The Ocean Knows Her Name

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Kwame: Hello, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to another episode of the We Surf Podcast, brought to you by We Surf Media and distributed by the fall season Surf Radio. You are in the place where surf culture meets [00:01:00] energy community, and the next generation of wave makers. I'm your host, and today, oh boy. Today we have a special one.

It is so special. In fact, I had to bring in a special co-host just for this one. So first and foremost, please join me in welcoming the Senegal Swell, the Shoreline Sniper, my sister from another Mister that's Al from Senegal of Miss Far.

Farmata: Thank you for having me. Thank you

Kwame: Ri, for joining me with this one. Yeah, I think this is gonna be a great one. The reason why I had to bring in a special, a special co-host is because we have a special guest we are tapping in with. Maisie Gordon, a 14-year-old surfer who's turning heads and shifting the lineup.

If you've seen her surf, you already know the gal got style, she have grit. She have that unstoppable [00:02:00] spot that Kia be stopped. So, oh yeah, you, you're in for it. In this episode, hopefully will get Maisie to break down a little bit about her journey. You know, the first waves that lit her up, the moments she felt that shift.

'cause you know, all of us are surfers. There was this point in our lives where we're like, hold up a second, this is what I want to do. Mm-hmm. Yeah. And how she's carving out her own lane in the surf culture. That's finally starting to catch up. This one, this one was gonna be a little bit about progression representation.

And you know what it looks like when a young surfer shows up with heart confidence and the receipts to bracket to back it up, which Maisie has all of 'em. So tighten that leash, turn up the volume and get ready. This is we Surf. This is Maisie Gordon. Let's paddle in. Maisie, welcome. Thank you for joining us.

Maizy: Hi.

Like, hi, it's nice to be here. Um, this is super cool. Never actually done any of these, so it's really cool to be part of this. And you guys are amazing. [00:03:00]

Kwame: The first whale first for me.

Farmata: Yes.

Kwame: Yay, us.

Farmata: Amazing. Stop. This is an honor you don't even know on it right now. Of course.

Kwame: Okay, so let's just pitch, let's just jump straight into it.

Maisie, how did you start? Um, how did you start surfing? Tell us a little bit about your beginning surf journey.

Maizy: Well, I started surfing at the age of 10 years old and my sister was actually kind of the first to inspire me to surf. And one day she was just like, Hey, she was just surfing and I was kind of on the beach.

I'm kind of scared of the water. Well, I used to be at least. And um, I saw her surfing and I saw my dad surfing and I'm like, wait, I kind of wanna try at least going in the whitewash. So I went to, I asked my sister like, can I ride your board and can we learn? Can I, can you teach me how to surf? And soon enough, I stood up on my first wave and I instantly fell in love with it.

Aw. [00:04:00] So it was a great, it was a great moment in my life. Definitely one of my favorite moments in my life. So. Wow.

Kwame: That was amazing. You stood up on your first wave. My first wave was like, were not pretty. There were arms and legs flying everywhere.

Maizy: No, no, no. It took me many tries. Okay. Okay. If you look at my mom's phone, there's so many clips of me eating it.

But in the end, I got one wave and I stood up. It was on that, it took like two days for me to actually like stand up on my board. It wasn't, it wasn't like right away. I, no, no, there's no way.

Farmata: A win is a win. Yeah. True.

Maizy: Yeah.

Kwame: So that was the moment when you decided, Hey, this is it. I'm, I'm, I'm a surfer. This is it.

I'm gonna, I love this.

Maizy: Yeah. And then, um, my sister started competing in like scholastic surf series, so like middle school contest. And I kind of just joined and I just kind of like followed along. And soon enough [00:05:00] when I hit middle school, I, I did the surf team, the Oceanside Middle School surf team, and then that's when I started competing.

And then there was Western Surf Association, WSA at San Clemente Pier. That was my first contest. And I actually made a heat, don't know how, but I made a heat and I just, even if I didn't make the other heats, it was like, this is kind of what it looks like. This is kind of how it's gonna be for the rest of my life.

Farmata: Wow. Wow. So you're, you're a competitor. That's it. You're, you're, yeah. For it. Oh yeah. She wants to smoke.

Maizy: Oh yeah. Oh yeah, definitely.

Kwame: Okay, so for me, I'm pitching it to you now actually 'cause you compete as well. So what was, what do you remember your first, your first like competition in heat?

Farmata: I do, it was with Laura vea.

We went to Sisters of the Swell in Florida, Jacksonville. And it was really fun. We brought like a bunch of girls from the community and I [00:06:00] remember I had the first heat at 7:00 AM Shortboarding, and this is when I still was like, yeah, I'm gonna shortboard, I'm gonna rent and I rent, but like, that's just not my sauce, not my juice.

And I like, see, I'm lucky though. My experience is always, I feel like so special because like, I remember struggling in the water a little bit and like getting up on my feet on some waves. But like, it wasn't like, you know, it wasn't the result that I wanted. I guess from my first. Competition, but I came out the water and I was surrounded by love and like, because we were with our lave crew, we got the loudest cheers on the beach every single time one of us came out the water, like it was immediately just love the same way we were at, at a great day in the Stoke it was like that, but like,

Maizy: yeah,

Farmata: 15, 20 girls and women on the beach.

It's like, it was great. But you know, competing Maisie, like, you inspire me in that way because like, you know, I got that dog in me, but that dog don't like that.

Maizy: No. Yeah.

Kwame: You know, it [00:07:00] reminds me of, um, so I obviously I wasn't there for you guys with one in Jacksonville, but I remember when we all went to, uh, Puerto Rico for the, for the conference, for the Isto conference, and Maisie, you may not know this, but when, when New York rose, we rode deep. So how many of us were there?

Like 12, 13 of us.

Farmata: Oh, I missed that day.

Kwame: Oh, we, it was one

Farmata: of the last days and

Kwame: we were just like, we were at this conference and everyone was just there at the conference, Oscar, and to this day, the three conferences, no two conferences have passed since then. Everyone still asks, where's the Lara Bay crew?

When are they coming out? When are they doing this? Da da da da da da. So yeah, it's, it's, it's the energy. It's the vibe. It's the vibe.

Farmata: Oh my God. You would get along so well with them too, like similar age ranges, and they have that same stoke just like you, like you guys would just push each other in the water.

And I think just like your level of surfing and the fact that you shortboard would really inspire a lot of the girls that we have also. Mm-hmm. Because, you know, like, I feel like for girls, like, [00:08:00] not, not to stereotype us or put us in this box, but like, you know, it's usually like longboarding. I, I feel like I don't meet too many black women that are like, I wanna shred and get pitted on a surfboard, you know?

Maizy: Yeah. Yeah.

Farmata: But yeah. Are you a long boarder? Do you longboard Maisie.

Maizy: Uh, doing the middle school team, I did, but then I kind of focused more on shortboarding, but I, I'm gonna try to get back into it. Yeah. Maybe, maybe because I like it and I have fun and, mm-hmm. I actually did a couple contests and I ended up doing really well.

It's just I then shifted my focus on short boarding, but I think now it's good to have that balance of surf. Short boarding is like very competitive and aggressive, and then long boarding can kind of be like almost an outlet. Mm-hmm. Of just having fun. I mean, you can have that on a shortboard as well, don't get me wrong, but just like going out on a small day and just doing a little, [00:09:00] walking the board, doing a little like carves and stuff.

Like just some fun. I'm not great, but I at least try. Mm-hmm.

Farmata: It's all about the vibes.

Maizy: Yeah. I think, yeah, that's, it's a fun, it's a fun sport. I like longboarding a lot.

Kwame: I'm a long boarder. It's funny because, it's funny 'cause sometimes, you know, we, we joke about it because I'll, I'll surf, I'll surf, adore if it floats.

I'll try it. Don't matter, as long as it floats. Let's try it. Let's see what happens. Yeah, let's see if it works. So what's your favorite thing about surfing right now?

Maizy: Me?

Kwame: Mm-hmm. Oh, I, I please, I, I, I know farming, please. I know everything about farming. I don't need to know more about her.

Maizy: I see him. Okay. Um, I think my favorite thing about surfing would be just being out in the water.

I feel like, I think it's almost like I'm so focused. I, I, I try to, no, I, I love school and I love learning and education and [00:10:00] all that. So I really deep dive into math or science, and I get maybe like four hours. Or like three hours of just learning and school. And then I feel like surfing is kind of like my outlet to just be free and relaxed and just kind of just take, not think about surfer, not think about everything that's going on in my life.

Like, okay, my grades and I gotta get this done. And I gotta just basic things too. Like, oh, I gotta do my laundry, I gotta do this. Like surfing is just, I can get away from all of that and I can just go surf and have fun. And I think that is really what I love about it. It's like an escape and. Like those summer surf sessions and in the evening where like you're just watching the sunset with a bunch of your friends out in the water.

Like I love that experience. Mm-hmm. That's why I love summer. 'cause you [00:11:00] get those long days and I think like long days and you get to watch the sunset and you can still surf and it's maybe like seven o'clock.

Kwame: Yeah. Like,

Maizy: that's really nice. In the winter it's not so fun 'cause it's like dark at like three.

But it, it's, it's, it's really fun. And I, I love surfing.

Farmata: Yep. You said it perfectly. Yeah. Macy, can you believe it's already snowed in New York?

Maizy: Really twice.

Farmata: Yeah, girl.

Maizy: Twice. Really? Mm-hmm. Dang. Okay. Yeah. Wow.

Farmata: Great for us.

Kwame: Yeah,

Maizy: no, I mean, snow is great though. Like I've ne I barely see the snow because I have family in Utah on my mom's side that we go see snow sometimes.

But this year we'll just be staying in California. So it's just gonna be cold. Okay. No snow. So like when I see snow, I think it's like the most magical thing in the world. Oh. It's, I just don't see it often. Like every year I'm just in California and it's normally just [00:12:00] sand or the extreme heat. Yeah. But in those colder areas, it's like, oh, that's kind of magical to me in some way.

May not, maybe not for you guys. Maybe it's like, oh, I gotta shovel snow. Oh, I gotta go to work in this snow and all this and it's cold and all this. But I find it magical. It's, I'm sure

Kwame: there are two things with snow with me and snow. One, I don't mind surfing in the snow because it is really peaceful.

Yeah. It's like really, really peaceful when it's just like snowing. And I'm not talking about the like blizzard, but just like if it's just like gently snowing. Ooh, yeah. You no even mid snowing. And it's just you and your friends. It's, it's really peaceful. So that, that's amazing. But one thing which I realized very quickly after I moved to New York is that snow is beautiful.

But unlike rain, snow doesn't go anywhere for like another week or so. So then you gotta walk through it. Yeah. And then the MTA buses run through it and you gotta get that. That stuff gets into your shoe and it just gets nasty. That's [00:13:00] what she was just telling

Maizy: you. But yeah, like you gotta walk out. Yeah.

And the blizzard and you gotta go to work and like there's five inches of snow on the ground. You can barely see. Like I can see if your luckiest

Kwame: five inches.

Maizy: Really? Yeah. Like there are some downsides to having snow and there are some magical moments, like you said. Yeah, just being in the water and it's very peaceful and it's beautiful.

Farmata: You gotta come out here and surf during the winter. Yes. That's when we get like all our real swells. I completely agree. Get the snow, get the, get the experience. Yes.

Maizy: I completely agree. I should be down there.

Farmata: We don't get you a bacon, egg, and cheese set. You okay? Yes. Yes. Salt, pepper, ketchup. We got,

Kwame: we'll give, we'll give you the full New York experience, you know, head of the bodega.

I love

Farmata: food.

Kwame: You'll get to talk to the, you'll get to talk to the Bodega cat. 'cause you know it's not a bodega unless they got a cat sitting on the bread that the, and then you get the bacon egg in. You got the bacon, egg, and cheese. And then, you know, squeeze into what? Five four? Six five. We'll see how cold [00:14:00] it's squeeze into that and then we'll get

Maizy: I can do that.

Yeah. There you

Farmata: go. I can do that. There you go. She's ready. She says.

Kwame: Okay. Yeah.

Farmata: All right, we gonna hold you to that. All right, bet. I'm gonna pick the next question. Go

Kwame: ahead.

Farmata: Okay. Let's see. Ooh, I'm gonna give you a two part question, right? Okay. So. I feel like you kind of said this already talking about your intro into surfing, but who are some of the people that make you feel like supported and comforted when you're in the water?

And then who are the people that also inspire you too? I feel like you inspire so many of us more than you think, and maybe you realize it at a great day in the stoke, because when I interviewed you there, I was like, who's your favorite person? And you were like, I can't remember people's names.

Maizy: There were too many people.

But no, um, I think some of the influences was definitely my sister and then I coached with John [00:15:00] Daniels, so he kind of coached me throughout my entire surfing career and still throughout my entire surfing career. And, uh, I think another one is my cousin Ani from Hawaii in Oahu. He, he was a big part because he taught me like.

The style of surfing 'cause he's a great surfer. Might I add? Um, but he taught me like how to be in tune with the ocean and how to like, have flow and still generate speed and like very calm. And he is very finesse in his surfing. So I kind of picked off little parts of his surfing and translated into my own thing.

And so I think those three were mainly what is like got me to the level I'm at. Like John's discipline and hard work and the running, gosh running, um, the, that taught me like to get stronger and to [00:16:00] get bigger and go gnarly and do all these cool things. And then my sister was obviously my day one. Like she's just always been there and we would always surf together and get our time in the water.

And then my, my cousin MCC kind of taught me. Like, just have fun out there. Don't. Make, don't always think it's about competing and it's about winning and everything. It's also you chose the sport because you loved it and you had fun and you have fun doing the sport. Make it be about that as well. So those three people really made a big impact on who I am today.

Farmata: Awesome. Do you have any like professional surfers whose edits you like to watch? Who like moves you try to copy, kind of similar to your cousin?

Maizy: 100%. I have so many, but I think mainly John, John Florence was one of them. Nice. Carissa Moore is definitely one of [00:17:00] them. Caitlyn Simers, I mean, come on guys. And um, even a local girl from Oceanside and Carlsbad, she's like around that area.

Uh, Reid Van Wagner, she's a newcomer. She's. Like so cool. She's been surfing only for a while, but she's gotten so good just this past year and I think what I learned from her is just with hard work, the results will come and just consistently working on the work you, the stuff you need to do, this will help you improve your surfing.

So I think she. Works as hard as she can and she's honestly getting the results. I mean, she's in Challenger series. She went from lit, like WSA Contest to Challenger series in just the span of like maybe three, two years. So I think that is so cool to me, like, and I've seen her out in the water training all the time and it's just so cool to watch.

Um, I think [00:18:00] another one is buttons. I think he's so cool. And my, um, my uncle actually, uh, he wrote a book called Wave of the Resistance, and he talked about buttons. And my dad always talks about buttons and it's just like one of. What I try to learn his style and how to translate it into my surfing. So I think yeah, that's the book.

That's the book My uncle wrote that.

Kwame: Yeah. From a wife to you for an autograph.

Maizy: Yeah, I got you. But um, yeah, those are some of the people I think. I don't think I missed anybody, but mm-hmm.

Kwame: What about you for

Farmata: what about me? It'd have to be like, I feel like the whole Rockaway when I was starting was like giving me tips every single day in the water.

And so it's almost like you said you had, like, you cousin influenced your surf style. I'm influenced by like everybody in the water. It sounds kind of crazy, but I see like pieces of [00:19:00] each person. But like when I think really big, like Leah Dawson, when I see her in the water, the way she surfs, like I literally never know what she's gonna do.

Mm-hmm. It's the coolest thing ever. Seeing her surf in person, real waves, seeing her surf. Like tiny little baby waves get to the nose on a wave like. This big. I'm just like, oh my God. Or like Lakey Peterson, leave a message was one of my favorite surf movies. And I love how like she's like rubber. Her body just like flexes and moves in so many ways, but she's still like kind of small and like powerful in the actual water.

She's really good too. Kaia. I have somebody, it's like I could list them forever. I love surfing.

Maizy: Yeah, me too. Me too. Isn't it so

Farmata: great?

Maizy: Yeah.

Farmata: I love it.

Kwame: What about

Farmata: you, Kwame?

Kwame: Oh, you should know mine already.

Maizy: You

Kwame: ev I It is. It is not a secret. It is no secret. Jerry Lopez. Oh yeah. Jerry Lopez. Oh, yeah. The, [00:20:00] the Zen Master himself.

I have tried my best to emulate, well, when I first started surfing, I tried my best to emulate everything that he did. I would watch the old, um, the old, uh, clips from him and just like, just the way he stood, the way he would pull into a wave, pull out, you know, just, just like everyone else is, like all, you know, veins popping out their neck, like, and Jerry's just like, you know, just doing his thing.

And, you know, I kind of developed that style as well, but then I realized that that's his style. And, you know, that's his style for his body, that he and his mentality. So I had to kind of adjust it to mine. So number one will always be Jerry Lopez, but then also Leah Dawson, you know, Kasia, um, John, John, you know, those, those folks.

And just watching them to see and how they go. And even some of the folks that I see from the, um, that [00:21:00] take part in the Eddie, you know, oh yeah. Those, those, those guys and gals. I'm just like, yo,

Farmata: Justine DuPont literally gave birth and got back at, tore like it was, and it went

Kwame: back to nre.

Farmata: I'm just like, you go girl.

Kwame: You know? I mean, and you were at Nare, right? For me?

Farmata: Yeah. You

Kwame: went to Nare and so did I. And you looked over the cliff, right?

Farmata: Yeah, we couldn't see anything 'cause it was nighttime. Okay. But, oh my god, Maisie, the waves were so loud and you could see the whitewash. It was terrifying. Oh gosh. Yeah. I

Kwame: went, when I was there, it was daytime and I was just looking at it like, yo, it takes a special kind of Mm.

To paddle out into that. Oh man, I'm sorry. I would be holding, when did, when, if they take me out on a jet ski, I would be holding onto that jet ski per driver like we were married. Because I'm not letting him go.

Maizy: I wouldn't even go on the jet ski. I'll just watch from the cliff. Really wouldn't go there wouldn't.

Farmata: You wouldn't, you wouldn't try to. No.

Maizy: Like you, that wave is so powerful If you, one wrong mistake. [00:22:00]

Farmata: So, so let me, let me, let me like pitch it to you.

Maizy: Mm-hmm.

Farmata: Okay. Let's see. Let's see. But you get like minimum a year training from 10 of the best big wave surfers in the world. They give you all the supplies you need, they get you the jet ski training, the water certifications, everything.

And they say, we got you. We'll train you, we'll give you everything you need. And then you just try to go, would you do it?

Maizy: I mean, if I had the training and I had the confidence, then maybe, but. Um,

Kwame: like, my mama ain't raised no fool. Whatcha talking about?

Maizy: No. What the Yeah, no. Like, I honestly, big waves is just not my thing.

I can't maybe go over past like, oo, like that's, that's my limit. And then every, anything past that, like Jaws and all these places, no,

Kwame: I'm not doing that. Well, the thing is, I think also what you have to remember as well is because as we're talking about like big waves, you know, of course, [00:23:00] you know, big, big is relative.

Yeah. 'cause you know, farming, you and I do you, you and I are instructors as well, and we bring people out into like three foot waves and they're like, oh my God, these waves are massive and you look like

Farmata: they're dying. Really?

Kwame: Okay. If you say so. So, you know, you get accustomed to it. Like, and I've had conversations with, um, with, uh, cliff, cliff scen.

Mm-hmm. And I've asked him point blank, like, how, what are you thinking about when you paddle out into, oh, not paddle out. When you go out into those things and you know, you see it coming at you. 'cause that's just a, a skyscraper of a wave heading towards you. You know, at what point do you think to yourself, this might not be such a good idea.

And he's like, I don't. We're accustomed to it, so we just go. So it's okay. Why not? Let's just do it. Go ahead. I understand what you're saying, brother.

Maizy: Yeah, I think, sorry. Go. I think, um, some people just need that adrenaline rush. Yeah. And some people just like that. Ama, I don't know. I don't know what to call it.

Like, just [00:24:00] everything, just to be in a life or death situation. I, I don't know. But I'm definitely not one of those people. I know that

Farmata: that's okay. I think I am really, I wanna try big wave surfing. At least once I got my brag certification, I could get the Patagonia back. That's

Kwame: right. You do

Farmata: shout out.

Shout out. Salty foundation.

Kwame: That's right. We hooked it up. We hooked it up.

Farmata: Okay. Like, I wanna try it just once and then if I, I'll go on the wave. If I wipe out, yo, come get me right now. If I don't wipe out and I catch the wave, like I, I didn't. But

Maizy: here's the thing. A black woman, when you wipe out, what if they don't make it in time?

Like,

Farmata: that's okay that I learned that I know what to do.

Maizy: You're dead.

Farmata: No. Amazing. I gotta be dead.

Kwame: All I'm gonna say. And they were we, we were. The next question, well I'm gonna say on this one is I just remember one time I fell off of a, I think it might have been like an eight to 10 [00:25:00] foot day and I fell off the wave and I skipped across the water at bottom at least three times before I finally, oh.

And that was only like on an eight to 10 foot day so far. Something that's like 50, 60 feet.

Maizy: Like imagine that. It's just like,

Kwame: yeah, for me, I love you to death, but you'll probably end up back on shore 'cause you'll just like skip right across and end up on shore.

Maizy: Guys, I'm not falling. I'm with him. I don't think it's a good idea, but you know, you do.

You,

Kwame: oh God. Um. So you mentioned, you mentioned all these people's with the, the style of these other folks, and we spoke a little bit about style. So Maisie, how would you describe your style right now?

Maizy: Hmm. I mean, I'm definitely learning, but I would find it more casual and relaxed. And honestly my coaches say I need to be more aggressive and I think most of these kids started out [00:26:00] with like.

They had like little steps to each level and I kind of skipped a few steps and then I kind of have to go back because McConney, my cousin, he liked big waves. I was maybe 11 or 12 and he wanted to go out on Big Lowers day and I can barely duck dive. So he is like, oh, we'll be fine. Just go out there. So I kind of skipped the stage of small waves and kind of just went straight into big waves and then having to relearn for contests, small waves.

'cause most of the contests thoughts are not normally big like lowers or Huntington. Like it's a very small, like local areas. And I think I also learned just, I dunno, like I just kind of learned surfing a different way and I think I have so much more to learn from and so much more. More work to do. And I think [00:27:00] my style definitely came first, and then my aggression is definitely second.

Like I'm working on it now. So it's just finding that balance of being aggressive and still having like a casual, relaxed style. Because some people will try to morph it into being more aggressive, like all this power and all this, and it's like you can't, yes, you get all those big scores and you get those big turns and whatever, but where's the style?

Where's the flow in that wave? And I think I already have that, but I think I'm just a little scared. Like I don't wanna change my surfing just to be more aggressive and to win heats. I wanna try to combine the two and make it something marvelous, I think. Yes.

Farmata: Never change yourself, Maisie. Right? You just

Maizy: improve.

Big takeaway from this. Yes.

Farmata: Yes. I have a follow up question then. Oh yeah. If your style was a song, what song would it be? [00:28:00]

Kwame: Ooh. I dunno. I like, that's a good one.

Maizy: Yeah. I think you guys know the song everywhere by Fleet, Lord, Mac? No. Well, I feel like, well he knows it, that I feel like that song. 'cause it's like, it starts out like a, and then it goes into more like, like a relaxed song.

Okay. And it's, I, I don't, I don't know really, but I think That'ss one of the songs.

Kwame: So what, we'll, what we'll do follow of you as a listeners on this one. Um. What we'll do is we'll cut it right here.[00:29:00]

Farmata: Can you hear me calling? You know,

speak louder.

You know,

I wanna be,

something's happening happen to me. First day peculiar.[00:30:00]

You better make it soon before you break. Mama.

Say Maisie, and we're back. And we're back.

Kwame: There we to the

Farmata: podcast. Oh my God. So yeah. Okay. That was, that's the song. Good. Okay. No, I love that song. That was great.

Oh my God.

Kwame: Uh, then so you spoke a little bit earlier about, um, and I was gonna say about this, that, you know, when [00:31:00] you're out in the ocean. You know, you can, you can just let go and you just think you don't, you can think about nothing at all and you just, just relax. And, um, this is not my question. This is something I just wanted to mention that, except I kind of feel, except if you're ever surfing in Chica, in, in, in Peru.

'cause that wave is so long, you can't help but think of other stuff because then you start to wonder, did I leave the stove on? Is my passport in the garage? Where did I do this? Because the wave is just going. Yeah. It just keeps going. So at one point, after a while you're like, Hey, I've done everything I know how to do on this wave.

So where's my passport? Huh? I tonight You just keep

Maizy: going.

Kwame: Oh gosh. Yep. Sorry. Just wanted

Maizy: That's good. That's good.

Kwame: Oh, and, and farming. When we hit up Morocco, then we gotta do that at Swan. So,

Farmata: you know, I went to Pobo and my legs were burning after every single wave. It was like, it Maisie look, the waves out here.

Like, we're lucky if we get a five, six second ride sometimes. Mm-hmm. And so going out there and [00:32:00] being on a wave, sometimes like a minute, like my mind was blown. I, I couldn't believe it. It was crazy. That's fantastic. But I'm glad you brought that up. I have a quick follow up too, Kwame, go ahead. About the, like, not really having to think about things or stuff like that.

I love that and I feel like that's how most of us try to surf. Like we're trying to escape reality to go into like a different side of reality. But I feel like me personally, sometimes I have those moments in the water whether I'm competing or just like taking myself too serious where I like am not able to have as much fun or I'm like having anxiety, getting into my head and ruining my own session.

So like, do you ever have those moments? And if you do, like how do you get yourself out of it? What do you do? You know, for the, yeah, for the viewers.

Maizy: I think, um, I have those moments a lot and I think this past few years I struggled with people getting in my head and listening to what other [00:33:00] people thought of me about how I surfed and I would focus on falling on this wave.

Like, oh, people are gonna judge me 'cause I didn't go on that wave, or I fell. So most of my surf sessions. Didn't really have fun. Like sure I was with my friends, but they were catching all these waves and they were like, why didn't you go on that? And then it was just not great and I just didn't find it fun.

Um, it was really hard for me to stay in competition mode 'cause I was like, I gotta surf my best. Like, I felt like I had so much pressure when really, like, you really don't, nobody is gonna judge you on how you perform. Nobody is going to make fun of you. Like everybody loses. There's always a loser and there's always a winner.

And you can't, you can't just like think, oh, 'cause I lost this heat. I am the worst surfer in the world. You gotta think like, I gotta learn from that. I did something wrong, but I'm not gonna make that my whole [00:34:00] ruin my whole day. Like that's just not great. And I think I struggle with. Just like I'm an overthinker.

I overthink literally everything I do. Like even right now I'm thinking about, what am I gonna say? But like I overthink a lot of technical work in surfing and like, oh, I gotta do a turn here. Or, oh, I gotta do a turn here, and all this. And it's like, you just shouldn't be thinking this much about surfing.

Yeah. Like in a negative way. You should like surfing, thinking about surfing is great, but like in a negative way. Thinking about what every little thing you're doing wrong, well think about every little thing you're doing, right? You're paddling out there, you're catching the wave, you're doing a turn, you're popping up all this, like you're doing things right too.

It's just those little spots you need to work on. And I think it took me a lot of time to figure that out. It actually took me a [00:35:00] whole year, a whole season of. Going through that negative space and I am so glad I got out of it.

Kwame: Yeah.

Maizy: But my mom's just like, you shouldn't listen to what people are gonna say.

'cause at the end of the day, they don't really care. Like, they not gonna remember that because that contest was like three years ago. No one's gonna remember that heat. They're going to look at like, whoa, look at how far they've come from not being able to pop up to say, for example, somebody doing an air.

Like they, they've gone a long way and they're only the, they're gonna like bring you down sometimes, but honestly, you just gotta not worry about that and just. Do your own thing and don't, don't listen to people like to negative people. Don't listen to negative people. Like listen to your parents and all whatever, but like, don't [00:36:00] listen to all those negative thoughts and all the snarky comments that people make.

'cause it's just not cool. Yeah,

Kwame: yeah. There's some great words of wisdom and that's a soundbite if I ever heard one that we're gonna use that. Um, okay. But no, that does, that was amazing. Um, like I said, deep, definitely deep words of wisdom. And also who, who, who's talking about, about you. So you let us know who's talking about, about your servant right now.

We, like I say, we on deep, you know, so, hey,

Maizy: I'll not name any names. I'm not, I'm not that type of person. You don't gotta say

Farmata: nothing, Maisie look, just write it.

Maizy: You're not gonna do that far. It's in the.

Kwame: Uh, is there any wave, um, that's specific or any wave or session that sticks out in your mind the most where you are like, oh my God, this was just life changing for me, or, this is like one of the most amazing sessions, most amazing waves ever?[00:37:00]

Maizy: Well, it was actually during a heat, I think. Mm-hmm. Um, it was at ninth Street, Huntington Beach, so not a great spot. But, um, there was my final, my U 16 or U 14 final for NSSA and the, in the previous heat, the boys paddled out the back and they were catching like the bombs in the sets. And I'm like, oh, that's kind of sick.

Like, I'm gonna go out there and as soon as I start paddling out, all the other girls, they're kind of sitting inside and catching the inside waves. There's no waves on the outside. I only have like a 3.3 and I am in, sitting in fourth place. I need a really big score. And in the next. Seven minutes, like in the, yeah, in the next seven minutes I catch this right and do this big snap.

And then I think I did another one, I don't remember. And soon enough it was like a 7, 8, 3. I move up into the lead. Everybody else is [00:38:00] scrambling. There's three minutes on the clock. I then like find my rhythm and I catch those waves. I end up winning the contest. So I think my mom was freaking out during that time too.

She was freaking out. She's like, why hasn't she caught in a wave? Like, what is going on? And I, I go up the beach and my mom's just so happy and I'm all happy. All my, almost all my friends were there. And it was just such a great moment because it was kind of a nailbiter, like there was a chance I could lose and there was a chance I could win.

And I think that was such a big moment. I think for some reason Huntington Beach is just such a fun spot for contests, at least for me. Like I have fun and I end up doing really well in Huntington Beach. I have no clue why, period. Like I hear from my friends like, oh, I hate Huntington Beach. Like, it's always so big and it's always so annoying and I'm like, really?

I find Huntington Beach kind of fun. But it could be just [00:39:00] because I do know. But no, like, no, Huntington Beach is a, actually a really fun wave. I'm not gonna jx it, but it's a pretty fun wave,

Farmata: man. Our experiences are not that similar. Every time I go there, it's for a great day in the stoke and there's always swell and I'm with a long board and I'm just like, yeah, it's always big for a great day in the Stoke.

Every year I'm just like, please. So

Maizy: beautiful. The longboard is, I feel so bad because like the current is so big, the waves are big. You don't wanna get into the pier 'cause you don't wanna die. No. So it's like, no, it's, it's not fun. Like it's, it's hard. Yeah.

Farmata: But I love it. For you short boarders, like watching this year was so impressive.

Yeah.

Maizy: The waves were actually good. I think it got progressively bigger and windier during your heat. Yeah man

Kwame: it did. So little background story for the, um, for the listeners, the viewers, and even for you Maisie, 'cause I don't think you knew this. [00:40:00] So this's a story on farm. Okay. So Farm has her, he comes up is the final.

She has a board. She gets pulled down to the pier. She comes, she comes in. I tell Ronald, Ronald. Go get and, and and, and run up with her so she's not running back up by herself. So he runs down, run, and I hear PMI saying, on the way back up, I'm gonna die. I'm gonna die. I'm gonna die. That's just literally as she, as she's running, she's just saying like, I'm gonna die.

I'm gonna die. I'm gonna die.

Farmata: No, hold on. Because first of all, I was paddling for my life forever. Turnaround, turnaround, turnaround. I come out, I'm like, I can't beat the current. And everybody's like, run. You need to run. And I'm running. I'm like, I got asthma. I'm about to pass out. Y'all telling me to run and then you expect me to paddle out.

There I was. I was literally about to die. I was like,

Maizy: y know. Oh my gosh. Aren't you the same person who wants to surf big waves though? Ooh,

Kwame: ooh. [00:41:00]

Maizy: Aren't you the same one who wants to surf Nazarene? And,

Farmata: and I'm gonna do the same thing on the jet ski. I'm about to die. I'm about to

Maizy: die. I'm about die. I'm

Farmata: about die.

Okay. Okay. Just still good.

Kwame: Oh my gosh. Finally, actually, lemme ask you the same question. Um, what's one of your most memorable sessions or memorable waves and what made it so memorable?

Farmata: I feel like traveling really changed surfing for me. Actually wanted to ask you like any dream places you wanna travel to or anything, but like when I went to Madeira with sinister, it's the photo, the first photo on my Instagram.

It just is like, like it was just crazy. It was the biggest wave I've ever caught. It's like double overhead. I was out there, they're all like ripping on short boards, thrusters, quads. I'm on a single fin fricking seven one. I'm just like, yo, I was not doing okay the entire session to the point where they're like, okay, come let's do this, let's do this.

They're telling me to paddle and in my [00:42:00] head I'm like, I don't wanna go for the small one. 'cause then there's gonna be a big one behind it. So let me just paddle for the big one. And I end up paddling into that like. Beast. And I'm just like, oh my God, this wave is huge. Am I gonna make it? And I remember being like, should I just take it all the way in?

And then I was like, no, I'm out here to work. I gotta get that money. But anyway, the photos came out and it was like, it was, I was like, oh my God, is that me? Like I had to zoom in to see myself. I was like, yeah,

Maizy: that is so cool. So that's definitely one of the best that amazing

Farmata: that were like Bali. 'cause Bali is like, I had not been linked out there too.

And it's like, the waves were so long. I was like linking three turns on a wave. Shortboarding, longboarding. And we were like collecting with the locals. They were so cool. So I had to be that.

Maizy: That's cool.

Farmata: Yeah. Um, Maisie, let's go on a trip together. Yes,

Maizy: I agree. I'm agreeing to all these things. New York, Bali.

Yeah. Where should, should we go? Would 100, Ooh.

Kwame: What would, would you, what would be your dream trip, [00:43:00] ma? Yeah,

Maizy: I would have to say, I would wanna go to. Fiji done. Amazing. Sorry,

Kwame: sorry, sorry, sorry. That's, that was my favorite wave ever in Fiji.

Maizy: Fiji. I wanna surf Cloudbreak so bad.

Kwame: Yep.

Maizy: Like that. Like that left. I think of it.

Yeah. Left? Yes. Left. Just rolling. Mm-hmm.

Farmata: I can't wait to surf together. Maisie?

Maizy: Yes. Or I would go to Indonesia. Oh girl. You would love

Farmata: Indo. Yeah.

Maizy: Yeah. I would wanna go to Indo.

Farmata: Okay.

Maizy: Fun. Those are good. Those are like the two places I would wanna go. Okay.

Kwame: I'll tell you what, for me, you make Indo happen. I'll make Fiji happen.

Maizy: Sounds good to me.

Farmata: Let go.

Kwame: No, Fiji. Fiji was my, is my destination spot, and I went last year for the first time and ever since I came back, I'm like, all right, any money that's being saved is for me to head back to Fiji.

Maizy: That is fantastic. I

Kwame: loved it. I love nato lefts, swimming pools, [00:44:00] cloudbreak restaurants.

It was like re restaurants, even the waves. They were like, oh, you know, it's not, it's not that great today. I was like, what do you mean it's not that great? It's two to three feet and I can stay on this wave for over, over two minutes, over three minutes, just going. And when it got bigger, you can actually do a full cutback into a snap, and then another cutback, and then another cutback.

I was like, oh,

Farmata: and

Kwame: another one. Come on.

Farmata: Wow. And the

Kwame: people were just so nice. Like I remember this one kid in particular. You know, he paddle out on, on at um, swimming pools and he just paddles past everybody and just like, gives everybody a little wave as he paddles past them. And he must have been like maybe six or seven years old and it was like five to seven feet that day.

He does a no paddle takeoff on a shortboard into like just over the reef. And then just fog goes, flying, comes back just grinning from air to air.

Farmata: And he is

Kwame: like waving at people saying, let's go, let's go, let's go. [00:45:00] It was so much fun. Aw. It was so much fun.

Farmata: Aw, he sounds adorable. Those are my favorite kind of people in the water.

I'm like a gro. The grmp is just going, I'm like, you know what, gro you take everything. Say

Kwame: Go ahead dude. Do your thing. Right. Do your thing.

Farmata: They're

Maizy: having fun. They're smiling. Yeah.

Farmata: Uh, let's see.

Kwame: What's your favorite post snack? Post pre and post surf snack?

Maizy: I think oof. I'm so big on food I can't pick. But I think, um, my cousin and I would always end the surf session with going to Pedro's Fish tacos in California.

Kwame: Mm-hmm.

Maizy: The one in Oceanside. 'cause the one in San Clemente is actually like, okay. Which is, which is the original spot. Like, that's, that's like where it originated. And then the one in Oceanside is really good. So me and my cousin would get fish tacos and like a Cali burrito to end the day. And then we would go play [00:46:00] disc golf.

Like, okay. He loves gi, he loves disc golf. So me and I would go play disc golf with my family and then eat burritos and tacos all day. Wow. That sounds like a good day. Yeah. I remember every time he comes down for the week, it's like literal heaven. It's so nice. 'cause we just surf all day and we train, obviously we train, I swear.

But we surf all day and we work on, we just have fun. We sing in the car and then we go get tacos, and then we either go to the pool, the community pool, and, and then, yeah, it, it's really fun when he comes over. So definitely burritos and tacos is my go-to. Okay. Okay.

Farmata: I, I got some rapid fire, random questions ready?

Maizy: Oh, okay.

Farmata: Two piece or one suit?

Maizy: Two piece or one suit. Wait, what?

Farmata: Like a swimsuit, like do you prefer like a two piece or a one? A one piece. [00:47:00] I said a one suit.

Kwame: You said a one suit?

Maizy: Yeah. You said a one. Like a one

Farmata: suit.

Maizy: I dunno. You, you tell me. Like, it's, it's,

Kwame: we, we haven't had good waves in a while. Give, give a I'm, I'm gonna cut us some slack on this one.

We haven't, we haven't had constant in a while.

Maizy: All, all right. Yeah. No. Two piece. Okay. Point break

Farmata: or beach break. Hmm.

Maizy: I think.

Kwame: Or reef break.

Farmata: Oh. Or reef break.

Maizy: I don't know. Reef break very well, but I'm gonna have to go beach break 'cause I know it the best.

Farmata: Okay. Okay. Hair in a butt or hair out while you're surfing.

Ooh.

Maizy: I think

Farmata: Or braids.

Maizy: Ooh. I braids is hard because I always have to have a hair tie on me.

Kwame: Yes.

Maizy: To put up my hair. So that's kind of hard. But when I have my natural hair like this, I like to have it out and then. When I have my braids, I always just put it in braids. So I prefer having my natural hair out in the water, but I like how my braids look.

Okay. [00:48:00]

Farmata: Tinted or clear sunscreen. This is my last one.

Maizy: Clear.

Farmata: Okay. Three, because they make us look ashy, right? Yeah. I don't like them.

Maizy: I don't like them, but clear sunscreen. You gotta like find specific ones. 'cause Likedo has good sunscreen. Okay. And then some of, like the other brands, like the most famous brands, they make my skin look ashy.

So I'm like, no, I don't wanna look, I don't wanna look like that, but yeah. Okay.

Farmata: That was good.

Kwame: It is the funniest thing because again, like when you're teaching, when you're teaching surfing, I mean, we, we throw in like the heavy, heavy zinc because, you know, I'm out there sometimes from like, if it's a summer, I can be out there from like seven in the morning until like four o'clock in the afternoon.

Yeah. So I just like slap the stuff on afterwards, leave the beach, walk into a store. Now if it's, if it's a store in Rockaway. They know they're accustomed to it, but anywhere else outside, you get those looks. Oh, farming, you know the look I'm talking about. 'cause they're like, what the hell? [00:49:00] All the time, and we forget that we have this stuff on.

So then, then you turn into the New Yorker, what's your problem? Why you looking at me like that? What's wrong with you? What's going on? What's going on? What, what, what? That's And on my face. You got what? What? I got something on my face. Yes, you do. Oh yeah, that's right. I do. Okay. Oops. Sorry.

Farmata: See, that's why you gotta walk around with Vaseline or Aquaphor.

It'll get it off. Yeah. Mm-hmm. I

Kwame: know. I look, my lesson I got, I got the wipes. I just like wipe, wipe, wipe it off my face. There. There you go. I, I learned that lesson actually, you and Autumn taught me that.

Farmata: So sorry.

Kwame: Yeah, because all them, uh, told me one time I said, Kwame, you can't walk around with that stuff on your face. You gotta take it off. It'll be bad for your pores.

Farmata: Oh, that is bad for your pores. Yeah. There you go.

Kwame: So I, I, I was taught, I, I, I learned my lesson here. We, you know, I learned. Okay. Any songs or any song that you listen to, to hype yourself up before a competition?[00:50:00]

Maizy: Ooh. Um, I have like, so much variety of music, but I think I would listen to either some Kendrick to hype me up. Mm-hmm. Definitely. Um, I don't know a specific song though. I kind of listen to a lot of artists in a lot of genres, so I don't, I don't really, I don't really know.

Farmata: That was a real Cali answer.

Maizy: Yeah. Like, I, I don't, I don't know. Like, I, I can't, I can't, like, I don't know. I, I seriously don't know that one very well.

Kwame: Yeah. Whatever. Again, whatever the vibe is calling for.

Maizy: Yeah. Like, I could be into like, slow songs or I could be into like, who knows, like eighties music outta nowhere. Mm. Go. Like, it's just, it's just a variety and a lot.

Farmata: Do you have like a, a pres surf or a pre-competition routine? You know, some people will like do the music, some people will stretch, some [00:51:00] people will like isolate or talk to people, talk to their coaches. What do you do?

Maizy: I think, I obviously listen to some music in the car, but when I am like out, like when I'm just about to paddle out, I would listen to my coaches and kind of stretch and kind of like.

Do some punches with my mom and not actually punch my mom. Just, yeah, like she'd hold up her hands. She's gotta clarify that I don't hit my mom. But we didn't think you did

Kwame: not for a second. Did we think we did? However listeners we're putting it on. Singer Maisie does not hit her mom. I

Maizy: do not hit my mom.

Okay. I said

Kwame: it. Maisie said it for. Be safe to more time with us.

Maizy: Casey does not hit your mom. Not hit her mom. Okay. Alright. So we're good? Yep, we're good. But no, but yeah, I just kind of stretch. I kind of like just not be so tense and not to feel like my whole life depends on [00:52:00] this heat. Just kind of go in with, I wanna surf my absolute best and I don't really care what place I get.

It's just how I surf. Because recently at my USA prime contest, I didn't make the heat. But I surfed a good heat and I had fun and I caught waves and I did turns and everything. I just, I just didn't get the scores I needed and that's okay. It's my first year in the big leagues of USA prime, and it's a step above WSA and NSSA.

So obviously the scoring's harder. So I wasn't expecting anything to be like crazy. I was just like, I don't want, I'll surf out there and have fun and catch my waves and just be in rhythm with the ocean and not try to stress about, oh, I need like a nine to make this heat. I'm gonna go super gnarly and end up falling, and then you're in your head and it just doesn't turn out well.

And in the past I [00:53:00] would think that, but now that I've learned from my mistakes, I now understand like it's all about just having fun. It's all about. Um, just being connected with the ocean and that's actually what my, um, sponsor says Salt Life. Love them to death. My sponsor Tony Perez is always like, yeah, we don't want you to be so focused and so like, tense about competing.

We just want you to have fun. And I think he saw like me always stressing on the heat and he was at Great Day in the Stoke actually. And he was like, yeah, like just go have fun. Don't think about it too much. And I honestly took a lot of his wisdom and I kind of learned like it's not always about.

Winning every single heat and doing these gnarly airs and all this. It's about just having fun and trying your [00:54:00] best and just see what happens next. So I think those are some big moments and stuff.

Kwame: Yeah. One of our Puff guests, um, Chris Dennis, um, I, I forget which episode it was, but he's, he was a, um, WSL, uh, surfer, still ranked actually, um, the first one from, from the Caribbean, Trinidad.

And he said something similar. He is like, you know, when you're out there surfing for a competition, if you start thinking about it, like, oh, I need this, I need that. He goes, that's when you will fail. Yeah. You know, the second you tense up. And I actually took this from him and I applied to some of my students.

Like, the second you tense up is when you're gonna fail or you're gonna fall. Mm-hmm. So just keep everything flowing, just keep everything moving. And remember, you're supposed to be doing this for fun. Yeah. You know, and the minute the second you forget that this is supposed to be fun, that's when you need to step outta the ocean for a bit and really take like stock and like, okay, do I really wanna do this because this is no longer fun to me.

Yeah.

Farmata: Yeah. So,

Kwame: and Chris said he saw a lot of his, um, colleagues and guys that he knew on the tour [00:55:00] actually have to take a step back because they just start putting so much pressure on themselves to get to this point, to get to this point of they, and then when, all of a sudden, when all of a sudden it was gone, they're like, well, I dunno what to do now.

So they just stopped having fun with it. But no, this, it's great that you are, that you're learning, that you're keeping that with you as in the beginning of your beginning of your career. Mm-hmm. So what are your goals? I would say for the, let's, let's start off with 2026. What are your some small short-term goals for the next, for the next 14 months?

Maizy: I think some of my goals is still focusing on being aggressive in my surfing, but still keeping the true me. And just leveling up a little bit, I think this year specifically, this year specifically, was, um, focusing on my skill of surfing and not really taking in, focusing on the [00:56:00] results and more really learning about myself and learning what, like what can make me a better surfer and kind of like a building block year of just training all the time and getting as much practice as heats as I can.

So I'm doing all these contests to try to just practice, practice, practice. And so every weekend, almost every weekend, there's always a contest. So it just keeps me a rhythm and it keeps me going. And I think once I. Kind of learn to block out. It's not about the winning and it's not about all the scores, it's just about learning about who you are as a person and in this sport.

And that's still, there's still more to come, but this year was specifically and next year will be specifically for like surfing and trying my best out in the water I think. Yeah.

Kwame: Nice. [00:57:00]

Farmata: I love that. It's crazy hearing you talk. We have like very similar stories in some ways. 'cause like I had a coach that helped me with bus surfing growing up, even with competitions, like we would do trainings before.

He would teach me like different methods and like techniques I could use. And I got to that point where I was just like my worst enemy in the water and I was constantly critiquing my surfing and like looking too hard. And I got to a point where like my goal every year now is always to just. Be the best me I can be.

Yeah. Because I can't do any more than that for myself or anybody else. Yeah. So it's nice to hear that like you're 14. Yeah. At the age of 14, you already know that I'm 10 years older than you. I'm 24 and it took me a while to get here, girl. So you aren't like you're doing it.

Maizy: Thank you. Thank you. But yeah,

Kwame: I think we may have to rename this episode to be the best me I can be.

Farmata: Oh, that's good dude. I,

Kwame: I like, I like that. I like that. So 14. You gotta write

Maizy: that down.

Kwame: [00:58:00] 24. And I am older, so yeah.

Maizy: What'd you say? What was that?

Kwame: Okay, I think we go wrap up now.

So Bais, do you have any questions for far, myself? Anything at all? Anything and everything is on the table. Feel free. It's part of the contract. Farm has to answer.

Farmata: I'm here.

Maizy: Oh. I don't know, like, it's kind of random. Lemme you, lemme ask you look for me. Lemme ask you a question. One piece or a two piece. Ooh, you're so funny.

Farmata: One piece all the time, girl. So I don't gotta ever think about nothing. I, I if when I'm on a one piece is like having a leash on, I'm like, it doesn't matter. I could lose the board. Yeah, that's true. That's

Maizy: true. That's true.

Farmata: That was a great question. Maisie.

Maizy: And then point break, beach break or reef break.

Ooh.

Farmata: [00:59:00] The order is point break. Reef break, beach break. Okay. Also depends on the conditions. 'cause sometimes beach break you get barrels. No, a beach break. Barrel and a point and break barrel is not the same.

Maizy: No. Mm-hmm. Yeah. No. Yeah. I think, I think that's, that's it. I don't, I can't remember half the questions you told me.

Kwame: I would say, um, beach break. Um, reef. Reef first.

Farmata: Yeah. Yeah. Riff Reef first

Kwame: for a couple reasons. One, because it's an easier paddle out 'cause it's breaking in the exact same spot and its always a channels so I can listen. Always jump with two strokes and I'm, that's true. Then point break. And as much as I love Rockaway, sometimes you just tired of just getting slapped in the face every single time on that beach break

Farmata: right in front our lives.

Maizy: That's true. I think it honestly just depends on where you're at. Mm-hmm. Like California, it's [01:00:00] mostly beach breaks and maybe one or two point breaks and a reef breaks. But in New York and Rockaway it's a little different. And that's, that's, it's just two different things.

Farmata: Yeah. That's

Maizy: off. Both Coast is coast.

Farmata: Yeah. Gulf Coast. Man. We gotta, we, we, we need you to experience New York, sir. Everybody that comes out here from Cali's always like, oh, somebody who said it to us. Somebody was like, oh, you guys are trauma bonded by our surfing. Yes. So messed up.

Kwame: Yes, we are. We, we have a very love hate relationship with, with the ocean out here sometimes because I always tell people who come out and you know, we talk to 'em about, I was surfing and they're like, yeah, you know, rock Rockaway is really like New York.

It is. They pitch me in New York. It is not. It can be so nice, so mellow, so calm. I can, there are days I can paddle out and it can be a big day. I can paddle out and my hair's completely dry. Dry, not a problem. [01:01:00] Yeah. And then there are days you take off on a wave and all you in the exact same spot, mind you exact same beach you take off on and all you see is sand.

When you take off on that wave and you are like, what the hell? And just go left, go, go, go, go, go.

Farmata: No, it's crazy. Once I got my concussion, I was like, oh, this is not a game. And then like the whole like corner of my head was scraped and people were like, oh, what happened? And I was like, oh, I hit the sandbar.

Oh, like straight into it.

Maizy: Ooh. Yeah. They have those, they have a lot of those in California. I just avoid them. There you go.

Farmata: Maisie's fit in gems. She's like, whatcha doing for me? Sandbar right in your face.

Kwame: She's like, sandbar.

Farmata: Oh my God.

Kwame: Anyway, okay, so I think if that's it, then we're gonna wrap this up and that wraps up today's episode. Um, you know, our [01:02:00] listeners and our viewers, as you heard and hopefully saw Maisie did not come to play. So Hugh, shout out to Maisie Gordon. Um, bringing the honesty, the energy, the vision of what the future surfing can and will be.

And Maisie, you are the future of it. So I feel comfortable now I can retire to Fiji. I'm good. This is, it's, it's in your hands now. I'm good. Oh yeah. You got this, you got this. So this is where the next generation is taking the culture. Um, from what I know, we're in good hands. Oh, no. Um, so if this episode got you fired up, make sure you subscribe, drop a review, share it with your friend, with your friends, do your part, leave a heart.

Whatever it is, let's keep this momentum moving and uplifting the surfers and the people who are shaping the lineup in real time. Um, Maisie, how can people follow you? How can people find you?

Maizy: Uh, you can find me on Instagram and I think you can find me on TikTok.

Kwame: Okay. Those

Maizy: are the two ones that you can find.

And

Kwame: is there anyone, your sponsors, coaches, that you want to [01:03:00] give a last minute shout out to?

Maizy: Yes, I would like to shout out to Tony Perez. From Salt Life, he was the first one to really believe in me. Be, be, be. Yeah. He's, he's amazing. Um, he's such a great guy and I'm so glad he picked me to be part of the Salt Life family.

And he's, he is definitely the best in my opinion. And, um, just to some of my coaches, John Daniels, um, Lucas Tob and yeah, I think those are, and McConney, um, what's his name? McConney Walker. I kind forgot his name. My cousin. Uh, and I can't wait to get more tacos with you, McConney. Oh, and I, yeah, I think that's everyone.

Kwame: Do you have a shaper?

Maizy: Yes, I do. Oh, yes I do. Um, Jason Bennett, uh, from Chemistry surfboards, he shapes my boards, and he, he's an absolute legend along with Willie. I don't know his last name, but [01:04:00]

Farmata: What's your board setup? What's your dims.

Maizy: I have a five, six, and I don't, I think it's a 21.1 liters.

Farmata: Wow.

Maizy: I think, I think, I don't, I don't know the lary leaders very well, but I know it's a five six.

Okay. And then I have a graveler and they're both, um, swallow tails and the thickness is, is mild. It's not super thick. I don't really know the exact measurements. Um, I ride either fcss or futures, and then I have, uh, via track pads from John, John Florence, period. And then I have. Like just a regular, like FCS leash.

Okay. I think those, that's my whole like, board setup.

Kwame: Mm-hmm.

Maizy: And then, um, yeah, uh, I think, yeah, I think that's it.

Farmata: That's my, that was it. I'm done.

Maizy: But yeah, Jason Bennett is such a great guy. He's known my surfing since middle school. [01:05:00] So once I first started like competing and surfing, so he knows my surfing so well and he knows exactly what to do to my boards.

So he's, he's a great guy from Oceanside. So yeah.

Kwame: Excellent. Nice and far. Where can people find you?

Farmata: Hey guys, I'm far. Follow me on Instagram at Farco. Um, follow my YouTube guys. I'm trying to launch my YouTube career so I could quit my job. So Yeah, for me, period. Let's go like, like, like subscribe to all the pages.

My page, Maisy's page, Kwame's page. We surf. All right. And support the community. Let's, let's cycle our money in between us. Let's support eight, eight. That's right.

Kwame: That's right. You know, and, um, as you all, and of course, you know, we surf media, you know, we are doing as much as we can in the community.

Farming is one of our sponsored athletes. And just, just always in the vibe, just always traveling and doing our thing. With our so follow, we surf media at, we Surf Media on Instagram, [01:06:00] YouTube. Everyone's all connected, and linked. And follow us for more stories, more waves, and more voices that matter. So until next time, stay salty.

Stay soaked, and we will catch you in the lineup. Just don't drop in. Woo.

Maizy: Yes. Yeah. Don't drop in.

Kwame: Don't drop in.

Maizy: I like that. That's good. [01:07:00]