He was made for this surfboard, and it was made for him. Photo: YouTube//Screenshot
These days, it’s tough for a surfer to have their own distinct style. Everyone’s style, it seems, is a bit of a mash up of everyone else’s. But there are a few who’ve managed to mash those things up enough to make something that everyone can agree has become its own thing. Mikey February is one of those people.
A few years ago, I spent a wonderful few days racing around Portugal in a van with a handful of surfers, and Mikey hopped in for a bit. After a night at a pretty little hotel in a tiny Portuguese town the name of which escapes me now, we woke before dawn, packed our things, and drove to Supertubos. The sun was just beginning to paint the sky when we arrived, and the waves were absolutely bombing. It looked like second reef Pipe, and the lineup was empty because of the hour.
Mikey is a very quiet and casual person, but as he yanked his wetsuit on, he was vibrating slightly. He moves through life like he moves on a wave — languidly and confidently — but that morning, he came close to looking excited. I don’t remember exactly what surfboard he had under his arm, but I do remember thinking that it was quite a bit shorter, wider, and flatter than everyone else’s. Mikey was a standout that day because of how he surfs. And, to my eyes at least, a fish is tailor made to his style. Which is why Channel Islands came up with Feb’s Fish.
In this video, Mikey, Andrew Jacobson, Talia Swindal, and Brent Power all took a Feb’s Fish out for a spin in tiny little waves. Tiny waves, though, can be a hell of a lot of fun… if you’ve got the equipment for it.
