"This is my high in life. It is kind of like I don’t experience fear much and I just do what comes natural and feels right. I use my emotions to my advantage when I’m surfing or towing big waves."
04.15.03
GARRETT MCNAMARA
"It spit as soon as I was inside it. I couldn't see a thing for the entire ride. The whole time I had my eyes closed, going, "I'm coming out. I'm coming out." I thought through the wave. I envisioned me exiting the barrel so I could make it.."
04.15.03
TOBY CUNNINGHAM
"The people whom I surf with are probably the most interesting thing about surfing big waves. I have met many awesome people out in giant surf that stand out from anyone else I have met, and we all share a common interest that most people would have no interest in."
04.11.03
GARY LINDEN
"The most important thing is that we present our selves as risk technicians, instead of risk takers. We’re not going out there trying to risk peoples lives or careers or anything, that we’re really taking every safety precaution that’s available, and training these people."
01.30.03
CHEYNE HORAN
"Big wave surfing is personal. It’s what’s in my heart that drives me to do the things I do. My approach is to get in the heaviest section of the biggest waves for the longest time possible."
01.19.03
NOAH JOHNSON
"The Odyssey gives us access and many chances to ride the waves that I have definitely been dreaming about for years. The whole thing was really interesting. It was pretty much a feat of organization, so I was really stoked to see it."
04.03.03
SEBASTIAN ST. JEAN
"I’ve been surfing big waves since I was 14, and I always want to go surf the ones that we couldn’t get by paddling in. I paid my due’s, and now with the towing, I go get it, yeah!!! "
01.22.03
CARLOS BURLE
There are no big waves where Carlos Burle is from, but ever since his first trip to the North Shore in his late teens, the Brazilian regularfoot has known his calling. Burle stayed under the international radar for much of his career, despite charging huge Easter Island and Waimea and Sunset, but in 1998, the world was forced to take notice
10.31.02
MIKE 'SNIPS' PARSONS
"That’s what I think the Odyssey is all about, is finding and getting into situations you never even dreamed of. You know, finding waves you didn’t think were possible to break like that, or be that big."
10.31.02
BRAD GERLACH
"To put yourself in the dangerous spot, flirt with it, and then get out, get away from the danger. Riding all that energy. The adventure part of going into the storm, a really perfect storm, because that’s what we’re looking for, a perfect storm."
11.26.02
SHANE DORIAN
"The Odyssey is a brilliant idea, pure and simple. Billabong has done it right, from not blowing it up too big, to hiring the best watermen in the world to train us, and make sure that we have the safety part down before starting the expeditions."
01.22.03
FLEA
Virostko's logged in a similar amount of hours at Maverick's as his Santa Cruz cohort Mel, but his trial-and-error method has put him into situations at the fabled big-wave spot that you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy
