Second Breakfast with Surf With Amigas

Former pro surfer and Costa Rican local Andrea Díaz joins Holly to discuss how tourism and foreign investment are transforming Costa Rica’s coastal communities. Andrea shares her journey from competitive surfing to community advocacy and motherhood, while also highlighting how expats can support sustainable development, respect local culture, and help create conscious and collaborative opportuniti...

Holly and Dr. Tara Ruttenberg dive into the complex realities of surf tourism in Costa Rica, with a focus on Pavones—a surf town at the center of recent government-led demolitions and mega development plans. They unpack how gentrification, foreign investment, and tourism impact local livelihoods, drawing from Tara’s research on surf localism and global development. From grassroots organizing to le...

In this conversation, Danny Clayton shares how her passion for surfing and desire to connect women in the water led her to create Salt Gypsy . What began with a blog and a pair of surf leggings evolved into a surfwear and surfboard brand centered on empowering female surfers. Danny discusses the challenges of building a business in a male-dominated industry and the importance of community in shapi...

How can you shift your mindset to take empowered steps towards the life you want? In this conversation, amiga and fitness coach, Leka, shares how you can transform your mindset through training and visualization practices. Leka's nature-filled, unconventional upbringing led her to pursue surfing, CrossFit, and holistic wellness and ultimately become a coach. As a former CrossFit weight lifting cha...

In this unfiltered episode, SWA founders Holly Beck and Jackie George pull back the curtain on all things Surf With Amigas. They dive into the most frequently asked questions from the Amiga community, share some of their wildest behind-the-scenes stories, reflect on how far SWA has come, and offer insight into some of their biggest challenges as female business owners. From retreat magic and unexp...

Holly and amiga, Nancy, chat about learning to surf later in life, the importance of community and support among women surfers, and the challenges and joys of aging while staying active. Nancy shares her story of learning to surf at 55, finding her tribe of adventurous women through the surfing group Salt Water Divas, and how she's learned to embrace her body as it changes with age. Connect with u...

In this conversation, SurfAid rep Montana Denton shares how SurfAid supports remote coastal communities and promotes sustainable surf tourism. She discusses what it means to be a good steward of the places we surf, highlighting the balance between tourism, conservation, and local well-being. We chat about SurfAid’s community-driven programs, from improving health and nutrition to fostering resilie...

In this conversation, Beany, podcast producer and SWA instructor, shares her experience as an environmental advocate supported by Surf with Amigas. She recently attended the United Nations Plastic Pollution Treaty Negotiations in Busan, South Korea, where delegates from 175 countries sought to find a solution to reducing global plastic pollution. We discuss her experience there and some major take...

Would you still surf if you were 39 weeks pregnant? Former SWA Instructor, Hannah, would, and she would do it in a 5/4 wetsuit! In this conversation we explore the intersection of surfing, pregnancy, and motherhood. Holly and Hannah discuss surfing while pregnant, and the impact of motherhood on our personal identity and mental health. Hannah also shares about her life in Humboldt as a small busin...

In this episode, we dive into one of the most debilitating forms of self-doubt and how to overcome it: imposter syndrome. Around 75% of women say they suffer from imposter syndrome, yet not many of us actually talk about it. Holly and amiga, Kristin, chat about how imposter syndrome can rear its ugly head, both in our professional lives and in surfing. We reflect on how women’s roles have evolved...

Today we chat with surfer and shaper Ashley Lloyd, who grew up immersed in Malibu's male dominated surf culture. She shares her journey of breaking into the shaping industry and her collaborations with some of surfing's most influential figures. As she spent much of her life in California's competitive longboarding scene, she continues to draw inspiration from traditional single-fin logs while pus...

What should you do when surfing isn't fun? Can you end a session by paddling in to the beach without chasing "just one more"? How can visualization enhance your surfing experience? We explore these questions and more in today's episode with Hilary Achauer, amiga, journalist and aspiring author. We chat about her recently published article with Surfline that discusses how to navigate the emotional...

Today we explore themes of self-worth, boundaries, and generational resilience while chatting with 23 year old director, Meg Wriggles. Her documentary, White Horses, explores the intersection of horseback riding, surfing, and some of the pressures professional sports players face. We dive into the process of making films and documentaries, the importance of self-talk and emotional regulation, and...

Brandy White shares her journey from a life centered around surfing in Puerto Escondido in the 90's as one of the only women in the lineup, building a business, and living through the war on drugs in Mexico, to eventually relocating to San Diego with her kids. She recounts her love story with Joe, her husband, and the life and community they created in Puerto when it was just a sleepy surf town. B...

In this engaging conversation, we cover a range of topics with our guest, Shelby Stanger -- author, podcast host, and full-time adventurer. We delve into Shelby's interesting career, from surf instructor to international journalist to sports show host to freelance writer, and more. Shelby shares her journey of transitioning from a stable job to pursuing her passion for storytelling and journalism....

In this conversation, Amy Cobb shares her incredible journey of living aboard a sailboat with her five children and husband. She reflects on her past as a model and surfer, her experience working for Playboy, and the transition to motherhood, commercial fishing and a life at sea. This chat highlights the challenges and joys of family life on the water, the importance of pursuing dreams, and the le...

Rachel Lonergan shares her story of a freak accident which resulted in the loss of her husband while on a surf trip in Indonesia. She talks about their love for surfing and their travels to remote surf spots around the world. Rachel describes the panic and uncertainty she felt when her husband went missing in the water and the search efforts that followed. She discusses the challenges of navigatin...

In this conversation, Holly and SWA instructors Tori and Reesie discuss their commitment to community engagement in Central America, particularly through Tori and Reesie's newly founded non profit, Amigos Animal Rescue. They share their personal stories of how they became involved in animal rescue, local's cultural perspectives on pets, and the challenges of animal welfare in a developing country....

This conversation explores the intersection of surfing, women's empowerment, and bodily autonomy, focusing on the initiatives of 'She's On Edge' in Charleston, South Carolina. She's On Edge is a Charleston-based women’s surf and skate collective that hosts meetups and special events for ladies of all ages and skill levels. Their mission is to foster judgement-free spaces for women to grow, find su...

Amiga, MD and self-proclaimed gypsy witch doctor, Irene, grew in Cuernavaca, Mexico, and started surfing later in life when she realized it helped her heal physically and emotionally. This encouraged her to pursue alternative healing modalities such as Chinese medicine and shamanism after studying traditional western medicine. Irene believes in the integration of Western and Eastern medicine, as w...

Ana Rahlves, amiga and surfer from Colombia, shares her experience of growing up in Colombia, relocating to California and learning to surf, and her experience involved in the Colombian surfing community. Ana talks about growing up in Colombia during the civil war and the impact it had on her perception of normalcy, as well as the current situation in Colombia and misperceptions regarding tourism....

Chloe Piester, the social media manager for Surf With Amigas, shares her journey from being an amiga on a retreat to becoming a surf instructor and later pioneering SWA's online marketing techniques. In this episode we chat about Chloe's recent trip to Indonesia and how it improved her surfing confidence, we reflect on her early days with Surf With Amigas and the sense of community she found livin...

Lena, the founder of Coldwater Sirens, shares her experience of surfing in Denmark and creating inclusivity in the surf community. Coldwater Sirens is an organization that aims to create an inclusive and empowering surf community through surf camps and coaching. In this episode we chat about cold water surfing and its benefits, Lena's story and experiences within surf camps, and how to build resil...

In this conversation, Holly and Danielle Zirk discuss motherhood, surfing, and the challenges faced by mothers in the surf industry. Danielle shares her journey of becoming a mother, how she managed without having had a mom herself, and her passion for art and what it represents. We also share advice for those with complicated relationships with their mothers, and emphasize the importance of conne...

Serena Brooke, a former professional surfer, discusses her transition from pro surfer to mom life and reflects on the early days of women's pro surfing. She shares her journey of getting into surfing, becoming a pro surfer, and the camaraderie and adventures that she experienced on tour. We dive into the history of women's surfing and compare the tour now to how it was in the mid to late nineties,...