Tom Mahony Author/Surfer
Stretch Guy
My buddies and I used to laugh at the older guys who stretched before paddling out. Now, a couple of decades later, I’m that stretch guy.
Excerpt from the Novel Pacific Offering
Beck had never seriously considered his mortality until that moment. He felt the cold metal against his neck and smelled the feral funk of this drunken shithead, and he thought about her and would they ever meet again.
An Excerpt from Imperfect Solitude
Evan longed for a wave, eager to surf near Gordon, to remedy recent shortcomings, to show that, at least in the water, they were equals. Respect in the water triggered respect on land.
Warning: Ocean is Wet
Warning signs seem more a product of our litigious culture, which gives us helpful reminders (Warning: coffee is hot, knives are sharp, urinal not for drinking). Are warnings about cold water, wind, and distant bluff erosion really necessary?
Self-Employment (and Surfing)
Alright, so self-employment is no surf-panacea. It’s kind of a pain in the ass. But if you can pull it off, self-employment is the perfect way to make a living while maximizing time in the ocean.
Sinister Wetsuits
What’s with the sinister wetsuit names? There’s the Psycho, Psycho 2, and finally the Psychofreak, the Mutant and the Superfreak. The more threatening the name, the warmer the wetsuit.
Time-Sensitive Obligations
There’s only one occasion when I need a watch: while surfing before a meeting or another time-sensitive obligation. It can be tricky.
Excerpt: Imperfect Solitude
A surf, no matter how marginal, would clear his head. Bury the bullshit. Nobody could tell him how to ride waves.
Smitty’s Dad
We were 15 when Smitty’s dad took us on our first Baja trip. For weeks leading up to it, we jabbered about what to expect. None of us had a clue.
Latitudinal Smuggery
There’s a latitudinal smuggery in West Coast surfing: the higher the latitude, the more smug the surfer is toward those further south.
Recent Posts
- Photo of the Week 6.17.13
- The Biggest (Contest) Air Ever? Kelly Slater vs. Jack Robinson and 7 More Observations from the Oakley Pro Bali Kickoff
- Seven Fitness and Health Tips
- The End of An Epic Season: Andalucia Ends on a High Note
- Under the Sea: Human and Shark Peacefully Coexist
- Paralyzed Mom Goes Surfing Duct Taped to Her Son
- Interview: Tom Carroll
- Portfolio: Rhydian Thomas
- Interview: Joe Principe of Rise Against
- The Three Best Surfing Ads of the Year
Recent Comments
- klein klein on Interview: Joe Principe of Rise Against
- Virginia Claussen on Paralyzed Mom Goes Surfing Duct Taped to Her Son
- hannahbananacupcake on Bethany Hamilton and the Teeth of the Tiger
- Anna on More Than Material: 7 Brands Supporting Social Good
- Rafi on Interview: Joe Principe of Rise Against
