Ever since I started surfing I knew there was something special about the community that surrounds it. Although I'm still young and haven't surfed anywhere near as much as some of you probably have, I have been lucky enough to grow up around the community thanks to my dad. I've found that between us we all have those small things, besides just surfing, that cause us to love it so much. Perhaps it's a friendly face in the line up as we paddle out, or a little smile and a 'hello' that can make all the difference to your day. Maybe you share in the excitement as someone paddles into a wave and coasts down the line or maybe you just enjoy being out in the water with other people that share your passion. A warm, familiar feeling and a sense of belonging always seems to be present. Wherever in the world you are it seems that the culture and values are constant throughout the entire community.

Some have been surfing for decades and some perhaps not even a year. Some have lived in one place since they were born and some have moved around and settled in another. Some are old and some are young. You might regularly surf your local break with those you view as your closest friends or you might be surfing a particular break for the very first time with people you've never seen in your life. All are on a variety of different surf craft and each have their own individual style.

Either way the differences don't matter because at the end of the day we are all surfers and we are all there for exactly the same reason.

Those who never experience what we do may call us crazy, I definitely have been and let's be honest it's probably true. Modern day society often tends to lack the welcoming and open mindset I think most surfers have. I often feel that many people forget the value of community and how special it is. The simple fact that we surf seems to connect us and bring us together, especially in times that are uncertain or troubling.

Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter; we are the people that can be seen in the waves. Carving lines, throwing spray, gliding down the face, searching for that little bit of stoke we all crave. Scorching hot, small and busy or icy cold and heavy with howling offshores, we will be out there. Surfing is a constant in our lives that teaches us so many lessons and shapes how we live our lives. It's all this that makes surfing more than a sport and so much more than just something we do.

February 2022