Lauren L. Hill

Shows

Episodes

  1. Knowing When to Go (po'e wa'a) with guest host Chris Miyashiro + voyaging friends

    Oct 9

    Knowing When to Go (po'e wa'a) with guest host Chris Miyashiro + voyaging friends

    Who talks you out of your worst ideas, and into your best ones? For the first time, we hand the mic to our mate Chris “Mysto” Miyashiro: surfer, artist, voyager. Mysto takes us into Hawaiʻi’s underground voyaging communities, where backyard builders keep canoe sailing traditions alive with humility and resourcefulness. In four vignettes, we hear stories of friendship, loss, healing, and bold dreaming.  Mysto sits down with some of the men who shaped him: Cromwell Day, Uncle Kiko Kitazawa, Hualālai Keohuloa, and Kalani Alapa’i.  We get deep insights into what makes Hawaiian channels so intense, why the Hawaiian canoe sheds embellishments to navigate heavy water, and how the va’a and the ocean become places to move rage, love, and memory into action.  We learn how simple rigs, tarp sails, and DIY problem-solving - human ingenuity - make ocean travel more accessible than most people think.  ... ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi Glossary: waʻa (canoe), ama (outrigger float), ʻiako (crossbeams), manu (bow and stern endpieces), makani (wind), hōʻailona (sign, omen), kuleana (responsibility), ʻiwa (frigatebird), hānai (adopted or raised family), pidgin (Hawaiʻi Creole English). Send us Fan Mail ... Co-Hosts + Production: Lauren L. Hill & Dave Rastovich Sound + Video Engineer: Ben J Alexander Theme song: Shannon Sol Carroll Additional music by Kai Mcgilvray   + Ben J Alexander  Closing track: 'Sunseekers' by Andysixstring Join the conversation: @Waterpeoplepodcast  ... Thanks to our generous sponsors this season: Patagonia Australia: in business to save our home planet Ngalung Kalla Eco Retreat: surf adventure paradise  The Sunglass Fix: give your favourite sunglasses new life Sodii: hydration for salty humans ... Subscribe to our newsletter for BTS stories from making the podcast, and the books, films and music we’re currently into. Written by us + free to read.

  2. Rodrigo Perez: Active Patience

    Sep 27

    Rodrigo Perez: Active Patience

    What do you need to change to still be surfing in 20 years? Performance and longevity coach Rodrigo Perez is practical about what it takes to keep surfing as we age, from mindset and community to the unglamorous basics of strength and mobility. He is the author of The Art of Longevity.  Rod’s path to coaching is built on lived experience. He grew up in Brazil and struggled with respiratory issues that kept him sidelined from sport. He learned firsthand how movement, breath control, and patient repetition can change a body completely.  At 23, Rod sold his car, flew to Australia with $500 in his pocket, taught himself English, and has built a career to share what he's learned the hard way.  Rod has spent more than two decades working with elite surfers on both the men's and women's World Tour. He supports everyday surfers and world champions alike, to heal, handle setbacks and redefine personal perceptions of what it means to be 'well.' We get specific about surf injury prevention and performance: why lower back pain and hip problems are so common, how tight hips can limit your surfing over time, and why shoulder stability matters for paddling endurance and neck health.  Rod’s life and career reiterate a central message: bodies are built to adapt. If we let them.  He gives us his recommendations for the top ways to set kids up for strong physical foundations and says he's doing his best wave riding at 50, which we hope you take as an invitation. We did, and we've been spending a lot more time hanging from things since.  Send us Fan Mail ... Co-Hosts + Production: Lauren L. Hill & Dave Rastovich Sound + Video Engineer: Ben J Alexander Theme song: Shannon Sol Carroll Additional music by Kai Mcgilvray   + Ben J Alexander  Closing track: 'Sunseekers' by Andysixstring Join the conversation: @Waterpeoplepodcast  ... Thanks to our generous sponsors this season: Patagonia Australia: in business to save our home planet Ngalung Kalla Eco Retreat: surf adventure paradise  The Sunglass Fix: give your favourite sunglasses new life Sodii: hydration for salty humans ... Subscribe to our newsletter for BTS stories from making the podcast, and the books, films and music we’re currently into. Written by us + free to read.

  3. Shaun Tomson: Age of Acceleration

    Sep 10

    Shaun Tomson: Age of Acceleration

    When everything is taken from you at once, what is left? Shaun Tomson is the 1977 World Surfing Champion, the author of Surfer's Code, and a keynote speaker whose work has reached Harvard, Google, Disney, and SEAL teams. He was shaped by his upbringing in South Africa, by the pro tour's formative years, and by the loss of his son Matthew at fifteen years old. In this conversation, Shaun connects surfing to faith and prayer through his Jewish heritage and his mother's World War II survival story. He names the overlooked women who shaped the timeline, and walks us through the design revolutions he watched, and helped, unfold. He's direct about what over-commercialism did to the industry he helped build, and why the tube is still a sacred space.  He also shares the leadership work he's known for today: The Code, a twelve-line writing practice built on the words "I will," now used by students, prisons, sports teams, and executives at some of the world's largest corporations. Shaun holds a Master of Science in Leadership from Northeastern University. He co-produced the documentary Bustin' Down the Door and is an inductee in the US, Jewish, and South African Sports Halls of Fame. Here, he helps us recenter the significance of one of surfing's most central concepts: stoke. Send us Fan Mail ... Co-Hosts + Production: Lauren L. Hill & Dave Rastovich Sound + Video Engineer: Ben J Alexander Theme song: Shannon Sol Carroll Additional music by Kai Mcgilvray   + Ben J Alexander  Closing track: 'Sunseekers' by Andysixstring Join the conversation: @Waterpeoplepodcast  ... Thanks to our generous sponsors this season: Patagonia Australia: in business to save our home planet Ngalung Kalla Eco Retreat: surf adventure paradise  The Sunglass Fix: give your favourite sunglasses new life Sodii: hydration for salty humans ... Subscribe to our newsletter for BTS stories from making the podcast, and the books, films and music we’re currently into. Written by us + free to read.

  4. Laura Crane: Befriending Fear

    Aug 27

    Laura Crane: Befriending Fear

    Have you had someone believe in your potential before you could see it yourself? Laura Crane is a big wave surfer from North Devon. She came of age in a surf industry that measured her worth by how much exposure her image could earn.  Laura stepped away from pro surfing in her early twenties, took a turn at reality TV, then returned to surfing whole-heartedly when a mentor called out something she'd never fully faced.  Laura set her sights on heavy water. She is the first British woman to surf Nazaré. We dialled in to connect with Laura where she’s now based in Portugal, where she is currently recovering from knee surgery. She told us about grappling with disordered eating, what it feels like to be amongst some of the heaviest water in the world, and how she’s helping others to befriend fear for personal growth.  She speaks with a kind of full-circle purpose about the film she recently starred in and produced, called Undercurrents. It follows a young surfer whose aspirations Laura wanted to protect and nurture, and what it felt like for Laura to be the adult in the room this time. The film toured the UK to sold-out screenings. At the surface it's a conversation about big wave surfing and recovery, but the subtext is all about trust: in the body, in a mentor, and in the ocean’s power to both humble and elevate.    Send us Fan Mail ... Co-Hosts + Production: Lauren L. Hill & Dave Rastovich Sound + Video Engineer: Ben J Alexander Theme song: Shannon Sol Carroll Additional music by Kai Mcgilvray   + Ben J Alexander  Closing track: 'Sunseekers' by Andysixstring Join the conversation: @Waterpeoplepodcast  ... Thanks to our generous sponsors this season: Patagonia Australia: in business to save our home planet Ngalung Kalla Eco Retreat: surf adventure paradise  The Sunglass Fix: give your favourite sunglasses new life Sodii: hydration for salty humans ... Subscribe to our newsletter for BTS stories from making the podcast, and the books, films and music we’re currently into. Written by us + free to read.

  5. Sterling Spencer: Fan of the Universe

    12/12/2025

    Sterling Spencer: Fan of the Universe

    At age 8, Sterling Spencer was signed to surf sponsorship and then had a successful amateur career before chasing the Pro Tour.  He was an early internet adopter who found his stride not in competitive surfing, but in making good fun of an earnest surf industry and culture.  Sterling is a pro surfer and media maker from Florida’s Gulf Coast known for blending high performance surfing with comedic skits in films like GOLD and Surf Madness. He is the host of Pinch My Salt, a mashup surf and comedy podcast “where surf culture gets roasted, worshipped, and flipped upside down.”  Sterling was the subject of the 2024 film Are You Serious? That traces his diagnosis and recovery from Traumatic Brain Injury.  We go deep on the invisible chaos of concussion—why scans can miss it, how symptoms creep, and what happens when COVID and old infections complicate healing.  Surfing becomes both mirror and medicine, not a performance, but a practice that quiets the noise and rebuilds trust in body and mind. Along the way, Sterling opens up about his upbringing, the relief of humor, and the early internet era when he roasted the surf industry and found sudden notoriety.  There are stories you’ll replay: Kelly Slater’s psychological heat tactics, centaur sightings that became an icebreaker, and the hard-earned lesson that being a nobody can feel like freedom.  We talk parenting and breaking cycles, why algorithms flatten originality, the comedic brain, crisis as creative fuel, and making surfing his own again.  Send us Fan Mail ... Co-Hosts + Production: Lauren L. Hill & Dave Rastovich Sound + Video Engineer: Ben J Alexander Theme song: Shannon Sol Carroll Additional music by Kai Mcgilvray   + Ben J Alexander  Closing track: 'Sunseekers' by Andysixstring Join the conversation: @Waterpeoplepodcast  ... Thanks to our generous sponsors this season: Patagonia Australia: in business to save our home planet Ngalung Kalla Eco Retreat: surf adventure paradise  The Sunglass Fix: give your favourite sunglasses new life Sodii: hydration for salty humans ... Subscribe to our newsletter for BTS stories from making the podcast, and the books, films and music we’re currently into. Written by us + free to read.

  6. Whaia: Mana Waka

    Aug 14

    Whaia: Mana Waka

    Who has the right to speak on behalf of water? Who carries that responsibility?  Drawing on her lineage of wayfinders and traditional music makers, Whaia regularly takes the stage of international political gatherings – like the United Nations Climate Summit – to invoke the voice of water.  She is a Māori vocalist, surfer, multi-instrumentalist, and cultural producer whose work moves between the sacred and the political, the intimate and the global. Born on the East Coast of Aotearoa and raised from age six amongst the rich red earth of Australia's Pilbara, she shares the journey of finding belonging in both worlds.  As a member of A Wisdom Keepers Delegation, Whaia collaborates with a network of global Indigenous elders who attend COP annually to bring the voice of nature into policy conversations.  Whaia reveals the housing instability that led to her current home: the Mana Waka, a 40-foot bus she and her family built from the chassis up. It is a collaborative space used as studio, classroom, and creative hub.  As a mother of three, Whaia continues to follow the instruments that find her and to reclaim the languages that were always hers.  The message that echoes throughout: don't be selfish with your voice. Share it.  ... Surfers for Climate is hosting the 3rd annual Waterwomen Camp Out this September 11th to 13th, on Bundjalung Country in the Northern Rivers. Whaia will be sharing her sonic weaving and wisdom - live.  Secure your tickets + use code 'waterpeople' for $50 off your booking.  Send us Fan Mail ... Co-Hosts + Production: Lauren L. Hill & Dave Rastovich Sound + Video Engineer: Ben J Alexander Theme song: Shannon Sol Carroll Additional music by Kai Mcgilvray   + Ben J Alexander  Closing track: 'Sunseekers' by Andysixstring Join the conversation: @Waterpeoplepodcast  ... Thanks to our generous sponsors this season: Patagonia Australia: in business to save our home planet Ngalung Kalla Eco Retreat: surf adventure paradise  The Sunglass Fix: give your favourite sunglasses new life Sodii: hydration for salty humans ... Subscribe to our newsletter for BTS stories from making the podcast, and the books, films and music we’re currently into. Written by us + free to read.

  7. Soli Bailey: Maps to Now

    Mar 1

    Soli Bailey: Maps to Now

    There's no straight lines in the ocean - nor in a surfing life. We sit with professional surfer and Bundjalung waterman Soli Bailey to trace his lines from early talent and success, through the grind of competing and a life-threatening neck injury, to a grounded love of surfing that’s deeper than any accolades. Soli opens up about the quiet crisis that arrived during lockdowns: paddling out and not wanting to be there. He breaks down how stepping off the contest treadmill, and reconnecting with community brought the spark back. Then comes the hard turn: a violent injury, neurosurgeons warning he was lucky to walk, and the decision to have surgery. Soli shares what recovery taught him about slowing down, caring for his body, and holding ambition without letting it hollow you out.  We revisit his dream run—Cloudbreak’s drainers, Shipstern’s step-ladders, and hidden points—and why he doesn’t need “bigger, faster, farther” to feel complete. Along the way, he honors the people who steadied him: a steadfast stepmum, a patient partner, mentors, and sponsors who backed a freesurf path over results. Send us Fan Mail ... Co-Hosts + Production: Lauren L. Hill & Dave Rastovich Sound + Video Engineer: Ben J Alexander Theme song: Shannon Sol Carroll Additional music by Kai Mcgilvray   + Ben J Alexander  Closing track: 'Sunseekers' by Andysixstring Join the conversation: @Waterpeoplepodcast  ... Thanks to our generous sponsors this season: Patagonia Australia: in business to save our home planet Ngalung Kalla Eco Retreat: surf adventure paradise  The Sunglass Fix: give your favourite sunglasses new life Sodii: hydration for salty humans ... Subscribe to our newsletter for BTS stories from making the podcast, and the books, films and music we’re currently into. Written by us + free to read.

  8. Living the Questions: answering your queries

    12/22/2025

    Living the Questions: answering your queries

    Ever felt the ocean fix what land couldn’t?  This episode, we turn the mics on one another and answer your questions about grief, love, parenting, and crowded lineups.  Hear the stories behind the sails, the garden, and the choices that have shaped us.  Also:  It’s time for our annual giveaway – you can enter by leaving a review of the podcast before January 15th – wherever you listen to podcasts. A couple of years ago our dear friends took us to their favourite hidden gem in Indonesia: Ngalung Kalla Eco Retreat nestled into the cliffs of Sumba. We want one lucky listener to experience it, too.  To enter: Leave us a review wherever you listen – Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc with at least two sentences. The first sentence is about your favorite Waterpeople episode, and the second is about who you would like to bring with you to experience the spaciousness and reeling rights of Ngalung Kalla in 2026 – and why you want to take that person with you.  Don’t forget to leave a way to get in touch with you – your name, email, - any way you prefer.  Send us Fan Mail ... Co-Hosts + Production: Lauren L. Hill & Dave Rastovich Sound + Video Engineer: Ben J Alexander Theme song: Shannon Sol Carroll Additional music by Kai Mcgilvray   + Ben J Alexander  Closing track: 'Sunseekers' by Andysixstring Join the conversation: @Waterpeoplepodcast  ... Thanks to our generous sponsors this season: Patagonia Australia: in business to save our home planet Ngalung Kalla Eco Retreat: surf adventure paradise  The Sunglass Fix: give your favourite sunglasses new life Sodii: hydration for salty humans ... Subscribe to our newsletter for BTS stories from making the podcast, and the books, films and music we’re currently into. Written by us + free to read.

  9. Brenden 'Margo' Margieson: Renaissance Man

    09/23/2025

    Brenden 'Margo' Margieson: Renaissance Man

    Every mid-aged Aussie bloke's favourite surfer? That's Margo.  Widely recognised as the first paid freesurfer - Brenden 'Margo' Margieson is famed almost as much for his gentle demeanour as his explosive power surfing.  We traced some of his undulating journey through a surfing life's highs and lows. From early days being propelled by legendary filmmaker Jack McCoy, to unexpectedly winning a major contest against World Tour pros, Brendan's career defied conventional paths. His distinctive "pendulum" surfing style - flowing with gravity rather than muscling through - contrasted dramatically with his contemporaries and continues to influence surfing aesthetics today. Perhaps most inspiring is Brendan's midlife renaissance. After stepping away from surfing for half a decade, he's back in the water fresh enthusiasm. Now in his fifties, Margo is experiencing an unlikely career resurgence: complete with new sponsorships and a growing social media presence. Throughout it all, his parallel passion for bird watching reveals a sensitive man who finds joy in careful observation, whether it's reading a wave or identifying rare species. Ready to hear how one of surfing's most beloved figures navigates the balance between risk, responsibility, and rediscovery? This episode offers wisdom for anyone seeking to maintain their passions through life's changing seasons. Send us Fan Mail ... Co-Hosts + Production: Lauren L. Hill & Dave Rastovich Sound + Video Engineer: Ben J Alexander Theme song: Shannon Sol Carroll Additional music by Kai Mcgilvray   + Ben J Alexander  Closing track: 'Sunseekers' by Andysixstring Join the conversation: @Waterpeoplepodcast  ... Thanks to our generous sponsors this season: Patagonia Australia: in business to save our home planet Ngalung Kalla Eco Retreat: surf adventure paradise  The Sunglass Fix: give your favourite sunglasses new life Sodii: hydration for salty humans ... Subscribe to our newsletter for BTS stories from making the podcast, and the books, films and music we’re currently into. Written by us + free to read.

  10. Kimi Werner: Flipping Your Instincts

    07/19/2019

    Kimi Werner: Flipping Your Instincts

    At the height of her competitive spearfishing career, Kimi Werner began battling with inner demons that turned the once-solace of the ocean into a cacophony of self-criticism. Kimi’s is a story about attaining dreams, losing love, wrestling with dissatisfaction and, ultimately, finding love again in the deep.   Our conversation dives into reckoning with fear, flipping your instincts in heavy water situations, and the beauty of knowing where your food comes from.   Kimi Werner is a former U.S. National Champion spearfisher, a freediver, and chef.   …  The Waterpeople Podcast is a gathering for our global ocean community to dive into the critical conversations of our culture through storytelling. We sit with some of the most adept waterpeople on the planet to explore common themes of aquatic lives lived well: ecology, community, activism, science, egalitarianism, inclusivity, meaningful play. Listen with Lauren L. Hill & Dave Rastovich  Sound Engineer: Shannon Sol Carroll  Join the conversation: Waterpeoplepodcast.com @Waterpeoplepodcast  Photo Credit: Chase Pellerin Send us Fan Mail ... Co-Hosts + Production: Lauren L. Hill & Dave Rastovich Sound + Video Engineer: Ben J Alexander Theme song: Shannon Sol Carroll Additional music by Kai Mcgilvray   + Ben J Alexander  Closing track: 'Sunseekers' by Andysixstring Join the conversation: @Waterpeoplepodcast  ... Thanks to our generous sponsors this season: Patagonia Australia: in business to save our home planet Ngalung Kalla Eco Retreat: surf adventure paradise  The Sunglass Fix: give your favourite sunglasses new life Sodii: hydration for salty humans ... Subscribe to our newsletter for BTS stories from making the podcast, and the books, films and music we’re currently into. Written by us + free to read.

  11. Mark Healey: Confronting Discomfort

    07/31/2019

    Mark Healey: Confronting Discomfort

    Legendary waterman Mark Healey lost three friends to heavy water situations through the course of the early 2000s. He speaks candidly about the ways these experiences rewired his process of risk assessment, while maintaining his relationship with the water and his career as a professional risk taker: chasing big waves, free diving, spearfishing, shark tagging, bow hunting, and working as a Hollywood stuntman.  Mark also shares about relying on instincts in heavy situations, the importance of being able to override the fear response through preparation, and asking the tough questions of yourself about the 'whys' of decision-making. Mark’s yogic approach to confronting discomfort inspires us to keep facing our self-built boundaries. He reminds us that without challenge, there is no growth.  …  The Waterpeople Podcast is a gathering for our global ocean community to dive into the critical conversations of our culture through storytelling. We sit with some of the most adept waterpeople on the planet to explore common themes of aquatic lives lived well: ecology, adventure, community, activism, science, egalitarianism, inclusivity, meaningful play.  And surfing, of course. Listen with Lauren L. Hill & Dave Rastovich  Sound Engineer: Shannon Sol Carroll  Music by Band of Frequencies. Available via www.lowpressureproductions.com and on Spotify.   Join the conversation: Waterpeoplepodcast.com @Waterpeoplepodcast  Photo Credit: Unknown (Please Reach out if you took this photograph) Send us Fan Mail ... Co-Hosts + Production: Lauren L. Hill & Dave Rastovich Sound + Video Engineer: Ben J Alexander Theme song: Shannon Sol Carroll Additional music by Kai Mcgilvray   + Ben J Alexander  Closing track: 'Sunseekers' by Andysixstring Join the conversation: @Waterpeoplepodcast  ... Thanks to our generous sponsors this season: Patagonia Australia: in business to save our home planet Ngalung Kalla Eco Retreat: surf adventure paradise  The Sunglass Fix: give your favourite sunglasses new life Sodii: hydration for salty humans ... Subscribe to our newsletter for BTS stories from making the podcast, and the books, films and music we’re currently into. Written by us + free to read.

  12. Cetacean Culture with Dr. Liz Hawkins

    11/03/2020

    Cetacean Culture with Dr. Liz Hawkins

    Dr. Liz Hawkins is a marine ecologist who has spent more than 20 years researching cetaceans. Liz is the founder and CEO of Dolphin Research Australia, where she heads up research and education about the social systems, communication, population dynamics, and health of dolphins in Northern New South Wales and South East Queensland. ... Listen with Lauren L. Hill & Dave Rastovich Sound Engineer & Music by: Shannon Sol Carroll Artist in Residence: Chris Miyashiro  Join the conversation: Waterpeoplepodcast.com @Waterpeoplepodcast  Photo Credit: Unknown (If you took this photo please reach out) Send us Fan Mail ... Co-Hosts + Production: Lauren L. Hill & Dave Rastovich Sound + Video Engineer: Ben J Alexander Theme song: Shannon Sol Carroll Additional music by Kai Mcgilvray   + Ben J Alexander  Closing track: 'Sunseekers' by Andysixstring Join the conversation: @Waterpeoplepodcast  ... Thanks to our generous sponsors this season: Patagonia Australia: in business to save our home planet Ngalung Kalla Eco Retreat: surf adventure paradise  The Sunglass Fix: give your favourite sunglasses new life Sodii: hydration for salty humans ... Subscribe to our newsletter for BTS stories from making the podcast, and the books, films and music we’re currently into. Written by us + free to read.

  13. Bonnie Tsui: On Muscle + Movement

    06/08/2025

    Bonnie Tsui: On Muscle + Movement

    What moves you through the world? In the most literal sense, it's the same answer for all of us: muscle.  In On Muscle, Bonnie Tsui brings her signature blend of science, culture, immersive reporting, and personal narrative to examine not just what muscles are - but what they mean to us.  Bonnie attended Harvard University, where she rowed crew, snowboarded, and studied American literature. She came to surfing in her late 20s after relocating to California.  Today, Bonnie lives, swims, and surfs in the Bay Area and contributes regularly to the New York Times.   She is the author of four books: American Chinatown: A People’s History of Five Neighborhoods, Why We Swim,  Sarah and the Big Wave, and her latest, On Muscle: The Stuff That Moves Us and Why It Matters Bonnie talks us through the purpose of the brain (!), learning to surf as an adult, the gendered cultural narratives around strength, the name of a whale's powerful butt muscle, and the inevitability of age related muscle loss (and what we can do about it).  More about Bonnie here & here ... This episode is made possible by our generous partners: Patagonia is in business to save our home planet.  Its unique ownership structure reflects that Earth is its only shareholder: Profits not reinvested back into the business are paid as dividends to protect the planet. ... Primal Water, by Alkaway, is an at-home water filter that mimics nature and is boosted with molecular hydrogen. It's a game-changer. Head to Primal-water.com and use the code waterpeople for $100 off your purchase until June 30th, 2025. Send us Fan Mail ... Co-Hosts + Production: Lauren L. Hill & Dave Rastovich Sound + Video Engineer: Ben J Alexander Theme song: Shannon Sol Carroll Additional music by Kai Mcgilvray   + Ben J Alexander  Closing track: 'Sunseekers' by Andysixstring Join the conversation: @Waterpeoplepodcast  ... Thanks to our generous sponsors this season: Patagonia Australia: in business to save our home planet Ngalung Kalla Eco Retreat: surf adventure paradise  The Sunglass Fix: give your favourite sunglasses new life Sodii: hydration for salty humans ... Subscribe to our newsletter for BTS stories from making the podcast, and the books, films and music we’re currently into. Written by us + free to read.

  14. Derek Hynd: Conducting Chaos

    10/02/2019

    Derek Hynd: Conducting Chaos

    Culture shaper and former world Tour Surfer Derek Hynd has always felt like an outsider looking in. In Episode 8, he talks far field theory, seeing magic in the mundane, how style has been made irrelevant in modern competitive surfing and the impact of vanishing hipsters. He also boils down the gender performance gap to one singular element. It's a meandering conversation with many delightful twists and turns that'll make you want to revisit your surf history. Several months after recording this episode, Derek's house tragically caught fire and he lost almost all of his earthly possessions. Some friends have set up a GoFundMe to help fund his rebuild. If you feel moved to support, here's the link. ..... Listen with Lauren L. Hill & Dave Rastovich More about Derek  Sound Engineer: Shannon Sol Carroll  Join the conversation: Waterpeoplepodcast.com @Waterpeoplepodcast  Photo Credit: Unknown (Please reach out if you took this photo) Send us Fan Mail ... Co-Hosts + Production: Lauren L. Hill & Dave Rastovich Sound + Video Engineer: Ben J Alexander Theme song: Shannon Sol Carroll Additional music by Kai Mcgilvray   + Ben J Alexander  Closing track: 'Sunseekers' by Andysixstring Join the conversation: @Waterpeoplepodcast  ... Thanks to our generous sponsors this season: Patagonia Australia: in business to save our home planet Ngalung Kalla Eco Retreat: surf adventure paradise  The Sunglass Fix: give your favourite sunglasses new life Sodii: hydration for salty humans ... Subscribe to our newsletter for BTS stories from making the podcast, and the books, films and music we’re currently into. Written by us + free to read.

  15. John Florence: Navigating Edges

    11/25/2021

    John Florence: Navigating Edges

    Olympian and two-time surfing World Champion John John Florence masterfully navigates the edges of flying and falling. Riding big waves  and sailing at high speed around the Hawaiian Islands are amongst his most instructive and inspiring moments. Seen as the most technically gifted surfer on the planet right now, John has the eyes of the surfing world focused on everything he does. His broad ranging interests -- from beekeeping to photography to science fiction -- are  cracking the mold of what it looks like to be a competitive surfer. In the tradition of Hawaiian watermen, John has embraced all kinds of ocean activity, and also the wisdom of surfers from the timeline of surfing. In our meandering chat, John talks us through high speed  sailing with eighty-year-old surfing legend Joey Cabell,  the value of taking breaks from the singular focus of competitive surfing, the ambiguity of the impacts of social media, his favourite surf film, and how he navigates being an introvert in a culture of extroverts. John also speaks to his absolute love of surfing that leaves him speechless, even after decades of marathon  surf sessions.  ... Listen with Lauren L. Hill & Dave Rastovich Sound Engineer & Music By: Shannon Sol Carroll Additional music: ‘Evergreen’ by Band of Frequencies:  Men of Wood & Foam album    Join the conversation: @Waterpeoplepodcast Waterpeoplepodcast.com Photo Credit: Hurley Send us Fan Mail ... Co-Hosts + Production: Lauren L. Hill & Dave Rastovich Sound + Video Engineer: Ben J Alexander Theme song: Shannon Sol Carroll Additional music by Kai Mcgilvray   + Ben J Alexander  Closing track: 'Sunseekers' by Andysixstring Join the conversation: @Waterpeoplepodcast  ... Thanks to our generous sponsors this season: Patagonia Australia: in business to save our home planet Ngalung Kalla Eco Retreat: surf adventure paradise  The Sunglass Fix: give your favourite sunglasses new life Sodii: hydration for salty humans ... Subscribe to our newsletter for BTS stories from making the podcast, and the books, films and music we’re currently into. Written by us + free to read.

  16. Dr. Easkey Britton: The Playful Edge

    08/18/2020

    Dr. Easkey Britton: The Playful Edge

    In 2010, Easkey Britton was drawn to Iran and the possibility of surf in the Arabian Sea. She became the first woman in known history to surf Iran’s Baluchistan Coast and found not only surf, but a hospitable culture eager to grow a surfing community of its own. At home in Ireland, Easkey was the first woman to charge the premier big wave peaks of  Aileens and Mullaghmore. She was crowned Irish National Champion five times over.  Now a marine social scientist, Easkey holds a PhD in Environment and Society. She is co-founder of the NGO Like Water which uses the power of the sea as a creative medium for social change and spear-headed the world’s first global Surf for Social Good Summit. Besides her work in the academic, big wave and NGO realms, Easkey is a dancer, painter, and poet.  ..... Listen with Lauren L. Hill & Dave Rastovich More about Easkey Sound Engineer: Shannon Sol Carroll Music by: Shannon Sol Carroll & Band of Frequencies  Join the conversation: Waterpeoplepodcast.com @Waterpeoplepodcast  Photo Credit: Will Cornelius Send us Fan Mail ... Co-Hosts + Production: Lauren L. Hill & Dave Rastovich Sound + Video Engineer: Ben J Alexander Theme song: Shannon Sol Carroll Additional music by Kai Mcgilvray   + Ben J Alexander  Closing track: 'Sunseekers' by Andysixstring Join the conversation: @Waterpeoplepodcast  ... Thanks to our generous sponsors this season: Patagonia Australia: in business to save our home planet Ngalung Kalla Eco Retreat: surf adventure paradise  The Sunglass Fix: give your favourite sunglasses new life Sodii: hydration for salty humans ... Subscribe to our newsletter for BTS stories from making the podcast, and the books, films and music we’re currently into. Written by us + free to read.

  17. Dylan Graves: The Levity Effect

    06/08/2025

    Dylan Graves: The Levity Effect

    How much has your homebreak shaped you - your life, livelihood, the person you've become?  The quirkiness of Dylan Graves'  Puerto Rican homebreak shaped a lifelong obsession, and subsequent career in chasing, riding, and documenting Weird Waves around the globe. Tidal bores, standing waves, wedges, glacial calving swells; Dylan's Youtube channel shares an astonishing diversity of wavelengths.  While the focus of Dylan's wildly successful series is taking viewers to obscure and novel waves on the periphery of surf culture, in the process Dylan masterfully un-earths the heart and vibrance of surfers around the world  – and the living cultures of stoke blossoming in unexpected places.  Dylan's lightness, warmth and positivity are underscored by the adversity he's faced. He candidly shares the impact of losing his father at a young age. This loss brought him and his brother, surfer Josie Graves, closer together, reinforcing their love for surfing as a way to connect with their father's memory.  Dylan talks us through the his DIY filmmaking process, the joy of not chasing perfection, and the cyclical experience of becoming a father.  ... This episode is made possible by our generous partners: Patagonia is in business to save our home planet.  Its unique ownership structure reflects that Earth is its only shareholder: Profits not reinvested back into the business are paid as dividends to protect the planet. ... Primal Water, by Alkaway, is an at-home water filter that mimics nature and is boosted with molecular hydrogen. It's a game-changer. Head to Primal-water.com and use the code waterpeople for $100 off your purchase until June 30th, 2025. Send us Fan Mail ... Co-Hosts + Production: Lauren L. Hill & Dave Rastovich Sound + Video Engineer: Ben J Alexander Theme song: Shannon Sol Carroll Additional music by Kai Mcgilvray   + Ben J Alexander  Closing track: 'Sunseekers' by Andysixstring Join the conversation: @Waterpeoplepodcast  ... Thanks to our generous sponsors this season: Patagonia Australia: in business to save our home planet Ngalung Kalla Eco Retreat: surf adventure paradise  The Sunglass Fix: give your favourite sunglasses new life Sodii: hydration for salty humans ... Subscribe to our newsletter for BTS stories from making the podcast, and the books, films and music we’re currently into. Written by us + free to read.

  18. Chris Miyashiro: Homecomings

    11/16/2025

    Chris Miyashiro: Homecomings

    A captain wakes in the night certain he’s wrecked in mangroves—only he’s on his own porch. That jarring reentry from a month under sail becomes our portal into a deeper story about attention, tradition, and becoming a different kind of person at sea with artist-sailor-filmmaker Chris Miyashiro. Chris takes us from his grandfather’s walls—painted with visions of Hōkūleʻa —to a 2,700‑mile, unsupported crossing on a double-hulled canoe that reshaped his senses and his sense of home (more on that voyage in the Ethnomads episode, forthcoming),  Chris shares how homeschool freedom and skate culture trained him to see the world as material for making, a mindset he has carried into surf/films that inspire a sense of playful wonderment. For Chris, film school offered rules and he's  learned how to break them well.  We talk about “nai'a brain,” the half-sleeping state where awareness sharpens, the importance of values-grounded voyaging, and his time as a guest professor at Laguna College of Art and Design.  If you’re craving an episode that blends voyaging wisdom, creative practice, and some encouragement to get out amongst the living world, then this one's for you.  Send us Fan Mail ... Co-Hosts + Production: Lauren L. Hill & Dave Rastovich Sound + Video Engineer: Ben J Alexander Theme song: Shannon Sol Carroll Additional music by Kai Mcgilvray   + Ben J Alexander  Closing track: 'Sunseekers' by Andysixstring Join the conversation: @Waterpeoplepodcast  ... Thanks to our generous sponsors this season: Patagonia Australia: in business to save our home planet Ngalung Kalla Eco Retreat: surf adventure paradise  The Sunglass Fix: give your favourite sunglasses new life Sodii: hydration for salty humans ... Subscribe to our newsletter for BTS stories from making the podcast, and the books, films and music we’re currently into. Written by us + free to read.

  19. Jack Johnson: Time, Dreams & The Heart

    08/09/2022

    Jack Johnson: Time, Dreams & The Heart

    In Greek myth, staring at the monster Medusa would turn mortals to stone; one needed a mirror to take the edge off.  Surfer, filmmaker and musician Jack Johnson reckons music and art can play a similar role in reflecting more digestible, less paralysing iterations of the ills and obstacles facing us all.  Jack studied film at UCSB, and went on to make culture shaping movies like Thicker Than Water and A Broke down Melody. More recently, he’s a Grammy nominated artist, and founder of two charitable foundations  with his wife and business partner Kim, including the  Johnson Ohana Charitable Foundation, which supports and funds environmental, art, and music education, and the Kokua Hawaii Foundation, which provides experiential environmental education in the schools and communities of Hawaiʻi.  We caught up with Jack as he prepped to release his eighth studio album Meet the Moonlight in June 2022 about Greek mythology, watching dragonflies,  balancing family and work, the function of the artist today and where style comes from — in both music and surfing.  ... Listen with Lauren L. Hill & Dave Rastovich Sound Engineer: Ben Alexander Soundtrack By: Shannon Sol Carroll Additional music by Wave Brain  - Dave, Neal Purchase Jr. and Christian Barker  Join the conversation: @Waterpeoplepodcast Waterpeoplepodcast.com Photo Credit: Protect Our Rivers Send us Fan Mail ... Co-Hosts + Production: Lauren L. Hill & Dave Rastovich Sound + Video Engineer: Ben J Alexander Theme song: Shannon Sol Carroll Additional music by Kai Mcgilvray   + Ben J Alexander  Closing track: 'Sunseekers' by Andysixstring Join the conversation: @Waterpeoplepodcast  ... Thanks to our generous sponsors this season: Patagonia Australia: in business to save our home planet Ngalung Kalla Eco Retreat: surf adventure paradise  The Sunglass Fix: give your favourite sunglasses new life Sodii: hydration for salty humans ... Subscribe to our newsletter for BTS stories from making the podcast, and the books, films and music we’re currently into. Written by us + free to read.

  20. Mary Setterholm: So Then I Prayed

    12/08/2020

    Mary Setterholm: So Then I Prayed

    One year after founding the Women's International Surfing Association in 1975, Mary Setterholm bought a bus ticket and left surfing behind -- her community and the culture she was helping to shape. Mary is a  graduate of Harvard Divinity School has gone on teach hundreds of women and at risk youth the art of riding waves. She shares the painful story of why she left and how she found her way back to the ocean. ..... Listen with Lauren L. Hill & Dave Rastovich More about Mary Sound Engineer & Music By: Shannon Sol Carroll  Join the conversation: Waterpeoplepodcast.com @Waterpeoplepodcast  Send us Fan Mail ... Co-Hosts + Production: Lauren L. Hill & Dave Rastovich Sound + Video Engineer: Ben J Alexander Theme song: Shannon Sol Carroll Additional music by Kai Mcgilvray   + Ben J Alexander  Closing track: 'Sunseekers' by Andysixstring Join the conversation: @Waterpeoplepodcast  ... Thanks to our generous sponsors this season: Patagonia Australia: in business to save our home planet Ngalung Kalla Eco Retreat: surf adventure paradise  The Sunglass Fix: give your favourite sunglasses new life Sodii: hydration for salty humans ... Subscribe to our newsletter for BTS stories from making the podcast, and the books, films and music we’re currently into. Written by us + free to read.

Lauren L. Hill on Apple