SURFERS
Rain or shine my brother would always walk from his van to the waters edge with his wetsuit halfway down. I never knew if it was vanity or just to catch some extra rays, but when the session was over he’d rip his wetsuit back down in knee deep water and expose his upper half for the return trip.
Last year I was surfing with Micky and Eithan at our local break when we saw the familiar sight of Brek walking out on the jetty with his top down. Wave count’s about to go down! We scramble to catch a couple extra waves before he gets that wetsuit all the way up and his leash on.
He jumps off the rocks and paddles up in a blue and green Quiksilver suit.
“How’s that thing fit?” Asks a nearly 21 year old Micky
“Good!” Says Brek.
After he takes the first wave that comes in I ask Micky – “You hooked up Brek with a suit?”
“Yeah he showed up at my house with an 18 Pack of Modelo’s and asked if I wanted to trade for a wetsuit!”
Brek was the ultimate at recognizing opportunities to swoop free equipment.
An example situation-
I’d be changing out of my wetsuit and he’d walk up… “how were the waves?” “Kinda fun!” “Shit I wanna surf but I don’t really have a board I like… What did you ride?” “This one, it’s kinda sick, I bet you’d like it” “Really?” “Shit… ya you should try it!”
I’d never see that board again.
I asked Micky if he was tripping that Brek showed up at his house and wanted to trade an 18 pack of beer for a wetsuit… “I was kinda trippin… but I was kinda stoked!”
This episode is comprised mostly of Micky wrecking waves and occasionally himself around town the past few months.
Let’s meet Micky Clarke –
Age?– 21 but I’ll be 22 tomorrow
From?– Ventura, Ca
Favorite surfers growing up?– Obvisouly Dane and Craig, Bobby Martinez, Tom Curren and Tim Curran and Julian Wilson at one point
What gets under your skin?– Mean people
What inspires you?-My friends and people I look up to doing what they are proud of
What do you do when your not surfing?– I play a lot of video games and I try to split my time up reading books too.
Favorite treat?– Cookies, I fuckin love cookies
Have you had any other jobs than surfing/ have you ever had a job?– I worked as a surf judge for local contest to make a quick buck on the weekends, fire protection with my dad, diggin ditches and installing pipes...
Last dream you can remember?– I was in Oxnard at the beach, I brought my girlfriend down to this random contest and I got caught by a renta cop smoking a joint. I ended up punching him in the face and knocking him down some stairs, then felt extremely bad about it. He told me “your going to get it,” and then my girlfriend broke up with me because it was so intense and I tried to go surf but just couldn’t…
Worst injury?– When i was in first grade, some friends and I were playing street hockey. On my friends back swing, the stick smacked me in the eye and I almost went blind in one eye, but luckily that didn’t happen.
Favorite movie?– Django, because its a very inpiring story with and amazing overcoming ended…
Best contest result?– I was 16 and got 2nd two years in a row at Open mens nationals in HB
Most cherished possession?– My life, living, my breath
Pepsi or coke?– Coke
Is the world fucked or do you have hope?– No hope haha, I dont know man we’re pretty fucked. I think theres hope for the after life though
Any final words?– Thanks for reading and thanks for watching
photos – @_huntermartinez