADAGASCAR ISN’T EXACTLY A SECRET, BUT AT THE SAME TIME, NOT THAT MUCH HAS CHANGED.
MADAGASCAR
SURFING'S FINAL FRONTIER
In spite of recent milestones, the biggest hurdle that still remains, according to Max, is the lack of surfboards. He told me stories of teaching 74 kids to surf in his hometown with only eight boards to share between them. Now Max is brainstorming ways they can train local shapers and source local materials to make low-cost boards that Malagasy surfers can afford.
A SMALL CONTRIBUTION TO THE FUTURE
I’ve seen the positive impact that surfing can have in many countries around the world, but I departed from Anakao particularly touched by the magic of surfing that is taking root – the stoke of kids riding wooden planks, leaders like Max trying to forge a better future for the sport, and even foreigners like Blair who are making surf tourism possible on the edge of the planet.
Surfing in Madagascar reminds me a lot of the history of the island itself. The island, isolated for hundreds of millions of years, evolved marvelously unique flora and fauna. Now the seed first left by foreign surfers more than four decades ago is starting to bloom, but with its own unique Malagasy style. The Malagasy people have a gold mine of waves sitting at their doorstep, it’s just a matter of accessibility.
Max was off guiding a surf trip at the time of my departure, but I sent him a going away message with an image of one of my favored old surfboards inside its bag along with a tube of epoxy resin, resting on a wooden rack. “It was a pleasure to have met you, man I hope you can get some more waves on that thing before it dies.”
The board was a relatively small gift for me, but for a person who otherwise wouldn’t ever have a chance to surf, it can make a world’s difference. Surfing can change the course of a life, just as it changed mine. It was the least I could do for a place, and people, who brought me so much joy. It was just a small contribution to the future that the Malagasy surfers are working so hard to create.
Photo Greg Dennis
2023 TRYOUTS
Every year the International Surfing Association holds a world, junior surfing competition somewhere on the planet. This year it will be held in Rio de Janeiro Brazil at the end of November. The gold medal defending champions are team Hawai'i!
The Hawai'i junior surf team machine was back at it and this month it was all about team tryouts for the kids under 16 category.
The selection of the kids under 18 has already been made, and they are all alumni from the previous championship team .
The following photo feature is a quick look at who might be making the cut. We will have that information for you next issue!
MUSIC VIBES
KAIMANA HENRY
Rise of the Silverback NEMS & Scram Jones
Pain Provided Profit Conway the Machine & Jae Skeese
I like Led Zeppelin album Houses of the Holy because honestly I listen to a lot of rap so it’s refreshing to hear something different, also at the time the picture was taken I was making a surf edit to “no quarter”
Skanless Levelz
Super Ape
Lee Scratch Perry
Lahaina Grown
Lee Scratch Perry
Photo Brian Bielmann
Cruz Kamakana Lemes
Photo Paul Teruya
Stuff We Like
Area F Island Clothing
Original West Coast Surf Design. Organic Cotton and created with recycled polyester derived from recycled plastics (think water bottles and packaging). Thanks to its organic and recycled materials, the unisex essential eco hoodie is a great buy for eco-conscious shoppers. We also plant trees on every purchase with ecodrive. Easy on the Oceans and Lands.
Hoodie $78.00 and Hats $45 areafislandclothing.com @areafislandclothing
GoPro Hero 12 Black
The best HERO camera they've ever made — HERO12 Black takes GoPro’s best-in-class image quality to the next level with new HDR (High Dynamic Range) 5.3K and 4K video. HERO12 wraps all of this into GoPro’s legendary waterproof, ultra-rugged design to ensure you get the shot, no matter the environment. gopro.com
Noa Deane X Volcom Ent. collection
Drawing influence from Volcom Entertainment's rich history, this special capsule that's both stylish and sturdy. Ranging from the unique trench coat, to the plaid pants and the chain wallet. Noa's new collection has your back when you ready to hit the pavement!
100% Cotton, baby rib, fitted short sleeve baby tee. saltycrew.com
Salty Crew Chomper Baby Tee
Mokulele Surf Team Rider Diego Ferri
Photo Aukai Ng
Surf Expo
By Dre Crawley
Exhibitors traveled from all over the world to meet at this fall’s Surf Expo at the Orlando Convention Center in Florida. As the buyers lined up at the entrance, it was a frenzy of energy ready to see the new hot surf merch. The floor was packed with the latest in surf; apparel, boards, swimwear, sunwear, footwear and coastal life accessories for the beach. Booths were filled to capacity as the hunt began. The best surf apparel brands were there as well as emerging brands showing up to showcase their Fall collection.
Freesurf was the main magazine on the floor handing out our latest edition “The Cross Over” Issue where we had boards from all different kinds of disciplines. Everyone was so stoked to grab a copy and see the Foil flip on the cover of Jack Ho. We also had the Eddie Edition with us as a keepsake for our favorite surf brands to take home. Our partnership with surf expo has evolved over the years as a media partner. For the past 5 years we have been the only surf magazine distributed on the floor.
There was a strong presence of Maui donations at many booths, A Maui Strong t-shirt was made by Katin donating directly to the Maui Sports. Project Reef, a local sunscreen company from Maui had just flown in from assisting by housing and donating all proceeds to families in Lahaina. A Haitian jewelry company Simbia had designed a hand crafted ceramic bead bracelet with gold plated Maui strong charm, with proceeds going to Maui. HIC was also representing Maui Strong generating a tshirt for the Maui Strong Fund.
By the end of each day deals were done and feet were throbbing. As is the tradition it was time for a little 5 o'clock happy hour tradition and many booths were providing their favored bubbly beverage to hard shopping attendees. Our favorite stop was at the Salty Crew booth with their signature beer and plenty of smiles. Solo cups being filled, beers in their cozies and a reggae DJ spinning at Sunbum and Sand Cloud picnic table hang. Super cool vibes for sure. A good time was had by all.
Freesurf Magazine will return to Surf Expo on January 10-12 for the next big show!. Anyone interested in advertising in this next edition with special distribution circulating at the show, feel free to contact us at info@freesurfmagazine.com
To see a list of exhibitors and attendees please go to www.surfexpo.com.
On September 9, 51-year-old Kelly Slater informed fans via Instagram that he had hip surgery. Slater first injured his hip in April of 2022 at Bells Beach. Well wishes and a speedy recovery to the 11x world champ!
Big wave surfer Matt Bromley was surfing in Puerto Escondido in Mexico in early September where he suffered a head wound when his board connected with is cranium. Bromley received 35 stitches.
Caroline Marks and Jack Robinson won the Tahiti Pro. At the event, multiple athletes provisionally qualified for the Olympics for their respective countries and the WSL final five was locked in.
For the women, the WSL final five consisted of Carissa Moore (1), Tyler Wright (2), Caroline Marks (3), Molly Picklum (4), and Caitlin Simmers (5). For the men, it’s Filipe Toledo (1), Griffin Colapinto (2), Ethan Ewing (3), João Chianca (4), and Jack Robinson (5).
Musician, song writer, and surfer Jimmy Buffett passed away on September 1 at the age of 76 from a rare form of skin cancer. Buffett’s new album, “Equal Strain on All Part,” is scheduled to be released posthumous on November 3. May his legacy live on through his music. RIP Jimmy.
Caitlin Simmers and Caroline Marks secured the final American women’s Olympic positions through their respective performances at the WSL Finals. They will be joining Carissa Moore on team USA.
Patagonia released The Future of the Responsible Company: What We’ve Learned from Patagonia’s First 50 Years on September 12. The book was written by the company’s director of philosophy, Vincent Stanley, alongside founder, Yvon Chouinard and “provides the ultimate insider’s view of the essential elements of Patagonia’s business and offers lessons for the future learned from running an examined company.”
Matt Bromley
Photo Mike Latronic
Marks and Filipe Toledo won the 2023 world titles at the WSL Finals at Lower Trestles. The win is the first title for 21-year-old Marks and the second for the Brazilian.
The Championship Tour rounded out the season with Caroline Marks (1), Carissa Moore (2), Tyler Wright (3), Caitlin Simmers (4), and Molly Picklum (5) for the women. For the men, it was Filipe Toledo (1), Ethan Ewing (2), Griffin Colapinto (3), Joao Chianca (4), and Jack Robinson (5).
As of September 1, Authentic Brands Group officially owns Quiksilver, Billabong, RVCA, Roxy, DC, Element, Honolua, and Volcom. According to the brand’s website: “the mission of Authentic is to evolve, transform and reimagine global brands through innovative business models.”
the World Surf League (WSL) announced the schedule for the 2024 Championship Tour (CT). Featuring nine regular-season events, a Mid-season Cut after CT Stop No. 5, and the fourthannual WSL Finals. 2024 will also see Fiji return to the schedule for the first time since 2017 as the final stop of the regular season.
2024 WSL Championship Tour Schedule:
Banzai Pipeline, Hawai'i, USA: January 29 – February 10
Sunset Beach, Hawai'i, USA: February 12 – 23
Peniche, Portugal: March 6 – 16
Bells Beach, Victoria, Australia: March 26 – April 5
Margaret River, Western Australia, Australia: April 11 – 21
Mid-season Cut: 36-man and 18-woman fields reduced to 24man and 12-woman fields.
Teahupo’o, Tahiti, French Polynesia: May 22 – 31
Punta Roca, El Salvador: June 6 – 15
Saquarema, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: June 22 – 30
2024 Paris Olympic Games: July 26 – August 11 (Surfing scheduled between July 27 – August 5)
Cloudbreak, Fiji: August 20 – 29
WSL Final 5 determined to battle for the men’s and women’s World Titles.
WSL Finals (Lower Trestles, San Clemente, Calif., USA): September 6 – 14
Double Duty!! I am here with my wife Betsy at Buchupureo deep south in Chile, waiting for the surf to come up. It is freezing and raining, with no heater in the cabin, and the fire won't start. We read FSM all the way here for two days of flight time, and drove an entire day, but our fire won't keep going. So we had to sacrifice our Free Surf Magazine starting at the back.....and the LOGS CAUGHT FIRE. That proves that FSM is hot. It is on fire. It kept us warm when nothing else would. Plus we enjoyed this issue. Aloha, Mark and Betsy Denzer in the land of very cold lefts.
Caroline
BOARD STORIES
6 DAYS A WEEK!
“Board Stories” can be seen in Hawai'i on Spectrum OC16 on Ch. 16/1016 and Spectrum Surf Channel Ch. 20/1020. Spectrum OC16’s live stream is available on oc16.tv and the Spectrum TV app (to Spectrum customers in Hawai'i only), and nationally to any Spectrum customer on the Spectrum News mobile app and CTV app on Roku and Apple TV.
The 18th annual Surf Dog-A-Thon on September 10 at Del Mar Dog Beach in California. The world’s top surfing dogs gathered to compete and raise money for the Helen Woodward Animal Shelter. A surfing dog named Sugar took the win.
The new season of Nic von Rupp’s surf series, “Portugal Back to Back” premiered on September 11. In the first episode, von Rupp and his girlfriend explore the Azores islands archipelago and score some sweet barrels.
Health officials released preliminary air sampling data for Maui on September 12. In order to collect the date, the EPA collected over 100 samples in Lahaina and surrounding areas affected by the recent wildfires. The air quality sensors revealed good air quality, but the DOH continues to recommend masks and personal protective equipment.
Kilauea volcano began erupting on the afternoon of September 10, attracting thousands of visitors to Hawaiia Volcanoes National Park. There have been recent eruptions in the Halemaumau Crater, but according to a spokesperson for the United States Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, “this is the first eruption to also occur from an area east of the crater, called the down-dropped block (and also still within the summit caldera.”
LAST LOOK
When it's finally time to pack up and head home, don't you wish you could just paddle?
