Surftime Magazine

Photography by Dylan Lucas Gordon • Words by Jared Mell Cuban cigars, checkers and chess. Her laughter, a melody against the back drop of Havana’s crumbling facades, echoed in my mind. The sea’s salt mingled with diesel fumes from vintage cars. Sweat trickled down my neck as I sipped a cold beer waiting for the others to arrive. Cuba, “Patria o Muerte, Venceremos”. Homeland or death, we will win. The locals watched with curious eyes, their faces etched with stories of revolution and resilience. Old men played dominoes under the shade of ceiba trees, their cigars casting spirals of smoke into the humid air. Children laughed, splashing in the shallows, their joy untainted by the island’s scars. We loaded up the old Chevy bus. No expectations, most of us had never met each other before. The driver looked like had been left behind from the Soviet Union. With the potential of surf with over 3,000 miles of coastline we headed off. The surf was fickle, waves rising and falling with...

"The most fundamental kind of love, which underlies all types of love, is brotherly love. The sense of responsibility, care and respect, for the life of that other human being who is part you, and the wish, no matter the strife, to further his life." —Erich Fromm, German social psychologist and psychoanalyst, 1900-1980 There are many reckoned forces in this world. Many things we do not understand. There are many things we take for granted. One such thing is brotherly love, a love that helps to keep our lives intact. There isn’t anything stronger than love in this world. But brotherly love stands as a whole different type of love. Through the ages, mystics, sages, singers and poets have all expressed the ballad and call to love. As humans, we have searched endlessly for the experience of love through the outer senses. Great nations have come and gone under the guise of love for their people. Religions have flourished and perished while claiming the true path to lo...

Because at sunset, after that first cold gulp after a long day of surfing with friends, the history of beer feels as important to surfing as the waves themselves. Ok, maybe not that important, but it’s undeniable that the stuff is entwined with the history of surfing. And human civilization when you really think about it. Some anthropologists believe that man moved away from a hunter–gatherer existence to a settled agriculture-based existence largely to grow enough grain to brew large amounts of beer. This appears to be unproven to non-drinkers, but the thought that beer would have been a powerful motivation to Neolithic humans would be no surprise. Virtually the entire animal kingdom, from insects to elephants, from fruit bats to monkeys, shows a clear predilection for the consumption of booze. It is reasonable to believe that we and other animals evolved according to advantages alcoholic beverages can confer. Fruit, when ripe, gives off an alluring scent that tells animals and hum...

Despite Bronson Meydi having just won his historic World Junior Title, he has been carrying around the label of Indonesia’s “next big thing” or “the future of ” for years now. Growing up with front row access to Sumbawa’s world-class waves combined with unique talent and athleticism certainly helps, but it is no guarantee. It takes a life changing event to make it to the goal line. Enter Rizal Tandjung, who, taking a pre-teen Bronson under his wing provided just that. “Aside from being a great surfer, Bronson has always been considered a member of our family,” Says Rizal. The Tandjung clan had adopted Meydi in 2008 and brought him to Bali. “My oldest son Varun and Bronson always try to push each other in and out of the water and I love to film the boys surfing these days as it is like a mini pro junior contest whenever they surf together. But they are also best friends and are like brothers. I think this family stability creates opportunity for all progressive young surfers” ...

Despite the dreamy wave, it’s not all sunshine and unicorns for the visiting Bules at the Desert Point interchange. More often than not they find themselves jockeying for the inside rail in moments as hairy as the Kentucky derby. Still, surfers like Zeke Szekely, stuck in the middle here, know that success is just a matter of hanging on after others have let go. Photography by Pete Frieden

WINDOW TO INDO: SIGNS OF THE TIMES, BALI, 2024 By Matt George For surfers, it’s all still here. Despite all the expat and visitors doomsday talk of the final stages of over development and the final surrender of Bali to the almighty tourist invasion, and the destruction of the Uluwatu cliffs and on and on…it’s all still here for us. The waves, the fun, the romance, the famous dream. And it’s all thanks to the indomitable Balinese culture. Yes, the Canggu madness is very real and the traffic is very bad and the overpopulation is scary and very depressing to the veteran visitor or expat, but on the other hand, the Balinese Hindu culture is thriving and surviving completely intact and undiminished amidst all of it. Everywhere on the island. As is its perennial way. Adapting and benefiting from all the changes throughout its history ever since it was “Discovered” by the outside world. After all, it is the Balinese people’s island, not ours and they can do with it as they wish. That...