MAHALO MARGARITA is a give-back cocktail program where on premise accounts donate a portion of sales from their MAHALO MARGARITA, made with Tradicional 100% agave tequila, to AccesSurf. Jose Cuervo® will match the proceeds up to $25k. Together, this joint donation of $50k would go to support surf experiences and more for a full year.
BIG ISLAND
Huggo's Lava Lava
Kai Eats
MAUI
Sergio's Cantina
KAUA'I HOTELS
Friendly Waves
OAHU
Kuhio Avenue Food Hall / Waikiki
Kelly O’Neil's / Waikiki
Jorge's / Haleiwa
El Ranchero / Kapolei
El Ranchero / Wahiawa
Mekiko Cantina / Ko’olina
Restaurant 604 / Arizona Memorial
The Beachouse by 604 / Waianae
60 Fore Bar & Grill / Barber’s Point
604 Clubhouse / Leilehua
604 Ale House / Schofield
Mangiamo’s / Navy Marine Golf
OAHU HOTELS
Sheraton Waikiki Hotel
Royal Hawaiian Hotel
Moana Surfrider Hotel
Princess Kaiulani Hotel
Marriott Waikiki Hotel
FREE PARKING
Matty Schweitzer on a Big Bomb at Jaws, Matty is not scared and the dude charges full speed all the time.
Photo Brian Bielmann
EDITORIAL
Editor / Publisher
Mike Latronic
Photo Director
Brian Bielmann
Art Director
John Weaver
Business Administration
Cora Sanchez (808) 260-9219
Sales Associate
Keola Latronic
West Coast Distribution & Sales
Chuck Hendsch (619) 227-9128
Distribution & Advertising Inquiries ml@freesurfmagazine.com
Staff Shooters
Brent Bielmann, Mike Latronic, Aukai Ng, John Weaver
Contributing Writers
Aukai Ng, Rebecca Parsons, Alexandra Kahn, Daniel Ikaika Ito, Nicole Nason, Amanda Blackwell, Kaea Latronic
Contributing Photographers
Christa Funk, Dooma Photos, Dayanidhi Das, Eric Aeder, Jason Kenworthy, Stu Soley, Mark Rodrigues, Aaron Lynton, Kurt Steinmetz, Mike Ito, Nick Gruen, Ryan Miller, Tommy Pierucki, Eric Baeseman, Ryan “Chachi” Craig, Sean Evans, Tai Vandyke, Mitch McEwen
FREESURF MAGAZINE is distributed at most fine surf shops and select specialty stores throughout Hawai‘i and Southern California. Subscribe at freesurfmagazine.com
Other than “Free Postage” letters, we do not accept unsolicited editorial submissions without first establishing contact with the editor. FreeSurf, Manulele Inc. and its associates are not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged submissions or their return.
One-way correspondence can be sent to P.O. Box 1161, Hale‘iwa, HI 96712 E-mail editorial inquiries to info@freesurfmagazine.com A product of Manulele, Inc. 2024
Jacob turner
Unknown surfer at Teahupoʻo
Photo Brian Bielmann
EDITOR'S NOTE
If pictures really do tell 1000 words, then we need to put a muzzle on our featured photographer this month.
Here's an operator whose career has spanned four decades or more and “Hank Foto” has just as many tall tales and “best not be told” stories as photos to be sure.
Spanning those decades, so many things were different, the board designs, the hairstyles, board shorts and bikinis, fashion and folklore, including the whole vibe, outlook, and acceptance of surfing in general, which at one point was considered a counterculture. Who ever thought there would now be surf shops at international airports?
To be clear, they are still just as many, if not more, interesting characters, colorful adventures, and groundbreaking stunts than ever before, but the juxtaposition is there are so many many more people involved in the sport, and the professionalization of the sport has created an atmosphere, where, let's face it, it's kind of gotten more mainstream. Not necessarily a bad thing, being more mainstream means that more people are turned onto the wonderful, healthful, purely natural vibration of riding ocean waves. Along with that growth comes adjustments in industry, merchandising, supply, and demand, access and exploitation. Some good and some bad.
The personalities and adventures and misadventures of wave riders are surely part of what makes the surf culture and lifestyle so interesting and authentic. Whether you are a salt, soaked, true to the core daily local at some beach somewhere, or a part time connoisseur, happy to get some fun here and there on the weekends or on vacation, you are part of the new surfing consensus. Try the wave pools, goof around on a soft top, challenge yourself at some exotic reef break, spend a month in Hawaii as a right of passage, go feral in South America or Indo. Whatever it is, be yourself.
I DO NOT surf with an Apple Watch so in my worldview surfing is the place where nature meets mankind. No electronics (please). No phones are ringing, no one is checking email or dealing with land based logistics at all. It is where humans go to play, and be themselves.
So inside this issue, Hank Foto is unapologetically himself, as we all should be! He shares some of his best, beautiful and revealing work. He is as genuinely raw as they come. Enjoy.
@mikelatronic
Mike Latronic, mid 90's. Photo HankFoto
3 WAIKIKI LOCATIONS!
Kai Coffee Hawaii at Alohilani Resort
2490 Kalakaua Ave, Suite #131 Honolulu, Hawai'i 96815 (808) 926-1131
Hours: 6:00AM - 5:00PM HST (UTC-10), 7 days a week
Kai Coffee Hawaii Lobby Bar at Alohilani Resort
Hours: 6:00AM-11:00AM HST, 7 days a week
Kai Coffee Hawaii Hyatt Regency Waikiki
2424 Kalakaua Avenue, #130
Honolulu, Hawai'i 96815 (808) 923-1700
Hours: 6:00AM - 5:00PM HST (UTC-10), 7 days a week
PHOTO EDITOR'S NOTE
By Brian Bielmann
We have been trying to find the perfect time to run the Hank Portfolio since last year, and we finally decided it would be ideal to feature it in the issue before winter starts. Hank has been shooting for around 40 years, and he’s captured some incredible photos over the years—many of which you would recognize.
Some of his early photos date back to the '80s in Hawaii. I believe Hank was the first person ever to shoot Teahupo'o and one of the pioneers of surf photography in Fiji as well. In all the time I've known him, he's always been a surfer first who loves taking surfing photos—not the other way around. We've spent a lot of time together over the years, and though we've had our moments of competing for the best shot, he's truly been my brother from another mother. I hope you enjoy his photos in the new magazine.
We were ready to go to print when one of the articles we were working on fell through at the last minute, so we decided to go ahead with an article we had been discussing, featuring all black-and-white photos. I went through the shots in my library to find photos that would work well together and look like they were meant to be seen this way. I’m super stoked to share this issue with Hank as we look back at some iconic moments in surfing history. I think the thing we have in common is that we will be surf photographers until the day we die, and there aren't many of us left in that club.
Kauli Vaast and Caroline Marks Win Gold at Paris 2024 Olympic Games
By Amanda Blackwell
FRA - Kauli Vaast
Credit: ISA / Beatriz Ryder
USA - Caroline Marks
Credit: ISA / Beatriz Ryder
Team USA
Credit: ISA / Pablo Franco
Paris 2024 Olympic Games
It’s almost impossible not to catch Olympic fever. There’s a palpable magic that’s created when various countries put their political agendas aside to watch their athletes reach the pinnacle of human potential. The main symptom of this Olympic fever is inspiration—and there are little groms and grommettes falling asleep with a new stoke to their fire. Their Olympic dreams are now ignited, and these young emerging athletes have been given a trajectory and purpose to their life. Track and field athletes, swimmers, gymnasts—all find the Olympics to be the summit, the mecca, the ultimate accomplishment. Yet it’s still only the second appearance for surfing at the Paris games, and most of these athletes have never dreamed of the Olympics because it simply wasn’t in the cards for the sport-- until now.
USA - Caroline Marks Credit: ISA / Beatriz Ryder
BRA - Tatiana Weston Webb
Credit: ISA / Pablo Jimenez
FRA - Johanne Defay Credit: ISA / Pablo Jimenez
Paris 2024 Olympic Games
Most of those who qualified for the Olympics went to bed as kids dreaming of qualifying for the CT and winning the WSL World Championship, not wearing Olympic around their necks. It would be ideal to say that the potential for goals has another box to check, but given the lack of coverage on prime time, it’s hard to say if the sport will be changing much surf fans in the United States. While other countries kept surfing on its marquee, NBC decided to forgo prime time coverage, giving all the surfing to its online streaming platform, Peacock.
FRA - Kauli Vaast
Credit: ISA / Pablo Jimenez
AUS - Jack Robinson Credit: ISA / Pablo Jimenez
BRA - Gabriel Medina Credit: ISA / Pblo Jimenez
PARIS 2024 OLYMPIC GAMES
Most die-hard surf fans watched every heat on Peacock the same way they watch Pipe Masters or Margaret River Pro, and they know what to expect: more time watching the athletes bobbing in the lineup, starting aimlessly at the horizon, waiting. The actual surfing is quick, a fraction of time in what actually happens, as most of us know. It’s not necessarily the best formula for primetime coverage, where other sports have viewers gasping and holding their breath from start to finish: for events like the men’s 100-meter track and field, or the women’s 100 meter breaststroke. Any surfer knows the religious experience that occurs in the waiting, the bobbing, the unification of man (or woman) and ocean. These sort of experiences, unfortunately, don’t translate to nail-biting viewership, yet things in the future can be changing. The IOC declared surfing as a “core” sport for the coming Los Angeles games in 2028. If Duke Kahanamoku were still alive, he’d be stoked to see his own visions for the sport come to fruition.
USA - Carissa Moore
Credit: ISA / Tim Mckenna
Credit: ISA / Tim Mckenna
PARIS 2024 OLYMPIC GAMES
Although our Olympic gold medalists aren’t household names like Harvard sprinter Gabby Douglas or even Simone Biles, Caroline Marks and Kauli Vaast gave performances worth mentioning and both have stories worth telling. Caroline has been a veteran on the tour, the youngest to qualify in 2018 at 15 years old, now, where she finally won her first WSL World title last year in 2023. It wasn’t an overnight success, which makes her Olympic gold that much sweeter. France’s men’s gold medal winner Kauli Vaast is no stranger to Teahupo’o, having grown up in Tahiti and surfed the iconic wave since he was 16. Given the smaller conditions for the games, it seemed to be a cake walk for Kauli on the wave he knew like the back of his hand. It’s likely many groms in Tahiti went to sleep after his victory inspired by his breakout performance. Even without NBC primetime coverage, surfing turned a few heads with Brazil’s Gabriel Medina’s bronze medal and viral kick-out picture, and it’s safe to say the sport has -perked the ears of the US-- and the world. Medina said it best, “Everyone’s watching and paying attention.”-- including the little girls and groms now going to bed counting Olympic rings instead of sheep.
CRC - Brisa Hennessy Credit: ISA / Beatriz Ryder
USA - John John Florence Griffin Colapinto Credit: ISA / Beatriz Ryder
MEN'S PODIUM
WOMEN'S PODIUM
KAULI VAAST, FRANCE
JACK ROBINSON, AUSTRALIA
GABRIEL MEDINA, BRAZIL
CAROLINE MARKS, USA
TATIANA WESTON-WEBB, BRAZIL
JOHANNE DEFAY, FRANCE
Photos ISA / Beatriz Ryder
INTERVIEW
hank foto
By Brian Bielmann
Pipeline, Hank's happy place.
The photographer known affectionately as “Hank Foto,” has seen it all, and has pulled the trigger on most of it. The stuff he missed he probably did so on purpose.
If you’ve ever known a surf photographer, they are as a whole, far from the normal studio scientist looking to get the perfect angle on a soup can, figure out the perfect setting for their flash, or trying to get famous shooting aspiring models who may well just be the next “big thing.” Between my youth as professional surfer and then, as publisher for the last 3 decadesI have been fortunate to have known, traveled with and dealt with many of the world's best. Some are specialists, trying to get that perfect wide angle look, others areand capable of dealing with any lens or configuration Still others maybe should have taken a different life path because they’re just too frustrated because they can’t make enough money. Then you have guys like Hank Foto: a man that has done it all, seen it all, and has a good and a bad opinion about everything and nothing— depending on what mood you catch him in, that is!
As much as surfers can be characters, the watermen who capture these surfers on film are every bit as eccentric, colorful, dynamic and moody as the athletes. Hank is the real real deal. If ever there was a war torn, surf veteran gonzo-photographer, Hank photo is it.
Brian Let's start with the beginning. How'd you get the nickname Hank?
Hank I got the name Hank from a couple of boys at Salt Creek. I grew up, born and raised in California. Kevin Billy actually nicknamed me “Snack Bar Hank” because at 13 years old, I started working at the snack bar in Salt Creek and it kind of stuck with me. Then I met Larry Moore (former photo editor of Surfing Magazine) down at the beach, and he was a big mentor of mine. He was the one who got me to get my first water housing and taught me everything I knew about photography. I was friends with him until he passed away. He was a great friend of mine.
Bruce Irons
Skater Jeff Hartsel at Graveside on the North Shore.
Braden Diaz, Pipeline
Brian You were a kneeboarder, which I always thought was pretty cool, but why??
Hank Kneeboarding had its day way back. It seemed kind of easier to do than surfing cause you could get barreled easily. Surfing, kneeboarding, bodyboarding, bellyboarding— they were all in the same era. I just think kneeboarding had its day.
Brian As a kneeboarder, did you have your heroes? Obviously George Greenough and others, but were there guys you looked up to in that niche?
Hank There were a couple of guys. Definitely George Greenough was a big influence for me, and guys like Rex Hoffman from Big Rock in La Jolla. Then I started doing the NSSA contests and WSA contests. Guys like Bill Lerner and Bill Sharp were the ones I always competed against. I actually made my first trip to Hawai’i in 1978 to surf in a contest, kneeboarding.
Brian What year did you start taking photos?
Hank I started taking pictures in high school in the early 1980s. I actually didn’t do my first surf trip until '83. I went to Bali. That was my first photo trip. So '83 was probably the first year I started doing it full-time.
Brian I remember when you first came over to Hawai’i and that your nickname was Snack Bar Hank, but I kept getting you mixed up and calling you Lunchbox Hank. I don't think we really got to know each other until we both started working at Bodyboarding Magazine. Remember when Surfing Magazine started a bodyboarding magazine? Those were fun times. You must have some memories or stories from that era.
Hank Well, in 1985, I started working at Surfing Magazine as the special service grom. I did everything—picking up lunch, dropping off pictures, picking up
Herbie Fletcher
Todd Chesser, Shane Dorian and Brock Little, Tavarua 1991
Martin Potter
Liam Mcnamara
Garret Mcnamara
Ken Bradshaw, Log Cabins
pictures. That was before the bodyboarding magazine. I kept seeing all these pictures come in from Tom Boyle from and Sandy’s, and they were just incredible. The photos he took were so vibrant. It was a good niche for us, you know, you and me: because it was a new thing, a new magazine, and we had a little niche going. It was an interesting time in our lives. Bodyboarding was really part of the mainstream of surfing. We did some crazy bodyboard trips, from Cabo San Lucas to Nat Geo and Tahiti. I was influenced by other photographers at Pipeline because Pipeline was incredible to watch and photograph. In '90, I moved to Hawai’i full-time. I finally found a little place on the beach with a couple of bodyboarders, Dean Marzoll and Kavan Akamaro, at Piddlies.
Brian Oh yeah, that’s right. I forgot about that. I remember we'd all come and park at your house and go surf Piddlies. It was awesome. Then they tore your house down and built a gigantic mansion there. Time moves on, huh?
Hank Yeah, we had some great times at that house. The '90s were just blowing up. What a great time to live in Hawai’i. We really had the best eras of Hawai’i. It’s still great and beautiful, but instead of $50 a room, it’s $1,500 a room now to live here, if you can even find a room. I was paying $600 a month to live on the beach.
Brian You also were kind a photo pioneer of Tahiti. What are some of your memories of early Tahiti?
Hank Definitely, the first day I got to Tahiti in '83 with Ben Severson, we pulled up to Papara. Papara was this beach break— but outside the beach break was this reef break. They were having a local contest and I looked out and saw these perfect six-toeight-foot barrels on the outside reef. It was just amazing, like the dream Tahiti you always saw in magazines. Me and Ben went out there, and the color of the water and everything about it was just amazing.
Brian One thing we can't leave out is that you were quite the wild man in your early days. I remember at one point, you said you wanted to start a company called Crack-A-Noon Productions because that was the time you were getting down to the beach. I remember looking over and seeing your tripod set up while you were just sleeping on the beach. The stuff of legend.
Hank Yeah, it was kind of a phase in my life that I went through. You don't always know which path you're going to go down, but I really enjoyed having a lot of fun. Fun was more important than work or anything else. When you add alcohol or anything to influence that, it kind of makes things a little exciting. And I was pretty much just hitting it hard.
Brian Hitting it hard is putting it mildly. You were pretty much a substance-fueled animal. I probably wouldn’t recommend it to others but luckily you came through all that. How long would you say you were partying hard? Ten years?
Hank Yeah, a solid ten years of partying hard. I stopped drinking at 42, so it's been 17 years sober.
Brian You know what's funny? When you were young, you looked old, and now that you're older, you look younger than the rest of us. You're like the Benjamin Button character. Literally pickled.
Hank Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. It’s worked out pretty well in my favor. I’m not advocating for partying and drugs and alcohol, but I will say our industry was like rebels. We were living outside of society. It was a wilder time where everybody had these one-of-a-kind personalities, and it was really fun. It was cool to know someone showed up, and he was on acid, and he won the contest. I mean, that's kind of crazy. Again, I'm not
advocating that for the youth or surfers now, but it made for some great stories.
Brian Times have changed a bit.
Hank Yeah. and the local scene was pretty heavy. You didn't just show up from anywhere else and paddle out, taking all the waves. There was a lot of gnarly stuff going on back then. The Wolf Pack and everything else— I loved it. It humbled those coming from California to Hawai’i. You had to tread lightly. If you acted up, you wouldn't last. A lot of people didn’t last in Hawai’i. Drinking and doing what I did made me a little harder on the inside, so it kept me on the edge. I wanted to take photos of all the locals: Junior, Wayne Boy Victorino, Michael Ho and too many to name. By taking
Party wave, Waimea Bay
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.
photos of those guys, it kind of opened the door for me a little bit. I wasn't just a holidaymaker coming to Hawai’i; I was making a mark for myself.
Brian The real question is how did you wake up in the morning, hungover or without sleep, and jump on a ski to shoot gigantic waves. If I remember correctly, you were one of the very first guys out on a jet ski. Maybe Larry Haynes and John Bilderbeck too. Would you say that was the original early crew?
Hank Definitely. A good friend of mine, Troy Alotis, had a jet ski. One day I saw him towing in Hornbaker, and Art Brewer, they had a Zodiac jet boat they would take out. Once I saw the jet ski, how practical it was for getting out to the outer reefs, I knew I had to get one.
Brian Tell me about your early shots of Ken Bradshaw?
Hank Outer Log Cabins. It was a day when Waimea had just closed out, and they couldn't even hold the Eddie. I got home late that night from the strip bars, and my good friend Markie Mark came over and said, hey, go look at Waimea before you go out. I'll change your plugs and get you all ready, but go look at the bay before you go out. So I started driving up to the bay, and I saw Larry Haynes going towards the harbor. I thought, I'll piggyback Larry and go out with him. Definitely better to go out with two people than one. We went out to Waimea. It was bombing 25-30 feet. I pulled my camera out to take photos of these empty perfect waves at Waimea, thinking the Eddie was going to start any minute. Then we saw this giant set come in, and we were like, oh, geez, we got to make it over this thing, or we're dust. We almost didn't make it.
But here I am, still shooting and I don't plan on going anywhere soon. I’ve got a kid to raise and a lot more waves to catch!
Hawaiian Tropic girls, mid 80's.
APERTURE
Photos Brian Bielmann
Matahi Drollet He’s my favorite surfer at Teahupo ʻ o and as you can see, he charges at Pipe too.
Mitch Coleborn, deep Indonesia
Whales in Tonga
Chief Druku, RIP. Cutting loose, I remember at Tavarua they called him the Keith Richards of Fiji.
Koa Rothman, Nathan Florence, John John Florence, Ian Walsh and Kelly Slater at the Eddie Aikau ceremony at Waimea Bay
Pipe
Bruce Irons Western Australia air from the movie View from a Blue Moon.
Sharks Cove explosion
Mason Ho on the biggest wave of the Brock swell during the 2016 Eddie Aikau Invitational
RYDER PROUTY
By Amanda Blackwell
His name is Ryder Prouty, and we suggest you take a mental note on that name because you’ll likely be hearing it for years to come. Ryder’s Instagram feed is littered with content of him charging Waimea or catching huge airs in the Mentawai’s. At the age of 12 years old, he’s staked his claim as the top-ranked surfer from his age group on Maui, and is now turning heads on Oahu as someone we should all watch out for.
When we asked him to talk about his very first wave, he didn’t flinch in fast forwarding a bit. He wanted to talk about his first roundhouse cutback when he was 4 years old. He doesn’t seem to be phased by the humble beginnings, but he’s more stoked on honing his skills at the higher level. His mind is on the big picture and the skills at the next level, which speaks to his mindset and go-getter mentality. After making a solid claim on the Maui surf scene for a grom, he’s moved onto Oahu to take things up a notch. Ryder’s family has a house on Oahu that enables them to take trips for worthwhile swells and plant themselves there for the majority of winter. He doesn’t seem to be phased by the brief challenge of bigger and more powerful surf and Oahu, and he hopes to master Pipe and Backdoor in the next few years.
When Ryder talks about his game plan for the future, he plans to narrow his focus with each session. He will be working on his airs, and you’ll see him at Churches, a junkier wave that’s perfect for air sections. He’s almost nailed a front side reverse, and it won’t be long before this 12-year-old has mastered it. He prides himself on his roots and where he’s from. As a Maui native, he knows the talent that comes from Oahu, but suggests to not count Maui surfers out. Sharing a home island with notable Maui native Kai Lenny, it won’t be long until Ryder Prouty’s name is mentioned right alongside Kai’s. He’s not only surfing Waimea bombs, getting a few tubes at Backdoor, but he’s also tearing through local and regional menehune contests like he owns the place. For a young talent, it won’t be long until he does.
FSM: Name, rank and serial number?
Ryder: I am Ryder Prouty. I am 12 years old, and I'm from Maui.
FSM: Can you tell me about the first wave you ever rode or maybe the first time you ever stood up on a wave?
Ryder: I don't remember the very first wave, but I have some very early memories of standing up on the front of my dad's board at Launiupoko on Maui. I really remember my first cutback. I did a roundhouse cutback, and I was super excited. I was, like, tripping.
FSM: How did that motivate you?
Ryder: I was just freaking out. I was super excited about it, and it motivated me to surf more and get better so that those moves were on tap. I think I was around four when I did it, and I just started doing them more often.
FSM: Nice. Tell me about the waves on Maui. What's your favorite spot, and can you describe the wave to us?
Ryder: My favorite spot would probably be Freight Trains. (Maalaea) It's a really fast right that barrels super hard. It's one of the fastest waves in the world, but it doesn't break often. When it does, it's super fun. I wasn't there last summer; I was in the Maldives. I hope to catch it in the next few years because it looks so sick.
FSM: You visit Oahu a lot, especially on the North Shore? Got any favorites?
Ryder: I would probably say V-Land. I really like it. It's like a big slab that barrels really nicely. It's a fun wave.
FSM: What is a wave that you really want to master or get really comfortable with on the North Shore?
Ryder: I would like to improve at Pipe, especially Backdoor. I always get clipped at the end, or it's too fast for me.
FSM: When you're riding a wave, what is your go-to maneuver? What kind of style are you bringing to that empty canvas?
Ryder: It depends on the wave, but a turn that I've really mastered would be my layback wraps. That's my go-to maneuver on flatter, softer sections. For variety, I like frontside air reverses. I've been getting super close but haven't quite stuck one yet.
Ryder Prouty photo Jay F Kerns
ALWAYS SEARCHING FOR THE PERFECT LEFT...
RYDER PROUTY
FSM: What is your game plan to get that maneuver down?
Ryder: My game plan is to try. There's a wave on Maui called Churches. It's a really junky wave but has a lot of nice air sections. I'll go out there more often and dedicate sessions to airs, like one session for airs and another for turns.
FSM: What is it about airs that you find so appealing?
Ryder: It's just how critical they are. Being able to go up in the air, even if you're not doing a rotation, displays a high level of difficulty. It's super tough to do.
FSM: What about getting a good barrel? What is it about being in the tube that everyone loves?
Ryder: It's just the cleanest, nicest thing. Being inside the wave while it's going over your head, the vision is beautiful.
FSM: Who is your biggest inspiration? Your favorite surfer or athlete?
Ryder: My favorite surfer is Ian Gentil. I also look up to Michael Jordan and guys like Kobe.
FSM: Is there a certain pride in being from Maui, especially now with so many Maui surfers making a name for themselves?
Ryder: Definitely. Maui is a smaller island, and there was so much success on Oahu with all the surfers there. Now, it's cool to see more Maui surfers on tour. There used to be only Dusty Payne and the big wave surfers, but now there are three on tour.
FSM: Who are your buddies that you surf with a lot?
Ryder: On Maui, I surf a lot with Bode Davis, Mattius Bantos and Merrick Mochkatell.
FSM: Is there a little competition when you're surfing with your friends? Do you push each other?
Ryder: For sure. When I see Bodie get a barrel at V-Land, I feel like I need to get one too. It definitely pushes you up a bit. We sometimes do mock heats in the water.
FSM: Can you remember what it was like competing for the first time?
Ryder Prouty photo Jay F Kerns
Ryder: My first real competition was an HSA at Lahaina Harbor. I was six or seven, and I felt like I was doing pretty well in the heat. Everyone was hyping me up, but I ended up getting fourth or third, and I wasn't very stoked. But that's how it is.
FSM: What would you say is your biggest accomplishment in competitive surfing?
Ryder: Winning regionals in two separate divisions, U-12 and 10-and-under, was a big deal for me. Also, winning the Haleiwa contest three times before in the Menehune division. I've come really close to winning nationals, and that's something I really want to do. U.S. Champs is the big one, and I'd like to be among the top guys there.
FSM: What's your favorite spot that you've traveled to so far?
Ryder: Kandui Villas. I went there this summer. The left is super fun. I also want to go back to Mexico and maybe Australia, like Western Australia.
FSM: What are your goals for the future?
Ryder: I want to focus on being powerful in my surfing and hopefully get on the Challenger Series and try to qualify for the tour. Everyone's dream is to win a world title, and I'm willing to do what it takes to win one.
FSM: Any last-minute thank-yous? Anyone you want to acknowledge who has helped you on this journey so far?
Ryder: Definitely my mom and dad. They push me to surf even when the waves aren't good. I often come in and thank them for pushing me. They keep me going even when it's tough.
SPOTLIGHT:
PUNALU’U BEACH RESTORATION PROJECT
Story & Photos By Kaea Latronic
If you’ve been to Sunset Beach in the past few years, you’ve certainly seen the cautionary signs about erosion and dune restoration. Well, if you’ve been to Sunset Beach in the last few months you know: this project was a success, it is clearly visible. In March of this year, Punalu’u Beach Park received much needed malama ʻāina from the same hands. A recent federal interagency report led by the NOAA finds that sea levels will rise between 0.5 and 1.5 feet by 2050 in Hawai’i. Sea Level Rise Exposure Area mapping shows vulnerability across many windward parts of Kamehameha Highway. Critical areas such as Punalu’u Beach Park show 1.1 feet of sea level rise since 2014. Shoreline and vegetation is a mere fifty-foot-or-less margin between the shore and Kamehameha Highway.
Dune preservation works with the natural tides and sand accumulation, to protect from seasonal coastal erosion. Under normal conditions these dunes are naturally resilient and adaptable to strong weather events. However, the use of sea walls and rock walls to protect the infrastructure of human developments on property close to the shoreline actually led to more eroding and sand loss, as the beach is effectively cinched shut and sand deposition and movement patterns- and thus the ecosystem that depends on the nutrients carried by these natural events- are affected immensely.
but have not stopped erosion and have blocked access to the restrooms as well as significantly negatively affecting the coastal ecosystem. I’ve seen it myself, over seasons through a half dozen years. It was upsetting to see the loss of wildlife happening, though this year I’ve noticed significant improvements and much more sand and animal life.
Duringthe first week in March, Punalu’u Beach Park had over seventy-five volunteers planting native dune plants that are historically tried and true: familiar naupaka kahakai, and pōhuehue, the beach morning glory, and other native plants thus adapted to tolerate strong winds, salt, and occasional waves according to the Hawaiʻi College for Tropical Agriculture's Salt and Wind Tolerance Landscape Plants for Hawaiʻi guide, as listed in the UH Sea Grant College Hawai’i Dune Restoration Manual (2022). Since planting, they’ve been carefully tended to by community members, and all residents are welcome to help out, or participate in a survey on your input and priorities for the restoration project at the site linked at the bottom of this article.
Previous urban efforts at dune restoration include placing large sandbags, geotextile cloth mattresses, and cement cylinders in the intertidal and shoreline area to retain sand,
The restoration initiative saw the Hawaiʻi Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptiation Commission (CCMAC) coordinate with the the Office of Conservation and Coastal Lands, the DLNR, ‘OahuMPO, Hawaii DOT and University Of Hawai’i Sea Grant, contracting Sea Engineering Inc. who has been providing engineering and oceanographic strategies, and much more: from Hawaiʻi to Alaska, Antartica, the Caribbean and Indian Ocean, and throughout the Pacific Basin both publicly and privately. It was founded in 1973 by University of Hawai’i graduates. They are exploring every
option to restore Punalu’u Beach, including engineered rock structures known as groins, holding sand to the shoreline eventually, presumably once erosion patterns are reestablished enough to determine optimal placement.
In Hawai’ian, Punalu’u [diving spring] essentially translates to fresh water found diving and the ahupua’a is known for its abundance of fresh water. I’ve witnessed community efforts on the individual and small group level, positively affecting the coastline; replacing lost fish nursery rock formations utilizing techniques I’ve seen in Hawai’ian history textbooks, helping water flow thru the ahupua’a from mauna to makai, in flood preparation as well as regularly to help redirect
fresh water for erosion prevention with their own personal backhoes and equipment, blood, sweat and mālama ola.
Seeing the community and government agencies come together in a focused way for this dedicated, informed and ecologically considerate task to preserve the valuable communities of organisms that thrive in the natural estuary this area historically supports is beautiful, and I want to personally say a big mahalo to those involved and those who plan to! Its my hope that your reading this has inspired you to contribute any way you can to preserving our shorelines, in tandem with clean up efforts— we must take care of this land and our shorelines. Not only to enjoy, but to set a standard of stewardship for all our children, and children’s children today and for decades to come.
Wailele (Shave Ice and Local Snack Shop) 10am - 4pm
Open Kitchen is Located in Waimea Valley, a Branch of Ke Nui Kitchen
Kama'aina Discounts | Pau Hana Thursday's Hale Kope Loyalty Card, Purchase 7 Coffees Get One Free
Oahu
(808) 376-4135
INDUSTRY NOTES
JAMIE O’BRIEN, JEFF DEFFENBAUGH, AND ILIMA KALAMA INTO THE SURFERS’ HALL OF FAME
Huntington Surf & Sport inducted Jamie O’Brien, Jeff Deffenbaugh, and Ilima Kalama into the Surfers’ Hall of Fame on Friday morning in front of the HSS Main Street store. The event, hosted by HSS owner Aaron Pai, attracted surf industry icons like Bob Hurley and Shaun Tomson.
Jamie O’Brien, known for his skills at Pipeline and his popular YouTube channel with over 1.3 million subscribers, was praised by Shaun Tomson as “one of the greatest” surfers at Pipeline. Jeff Deffenbaugh, once a “local pier rat,” became a title-winning pro surfer and a mentor to young surfers. Ilima Kalama, originally from Honolulu, gained fame as a surfer and Huntington Beach lifeguard, winning the U.S. Surfing Championships in 1962.
Founded by Pai in 1997, the Surfers’ Hall of Fame honors those who have shaped surf culture. Nearly 100 surfers have left their mark in front of the HSS store at Main Street and PCH.
NATHAN FLORENCE WINS WATERMAN OF THE YEAR
PAUL WATSON UNDER ARREST
Paul Watson, founder of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and co-founder of Greenpeace, faces up to 15 years in prison in Japan after his arrest in Greenland on an international warrant. The Japan Coast Guard charges Watson with being an accomplice to assault and ship trespass, stemming from a 2010 incident where Sea Shepherd members allegedly boarded the Japanese whaling ship Shonan Maru 2 in the Southern Ocean.
Japan's penalties for such offenses range from three years in prison or a fine of 100,000 yen for trespassing, to 15 years in prison or a fine of 500,000 yen for assault. Watson's arrest is linked to the actions of former Sea Shepherd member Peter Bethune, who allegedly boarded the Shonan Maru after a collision destroyed the group’s speedboat.
Following Japan's withdrawal from the International Whaling Commission, it resumed commercial whaling and launched a new whaling mothership, the Kangei Maru. Watson was en route to intercept this ship when arrested. Currently held in Greenland, Denmark is considering his extradition to Japan, sparking international petitions, including one with nearly 670,000 signatures, urging against his extradition.
"Honored to win the Waterman of the Year Award!! Thanks @surf_industry for the awesome award and event! @ mahinaflorence for presenting the award it made it so special! And the family @florence_marine_x for being present! Alot of money was raised for the protection of our oceans and environmental initiatives which is what its all about! Awesome to be there as an athlete and now a Brand looking to push this industry in the right direction with equipment modernized for our relationship with our oceans! @vipedesai great job on another year doing what you do! Congrats to the other winners of the other awards presented @vince_scandone , and Gordon Merchant. And thank you to the Trophy makers and staff that ran the event!"
Treat yourself
STUFF WE LIKE
PELAGIC / TERMINAL SONAR
The Terminal is constructed using our lightest and highest performance boardshort material. Laser-cut perforations on the back panels enhance airflow to keep your head cool, while the perforated and padded headband that absorbs sweat and allows air in and out for a comfortable and dry fit.
pelagicgear.com
T&C SURF SAKURA STANLEY THE ICEFIOW™ FLIP STRAW TUMBLER
Effortlessly stay hydrated and stylish with these vibrant tumblers! Perfect for a car commute or home workout, the built-in flip straw and double-wall vacuum insulation keep your drink cold for hours. Made in part from recycled plastics sourced from discarded fishing nets, manufactured by Stanley.
tcsurf.com
VOLCOM / LOCK IT UP TEE
The everyday tee you'll reach for again and again, this short sleeve basic black top is made from supremely soft 100% organic cotton fabric so you can look great in and feel good about the clothes you wear.
volcom.com
6 DAYS A WEEK!
LAST LOOK
Hank is the master of shooting off his jet ski in Hawaii, and from the outer reefs to Pipeline he’s been shooting the biggest waves of the north shore this way for decades. This was from the biggest day of the year at Pipe and they called off the Contest and a handful of surfers paddled out and Hank was there to get one of the best waves of the day of Parker Coffin looking straight into the barrel.
