Form, Function, and Sustainability

Originally published in Adventure Sports Journal.

A variegated mural hangs on Tyler Fox’s bedroom wall. Reclaimed redwood from the historic Schwann mansion hugs yellow Alaskan cedar, forming a tawny rainbow of timber. Abalone inlay shimmers across the deck; salvaged driftwood flanks the tip and tail. A professional surfer, founder of Santa Cruz Waves magazine and a longtime contestant of the Mavericks Invitational, Fox has dozens of surfboards strewn around his backyard. The 9’6″ twin fin holds this special, solitary place because it is more than a surfboard: it’s a work of art.

My encounter with the ancient ritual of Ayahuasca ceremony.

Originally published in Santa Cruz Waves Magazine.

Help, I say silently. Or maybe out loud. It’s hard to know for certain. And though I am in the middle of an ayahuasca ceremony, it’s hard to know exactly where I am—not only in relation to the door, but also to my body. I’ve lost track of it, and I’m terrified it might urinate or vomit or do something equally horrifying all over the floor of the temple and the 20 other participants inside of it. I’m on the verge of a full-blown panic attack when several pairs of hands lift me up and carry me outside.

Originally published in Santa Cruz Waves Magazine.

Julie Cox glides smoothly down the rocky staircase at Steamer Lane. It’s May 27, 2017, and she’s about to compete in the Santa Cruz Longboard Union Memorial Day Invitational for Pedro Point Surf Club. A purple longboard is tucked under her arm, a single fin from the Jule Collection, the line of jewel-inspired surfboards she launched in 2005. In addition to a successful career as a professional surfer, Cox has an impressive track record as an entrepreneur: her most recent endeavor is Traveler Surf & Swim Club, which offers a warm haven from the cold waters of Pacifica.