How about traveling abroad to surf?I’m excited to travel again. I’ve had amazing experiences surfing in Indonesia and Hawaii, among other places, and now that my son has the chops to surf too, I’m looking forward to taking him to some of those places. That being said, I still love going to my local with my guy and I think that can never be topped.
Most memorable surfing experience?This may sound a little cheesy, but I am grateful for every experience I have on the water these days. If I had to say a particularly memorable session though, it would be last year at a secret location on the Gold Coast (I know, there weren’t many left). I was out there with some of my best teammates. The waves were crazy. Then one of my teammates got hit in the head by his board. We didn’t find him for at least two minutes. We were terrified he had drowned, but then we saw him floating face down in the water, so we jet skied him back to shore. Luckily, one of our colleagues is a paramedic and got him breathing again. In the end, the rescue helicopter had to come for him. That day was definitely a rollercoaster. He was wearing a life jacket, which brought him to the surface, that’s what saved him.
Scott testing one of his four surfboards. “Browse as much as you can” to improve, he advises.
How many boards do you have?Right now, I have about four boards in rotation: a JS board, an Album board, and a pair from Gold Coast shaper Stuart Surf Design.
Do you surf on your own?very strange
Favorite surfer?Sincerely my mate Josh who I surf almost every session with. It’s been epic watching him go from a grom to a semi-pro surfer in the World Surf League Qualifying Series when he was younger, and now becoming a firefighter hero. It still blows my mind watching him surf some days.
Do most people like to go surfing?Again, I know this is cheesy, but honestly, my son, Ace.
Tips to be a better surfer?There’s nothing secret about this tip: surf as much as you can.
Have you ever been afraid of water?All the time. Sharks, big waves, jet skis, debris – you never know what’s coming, so you always have to keep your wits about you.
Any serious injury or catastrophe?No, knock on wood.
Don’t like anything about surfing?No!
Your opinion on sharks?We are in their house and we have to respect them.
do i like surfingI’m not kidding here – not having any devices on top.
What do you think about when you are sitting at your board? Lots of. I think being in the ocean is the best meditation of all. It just puts my mind at ease, especially if we have a lot to do with Hard Fizz. It’s weird, but seriously, all my worries go away after I get a crazy barrel or do an epic spin. The happiness I get from surfing, whether it’s a good session or a bad one, is the best feeling.
We all lead busy lives with work and family and being social, and it can feel overwhelming. The last few years have been hard for me, like everyone else. At one point I was out of shape, stressed and drank a bit too much, but surfing combined with breathing and daily ice baths have changed my life. I am a better husband and father, a better employer and co-worker, and overall much happier. Nothing brings me down anymore.
lifeandleisure@afr.com