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00:00:03.611Hey, we're coming in hot Nelly.
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00:00:05.426Nelly's Magic Moments Podcast.
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00:00:08.968Nelly, I'm not even going to say the guest because I want you to have the honors.
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00:00:09.711It's been a while.
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00:00:11.385You and I have a little catching up to do also.
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00:00:23.231We do, and it's my honor and my stoke to introduce to you one of my best friends, one of my favorite people on planet Earth, isla Hardy.
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00:00:25.385Thank you so much for having me much.
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00:00:29.109Yeah, isla good to see you again you too, so stoked to be here you've been busy lately.
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00:00:31.539Isla, I have just a little just a bit.
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00:00:40.343Yeah, I've only had like four days home and all of that in this country um no, not entirely that's exactly right that's exactly right.
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00:00:45.529I love starting off the podcast with the Expendables and just some positive vibe warriors right off the bat.
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00:00:46.591Oh, they're sick.
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00:00:47.192There you go.
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00:00:49.274There it is we're vibing.
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00:00:50.896We are a little bit.
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00:00:53.445I can play this all the way through when our coffee's ready.
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00:00:53.908Now, Doug.
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00:00:55.051Yes.
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00:00:56.764This is our coffee hole.
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00:00:57.845Do you drink coffee?
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00:01:00.412No, no, just a pure athlete.
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00:01:03.314Oh, I'd be bouncing off the wall so I'd be like dangerous.
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00:01:04.876You just got like natural stoke.
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00:01:06.617You're naturally caffeinated.
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00:01:09.263I'm frothing Naturally caffeinated.
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00:01:13.688That's right we just came from a skate session down at New Brighton Halfpipe.
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00:01:15.867Yep, we're the only ones there.
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00:01:16.448It's pretty sick.
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00:01:24.968Her progression from the beginning of the session to the end was like wild to watch, and I actually brought some videos that we can put on later.
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00:01:31.149That's amazing, shows you how much the culture's changed to be in the middle, smack dab the middle of summer, and a skate park's empty.
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00:01:33.185Yeah, not one person there.
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00:01:34.248That's crazy to me.
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00:01:37.242It was awesome actually for me, because I'm a little rusty.
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00:01:38.265It's like you rented it out.
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00:01:39.146He rented it out for you.
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00:01:40.787Yeah, we had a private skate session.
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00:01:41.489It was pretty sick yeah.
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00:01:46.256So, nellie, you got your Nellie notes over there I got the Nellie notes.
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00:01:53.469Yeah, so we started the day off with a little surf session with Rivvy, and down at 2.6.
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00:02:00.349There were some airs going down, a couple hell snaps and then we went straight to the skate park.
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00:02:05.563But it's kind of a standard day for you, yeah, isla.
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00:02:11.629Yeah, we kind of just especially when I'm with you, I feel like we kind of do it all in one day and it's kind of normal for us, huh.
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00:02:13.091What was the day like yesterday?
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00:02:14.012A little skunk fest.
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00:02:25.205Yeah, yesterday was not exactly the day it was foggy, which for Nellie is never, never good.
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00:02:27.074No, that can be good conditions, but not a good day for Nelly, yeah.
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00:02:30.848He's like no, I'm not cheating, Especially if you have a whiteboard, whiteboard and fog.
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00:02:32.866Oh, this is number.
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00:02:35.181Is there anything to do with those days, nelly?
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00:02:35.902Can you get like?
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00:02:38.210Can you get like, um, uh, who's that dude?
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00:02:41.204And uh, ansel Adams is that famous black and white photographer.
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00:02:46.913Is there anywhere your mind goes with the with the foggy day like that, or is it just kind of not your thing?
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00:02:48.254I do it occasionally.
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00:02:53.068I mean, I definitely have been doing it more lately than, uh, you know, and last summer too.
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00:02:55.241There's a lot of foggy days around here.
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00:03:04.402Um, I usually like it when someone has some outline to their board, so it's not just a white board and white fog and I mean that's why that stuff is so important.
00:03:04.402 -->
00:03:08.407But Chachi's more the king of that.
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00:03:13.010I mean he doesn't care if it's sunny or he gets so artsy with all that.
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00:03:13.770That's what I was going to say.
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00:03:16.954I think, yeah, you go into that gray world of the art world, like when you're.
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00:03:20.537It's like an abstract version of the clean lines you're used to.
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00:03:31.354Yeah, I was raised in the photography world as bright early morning light was what you're searching for, yeah, or evening, evening backlit green.
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00:03:32.841That's what you're looking for.
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00:03:36.310But um so, isla, yes, talk to me.
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00:03:39.377How does it feel to be on here with us?
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00:03:40.480oh, it feels amazing.
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00:03:44.670I've been listening to a bunch of them like, like Jackson and Zoe, you guys do such a good job.
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00:03:48.320I'm super stoked.
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00:03:49.182It's a nice space here.
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00:03:49.683It's really rad.
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00:03:54.844I got the headphones on, let's start in Hawaii this year.
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00:03:57.828North Shore, how many seasons have you been there now?
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00:03:59.586Is that your second season or third?
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00:04:01.024Second season.
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00:04:04.520We did a family trip before, but it was one of those times we got skunked.
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00:04:07.543Yeah, a lot of in-town days, yeah.
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00:04:09.966So, yeah, probably my second real season.
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00:04:11.546Second real season.
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00:04:21.976I remember distinctly a big West Swell day and I had already had like a million cutback shots of you on the left and I told you to go over to the right.
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00:04:26.627Yeah, tell us a little about that day, because it was square and boxing and pretty heavy.
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00:04:29.572Oh yeah, so start out on the left.
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00:04:30.454Is that Rockies?
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00:04:36.432And there was a lot of people out on the left because it was obviously perfect.
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00:04:41.447And so now it's like, let's go over on the right, let's try to get a few, but when it's West it's closing out Right.
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00:04:54.774So I fell over there and I'm kind of sitting in the middle and there's a bunch of really good surfers out and right when I paddle over just a big walls coming.
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00:04:56.266I did not make it.
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00:04:59.550I had to ditch first time on that board.
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00:05:00.624Brand new board.
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00:05:01.387Snapped it right now.
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00:05:14.470And I just see Nelly with my bright pink board holding up the other half on the inside and I'm paddling in on half a board just getting slammed yeah and he's just laughing with my one half a board and I was like, oh wow nelly's.
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00:05:16.002Nelly's been around longer, if you know the minute.
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00:05:17.425He's seen something that that's like.
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00:05:19.151Just that goes beyond the moment to.
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00:05:20.444This is a story.
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00:05:20.985This is.
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00:05:21.648This is a.
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00:05:22.050This is.
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00:05:25.500This story has legs totally yeah, you'll be talking about that in 15.
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00:05:26.725We're talking about it right now.
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00:05:29.091We'll be talking about that in 20 years in my defense.
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00:05:32.391There was perfect spitting barrels on the right over there.
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00:05:39.663You just had to like navigate in between the closeouts and then like there would be a perfect corner yeah, oh yeah, there's guys were getting spit out of barrels.
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00:05:42.449Yeah, totally, and it was probably good for me.
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00:05:47.661You know I had to like regroup and get another board go back out, but it was a good learning experience that wave.
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00:05:53.451that wave in particular was square and the lip was like three feet thick right on top.
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00:05:55.093I'm like what did I just send her?
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00:06:03.170Isla, what's your mindset like in a new environment like that Cause you know you get like the lay of the land, you talk to locals, you probably have you like do your homework, you know and all that.
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00:06:14.709But that's a big difference than when you're actually in the environment and so, like what's your, what's your like, you know from an athlete standpoint like what's your kind of like general kind of process when you're in a new environment?
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00:06:15.632Yeah.
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00:06:19.163So I've been thinking about that a lot, cause there's been a lot of new recently.
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00:06:24.271So I feel like it's like taking it in small steps, which I've been working on skating too.
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00:06:27.795You can't do it all at once and expect to have a big result.
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00:06:37.211You kind of take it in segments, like just paddling out, going out on the channel, sitting there watching it, and then you slowly start inching your way over, and it's okay not to get it on the first day.
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00:06:41.146It takes like a few days to get even comfortable with being in there yeah.
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00:06:46.834So, yeah, I think that's kind of my mindset just being grateful for even being out there.
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00:06:47.254Yeah.
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00:06:52.411And learning, because there was a lot of learning, like when I had to paddle in on a broken board.
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00:06:52.913Yeah.
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00:06:55.466So, yeah, that's kind of where I'm at.
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00:06:58.048It's amazing to watch the progression.
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00:07:08.891You know, I think about her first day last year not this year, but the year before and we surfed like two foot pupa kea and I was like, yeah, that was sick, I like you know, I mean.
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00:07:34.367And then this year, yeah, she came out, she was ready like to, I mean we went straight to log cabins on a six foot day and that's one of the heaviest spots on the north shore and she was handling and doing these huge rail grab gouges and just like banking off the white waters and going at these lefts and smashing it and like I was like Whoa, like to see from a year previous the progression she had made was crazy.
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00:07:39.209I think it's interesting, even locally here you know we have all of our different spots and you're growing up here as a kid.
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00:07:47.533It almost is in a weird way, in a short, and this gets global, this gets, this is here, but each of these spots have like I kind of it's almost like a language you have to learn.
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00:07:51.586You know like, like, it's like this, they, they, because they're officially.
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00:07:56.286You know like, scientifically it's, it's the, the lay of the lands, the break, that it's different.
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00:08:10.572But every time you're out here and you kind of go in there, it's like it's, it's I like what you said about that, which is like expectations, it is like a break, is like a foreign country and it'd be very rude to go in there and start tipping over chairs and speaking loudly, badly, in their language.
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00:08:15.846What you want to do first is observe it right and you want to kind of respect it, and I do think surfing has a lot of that.
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00:08:33.453You know, in these spots and we get to conversations on the podcast a lot about hyper-localism and priority, but I think where we always land on at the end is like sort of respecting that new spot, respecting the environment, and in a lot of ways, priority will take care of itself.
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00:08:39.631If you go with that mindset right, if you go in with that overall mindset, I don't think priority would be such a huge like local kind of argument.
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00:08:41.961Totally.
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00:08:47.705Yeah, you can like feel it out when you're out in the water, especially if you start on the inside and then you kind of work your way up.
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00:08:49.865There'll be a random person that will be like go on this one.
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00:08:50.225Yes.
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00:08:54.187And then you're like eyes light up and you're like whoa, that's really rad of them.
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00:08:54.528Yeah.
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00:09:05.914So I think, yeah, that's kind of the awesomeness about just working your way up and being respectful to those who actually live there, because when they see that there's like a connection and they'll, they'll give you waves.
00:09:06.096 -->
00:09:13.085yeah I mean, sometimes they do, sometimes they don't, and sometimes it takes years to get into a spot, especially pipeline out there.
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00:09:17.883But, um, you know, I couldn't have said it any more better than brian.
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00:09:32.174You know, I mean there's the hyper localism and then there's the aloha vibe, right, yes and it's like you'll notice, over there on the North Shore there's at least 95% Aloha vibe, totally.
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00:09:41.950Yeah, every once in a while you run into some eggy weirdo that is super selfish and it's all about them, but I love the vibe over there.
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00:09:55.714I love the vibe over there and you know, if you're willing to deal with the shallow, shallow lava bottom spot, you usually can get waves, because a lot of people don't want to deal with that.
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00:09:56.315You know what I mean.
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00:09:57.524Like logs, for instance.
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00:10:04.591You know there's a reason that there's usually eight guys out at logs and 90 guys out at backdoor.
00:10:04.591 -->
00:10:08.457You know, um, what's your?
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00:10:09.899So who's your crew over there?
00:10:10.581 -->
00:10:10.981over there.
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00:10:16.171Um, okay, obviously nelly and that fam, because we love them.
00:10:16.171 -->
00:10:24.215And then the bradshaw's ken bradshaw, amanda and zoe, and then tell me a little bit about Zoe.
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00:10:27.393She, oh, she's a rat, she's so funny.
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00:10:33.048I probably have never laughed so hard than the few weeks that I was with her.
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00:10:46.267She's up for literally anything, and if she's not surfing, we're like catching chickens or rolling down sandbanks ain't it a weird thing to say being kids, yeah, we mess around rolling down sandbanks and a weird thing to say being kids yeah, we mess around.
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00:10:47.828She is, she charges, though.
00:10:47.828 -->
00:10:55.208She's so inspiring and we just have the best time together and she's a bit younger than me, but it's a super healthy relationship where we push each other.
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00:10:59.725So we got to go to Waco with her and, oh, we just had the best time ever.
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00:11:06.668We were catching lizards and yeah, and you kind of you know catching lizards and yeah and you kind of you know, you're kind of how old is she?
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00:11:07.250Sorry, yeah no, it's all.
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00:11:07.611She's 11.
00:11:07.611 -->
00:11:08.094She's 11 years old.
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00:11:08.475That's crazy.
00:11:08.475 -->
00:11:09.198Well, yeah, I didn't know that.
00:11:09.219 -->
00:11:11.363I've seen girl yeah she's 12, I don't know.
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00:11:14.269Yeah, she's sick.
00:11:14.509 -->
00:11:16.953I love some nuts barrels in indonesia.
00:11:16.953 -->
00:11:18.908I've been seeing these clips of her.
00:11:18.908 -->
00:11:20.717I'm pretty sure it's bank vaults or one of those.
00:11:20.717 -->
00:11:22.142Crazy yeah, this, yeah, super on surfline right rifles.
00:11:22.142 -->
00:11:23.104Yeah, she's staying out there.
00:11:23.124 -->
00:11:23.544Right, they live there.
00:11:23.544 -->
00:11:24.365Waltz are one of those spots.
00:11:24.365 -->
00:11:25.528Crazy, yeah, the.
00:11:25.548 -->
00:11:26.530Superdome On Surfline right Rifles.
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00:11:27.272Yeah, she's staying out there at.
00:11:27.292 -->
00:11:27.753Kandui's right.
00:11:27.753 -->
00:11:29.336They lived there for a few months.
00:11:32.120 -->
00:11:41.111Do you start identifying like styles and stuff, like let's just stay in this context of this conversation right now, like I guess it's easier to talk about yourself like in the abstract a little bit.
00:11:41.111 -->
00:11:45.150So there's Zoe and there's Isla, like how would you describe her style?
00:11:45.150 -->
00:11:51.245And then we'll circle back around to you, like if you were looking at her, saying like what's her overall style of surfing or her mentality, even?
00:11:51.886 -->
00:11:52.488mentality.
00:11:52.488 -->
00:12:09.691She's very free, um kind of nonchalant, but you could tell she just has like the most joy out of anyone out there and she's just laughing and cackling the whole time and screaming to her friends and yeah, I describe her as very free all, right now put the magnifying glass description.
00:12:09.931 -->
00:12:10.152Is it?
00:12:10.152 -->
00:12:11.363Is that how you see it?
00:12:11.462 -->
00:12:13.392yeah, and she's up, like she said.
00:12:13.392 -->
00:12:17.163She's up for anything and she rips at skating and she's you know, she's kind of one of those.
00:12:18.606 -->
00:12:26.172So I mean, the future's very bright for joey bradshaw in your style now, like as if you didn't know yourself.
00:12:26.172 -->
00:12:30.486If you watch yourself surf, it's kind of a big question, but how would you describe your style?
00:12:31.340 -->
00:12:40.505Describe my style as I think chill Like soul, soul or joyous too.
00:12:40.505 -->
00:12:41.442I think that's.
00:12:41.442 -->
00:12:48.828The biggest thing for me is having joy, so that's kind of what I try to put out, so I hope it looks like that.
00:12:50.552 -->
00:12:58.173That's such a deep thing to say, because I think sometimes what happens is, is we, especially in this world we live in right now, we sort of rob?
00:12:58.173 -->
00:13:19.201You know your age in particular, you know, for a period of time, especially when you show an extraordinary talent, we kind of have a tendency to rob joy and soul from that process because your talent kind of like elevates you from normal expectations of your age group and so sometimes it becomes the business of it.
00:13:19.201 -->
00:13:37.023And so if you can somehow and you've said it three, four, five, six times already if you can somehow hang on to that, and as you're excelling and winning that, you're also kind of taking that little break, watching the sunsets, feeling it all happening as it's happening, Cause a lot of times you go, what happened at that time period?
00:13:37.023 -->
00:13:41.923You know it was, it was almost like for somebody else, and if you can be enjoying that right now, that's you're getting some good.
00:13:41.923 -->
00:13:47.677Um, you know, I don't know if it's coaching, parenting or maybe all of it but you're definitely all of it.
00:13:47.736 -->
00:14:12.207She's, in my opinion, a perfect combination of her mom and dad and her sisters and teacher kiki, who she helped raise isla when she was little six weeks old um, you know, and then you've got these other positive vibe warriors, people that she's worked with, like matt myers and like, uh, yeah, lots of them.
00:14:12.408 -->
00:14:16.894Homer rat boy, you know flea, a lot of flea.
00:14:16.894 -->
00:14:27.399You know, anyway, if you got this combination of of people that have helped you, but also you've really stayed pure and true to yourself, thank you.
00:14:27.399 -->
00:14:35.090So, even though, like I see a lot of your mom and dad in you, I see a lot of unique Isla, which has never changed.
00:14:35.090 -->
00:14:39.730You know what I mean and you have this classic personality that's fun to heckle.
00:14:39.730 -->
00:14:41.745You don't mind it.
00:14:41.745 -->
00:14:46.386You heckle me back, like all that kind of stuff is makes it really fun.
00:14:46.386 -->
00:14:47.028Personality.
00:14:47.690 -->
00:15:08.424Thanks, yeah, I think you, anyone who's helped me, has shaped me, especially uncle Nelly, cause we take a lot of car rides and missions and I think definitely the the mentality of just like having fun and surfing for you, whereas also like obviously there's competition and you have to be serious.
00:15:08.424 -->
00:15:13.264But I think those lessons have really rubbed off on me and just keeping it pure.
00:15:13.264 -->
00:15:24.052So, yeah, I've had a bunch of help from people all around me, like Jason, ratboy Collins, homer you, flea, my parents, and they've all shaped me into who I am.
00:15:24.212 -->
00:15:24.432Yeah.
00:15:24.913 -->
00:15:28.347Yeah, I'm super grateful for that because we have a lot of rad people in our community.
00:15:28.368 -->
00:15:30.232And you're lucky Like a guy like Nellie.
00:15:30.232 -->
00:15:39.745I think the difference between like, I think what for all of us, just try to get it maybe pointed right more towards Nellie twisters a little bit more, so it's right at you a little bit, that might be a difference and we'll.
00:15:39.745 -->
00:15:40.826I think that's way better.
00:15:41.128 -->
00:15:41.528Is that good?
00:15:41.528 -->
00:15:42.529I think that's a lot better.
00:15:42.529 -->
00:15:44.932Yeah, because I think the angles that's a lot better.
00:15:45.374 -->
00:16:04.230But what I was going to say is and it reminds me, I coached football for 20 years and sometimes like the highest level of coaching and the highest level of connection wasn't necessarily in the games or the practice, it was in the trips to the games, the bus ride, sitting next to a quarterback, or sitting next to an offense, you, or sitting next to an offense, you know, your other coordinators, those two, three hours.
00:16:04.850 -->
00:16:30.658You know I'm talking specifically about one sport, but knowing Nelly, the way I've known him for a much shorter period of time than you, but still it's the same immersion in it those are going to be sort of like you know it's not going to be I'm not saying it's heavy conversations on the way, these places, but you are going to talk about life, you're going to talk about the big picture stuff and you're going to talk about kind of you know like what your space is, nelly's, kind of constantly thinking about his place on the planet.
00:16:30.658 -->
00:16:46.394You know, as far as like his not only role, like you know, you know as far as capturing a culture, but literally the bigger part of it, that culture is in the ocean the ocean's part world and I'm sure that's a lot of that's rubbed off on those.
00:16:46.294 -->
00:17:01.469Those missions, yes, yeah, I've heard like people always say it's not about the destination, it's the journey, and like getting there, and a lot of kids are like, well, of course it's about the destination, like the winning, the you know, but then I've really learned that it is about the journey, Like that's the stuff you remember our car rides, plane rides, you know stuff like that.
00:17:01.469 -->
00:17:03.251So you've got to enjoy the little things.
00:17:03.572 -->
00:17:12.440It's really insightful of you to see that already at your age, cause it took me probably till about 10 years ago before I started realizing.
00:17:12.500 -->
00:17:14.406I'm right with you to enjoy the process.
00:17:14.446 -->
00:17:16.625You know what I mean, and the process is what it's all about.
00:17:16.625 -->
00:17:25.432Yeah, you know some of the most exciting times for me are packing for a trip or driving to the surf ranch.
00:17:25.432 -->
00:17:26.034You know what I mean.
00:17:26.034 -->
00:17:32.402It's like sometimes I have more fun and excitement just pulling down into the more.
00:17:32.402 -->
00:17:35.547I'm just like it's like so excited, that's it.
00:17:35.827 -->
00:17:37.111Yeah, I think we have a.
00:17:37.111 -->
00:17:45.923We have a real tendency to, and I think I dig these conversations is where we get off track and, like Nellie has me on the podcast, is that, you know, I think the.
00:17:45.923 -->
00:17:59.740The other you know thought I have as we're talking about all of this is I think we're so obsessed sometimes with you know future and past things like like a result that might've happened that you regret, or the anticipation of a future event, that we don't live in that middle.
00:17:59.740 -->
00:18:11.040And this gets to the car, right, you know, sometimes it's not that he's going to shoot and basically kind of document an event and it's not the place you're going to to actually get in the water there's.
00:18:11.040 -->
00:18:14.349You're doing nothing but selling that part in the middle short.
00:18:14.349 -->
00:18:20.833If you're not like there and engaged on the the, the drive side of that Cause the other part, you can't stop it.
00:18:20.833 -->
00:18:28.733Theoretically you could, but you're going to go do that event and you can't spend too much time in that car thinking about things in the past.
00:18:29.820 -->
00:18:43.550There's a, there's a part of it and I do think this eventually translates to, like you know, a mat kind of conversation I'm sure you have, which is that eraser kind of thing as an athlete, like you know, the ability to basically sports.
00:18:43.550 -->
00:18:51.662To me me an athlete, you know, being an athlete isn't so much about excelling, because a lot of people that do that well, it's about how do you basically process failure.
00:18:51.662 -->
00:18:56.573For me, it's way more what is your take and what is your stance on failure?
00:18:56.573 -->
00:19:05.248Because people go in the hall of fame um, you know failing 50 of the time in football, they feel 70 of the time in baseball and they go in the Hall of Fame.
00:19:05.248 -->
00:19:06.805It's really the ones that.
00:19:06.805 -->
00:19:09.428How do you process a mistake and a failure?
00:19:09.428 -->
00:19:11.184Do you go over that with coach a lot.
00:19:11.465 -->
00:19:11.708We do.
00:19:11.708 -->
00:19:13.042We call it goldfish brain.
00:19:13.424 -->
00:19:15.108Okay, explain that, explain that.
00:19:15.169 -->
00:19:26.353So this is like, especially in heats, because it could only be 15 minutes and you can't fall on a wave and sit there dwelling of like oh, I fell, it's my only chance, I'm never going to get another chance in this heat.
00:19:26.960 -->
00:19:32.644So we call it goldfish brain because you have to forget it right at that moment, like exactly when you do it.
00:19:32.644 -->
00:19:37.931Be like okay, I got the next one, we're just going to paddle back out, because a heat's never over until the horn sounds.
00:19:37.931 -->
00:19:46.499And I've had a bunch of heats recently where in the last 10 seconds I've made it, where in the last 10 seconds I've made it, and that's like all thanks to the goldfish brain, because I didn't like dwell on my mistakes.
00:19:46.499 -->
00:19:56.088So there's a lot of failing in surfing, like way more so than I feel, like a lot of things, and no two waves are the same.
00:19:56.088 -->
00:20:05.125So it's just you have to try it for so long, months and months at a time, to even get down tricks you've been working on.
00:20:05.125 -->
00:20:15.282And I think that's like the really beautiful thing is because when you finally do something, you can look back at all those mistakes and be like I landed this or I did this because I didn't give up and I didn't dwell on those mistakes.
00:20:15.743 -->
00:20:17.709That's where all the progression stems from.
00:20:18.009 -->
00:20:19.882We've learned that a lot this year.
00:20:20.222 -->
00:20:23.489And so I talked to her all the time about I want to see you fall more.
00:20:23.489 -->
00:20:26.693Please fall more during this session.
00:20:26.693 -->
00:20:27.501Cause in your mindset.
00:20:27.521 -->
00:20:30.704I mean, you want her to push it a little bit but I want her to push it way more.
00:20:31.026 -->
00:20:34.351You know what I mean, and that goes for all the Grom's in this town, you know.
00:20:34.351 -->
00:20:39.183It's like yeah, you can do a lip slider, yeah, you can do a cutback.
00:20:39.183 -->
00:20:54.865We talk a lot about cutbacks because everybody can do a cutback right, and even though you're doing a cutback and it's super stylish and you threw a bunch of spray, if you do cutback after cutback, you can sometimes do five cutbacks on the wave, right.
00:20:54.865 -->
00:20:55.366It's.
00:20:55.366 -->
00:20:57.692It's not what you're searching for.
00:20:57.692 -->
00:21:12.409As far as the progression goes, you know, especially in contests, you know you watch some of the pro contests and these guys are doing five foot 360 errors and they're getting a huge score for one maneuver, and so you're never going to try that.
00:21:12.409 -->
00:21:14.126You're never going to do that first try right.
00:21:14.126 -->
00:21:18.390It's going to take hundreds of tries, which means there's going to be a lot of failing and a lot of falling.
00:21:18.390 -->
00:21:18.880That's.
00:21:18.880 -->
00:21:25.029That's what I want to see is a lot of falling and that means you're progressing and that's how you learn.
00:21:25.470 -->
00:21:26.811Do you do a lot of visualization?
00:21:27.554 -->
00:21:28.714I have gotten super into it.
00:21:28.714 -->
00:21:34.377That's actually something I was talking with Matt and Homer about, because Homer used to get crazy with the visualization stuff.
00:21:34.377 -->
00:21:39.731So we were talking about it and he was just saying how just confidence is the main thing.
00:21:39.731 -->
00:21:44.251So you have to visualize yourself going into it, knowing you're going to stick it.
00:21:44.251 -->
00:21:46.724You have to visualize yourself going into it knowing you're going to stick it.
00:21:46.724 -->
00:21:55.550And he said that you do it so many times that when you go out you turn your brain off and Nellie was talking about this too because you visualize it so many times that it feels natural for your body.
00:21:56.161 -->
00:22:04.968And I think a lot of pros do this in basketball baseball they especially when injuries happen and you can't do the sport or practice.
00:22:04.968 -->
00:22:06.191You're visualizing.
00:22:06.191 -->
00:22:14.048And there's been crazy stories about getting back and doing something first try or having the best game of your life after coming back from a bad season.
00:22:14.048 -->
00:22:15.852So I've been doing that a bunch.
00:22:15.852 -->
00:22:20.012I think it helps in Japan, especially because we did not get that many practice waves.
00:22:20.012 -->
00:22:28.048So the night before I was just sitting visualizing what I was going to do and how I was going to take off and all that stuff, and I truly think it makes a difference.
00:22:28.721 -->
00:22:31.028Now that you mentioned Japan, I want to get back into this.
00:22:31.028 -->
00:22:43.055Isla's been on a whirlwind tour around the world this last year and after Hawaii, you got the invite to Stab High in Japan, right, yep.
00:22:43.055 -->
00:22:49.203So let's talk a little bit about that and what you had to do to make that work, because I knew that.
00:22:49.203 -->
00:22:52.570I know that that was a big deal.
00:22:52.570 -->
00:22:58.976You know you're the only santa cruz surfer to be invited to stab high and it was kind of last minute, correct?
00:22:59.136 -->
00:23:06.388very yeah, yeah and so, um, let's talk about a little bitab High, like you went over there with your pops.
00:23:06.710 -->
00:23:09.413Yep, dad went, got to go on that trip.
00:23:09.413 -->
00:23:15.38811-hour flight, it's like the longest travel days I've ever experienced, get used to it.
00:23:15.429 -->
00:23:16.330That's all I got to say.
00:23:16.853 -->
00:23:17.173Yeah.
00:23:18.601 -->
00:23:23.484So did Matt Miola, and those guys contacted you right, matt Miola, and who else?
00:23:24.040 -->
00:23:25.885Yeah, I think Salty Crew told Matt Miola and those, those guys contacted you.
00:23:25.885 -->
00:23:27.130Right, matt Miola, and who else?
00:23:27.130 -->
00:23:32.385Yeah, I think Salty Crew told Matt Miola and yeah, was it even on the radar.
00:23:32.640 -->
00:23:39.846Was it on the radar for you that maybe on the outsider was it just absolutely like out of left field, Like this is happening?
00:23:40.823 -->
00:23:41.710I think I was.
00:23:41.710 -->
00:23:42.960I was super surprised.
00:23:42.960 -->
00:23:51.827I knew it was one of my goals for either this year or next year, but because it was getting so close to the event that I was like, oh, I don't, I think it's like a goal for next year, you know.
00:23:51.827 -->
00:23:59.166And then I got the invite and it was like under two weeks, so we had like no time to prepare.
00:23:59.166 -->
00:24:03.367So we like got everything done and we've pretty much flew out a week later.
00:24:05.039 -->
00:24:13.750And now you might not have the answer to this, but overall, um the, is the process for invites to that, them just scouring, or is it submissions, or how do you get on the radar for that?
00:24:14.252 -->
00:24:22.709So that's the coolest thing about surfing and and though I'm not totally in love with social media, it does help in some ways.
00:24:22.709 -->
00:24:27.855And love with social media, it does help in some ways.
00:24:27.855 -->
00:24:28.256And.
00:24:28.276 -->
00:24:31.319I led to this big air in Waco, correct?
00:24:31.319 -->
00:24:38.050Yeah, she did this big air in Waco and it was similar to, you know, some of the guys who got invited to the Eddie at Waimea Bay.
00:24:38.050 -->
00:25:03.500They got one wave at Waimea and the next thing they knew they were on the radar to be invited, and that's how Luke Shepardson got in and he ended up winning the eddy, and so I led to this big air and submitted it and they looked at it and they were like, wow, that was pretty sick and stylish, and so I think that's one of the reasons, other than a few other things, why she got invited to Stab High.
00:25:04.442 -->
00:25:07.409Any other your age over there, Like what was the any other?
00:25:07.910 -->
00:25:10.185Yeah, so there's, it's 15 and under.
00:25:10.246 -->
00:25:10.366Yep.
00:25:10.780 -->
00:25:17.801So there was like there was 15 year olds, 14 year olds, 13 year olds, I think, there was one 12 year old, okay, so yeah, there was pretty big range.
00:25:18.201 -->
00:25:23.130Got new friends out of, so I knew like a few people going.
00:25:23.190 -->
00:25:30.067I knew Eden, wall and Pete and Kenworthy cause I compete with them down South and I knew a few other girls from social media.
00:25:30.067 -->
00:25:37.131You know like you follow someone, you talk on line, but I met a bunch of girls from Australia, like Lehani Zorich.
00:25:37.131 -->
00:25:39.425She was sick, so we're going to stay in contact with her.
00:25:39.425 -->
00:25:40.650Yeah, it was such a good experience.
00:25:40.650 -->
00:25:41.790Everyone was so nice too.
00:25:41.790 -->
00:25:44.251Like the stoke, the energy, you just feel it in the air.
00:25:44.311 -->
00:25:54.218it's such such a positive place to push yourself yeah, and it's just and I think this, this thing that you do and I will go backwards on this a little bit, nelly, we can put a pin in it.
00:25:54.218 -->
00:26:09.407I mean as far as, like, put a pin and stab for a second, because I want to go backwards on that the fact that you start out here, um, your parents, you're in water and at one point you're just a kid surfing and trying to even stand up on the board the first time.
00:26:09.407 -->
00:26:10.825Memories of that a little bit.
00:26:10.825 -->
00:26:15.632Yes, let's stop there and then we'll work this back to the competition.
00:26:15.632 -->
00:26:19.160But let's go back to the very, very beginnings.
00:26:19.160 -->
00:26:24.424Just because there's some stoke in that conversation, as far as you in the water, fear fun, all of it good.
00:26:24.424 -->
00:26:25.028What was it?
00:26:31.720 -->
00:26:40.263Well, my dad took me out when I was, I think, close to two on his board and we would surf a bunch of um like smaller days, you know, at Capitola and the point on his big standup, and then oh, I remember those GoPro videos right.
00:26:40.365 -->
00:26:42.228Oh yeah, he was so good about it.
00:26:42.248 -->
00:26:44.792He put the GoPro and we have everything on it.
00:26:44.792 -->
00:26:46.523So you but he would make it super fun for me.
00:26:46.523 -->
00:26:53.672We would like go dance out in the kelp bed and like I would stand up on the board and like pretend I was surfing and he'd push me on like flat water.
00:26:53.672 -->
00:26:59.287Um, I remember when I started doing it by myself like on my own board, I hated it.
00:26:59.287 -->
00:27:01.150I would ball.
00:27:01.150 -->
00:27:03.573Now, looking back, it's like probably this big.
00:27:03.613 -->
00:27:10.573I have a photo of me on like a one foot wave on a wave storm and my dad would get some of my friends to do it with me so it'd be less scary.
00:27:10.573 -->
00:27:13.549But I just ball like the whole the whole time.
00:27:13.549 -->
00:27:31.786I hated it so much and I think it just took a few days going and we had to start from like really just like the first step, because I would cry so much and I was just so scared of the water, and then the more we did it and I got my friends involved and I think it was super fun to have other people pushing me too.
00:27:31.786 -->
00:27:40.928Um, but I think he was super stoked when we could go surfing together, cause it was like my favorite memories is when us going on like our first little trips and you know, out of the point, it's pretty fun.
00:27:41.200 -->
00:27:41.781That's pure.
00:27:41.781 -->
00:27:47.746Um, I remember the progression I saw was the sandbar at second bull hook.
00:27:47.746 -->
00:28:14.298Oh yeah, there was a sandbar and her and rivi were super tiny and they were everyday frothers at the sandbar at second bull hook and, um, there was a lot of down there and I went out, swam out, shot some water shots of them when they were like really young maybe five, six, I'm not sure how young they were, but they're tiny and yeah, you could tell that both of them were going to be really good.
00:28:14.298 -->
00:28:18.756They were already doing bottom turns around me and, like you, were talking like tiny little kids.
00:28:18.796 -->
00:28:19.037Yeah.
00:28:20.381 -->
00:28:31.378And and then I swear within that year, all of a sudden, brooke, I remember your dad was like dude, I was like doing cutbacks and stuff now, and I was like sick.
00:28:31.378 -->
00:28:33.163Let's, let's line up a session.
00:28:33.163 -->
00:28:39.883And, um, let's line up a session and I just want, I like to get photos of my friend's kids when they're young surfing.
00:28:39.883 -->
00:28:43.393They become golden five, 10 years down the line.
00:28:43.673 -->
00:28:45.220Yeah, yeah, those photos are sick.
00:28:45.609 -->
00:28:51.973So they show up at my house and and Isla was so nervous, she threw up in the middle of the street.
00:28:52.816 -->
00:28:55.403So nervous, I was like so little.
00:28:55.490 -->
00:28:56.914My dad was dropping me off.
00:28:57.215 -->
00:29:00.674It wasn't even that big, but now, looking back, we laugh on it.
00:29:00.674 -->
00:29:03.801So hard Remember you've come so far.
00:29:03.902 -->
00:29:04.383Yeah, that's a.
00:29:04.383 -->
00:29:05.673That's a long way.
00:29:05.673 -->
00:29:08.480Now here's the thing, and that's why I love these stories like this.
00:29:08.480 -->
00:29:11.173I love going back, cause you don't know what little gems going to come out of it.
00:29:11.173 -->
00:29:12.575And this kind of gets us back.
00:29:12.575 -->
00:29:23.579That's the kind of story I was hoping to hear, cause then we have you puking on the street, got a thought of it, and then let's go back to stab high now and like what a crazy evolution and how small your world would have been at that point.
00:29:23.579 -->
00:29:26.576Cause that gets back to the earlier conversation we had, which is our.
00:29:26.576 -->
00:29:29.230You know, you sort of have this in town here.
00:29:29.230 -->
00:29:32.215You sort of have this graduation of different spots.
00:29:32.215 -->
00:29:38.684You know, like you know, as you start to basically get skilled, there's the doors open up to you where you can surf and where you can kind of start getting in line.
00:29:38.684 -->
00:29:42.179My door shut pretty early as far as two or three spots that.
00:29:42.278 -->
00:29:43.240Uncle Brian goes to.
00:29:43.501 -->
00:29:43.662There's.
00:29:43.662 -->
00:29:45.292It's funny because I think of myself.
00:29:45.292 -->
00:29:55.259I surf on a board on the ocean when I surf, I surf on a board on the ocean, you're connected to your board, you're connected to the ocean.
00:29:55.259 -->
00:29:56.462There's a huge difference.
00:29:56.462 -->
00:30:01.256That's the respect I have Like, and again at some point I still have as much fun, I still have the same kind of excitement.
00:30:01.256 -->
00:30:02.481There's a big difference.
00:30:02.481 -->
00:30:05.292I balance on a board in the ocean when a wave comes by.
00:30:05.292 -->
00:30:17.571But but my main point is is like I love those stories, cause then eventually you get to that where you know whether it be, you know, crying on the board with a one foot wave, puking in the street thinking about it, and it's.
00:30:17.571 -->
00:30:18.275I love that.
00:30:18.275 -->
00:30:24.602You're sort of um, you tell those stories with the kind of the perspective of understanding that's a natural part of all of this.
00:30:24.602 -->
00:30:32.237Um to an 11 hour flight and a select amount of people on the planet earth throwing out some aerials.
00:30:32.698 -->
00:30:33.178Crazy.
00:30:33.519 -->
00:30:43.454Yeah, so tell me a little bit about, tell us a little bit about some of the people like I saw you you could see you in the live feed every once in a while talking to.
00:30:43.454 -->
00:30:47.329Harry Bryant, Nathan Fletcher, Eden Edwards did a great interview.
00:30:47.490 -->
00:30:48.292She did a great job.
00:30:48.292 -->
00:30:50.357She did a great job.
00:30:50.357 -->
00:30:52.451She's a natural that doing that A natural.
00:30:52.550 -->
00:30:53.471She's so good at it.
00:30:53.471 -->
00:30:55.855I had so much fun Cause it felt like you know.
00:30:55.855 -->
00:30:58.919It's nice when you know someone to like feels more like home.
00:30:59.440 -->
00:31:02.063There's nothing better than seeing somebody you know in a foreign country.
00:31:02.143 -->
00:31:03.786Oh, totally, I, I know Right, oh yeah.
00:31:04.790 -->
00:31:07.435And not that that would have been predicted, especially for your world.
00:31:17.771 -->
00:31:21.500I bet it happens a lot in the world where you're like, well, Papua New Guinea, what are you doing here?
00:31:21.500 -->
00:31:23.029And she's on that path now.
00:31:23.070 -->
00:31:24.515It's a clearly she's on that path.
00:31:24.515 -->
00:31:28.712Like you said, get used to those 10 hour flights and chasing swells and that, that part of it's.
00:31:28.712 -->
00:31:31.777I think that's your existence now, um, or you're on the edge of it.
00:31:31.777 -->
00:31:50.952But but putting the pin in Nellyie's conversation, going back to the competition and kind of not only just the experience of it but maybe backing up a tiny bit to that interview with Eden, let's say you land, you get there, you see the venue just give us walk us through like the whole feel of stab high a little bit.
00:31:51.494 -->
00:31:52.636Gosh, it was crazy.
00:31:52.636 -->
00:31:53.638The okay.
00:31:53.638 -->
00:32:11.469So, starting off, the wave pool is in like a little surf town, kind of in the middle of nowhere, so there's not really you don't see a ton of people until the event, of course, because, like, everyone came in, but there's like one surf shop, there's a little skate park, it's close to the ocean, so it seems super chill.
00:32:11.469 -->
00:32:15.535And then you get to the actual place and it like it all hit me.
00:32:15.535 -->
00:32:24.585I was like Whoa, okay, I'm in another country and never been here before and you see all your idols like just staying there, just talking.
00:32:24.644 -->
00:32:25.726And all the sponsor banners.
00:32:25.766 -->
00:32:29.960Totally, yeah, and there's, there's all like the stab high flags and they check you in.
00:32:29.960 -->
00:32:30.801They're like what's your name?
00:32:30.801 -->
00:32:32.592And I was like, oh my gosh, this is crazy.
00:32:32.612 -->
00:32:34.294Did you throw up I?
00:32:34.294 -->
00:32:36.856Definitely did not throw up.
00:32:37.577 -->
00:32:38.479Um, it was actually.
00:32:38.479 -->
00:32:41.201Yeah, it was nice seeing a few people.
00:32:41.201 -->
00:32:43.925I knew like we were saying, cause, that made it a bit better.
00:32:43.925 -->
00:32:54.260Um, but yeah, I was like an out of body experience, I think the first few days I like didn't realize where I was until like the night before I was like, oh my gosh.
00:32:54.260 -->
00:32:57.367Okay, now I'm going to be on live and I have all my idols watching.
00:32:57.387 -->
00:32:58.089I hope I can stand up.
00:32:58.109 -->
00:32:58.210Yeah.
00:32:58.951 -->
00:33:02.500Oh, the other thing that was crazy was I hurt my leg the day before.
00:33:02.500 -->
00:33:06.470He was telling me that I fell on my fins, cut my leg through my wetsuit.
00:33:06.470 -->
00:33:13.295Thank gosh I had my 3-2 on, because that would have been brutal and I couldn't even like I could barely walk the day before the contest.
00:33:13.295 -->
00:33:14.076So I walk the day before the contest.
00:33:14.076 -->
00:33:17.442I'm like, okay, we flew all the way out to Japan and I'm supposed to be competing.
00:33:17.442 -->
00:33:21.064I might not even be able to walk tomorrow.
00:33:21.144 -->
00:33:22.211You just did that in a practice run.
00:33:22.373 -->
00:33:23.396Yes, my last wave.
00:33:23.396 -->
00:33:31.438You turned over and you landed on the floor I think the wind was a bit sketchy and I actually hadn't even done a backside air until the contest.
00:33:31.438 -->
00:33:36.273I was going backside and my board flipped and I landed like right by my groin.
00:33:36.273 -->
00:33:49.923And that night going back to the visualization I visualized so much because like just being able to stand up and the next day it already it put like more pressure on top of it.
00:33:49.923 -->
00:33:50.324For myself.
00:33:50.390 -->
00:33:51.916How'd you feel the next day, pain-wise.
00:33:52.250 -->
00:33:52.817Pain-wise.
00:33:52.817 -->
00:33:55.914It was better I had myself on Motrin and.
00:33:55.914 -->
00:34:03.771Tylenol, you know, and I free surf just to be able to like calm my mind down and I like stood up and felt it out and I was like, okay, we're good.
00:34:03.771 -->
00:34:09.592The moment I hit the water with all my friends, I completely forgot about it, didn't feel a thing, it's called adrenaline.
00:34:09.592 -->
00:34:12.097Yeah, my mom was like you're not going to feel a thing.
00:34:12.117 -->
00:34:13.661You're running off so much adrenaline.
00:34:14.161 -->
00:34:15.625Yeah, it was good.
00:34:15.625 -->
00:34:36.197So that was another bit stressful part that I had to work through and I think working through that once I got to my heat I was like, okay, I've already accomplished so much in this trip and learned so much, it's already like an, a plus experience so now it's like anything on top is the cherry, the sprinkles, you know um but it was a pretty surreal experience.
00:34:36.197 -->
00:34:36.981I'm super grateful.
00:34:37.150 -->
00:34:37.773So take us through the.
00:34:37.773 -->
00:34:38.396Are you cool?
00:34:38.396 -->
00:34:41.476Just take us through the wave, Take us through your, your runs.
00:34:41.929 -->
00:34:43.989My runs for the practice or the actual call.
00:34:43.989 -->
00:34:44.592The, the, the.
00:34:44.592 -->
00:34:46.639I get well kind of the actual event.
00:34:46.639 -->
00:34:50.498I think now we're kind of all the way there You're, you're kind of got your mindset straight.
00:34:50.498 -->
00:34:58.751They call your name your name.
00:34:58.771 -->
00:34:59.494Okay, so I can't even look at the.
00:34:59.494 -->
00:35:01.663I can't even look at the shore like the inside, because everyone's watching.
00:35:01.663 -->
00:35:07.539Yeah, and there's the big jumbotrons too, so you can just watch it, I watched it, yeah, yeah so they call my name and it was really rad.
00:35:07.539 -->
00:35:10.536Everyone was cheering you on, so it didn't feel like super pressurized.
00:35:10.536 -->
00:35:17.797I feel like it kind of eased it it's a showcase yes, and I also wasn't the first person, so that was that was good you good, I don't.
00:35:18.237 -->
00:35:19.440I don't even know what I would have done.
00:35:19.440 -->
00:35:26.532Um, so I was probably the third person and every you know all the girls are giving each other high fives, being like you got this super sick.
00:35:26.532 -->
00:35:39.902So they get up there and you're like you have to sit there for a solid minute and a half before the wave even starts rumbling, and then you hear the rumble and everyone starts getting excited and you just have to be like, okay, I'm gonna stick it and just turn your brain off.
00:35:39.902 -->
00:35:44.597And I think once I took off, I don't even remember what happened.
00:35:44.597 -->
00:35:54.539I feel like all my best waves I can't recall really, because I just go into this place where I forget everything and my body just like does it myself.
00:35:54.539 -->
00:36:07.059And I think, yeah, that was crazy, cause I had never really experienced that that deeply before until that event and I remember talking with Nelly and he was like you're going to feel it, just turn your brain off.
00:36:07.119 -->
00:36:08.755And let yourself do it, you know.
00:36:09.237 -->
00:36:12.550Cause you're, you're, you're going to know what to do once you get there.
00:36:12.550 -->
00:36:28.670And I was like, okay, and so I got up, and then I was backside first, and so once I landed my first backside air, I was just, you know, you're looking at the crowd, it's like the best feeling ever no doubt how cool is that to land your first backside air ever it was crazy.
00:36:29.393 -->
00:36:36.260It was so under that under that it wasn't a big one, but like to land your first doesn't matter and under that magnifying glass.
00:36:36.260 -->
00:36:36.800Yeah.
00:36:37.934 -->
00:36:39.621In that pressure situation.
00:36:39.929 -->
00:36:42.478Sort of makes you feel like everything's possible, probably in a way.
00:36:42.498 -->
00:36:43.260It was sick.
00:36:43.260 -->
00:36:51.320I'm really glad that I even got, like you know, a little one down, because then when I switched to the rights I was almost like it freed.
00:36:51.320 -->
00:36:53.376You know, you can just like go for it.
00:36:53.376 -->
00:36:54.672Yeah, it was pretty rad.
00:36:56.014 -->
00:37:01.302So big cheers to your parents and how cool your parents are, cause.
00:37:01.302 -->
00:37:05.257Uh, first of all, they helped make that happen, you know what I mean.
00:37:05.277 -->
00:37:07.978Totally, I don't like pretty much 90% of it.
00:37:07.978 -->
00:37:10.034Honestly, they're my biggest supporters.
00:37:10.115 -->
00:37:10.737Other than you.
00:37:10.737 -->
00:37:22.070I don't even mean money wise, I just mean like them backing you for all those years, yep, getting you to where you needed to be.
00:37:22.070 -->
00:37:39.733You know I mean and, and you know I grew up across the street from my house and then they moved in, and so the dedication that it took for both your mom and dad to get you where you needed to be, to get to the level of being invited to stab high.
00:37:39.733 -->
00:37:48.494Then I got to go over and watch you and stab high at your mom, with your mom and your family.
00:37:48.614 -->
00:37:49.356It must've been amazing.
00:37:50.298 -->
00:37:51.621It was so amazing.
00:37:51.902 -->
00:37:52.643It was awesome.
00:37:52.643 -->
00:37:53.291The energy.
00:37:53.371 -->
00:37:59.150I was like white knuckled but also like calling Isla's name but also emotional Right.
00:37:59.150 -->
00:38:03.708Oh, it was so emotional, I was just a wreck and like, yeah, you hung up on me.
00:38:03.708 -->
00:38:05.376I called Nellie, right?
00:38:05.577 -->
00:38:15.378I called Nellie at some point and it was like the lead up to it, and he just basically just kind of like hung up and said not now, dude right now but actually it was a good reminder, cause I have so much going on.
00:38:15.418 -->
00:38:32.496It was a reminder for me to get on and I think because I knew you were there, talk about a little bit and I know you you kind of rough around it but like one level deeper, you know if you can like all of this going on school life, friends, this career and everything.
00:38:32.496 -->
00:38:34.608Talk about your folks a little bit.
00:38:34.608 -->
00:38:38.621You know as far as like that influence, you know and how you know.
00:38:38.621 -->
00:38:44.315It's very hard when you're in the middle of all of this to kind of take a beat and like you know and you qualify it.
00:38:44.315 -->
00:38:46.322You know how are, how are they?
00:38:46.322 -->
00:38:47.512Matt has his place.
00:38:47.512 -->
00:38:49.719All of your mentors there's advice that comes out.
00:38:49.719 -->
00:38:52.454Nellie's a huge supporter, but nobody's.
00:38:52.454 -->
00:38:54.958That's 24, seven, 365 days a year.
00:38:54.958 -->
00:38:56.119Talk about your folks a little bit.
00:38:56.740 -->
00:39:04.481Wow, they're the best, they're the most supportive people ever and gosh, they've given me so much.
00:39:04.481 -->
00:39:12.561They sacrifice a lot for me and my sisters and their motto is like how you do anything is how you do everything.
00:39:12.561 -->
00:39:42.621And I think I've really lived by that, because if you want to get where you are, they're like we're willing to support you 110%, but you got to put in the work too, you know, and like from early mornings to getting me to training, to school, like literally everything, they have backed me 110% and it's it's crazy because you can tell how much they love me and my sisters and I'm just so grateful because it's like, yeah, it's surreal for them to support me that much and do as much as they do for me.
00:39:43.451 -->
00:39:44.695Wait, did you just pull a Mish?
00:39:44.695 -->
00:39:49.639A Mish, I don't even think I don't think you're answering the question.
00:39:50.150 -->
00:39:52.358What's the question again?
00:39:52.378 -->
00:39:52.778She got it.
00:39:53.190 -->
00:39:54.510That's actually really well done.
00:39:54.510 -->
00:40:10.782And then the other side, nellie, from you, the outside, looking in, because outside of the missions, outside of that stuff, just as a dad yourself kind of looking at that, as uncle, kind of looking in on that other family, what do you see there from a support system and mom and dad down?
00:40:11.802 -->
00:40:12.402From their parents.
00:40:12.402 -->
00:40:13.704Yeah, oh my God.
00:40:13.704 -->
00:40:18.206Well, that's the best support system ever.
00:40:18.206 -->
00:40:19.068You know what I mean.
00:40:19.068 -->
00:40:23.938They have a ramp in their backyard, which has definitely had an effect on Isla's style.
00:40:24.179 -->
00:40:24.619Balance.
00:40:27.050 -->
00:40:41.958I mean, she's an incredible skater too, and so you know, if I say I want to shoot at six 30 in the morning and we're driving up North, they have to get up at five 30, and they're coming from Aptos.
00:40:41.958 -->
00:40:42.599You know what I mean.
00:40:42.599 -->
00:40:46.775And it's like that happens a lot, especially during the winter.
00:40:47.056 -->
00:40:47.197Yeah.
00:40:47.451 -->
00:40:56.503Like we're going on missions and you know she does homeschool, so we're going on a lot of missions down in the Bay and further, yeah, Down into.
00:40:56.503 -->
00:41:16.900On a lot of missions down in the Bay and further down into, you know, the big Surland and wherever, and um, the commitment that takes crazy she's got three she's got three sisters too, and so you know, either Brooke or Michelle has to get her to me and then back, and then the other kids to their schools or sessions or whatever they're doing.
00:41:16.940 -->
00:41:23.931You know, it's like it's all day, every day commitment and I come in cold because you know I don't know your parents.
00:41:23.931 -->
00:41:30.298I know you just in passing through the vibes magazine and stuff like that and we've done some articles but I come in from the outside looking in.
00:41:30.298 -->
00:41:32.052Knowing Nellie is the one thing I can.
00:41:32.052 -->
00:41:40.425The only thing I can judge is like the humans in the room and like a lot of times you give a get out of jail kind of free card to kids as they're growing up.
00:41:40.425 -->
00:41:58.793As far as your expectations of a conversation, mastery of the English language, their ability to kind of process you know bigger topics and conversations the biggest compliment I can give your ecosystem, which would be your family and your friends and your coaches, is and I mean this in the most complimentary way is you're not your typical.
00:41:58.793 -->
00:41:59.114What are you?
00:41:59.114 -->
00:41:59.93814 or 15?
00:42:00.059 -->
00:42:00.40014.
00:42:01.170 -->
00:42:03.018You're not your typical 14-year-old.
00:42:03.090 -->
00:42:18.572Forget surfing, forget skating, forget all of that, because there's still that big part you have to do which is live on this planet and kind of have these conversations, and you are an extraordinary communicator at this age, which means that there's a lot out ahead of you.
00:42:18.612 -->
00:42:31.521Talk about, you know these other things, cause there is the other part of what it is, um, and the ability to kind of communicate and kind of process the way you do is, um, I think it's, it's just like your, your abilities in the water, that's kind of corresponding.
00:42:31.521 -->
00:42:36.621So that's, there's an equal effort going on somewhere in your universe for both things to be happening at one time.
00:42:36.621 -->
00:42:40.815Because, believe me, I referenced that I can speak because I coach thousands of miles away.
00:42:40.815 -->
00:42:55.257I've coached five-star athletes in football and them at 17, even though they were getting recruited, say, to Division I, as a human on the bus or a human in the conversation, they were a million miles behind because all of their eggs were in the athletic box.
00:42:55.257 -->
00:43:08.119Everything, their whole family, their whole infrastructure, was into one singular goal that some of the things were left behind Perspective communication and you know, it's kind of the way it is in life for every single human out there, right?
00:43:08.170 -->
00:43:12.760You're just constantly navigating and trying to figure out what to prioritize, right?
00:43:12.760 -->
00:43:18.556That's it right, it's just yeah, but like you are really good at it, isla and so are your parents.
00:43:18.576 -->
00:43:22.994But you're working at it, so is your whole family you know, I mean, it's like they've got live.
00:43:23.235 -->
00:43:23.976Who's the youngest?
00:43:24.659 -->
00:43:31.356she's now frothing on surfing how old seven, just turned seven uh, puking in the streets?
00:43:31.876 -->
00:43:33.221no, I just want to see if it's a common theme.
00:43:33.221 -->
00:43:35.311Yeah, no, it's not a common theme, just just me just the oldest.
00:43:35.331 -->
00:43:36.032um no, she's a common theme.
00:43:36.032 -->
00:43:36.974Yeah, no, it's not a common theme.
00:43:36.974 -->
00:43:37.695Just me, just the old us.
00:43:37.695 -->
00:43:47.268She's a go-getter, she's doing junior guards right now and she just did a buoy swim at seven in her bathing suit and I'm complaining about being cold in a 5'4 surfing.
00:43:47.289 -->
00:43:47.929Yeah, you need to shut up.
00:43:47.929 -->
00:43:51.936I was like, okay, where was I at her age?
00:43:51.976 -->
00:43:55.179So she's seven and she's a water polo expert.
00:43:55.179 -->
00:43:59.106And she also is into surfing, but more into what else.
00:43:59.550 -->
00:44:00.896Swimming water polo yeah.
00:44:01.751 -->
00:44:04.014Super into swimming, so she's got her schedule.
00:44:04.014 -->
00:44:07.940And then she's got Addie, who's like this new up-and-coming longboard stylist.
00:44:08.181 -->
00:44:08.902So crazy.
00:44:08.902 -->
00:44:11.777Addie is 13.
00:44:12.610 -->
00:44:13.635This is all one family.
00:44:13.936 -->
00:44:18.909Yes, and then Addie is an artist also, so she's constantly doing crazy art.
00:44:18.909 -->
00:44:19.833She sells her art.
00:44:19.833 -->
00:44:24.431I feel like, um, I feel like you're selling your art I feel a vibes article coming on.
00:44:25.293 -->
00:44:36.737There's a lot of talent in that family and I love the fact that a little bit of it's going different ways yeah, I think it's super cool that we all offer different things but at the same time, we like come together to support each other and our different passions.
00:44:36.737 -->
00:44:45.398And I think it's super cool to see all the personalities, too, in the family, because there's four girls and so they're not all going to be the same person.
00:44:45.458 -->
00:44:46.139Your poor dad.
00:44:46.420 -->
00:44:48.815Oh, my mom always goes.
00:44:48.815 -->
00:44:51.322We have a boy dog, that's what you get.
00:44:51.322 -->
00:44:53.952But we all fish and surf and skate, and so he's like I never.
00:44:53.952 -->
00:44:56.273But we all fish and surf and skate, and so he's like I'd never have it any other way.
00:44:56.434 -->
00:44:57.175Yeah, there's no doubt.
00:44:57.175 -->
00:44:58.615The coolest thing is that you all surf.
00:44:58.615 -->
00:45:08.945You know what I mean, and so I foresee crazy family surf trips, you know, and that's a lifestyle, and that's a journey, and it's epic.
00:45:09.525 -->
00:45:13.208Yeah, it's really rad to do that as a family, especially because we're all it's summer, right?
00:45:13.208 -->
00:45:18.996So the girls are super stoked when it's like warmer outside and they have their shallow spots to get started.
00:45:18.996 -->
00:45:33.485And it's been super cool like teaching my younger sisters, like Liv and Frankie, the two younger ones um, it's been fun, you know, doing it with them on the inside 100 yeah, it's been really rad and you become this little mentor.
00:45:33.806 -->
00:45:35.027And that's the weirdest thing as being a.
00:45:35.027 -->
00:45:37.143You know whether you, you, you grow to be an adult or whatever it is, and you become this little mentor and that's the weirdest thing is being a.
00:45:37.143 -->
00:45:41.222You know whether you, you, you grow to be an adult or whatever it is, and you become like Matt or something like that, or Nellie.
00:45:41.222 -->
00:45:42.244You find your wealth.
00:45:42.244 -->
00:45:44.034But the one thing you forget sometimes.
00:45:44.034 -->
00:45:50.621I didn't have the benefit because I'm a younger kid, but you realize, you know when you look up that family tree, that you you're.
00:45:50.621 -->
00:46:07.016You know you've got a seven-year-old sister and she's looking way up to you and like I mean you can't help, but there's too many years between you for not to look up and say you know you have a completely different role with that kid than than you would with your older sister.
00:46:07.036 -->
00:46:07.637You know what I mean.
00:46:07.637 -->
00:46:14.813It's so funny like within the dynamics, that you have these different sort of like expectations and relationships right at your dinner table.
00:46:15.235 -->
00:46:23.144Yes, it totally brings you back, because I'm 14 and she just turned seven, and so it's like a.
00:46:23.144 -->
00:46:25.376You know, we're like pretty far apart.
00:46:25.496 -->
00:46:25.657Yeah.
00:46:26.010 -->
00:46:47.777And it's cool to like see when she tries new things, to see that spark in her eye, because it brings you back to like when you started and we were talking about this, like why you started, and she's at that stage and it's really fun to see that because you're like whoa, even though it wasn't that long ago, I was like once they're having my dad push me in, you know, and it's it's really crazy, cause it like brings you back to that place.
00:46:48.079 -->
00:46:52.617And you're also humble and it makes me think, and you both can speak on this again, we're staying right in the family, which is cool.
00:46:52.617 -->
00:47:02.291I'm down with the conversation is, um, I imagine that dinner table and your road trips with your entire family very hard to get too egotistical, too far away from yourself.
00:47:02.291 -->
00:47:04.818It feels like that family is going to bring you back down to earth pretty quick.
00:47:04.818 -->
00:47:07.275I'm not just talking about surfing, just like your.
00:47:07.275 -->
00:47:09.561Your place at that in that family.
00:47:09.561 -->
00:47:10.831Do they kind of keep you grounded?
00:47:11.351 -->
00:47:22.623And my parents are super big on, you know, looking people in the eye and being respectful and I think, yeah, definitely having sisters, it helps you, it totally does, Because they will call you out right there.
00:47:22.623 -->
00:47:26.327They're like that was not very nice and you're like, oh okay, you're right.
00:47:27.090 -->
00:47:27.791I should not have done that.
00:47:27.791 -->
00:47:28.891Yeah, they're like stab high whatever.
00:47:28.911 -->
00:47:30.853Yes, yeah, Right right, so it's pretty fun.
00:47:30.853 -->
00:47:32.596I love having sisters and family.
00:47:32.596 -->
00:47:35.978We're super adventurous and so, yeah, they keep.
00:47:35.978 -->
00:47:37.340We all keep each other down to earth.
00:47:37.500 -->
00:47:38.902Was there a competition after step?
00:47:39.141 -->
00:47:41.744We've got a couple of things to catch up on Um.
00:47:41.744 -->
00:47:43.746So next came us champs.
00:47:43.746 -->
00:47:51.472We're just going to spend a minute on that but um that was your first time surfing the champ us champs, correct?
00:47:51.492 -->
00:47:52.472Yeah, and did you make finals?
00:47:52.472 -->
00:47:53.894I did not make finals.
00:47:53.894 -->
00:47:57.177I made one heat, so I made the quarters, but it was still a good experience.
00:47:57.177 -->
00:47:59.001It was super tricky conditions.
00:47:59.001 -->
00:48:03.806We were at the end of the day but you know, you always learn something new.
00:48:03.806 -->
00:48:10.190And having Matt there was amazing because he pointed out so many things that I would not have even thought to look at.
00:48:10.190 -->
00:48:14.737And then, going into the next competition, I could use those things that I learned.
00:48:14.969 -->
00:48:21.623That's great and I was enjoying listening to all the rad things that Ryan Simmons had picked out about you.
00:48:21.623 -->
00:48:22.443Oh, thanks.
00:48:22.443 -->
00:48:36.021And was talking about your shots on surf line and all your exposure and your performance and stab high and stuff so straight into the nationals then because, last year you won nationals, correct?
00:48:36.161 -->
00:48:36.742Yes, I did.
00:48:37.110 -->
00:48:38.253And what division was that?
00:48:38.253 -->
00:48:39.05614 and under.
00:48:39.297 -->
00:48:40.260Explorer Women's.
00:48:40.349 -->
00:48:41.172Explorer Women's.
00:48:41.172 -->
00:48:41.835You won last year.
00:48:41.835 -->
00:48:45.880Yes, so that was your first national title, which was exciting.
00:48:45.880 -->
00:48:49.480And then this year you went back kind of like as a defending.
00:48:49.699 -->
00:48:51.817Exactly A target on your back.
00:48:52.929 -->
00:48:57.121So tell us a little bit about that, because that was pretty exciting.
00:48:57.121 -->
00:49:05.469I had Flea come over and we watched it together and watched your scores, and you know it came down to semis and then you were on to the final.
00:49:05.469 -->
00:49:08.659Oh, you won the semis by like three seconds left, correct?
00:49:08.800 -->
00:49:10.389Oh yeah, it was crazy.
00:49:10.389 -->
00:49:13.679There was this like never giving up we were talking about.
00:49:13.679 -->
00:49:25.280So I was, I think, in third and the other girl had just dropped a seven and I think I needed a five, eight and I fell on the wave that was going to give it to me.
00:49:25.280 -->
00:49:32.514I fell on my carve and I was like, oh, now I'm on the inside, oh, you were like oh, I was like what?
00:49:32.856 -->
00:49:36.014Yeah, I can't believe you fell on that Poor Nellie.
00:49:36.054 -->
00:49:38.358I kind of gave everyone on the beach a heart attack.
00:49:39.039 -->
00:49:41.583So I was like you know, I just like to start an event like that.
00:49:41.664 -->
00:49:41.864Yeah.
00:49:42.311 -->
00:49:50.880And I was on the inside and I remember Matt telling me if you ever need a score, you got to take it to the air because you know all the training with stab and everything.
00:49:50.880 -->
00:49:53.882It's a pretty fun thing to pull it out in a contest.
00:49:53.882 -->
00:50:06.610I had never done it before and I took off on a little wedge on the inside and I just like it was like second nature and I kind of just went for it and I never claimed anything and I claimed it because you know I was like oh, I need the score.
00:50:06.831 -->
00:50:20.697Um, and I ended up getting a five nine it was like it was like 10 seconds on the clock so I did an air lands that and my friend Kira, who pushes me here, um, we rode in together.
00:50:20.697 -->
00:50:22.304She was in first and we were just like, oh, please be a score, please be a score.
00:50:22.304 -->
00:50:24.192And then they gave it to me so we were freaking out so psyched.
00:50:24.291 -->
00:50:37.856Yeah so let's talk a little bit about that, because before we go on to the finals, there's this, the big four girl surfers from santa cruz that are, like, some of the most talented girls to ever come out of s Cruz.
00:50:37.856 -->
00:50:48.019There's KK from the West side, there's Kira from the point or surfs the point mainly, and then there's Rivvy, who's the barrel maestro.
00:50:48.280 -->
00:50:48.481Yes.
00:50:48.949 -->
00:51:05.992And then there's Isla, and it's just this that you know they're so lucky to have a little group, a tight knit group like that that are all pushing each other, because that is the um, the key to progression is no doubt yeah, and that's how we got santa cruz got on the map.
00:51:06.233 -->
00:51:21.179Initially was the flea rat barney peter mouse, skin dog russell smith yeah they're smith, like they had this big group and it was like the craziest progression anyone had ever seen, and Santa Cruz was all over the map because of it.
00:51:21.179 -->
00:51:32.117And you guys have that, you girls, and In the last three years I've just seen this wild progress.
00:51:32.117 -->
00:51:39.898So talk a little bit about your crew here and how we can get you away from sewers.
00:51:42.947 -->
00:52:07.217Yeah, I have a pretty awesome group here, Even though we kind of live on different, we all live in different areas, but it's super cool because when we go down south, we're all you know, we all stick together because we're all from Santa Cruz and we surf together, we like have fun, and it's really awesome because all those girls rip and I look up to all of them.
00:52:07.217 -->
00:52:14.012So it's super crazy to, like, you know, surf for so many people who inspire you and we're all such good friends.
00:52:14.012 -->
00:52:18.831And, yeah, I feel super lucky to have a group, because not all places have that.
00:52:18.831 -->
00:52:27.190And I remember talking to Eden and she was like oh, I wish I mean we had like a few girls, but you know, we didn't really have that tight knit group that you guys have.
00:52:27.251 -->
00:52:28.233Like literally a crew.
00:52:28.373 -->
00:52:29.815Yes, that tight knit group that you guys have literally a crew.
00:52:29.815 -->
00:52:31.599Yes, so yeah, we totally have a crew and it's really awesome.
00:52:31.599 -->
00:52:43.132I think you progress so much faster having those people around you, because you can look at what they're doing and be like, oh, they can do it, I can do it, and you're just constantly like pushing each other and healthy.
00:52:43.213 -->
00:52:45.097But yeah, how do you balance that?
00:52:45.097 -->
00:52:53.635Because it's very unique, because a lot of times it's disconnected in other sports where you go on travel teams and let's say you're the best of, let's just call it the Bay Area.
00:52:53.635 -->
00:53:01.505Let's say you get on a travel basketball team or whatever me, and you sort of had this one like maybe, maybe I'll see you in the state finals in Sacramento.
00:53:01.505 -->
00:53:10.809That's a weird thing, but, like, you can be the top 10 in an area in baseball and likely all 10 of them aren't the same high school or don't play in the same thing.
00:53:10.809 -->
00:53:20.032It's the same thing in surfing, but the difference in surfing is these are competitors, these you will see them in a competition and that is.
00:53:20.032 -->
00:53:21.014That's a huge difference.
00:53:21.454 -->
00:53:23.686The deep down is there just.
00:53:23.686 -->
00:53:28.628I guess the easiest way to ask this question without me answering it for you is is there a switch, Like?
00:53:28.628 -->
00:53:29.331Is there there's the?
00:53:29.331 -->
00:53:30.052There's the like?
00:53:30.052 -->
00:53:31.717When does that switch go off?
00:53:31.717 -->
00:53:36.590And it's just is it just numbers in the wave and you disconnect from your friends, or how do you do that Like?
00:53:36.610 -->
00:53:37.193in the competition.
00:53:37.193 -->
00:53:40.911We've had to learn a lot because obviously we're all like on top of each other.
00:53:40.911 -->
00:53:46.550In Santa Cruz it's not very big, you're always seeing your friends, always seeing people, and it's hard for competitions.
00:53:46.550 -->
00:53:50.777You're competing against the same four or five girls and they're all your best friends.
00:53:50.777 -->
00:53:52.280So we've had to learn to.
00:53:52.280 -->
00:53:56.771You know like turn the competitive switch on and off, and really we've been saying leave it in the water.
00:53:56.771 -->
00:54:02.027So once you hit the water you're like your competitor and then once you're on the beach you're friends again.
00:54:02.027 -->
00:54:06.813So it is super hard, but I think it just comes with experience and that's something we've all had to.
00:54:06.813 -->
00:54:09.938You know it's it's.
00:54:09.938 -->
00:54:16.673We're getting to a point where we're all kind of in different age groups, I feel like too.
00:54:16.673 -->
00:54:19.045So we got like a little break from competing against each other.
00:54:19.445 -->
00:54:34.532Kira and I are in under 16 rivies and under 14, and then kk moves up this year so we all kind of spread out, but, yeah, I in the end you're supporting everyone because they're the ones who push you to be better and you could not.
00:54:34.532 -->
00:54:38.552Honestly, you can't get to where you want to be without having that group to push you.
00:54:39.353 -->
00:54:41.887And and surfing is just so unique and I I didn't.
00:54:41.887 -->
00:54:44.840I honestly, you know, I didn't get the sense of it.
00:54:44.840 -->
00:54:58.251My whole life living here, growing up here, being around it, I was on the fringe of it, definitely had friends, you went to school right at the lane there, but it wasn't until I spent those five straight days, nine hours a day, on the North Shore with Nellie this last time.
00:54:58.251 -->
00:55:18.704That was the first time I've ever just been planted a flag at seven in the morning until eight at night in that culture and I think there was, you know, competition going on when I went back the second time, you know, but the reality of it is is, you do see, whether you're in the, the, the Volcom house or whatever it is, you do see the backside of that competition and everybody.
00:55:19.106 -->
00:55:19.686It's hard to say.
00:55:19.686 -->
00:55:21.572I'm sure there's definitely some animosity.
00:55:21.572 -->
00:55:23.317You know you can find it anywhere you want.
00:55:23.317 -->
00:55:27.731There's going to be rivalries and things that don't work out in the same room, but that's a small percentage.
00:55:27.731 -->
00:55:29.454Mostly everybody's just there for each other.
00:55:29.454 -->
00:55:34.280It's a trip in a, in a, in a professional sport where you're eventually competing.
00:55:34.280 -->
00:55:37.172There's a lot of, and I think it's the ocean, I think it's.
00:55:37.172 -->
00:55:42.775I think, when it's all said and done, basketball is a hard court, baseball is a bat and a ball, football's in.
00:55:42.775 -->
00:55:51.599You know, you've got this leather thing that you throw around, but your your kind of like arena, your field is the living planet.
00:55:51.938 -->
00:55:52.719So, unpredictable.
00:55:52.945 -->
00:55:56.451It is unpredictable but it also balances, I think, these competitors a little bit.
00:55:56.644 -->
00:55:58.432Yeah, you're dealing with nature Totally.
00:55:58.432 -->
00:56:00.954I mean it's like 100% nature.
00:56:01.425 -->
00:56:02.590And there's some luck involved too.
00:56:02.590 -->
00:56:12.340You know, you could be sitting with 30 seconds left and get a wave, or you don't get a wave, and that's like the turning point and it's kind of up to the ocean, or you don't get a wave and that's like the turning point and it's kind of up to the ocean.
00:56:12.360 -->
00:56:13.985That's exactly it and I think for me it's also.
00:56:13.985 -->
00:56:19.824I think it's just a blend, over the top of all of it, of there's a level of respect, you know, before you know, for the ocean, for that environment.
00:56:19.824 -->
00:56:28.730It seems to spill out in that sport a little bit, you know, which I think is amazing.
00:56:28.730 -->
00:56:40.099And I want to talk like some you know, without giving away all the secrets, but with Matt, like you alluded to some strategy there and it's a little bit that kind of competition there is.
00:56:40.099 -->
00:56:48.157It's a chess match, it's knowing your position, it's knowing what score you need, and you said like he's kind of you know, guided you on the fact, if you need points, get in the air.
00:56:48.157 -->
00:56:59.353But talk about like the, the there's the treadmill work of becoming an athlete doing it, but as far as matt as an influence, talk about like strategy a little bit yeah.
00:56:59.393 -->
00:57:07.936So he, we train a lot at home and we'll do a bunch of different drills and but when it comes to competition, he just he really meets the surfer where they're at.
00:57:07.936 -->
00:57:15.905So I have a friend who was also competing in a different age group and we might not have the same plan because I'm regular and she's goofy or whatever.
00:57:16.025 -->
00:57:16.226Yeah.
00:57:16.525 -->
00:57:25.769So he, yeah, he really meets you where you're at, mentally, physically, and I think he gets he just in the right head.
00:57:25.769 -->
00:57:38.510Space is like the biggest thing to not focus on other people, because surfing it's an individualized sport and you know you're, I guess, for yourself once you hit the water but you know it's hard not to see like, oh, what are other people doing.
00:57:38.510 -->
00:57:42.581So I guess strategy wise.
00:57:43.463 -->
00:57:46.612Cause you also get into the part where it's also like you know you do get.
00:57:46.612 -->
00:57:53.539You're talking about getting air to get a score, but you're also talking about like holding priority sometimes and you're also, you know, kind of understanding.
00:57:53.539 -->
00:57:56.567Um, you know there's times to be conservative.
00:57:56.788 -->
00:58:13.585Yes, right totally, yeah, you call it like you don't always have to be the hero in the heat sometimes you can just like have to sit on third just to get through, and that's okay you know, it doesn't matter, until you're in the final, then you, then you go for first that's become my favorite part of watching these competitions through you, nelly is not so much like.
00:58:13.606 -->
00:58:25.126When I met him, you know I started watching more and more and at first until you understand, like the, the, the small parts of a sport, and now it becomes fascinating watching that kind of and it's brutal strategy.
00:58:25.126 -->
00:58:32.380Sometimes you're like it can be really brutal, you know, as far as like you look at it and you're like, oh, that's this whole thing.
00:58:32.380 -->
00:58:33.929There's nine minutes left and it's over.
00:58:34.371 -->
00:58:50.099Yeah, you know, it can get really, especially when the waves get big, because you can see the sets coming like a lot of times, like at Bells or Pipeline, and you can literally see the sets coming like a minute and a half, you know, and they're like oh, he's got, he's got 45 seconds.
00:58:50.099 -->
00:58:59.226As a spectator or as a surfer, as a spectator or on the cams, and as a surfer too, you're like, oh, they have zero chance, there's not a.
00:58:59.266 -->
00:58:59.728you know what I mean.
00:58:59.728 -->
00:59:27.766And the smaller waves at Huntington and stuff like that, you never know right, Because there's like little wind swells whipping in and stuff that people can do a big air on, and then you know 10 seconds left, you can, you can get the score you need, yeah, and then as it gets bigger, like tahiti or wherever, you can see those sets coming at like way in advance so the interesting thing is like and this is me learning as we go so priority and the big wave settings is a huge advantage like it's everything, oh yeah, especially when it comes down
00:59:28.067 -->
00:59:29.289okay, yeah, you own it.
00:59:29.289 -->
00:59:30.291Is that what you're saying?
00:59:30.371 -->
00:59:48.974I said you want to set, you want to set yeah well, you see, the genius people like slater and and people like that, or or gabriel medina, for instance like he actually took off on someone at pipeline and took the interference because he knew he would still win smart.
00:59:49.275 -->
00:59:52.713And he took off on him and just faded him into the reef and basically got.
00:59:52.713 -->
01:00:07.934You know, he got half of his score taken away, or one of his scores was fully taken away and he still won, and so he just, you know, that kind of stuff happens, yeah, and I guess the sports analogy would be, you know, basically kneeling the clock out in football.
01:00:08.105 -->
01:00:09.608You've won the game and you can do something.
01:00:09.608 -->
01:00:12.336You really want them to play football, but they don't have to anymore.
01:00:12.336 -->
01:00:20.335No, exactly you want them to play, you know, but there's no reason for him to give you another way when he's got I love it, I love it.
01:00:20.364 -->
01:00:23.925That's what happened in the final, too, it was like the hardest thing ever.
01:00:23.925 -->
01:00:31.672I was in first and my best friend Kira was in second and she only needed to score and I had to sit on her for six minutes.
01:00:31.672 -->
01:00:33.494It was the hardest thing to do.
01:00:33.494 -->
01:00:35.697I was like this is not what I want to be doing right now.
01:00:35.717 -->
01:00:36.277How long did that?
01:00:36.317 -->
01:00:41.842six minutes feel like oh it was like it felt like all my heats I had surfed all weekend in that six minutes.
01:00:41.961 -->
01:00:42.222Right.
01:00:42.505 -->
01:00:43.851The clock would not run out.
01:00:44.945 -->
01:00:48.596And then total understanding, or a little bit of bitterness, or just total understanding.
01:00:49.206 -->
01:00:50.010Total understanding.
01:00:53.945 -->
01:00:55.307Of understanding, or a little bit of bitterness, or just total understanding, like from total understanding of course.
01:00:55.307 -->
01:00:56.898Right, yeah, you're just on the, you'll eventually be on the other end of that and you have to have that same sort of like.
01:00:56.898 -->
01:01:00.800I guess grace, yep, you know, because it's just like nelly just said, it's the sport oh yeah, kira was ripping.
01:01:00.820 -->
01:01:07.313You know she was thrown down eight fives and doing these huge turns one turn yeah it's kind of like you know.
01:01:07.313 -->
01:01:11.000It's like who gets a set wave and who stays up.
01:01:11.000 -->
01:01:15.512Both of them are ripping and Isla came out on top.
01:01:15.512 -->
01:01:18.793That time Kira will come out on top one of these times.
01:01:19.324 -->
01:01:20.148It's the strategy.
01:01:20.148 -->
01:01:22.195Isla just chose to rip last.
01:01:23.445 -->
01:01:34.597I think the key to the whole thing and what I've seen from Isla is you can either be selfish or you can be selfless, right, I like that.
01:01:34.597 -->
01:01:36.070You've gotten really good at being selfless.
01:01:36.070 -->
01:01:50.097You know what I mean, and it's not all about you all the time and that's probably my absolute favorite thing about you is it's not all about you.
01:01:50.097 -->
01:01:51.351You know what I mean and it's not all about you.
01:01:51.351 -->
01:01:52.621You know what I mean, and it's not all about competition either.
01:01:52.621 -->
01:02:00.262You'll have just as much fun going up to Scotts Creek and surfing the beach break as you will surfing the NSSAs at Pismo.
01:02:00.483 -->
01:02:15.869You know what I mean and it's like you derive the same pleasure from, and you find importance from, many, many different things, whether it's fishing with your dad, on a surfboard or, you know, catching a halibut or Did you get through your list?
01:02:15.869 -->
01:02:16.827I am.
01:02:17.068 -->
01:02:19.070I'm good, I just have one more like and it's right on.
01:02:19.070 -->
01:02:23.733It's actually that poked my memory, like he touched on it, like outside of all of it.
01:02:23.733 -->
01:02:25.150How do you, how do you relax?
01:02:25.150 -->
01:02:25.865What's your like?
01:02:25.865 -->
01:02:29.173Hobbies and like away from all, skating is probably relaxing.
01:02:29.173 -->
01:02:35.157I imagine, for sure, but I'm talking like, beyond all of that, beyond sort of what people would expect you to do, how do you relax?
01:02:37.846 -->
01:02:47.375Well, I've really gotten into art the past year two years because Addie is insane, my sister she's insane at artwork, and so I kind of like learned from her and see her doing it.
01:02:47.375 -->
01:02:48.326So that's something I'll do.
01:02:48.346 -->
01:02:49.128What medium painting?
01:02:49.148 -->
01:02:51.192Yeah, uh, yeah, watercolor right on water.
01:02:51.192 -->
01:02:53.215It's pretty awesome, um so watercolor.
01:02:53.215 -->
01:02:58.534I actually have just found out that I really enjoy like scrapbooking or like collage making.
01:02:58.534 -->
01:03:06.268It's amazing so I've been collecting like all the vibes magazines, and you know we'll keep a copy nice minute, or yeah so.
01:03:06.268 -->
01:03:10.235But there's so many rad photos and so I I'll like get a little bored.
01:03:10.235 -->
01:03:13.461We do dream boards and we'll put collages with magazines.
01:03:13.461 -->
01:03:14.885So yeah, that's been super fun.
01:03:14.945 -->
01:03:15.586I know, that's that's.
01:03:15.586 -->
01:03:15.989That's.
01:03:15.989 -->
01:03:20.818That's the part where, like you know, you always kind of think and are you, do you, um, in your world?
01:03:20.818 -->
01:03:23.748Are you listening to any books or podcasts or do you like?
01:03:23.748 -->
01:03:25.094Do you do any of that or no?
01:03:25.485 -->
01:03:32.626Listen to a bunch of music bunch of music.
01:03:32.646 -->
01:03:33.688Um, my mom's really talk about the music.
01:03:33.708 -->
01:03:34.510Let's hear it talk about the music.
01:03:34.510 -->
01:03:35.311What kind of music?
01:03:35.311 -->
01:03:37.436Rootsy, reggae, yes and um who's your favorite artist?
01:03:37.596 -->
01:03:38.237we'll play a little bit.
01:03:38.237 -->
01:03:39.887Let's play it um.
01:03:39.967 -->
01:03:47.706Let's see, kanaka fire is good oh yeah, we just saw them did you we did at um landon's that's sick.
01:03:47.706 -->
01:03:52.157Yeah, they're rad, gosh oh you mean?
01:03:52.967 -->
01:03:54.891Did you know that the lead singer Was at Cali Roots?
01:03:55.454 -->
01:03:56.556Actually I didn't.
01:03:56.746 -->
01:03:59.097Yeah, and he came up to me and he was like what's up?
01:03:59.380 -->
01:04:01.007And I was like oh, my god, where do I know this?
01:04:01.047 -->
01:04:05.112guy from, I was just like Completely spacing and then we ended up.
01:04:05.224 -->
01:04:06.230Getting plays for a little bit.
01:04:06.711 -->
01:04:07.094There we go.
01:04:08.208 -->
01:04:13.730That's cool and then so um a little bit of music, read any books or anything, or just not really I do.
01:04:13.809 -->
01:04:16.157I've been like fantasy books.
01:04:16.157 -->
01:04:16.900It's kind of funny.
01:04:16.981 -->
01:04:21.012Yes, now you're talking to uncle brian, a bunch of like harry potter.
01:04:21.032 -->
01:04:28.195I didn't do all of them, but I had to take a little break because I got super into it and then um what does that wait?
01:04:28.235 -->
01:04:28.998what does that even mean?
01:04:28.998 -->
01:04:30.701Like, what's, what's the date?
01:04:30.701 -->
01:04:33.449Were you gonna like, quit everything and go to hogwarts?
01:04:33.449 -->
01:04:35.514What's dangerous?
01:04:35.514 -->
01:04:36.454What's too into it?
01:04:36.896 -->
01:04:45.057um, I read a bunch of them and then this I like I got a bit bored because I read them all in the same.
01:04:45.057 -->
01:04:48.130So I just like kind of felt like every book started to be the same.
01:04:48.130 -->
01:04:51.269So I had to take a break and then I was like getting back into it.
01:04:52.144 -->
01:04:55.592Because you're right, because those were all years apart and you were trying to do it all in four weeks.
01:04:55.632 -->
01:04:57.710Yes, but I love those.
01:04:57.710 -->
01:04:58.273They're so good.
01:04:58.273 -->
01:05:00.278It's definitely a series you could reread.
01:05:00.278 -->
01:05:00.864No, there's no doubt.
01:05:06.994 -->
01:05:08.936And now I mean if you ever get too far, there's amazing.
01:05:09.657 -->
01:05:10.378What do you?
01:05:10.378 -->
01:05:12.081Got Keala's coming home this week?
01:05:12.081 -->
01:05:13.911Are we going to all get a surf in Isla?
01:05:14.164 -->
01:05:18.132Yes, we need to do surf barbecue pool.
01:05:18.132 -->
01:05:19.114Oh, let's go.
01:05:19.114 -->
01:05:21.918The simple kid Skate, sesh the skate sesh, it's all good.
01:05:23.005 -->
01:05:24.788And then this is the gratuitous part.
01:05:24.788 -->
01:05:29.717Anybody you need to throw out sponsors, anybody you want to call out or handles where they can get a hold of you.
01:05:30.998 -->
01:05:34.005Like my Instagram, all of it.
01:05:34.005 -->
01:05:35.070Okay, my Instagram's ilahardysc4.
01:05:35.070 -->
01:05:40.871I now have a YouTube channel called Scratching the Surface and I think it's under the same user.
01:05:40.871 -->
01:05:47.248I want to shout out my parents, my family, uncle, nelly, salty Crew.
01:05:47.248 -->
01:05:50.746O'neal Surf Shop Chris Borst, sector 9,.
01:05:50.746 -->
01:05:54.090Vert'neal Surf Shop Chris Borst, sector 9, vertra VEA.
01:05:54.469 -->
01:05:55.010Carve and Merge4.
01:05:55.010 -->
01:05:57.233She's got this feel down, nelly, nelly.
01:05:57.233 -->
01:05:59.655That might be the Nelly World record for shout-outs.
01:05:59.655 -->
01:06:00.297I love that.
01:06:00.476 -->
01:06:02.320Some good sponsors right there.
01:06:02.539 -->
01:06:10.041And we'll do a fun collab on this and I do think even as the exit music.
01:06:10.041 -->
01:06:15.748If you've got a couple seconds, I do want to talk about the YouTube channel a little bit.
01:06:15.748 -->
01:06:16.050It's kind of a.
01:06:16.050 -->
01:06:17.356It's a place that someone like you and your position needs to be.
01:06:17.376 -->
01:06:18.500but what's the concept and the spirit of the channel?
01:06:18.500 -->
01:06:37.065Okay, so it's called scratching the surface because at my age I just think I'm just scratching the surface of, like, all the insight you can get from people and basically I pick surfers that I'd look up to or it doesn't actually have to be surfers, but I haven't branched out that far yet to people that inspire me and I look up to and I asked them a few questions.
01:06:37.065 -->
01:06:41.490We do an interview and I try to get as much out of it as I can like learn from their experiences.
01:06:41.490 -->
01:06:46.514So we did Nathan Florence um putting out.
01:06:46.514 -->
01:06:47.769We had Jason Shibata.
01:06:47.769 -->
01:06:51.833We had Zeke zeke.
01:06:51.833 -->
01:06:53.657Thank you yeah yes how long?
01:06:53.677 -->
01:06:54.338like 15, 20.
01:06:54.338 -->
01:06:56.791Podcast of zeke's amazing, yeah, he's so.
01:06:56.791 -->
01:07:06.445Like these 15, 20, 30 minutes, or what's the concept they're like seriously five, six minutes that's amazing it's a little interview and then it's videos.
01:07:06.465 -->
01:07:07.730If we can surf together, we'll surf.
01:07:07.730 -->
01:07:08.612We should do something fun.
01:07:08.632 -->
01:07:12.963I'll be happy to back this because I think that we can support that if you want to talk off the air.
01:07:12.963 -->
01:07:16.871But I think it'd be really fun to create a small series of podcasts out of that audio.
01:07:16.871 -->
01:07:33.458Thanks, I'm happy to do advice because we're connected in the universe, but, all you know, we could just kind of get that and create like a channel for that, so it goes on spotify, amazon, you know, and apple, just because that really the main thing is to support your YouTube channel, but you do want other people to hear it and all of those.
01:07:33.458 -->
01:07:35.128I think there's a really good place.
01:07:35.128 -->
01:07:39.706I listened to a lot of um, our first concept was like a little eight minute podcast kind of thing.
01:07:39.706 -->
01:07:41.766But, um, I'm stoked for you.
01:07:41.766 -->
01:07:42.447That's all good.
01:07:42.447 -->
01:07:43.289Nellie, do we get it all?
01:07:43.309 -->
01:07:43.369out.
01:07:43.369 -->
01:07:44.248It's going to be crazy.
01:07:44.248 -->
01:07:44.909You know cause?
01:07:44.909 -->
01:07:58.320Uh, the one thing that I talk to other people about, and also my perspective, is that I think she's learning from me or from others, but we're actually learning from here.
01:07:58.900 -->
01:08:00.521Oh man.
01:08:00.922 -->
01:08:01.641I completely agree.
01:08:01.641 -->
01:08:03.927After this, this was a great conversation.
01:08:03.927 -->
01:08:07.016I mean we try to go 45 minutes hour and eight minutes and that's just a mistake.
01:08:07.016 -->
01:08:09.806That's just 30 minutes because we were just having his podcast.
01:08:09.806 -->
01:08:10.487Amazing, it's just a conversation.
01:08:10.487 -->
01:08:10.728Yeah, thank.
01:08:10.728 -->
01:08:13.32930 minutes because we were just having his podcast is amazing because it's just a conversation.
01:08:13.349 -->
01:08:14.170Yeah, thank you, isla.
01:08:14.170 -->
01:08:14.710I love you.
01:08:14.710 -->
01:08:15.851Thank you, love you too.
01:08:15.851 -->
01:08:16.752Thanks, Uncle Brian.
01:08:17.212 -->
01:08:18.594All right, I'm in the family.
01:08:18.993 -->
01:08:20.234Oh, thank you, See you next time.
01:08:21.270 -->
01:08:21.793All right.
