Mike Parsons

If they made a Mt. Rushmore of influential Californian big-wave surfers, a couple names would probably come to mind off the bat. Peter Mel. Greg Long. Of course, four spots just isn’t fair, but the footprints of a lean, former pro surfer turned big-wave specialist from Laguna Beach nicknamed Snips loom large, indeed. From pivotal sessions at Todos Santos and Mav’s, to exploring and bagging world records at Cortes Bank, to barrels at Jaws…Snips has seen some things. In the newest episode of the Late Drop, Jamie Mitchell raps out with the man who deserves a face etched in stone.

 

0:00​ Wavepool talk, Growing up in Laguna Beach, CA, Surfing steep shorebreak, Amateur comp career, Trouble reading in school, Parents supporting his surfing career

14:00​ Getting 2nd in US Championships, Traveling with NSSA national team, Getting into big wave surfing in Hawaii, Competing against the elements, Starting/selling VonZipper, Getting on the Billabong Oddysey team, 1998 Todos Santos session K2 Challenge

29:11​ Teaming up with Brad Gerlach, Getting into surf forecasting with Sean Collins, Getting his pilot’s license

37:02​ The Cortez Bank mission in 2001, Catches 66-foot wave that day, Going back to Cortez in 2008 with Twiggy and Greg Long, Catches 77-foot wave for world record

46:56​ Relationship with Maverick’s, Mark Foo’s death at Mav’s, Watching out for friends while surfing big waves

57:45​ Breaking his back, The Big Wave World Tour, Memorable big waves of his life, Watching Laird tow surfing at Jaws for the first time

1:11:21​ Snip’s 5-to-Finish