All Things Bodysurfing
Jeff Johnson is a freelance photographer, director, writer, brand ambassador and former North Shore lifeguard. He became Patagonia’s first staff photographer in the early aughts. Johnson is also passionate about bodysurfing. In 2001, he wrote an adventure piece for the Surfer’s Journal titled The Body Will Suffice: Self-Propelled Through Primordia. This article details a “feral” bodysurfing mission along a rugged…
I vividly remember the day I fell in love with bodysurfing. I was on vacation in Hawaii and the weather was perfect—hot, sunny, dry, clear skies. As I headed out to hike a rugged stretch of coastline, I noticed a beautiful, empty wave not far from the trailhead. With swim fins and trunks in the backseat of the rental car,…
Not only is Mark Cunningham one of the best bodysurfers of all time, but he also eloquently defines his passion for the sport in a way most others cannot. When I am struggling to express what bodysurfing means to me, I simply fall back on my list of Mark Cunningham quotes—of which there are many. Here are my personal favorite…
We all know Kelly Slater is the best surfer in the world, but did you know he’s a really good bodysurfer too? That’s right! The eleven-time world champion has been bodysurfing his entire professional surfing career. In fact, Slater is featured in Jack Johnson’s 2004 film, A Brokedown Melody, bodysurfing the Banzai Pipeline with Mark Cunningham. (Slater can be seen…
My pal Hannah Walsh likes to think she will someday develop gills and live in the sea. She is a former collegiate swimmer, ocean lifeguard, bodysurfer, and talented surf cinematographer. “My passion for bodysurfing started not in the ocean but in a pool,” says Hannah. “I spent ten years as a competitive swimmer before moving to Costa Rica. Competitive swimming…
The following post is an interview with Jason Hackforth, a bodysurfing handplane shaper based in Santa Cruz, California. Jason is the owner of Superbiscuit Handplanes. So Jason, can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you got into bodysurfing? Bodysurfing just kind of happened for me as an extension of being at the beach all the time. I…
Several years ago, I stumbled across a great quote while reading Mark Lukach’s blog post Why I Bodysurf. “I’ve occasionally had a bad time surfing,” says Lukach, “but I’ve never had a bad time bodysurfing.” As both a board-surfer and bodysurfer, the quote rang true for me too. When it comes to surfing, I’m often very critical of my wave-riding…
I decided to pursue bodysurfing as more than “just a hobby” while on a surf trip to Kauai. I remember floating on my back, eyes closed, the only bodysurfer out in the lineup at my favorite beach break, when I was struck with a profound realization: “Never have I felt more happy and present than in this very moment.” As…