Swell Season Surf Radio

On the latest episode of the Swell Season Surf Podcast, we  welcomed back to the show, the legendary surfboard shaper Charles Mencel, who is joined by his wife Rebecca. The Mencels, who hail from Monmouth County, NJ, share their deep-rooted connection to the ocean and their community. They discuss the intricate balance of maintaining their passions for surfing and shaping, while raising five daugh...

On this episode of the Swell Season Surf Podcast, our guest is Bruce Sutherland, co-author of the iconic Stormrider Guidebooks. We discuss the origins of Bruce's surf travel adventures, the indispensable role of the Stormrider Guide in global surf exploration, and the meticulous process of documenting surfing spots worldwide. Bruce shares anecdotes of surf trips, the influence of urban surfers, an...

On this Episode of  the Swell Season Surf Podcast we take a dive into the multifaceted life of Justin Schwartz. Known as a charismatic and controversial figure in the New York surfing scene, Justin has worn many hats – from a competitive surfer and finance professional to a successful taco business owner. In this candid episode, Justin shares his early surf memories, his adventures on Long Island...

On this Episode of the Swell Season Surf Podcast,  host Tyler Breuer is joined by Swell Season contributor Paul Colbert and former guest Ken Lewis as they welcome legendary surfboard shaper Rusty Preisendorfer and Rusty Surfboards' GM Jen Cassidy. We dive into the rich history of Rusty Surfboards, their impact on surfing, and the significant changes they are undergoing to return to their core root...

On this episode of the Swell Season Surf Podcast, we sit down with Rebecca Coley, the award-winning director of the documentary film 'Point of Change.' The documentary explores the unintended consequences of surfing's colonial culture through the story of Kevin Lovett and John Giesel's discovery of a perfect wave in Lugundi Bay, Indonesia. We discuss the film's journey, the impact of surfing on in...

On this episode of the Swell Season Surf Podcast we dive deep into a conversation with Palestinian American Zane Elias, hearing his emotional recount of the past year’s turmoil following the events of October 7th and discuss his role within the New York surf community and helping to raise awareness over the suffering the Palestinians are experiencing. Zane shares his unique journey from environmen...

In this episode of the Swell Season Surf Podcast, we welcome Erin Meza Ashley, also known as Worm to the show. Erin shares their unique journey into surfing, starting in college, and quickly mastering the art with her distinctive style on heavy single-finned longboards. Beyond surfing, Erin's life is intertwined with music, as a saxophonist in the band Go Go 13, and her passion for making desserts...

In this episode of the Swell Season Surf Podcast, Farmata Dia & Autumn Kitchens embody what NY Surfing is today. Young, stylish, committed to their community, actively involved in giving back and making their lineup a better place for everyone. They open up about their inspiring journeys and contributions to the sport. The discussion ranges from their personal introductions to surfing and the...

On this episode of the Swell Season Surf Podcast we have an incredible in-depth conversation with the legendary Mike May, a former New Jersey surfing champion and surf historian. The episode explores May's efforts in uncovering lesser-known historical narratives about early surfing in the U.S. East Coast, discussing figures such as Sam Reid, who was a protégé of Duke Kahanamoku. The discussion hig...

On this episode of The Swell Season Surf Podcast, we discuss The Surfrider Foundation's landmark lawsuit against Exxon for allegedly misleading the public about plastic recycling and contributing to pollution. The episode's guest, Dr. Chad Nelson, CEO of Surfrider Foundation, shares insights on the lawsuit's objectives, addressing decades of misinformation and environmental impact caused by Exxon'...

On this episode of the Swell Season Surf Podcast, We talk to filmmaker Jason Baffa about his significant contributions to surf cinema and the broader impact of his work. We discuss his landmark film 'Single Fin Yellow,' and his subsequent projects like 'Loopers: The Caddy's Long Walk,' and the Disney Plus series 'Chasing Waves.' Baffa shares his experiences with integrating high-definition photogr...

On this episode of the Swell Season Surf Podcast, we talk with Dr. Tara Ruttenberg, a surf tourism expert, about the negative impacts of surf tourism and the search for empowering tourism models that benefit local communities. Dr. Ruttenberg, a writer, researcher, and PhD in development studies, shares her journey into surf tourism study, inspired by her surf experiences in Costa Rica. The convers...

Our Guest on this episode is freelance content creator, Jon Coen from Long Beach Island. Jon has been a consummate champion of Northeast surfing for over 20+ years. When the surf magazines were still in their heyday, Jon would be the go to guy for anything in the Northeast happening. He always fought to get local events, surfers, and creatives to get the greater promotion and exposure when the wes...

I n this episode of the Swell Season Surf Podcast, host Tyler Breuer and co-host Paul Colbert engage in a profound discussion with Ken Lewis, a key figure in San Diego's surf, skate, and music scene. Ken Lewis has been described as a pillar in the San Diego surf/skate/music community. Ken shares his life story, from growing up as the son of a spear fisherman in La Jolla Cove to becoming a skate sh...

Dr. Bill Rosenblatt, AKA “Dr. Bill” has been surfing for 50 years all over the world. He’s a licensed psychologist and Senior Fellow in Biofeedback. He holds a doctorate in Counseling from Lehigh University and did post-doctoral work in Clinical Behavioral Medicine at the Mind/Body Medical Institute at Harvard Medical School. He has taught at universities, directed programs at hospitals, He was th...

Sid Abruzzi: Shaping Surf and Skate Culture - A Live Conversation In a special live episode of the Swell Season Surf Podcast, host Tyler Breuer engages in an in-depth conversation with Sid Abruzzi, the legendary figure behind Water Brothers Surf Shop in Newport, Rhode Island. Recorded on July 30th at Pilgrim Surf and Supply Shop in Brooklyn, New York, the episode explores Sid's vast influence on E...

If you don’t know who Scott Hulet is, do you even surf? He was the editor of The Surfers Journal from 1999 to 2014 and stayed on as a creative editor since. Some can argue he is one of the most important curators of our culture.  We delve into Scott's career, his tenure at Surfer's Journal (1999-2014), and his latest book 'Flow Violento'. It is a beautiful exploration of his travels south of the b...

In this episode of the Swell Season Surf Podcast, we talk with Ty Haft, a director, cinematographer, and photographer who transitioned from Hermosa Beach, California to New York. His work is layered with outdoors lifestyle, documentary adventures as well as contemporary fashion. For Ty, the ocean serves as the preferred muse offering unique contrasts between humans and nature. We discuss Haft's ex...

Rachel Lord bought her first surfboard at age 29. It was a $200 used Fineline . She took it straight to El Porto, and proceeded to put in her time and take her licks. She was told over and over that you can’t get good after your teens. She didn’t know if she would ever be a competent surfer. Let alone a competitive and stand out surfer. But she was determined.  Rachel Lord is a certified talent in...

Since launching its first SuperOcean dive watch back in 1957, Breitling has cultivated a special connection with the surf community, one based on a sense of adventure and a shared love of the sea. Many of you would have noticed surfing legends such as Kelly Slater, Steph Gilmore, Sally Fitzgibbons sporting their watches lately in ad campaigns. So, it would only seem a natural fit that Breitling wo...

Quest Soliman has become a staple in NY surfing over the last few years. I’ve rarely seen someone who has started surfing so late in life, take to surfing the way he has. He’s been ripping the beaches of Rockaway but has also made a huge impact on the community and is giving back in so many ways. Whether it’s organizing events for surfers young and old, fundraising for great causes or just inspiri...

On a bright sunny day at Gilgo Beach in 1963, a 13 year old Tony Caramonico remembers paddling out and catching the white water as the wave broke behind him. The unparalleled sensation of riding his first wave ushered in a sense of purpose and destiny. Surfing would be his North Star. A lot of people were surfers at the time and life got in the way for many of them. Tony was damn hell sure  life w...

James Katsipis is a Montauk-born artist, known for his exceptional ocean photography and stunning visual art. Over two decades ago, Katsipis began traveling around the world shooting and exploring distant shores as an adventure and surf photographer. Growing up in and around the ocean is the natural theme and influence throughout his portfolio. Today, as a fine art photographer and in-demand commi...

Jesse Faen is an Australian-born wanderer who’s been surfing for the past four decades and is now a dedicated kite, wing, and foil enthusiast. Jesse’s been around the block when it comes to the surf industry, working as an editor for Waves Magazine in Australia and Surfing Magazine in the US before working as the media director for the ASP (now WSL) where he traveled the world writing about the to...

Finisterre which in latin: finis terrae; means 'end of the earth'. Is a brand that exists first and foremost to meet the needs of the cold water surfer both in and out of the water. People like to call them the UK version of  Patagonia but, I’d wager founder Tom Kay must have mixed feelings about those comparisons. To be compared to an industry leader can be flattering but, I imagine Tom believes...