Where are you from and what's the female surf community like there?
I'm living on the Gold Coast now but I'm originally from Perth, Western Australia. Back home the female surf community is definitely not as strong as it is over here. There isn't as much surf over in Perth as there is on the Gold Coast, hence why I moved over this way as soon as I finished school haha. I have noticed in the last 3-4 years it has got stronger which is rad to see! I remember being around 12 years old and being one of the only girl groms out in the water at my local break
called, Isolators. Slowly over the years more and more young girls are getting into it which is amazing to see.
The female surf community on the Gold Coast is incredible. It's amazing to see so many females out at the popular spots now. Sometimes more chicks than dudes!
What a crazy couple of years it's been for the world.
As a young woman, how has the pandemic disrupted any grand plans you may have had and if so, were you able to find any opportunities in restrictions or light at the end of a tunnel?
The last couple of years for me have been pretty crazy! I’ve moved from Byron back home to Perth and now back to the Gold Coast. I lost work, gained worked, moved interstate, moved houses and did a lot of travelling around Australia inbetween. The light at the end of the tunnel for me was moving into our sick little pad on the Gold Coast with our menace of a dog, Tyler. I think not being able to travel overseas has given us all the great opportunity to explore our own country.
Calin and I have done some really cool road trips this year, exploring the east and west coasts of Australia. Calin gifted me one of his Pentax film cameras and has been teaching me the ins and outs of film photography. I have recently fallen in love with taking photographs on film. Being able to travel a beautiful country and take cool photographs is also light at the end of the tunnel for me. We are so
lucky to live in Australia.
Any future dreams or life goals when our new normal/the world re-opens?
My future dream right now is to take some time off and travel Australia in a bus. Calin and I both really want to explore South Australia, the Nullaboor and North Western Australia. Taking some time off to travel with the doggo in a bus is a dream! There is so much to explore, so many breaks to surf and things to take photographs of. Japan is somewhere else I want to explore once the borders open. Have a go on a snowboard and see if i kook it or not haha.
Style us out for the lineup:
Well coming into summer the most important thing I would be bringing into the surf with me is my RVCA bucket hat. I love a good bucket hat, especially with the string under my chin so it doesn't fly off my head. What I'd be wearing is the Salt Gypsy Maven Surfsuit. Holy moly I feel like I'm wearing nothing when I'm surfing in that thing. It's just like an extra layer of skin. So comfortable. I also keep my earrings and chain on from Lox and Chain. They're from our friends in Byron, too. My favourite jewellery, its very much my style. Simple but sexy. If it's a super hot day ill be wearing a cute two piece from Inner Relm. They have some really stylish and comfy surf bikinis, too.
Favourite surf spot or destination:
My favourite surf spot at the moment would have to be the trusty old Rainbow Bay in Coolangatta. Theres probably a wave there every day. On good days its pumping! Never seen anything like it. Just wave after wave all the way from Snapper Rocks to Greenmount. Ive had some wicked surfs there. For hours... Gracetown in Western Australia has an awesome break called Huzzas. Great for the longboard. It's a quiet little beach town on a hill and it's beautiful. Anywhere in South WA is amazing. Too many spots to choose from.
Words you live by:
Do what makes you happy, don't give an efff about what other people think! Pretty boring words to live by but I feel everyone should just do what makes them happy and not worry so much about what this person says or what that person thinks. If we were all the same this would be a very boring world. I've always beaten to my own drum and done what makes me happy. We only have one life so why not.
Top 10 essential (surf) travel items (alternatively, top 10 lockdown essentials!):
- Our boards, duhhhh. Calin and I both have Oceanstreet Shape boards. They're amazing boards. Highly recommend for anyone on the Goldie.
- Tyler. How could we leave Tyler at home?? He comes everywhere with us. He loves exploring just as much as we do and loves watching me surf from the beach.
- My Pentax film camera and plenty of film. You never know when a good photo opportunity will pop up.
- Salt Gypsy surf wax. Take a few blocks of them for sure.
- Our portable coffee maker, the Minipresso. The little thing is so nifty and so easy to make coffee from it in the morning. We cant function otherwise haha
- My Thomas Surfboard 1L water bottle. This comes everywhere with me. Very important to stay hydrated.
- The swag from Kings. Swags are awesome to travel with. So easy to set up and pretty spacious... without a dog.
- My Salt Gypsy Maven surfsuit. That thing is next level comfort out in the water.
- A good book when I'm having some down time
- Of course my Salt Gypsy hemp beach sweat shirt and shorts. That is my comfy fit sorted!