There’s a new generation whose relationship with the ocean reaches well beyond surfing alone. What does being a waterman mean to you?

To me, being a waterman means always learning... staying humble enough to adapt to whatever condition the ocean brings you that day.

No two days on the North Shore are quite the same. What does a good day here look like for you?

A dream day on the North Shore starts early... spearfishing with Mark Healey, hunting Ono's. After we're done diving, we cook up whatever we caught, talk story, and watch the swell build. There's no feeling like falling asleep after a day like that, knowing there's 20-foot surf waiting in the morning.

The North Shore has shaped generations of watermen. What has growing up here taught you about the ocean, and about life beyond it?

The North Shore raised me to be adaptable... not just as a surfer, but as a person. Life here revolves around the outdoors, and the Pacific never gives you the same day twice. You learn early that evolving with the conditions isn't optional; it's just how you live.

You’ve grown up around some remarkable people in and out of the water. Who has helped show you the way, and what have you carried with you?

I've been lucky to have a lot of great mentors, and no single one of them tells the whole story. If there's a common thread, it's this: the people I look up to became who they are by traveling, staying curious, and letting the people they met along the way shape them.

Big waves demand a lot, both physically and mentally. How do you prepare yourself for the days that really matter?

My preparation isn't about trying to conquer the ocean it's about learning to move with it. Time spent free-diving, paddling, fishing, foiling, swimming, surfing every hour in the water, in any form, is preparation for the days that matter most.

At 21, there’s still a lot of open water ahead. What are you curious about right now?

I'm curious about how far I can push myself in big water not just surfing it, but understanding it.