Laird Hamilton

Original Article Appears in USA Weekend –
Wisdom of the Wave: Laird Hamilton shares 10 life lessons learned from surfing by Melanie D.G. Kaplan

Surfing legend Laird Hamilton says the ocean is one of the greatest teachers. “Simple laws and philosophies can be traced to the purity of the ocean,” says Hamilton, who created tow-in surfing, in which surfers are towed like water skiers into massive waves.

His documentary “Path of Purpose,” which raises awareness of autism, aired on the Sundance Channel. Hamilton says in every venture, every new experience, he applies these lessons he has learned on the water:

1.    KNOW THAT YOU ARE A SPECK ON THE WATER. “The ocean’s vastness reminds you of your insignificance. It’s like a grounder. The ocean has been around long before people got here and will be here long after. The humility you learn from being in the ocean is a constant reminder of your vulnerability.”
2.    GO BIG OR GO HOME. “You can’t kind of catch a wave. You either catch it or you don’t. It’s a commitment. That’s just like anything else — you either go or you don’t. He who hesitates is lost in the end.”
3.    LISTEN TO YOUR GUT. “You have a feeling about things. You think something doesn’t feel right, then you look and see a shark. As a species, humans are growing away from listening to their instinct. It’s a learned skill based on survival and then reacting. The more you listen to your instinct and then react to it, the more you awaken the spirit, and that helps you make good decisions, no matter where you are.”
4.    UNDERSTAND YOU’RE NOT IN CONTROL. “Being a human, you want to think you can control circumstances. It’s cold, so you turn on the heat; you’re hot, so you turn on the air conditioning. The ocean reminds you that you really don’t have any control: It’s in control when you’re in it. The sooner you embrace that, the easier it will be in other aspects of your life.”
5.    GET WET. “The ocean is a healer, big-time. We just don’t have any idea of the magnitude of what the ocean provides us. If you just go down to the beach, go out to surf and come right back in, you feel better about yourself. If you ride a wave, that’s just icing on the cake.”
6.    PUT THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE. “People talk about their problems. Stuck in traffic? That’s not a problem. Don’t know how you’re going to pay your bills? Not a [life-or-death] problem. A problem is when you’re 80 miles offshore and have no way to get back.”
7.    KEEP LEARNING. “Surfing is probably one of the most difficult sports. There are no referees, no timeouts. [The waves don't] care about your bank account, your ancestry, your intelligence. It’s just you working the water. And the more I learn, the more I don’t know. That’s an ocean lesson.”
8.    BE DETERMINED. “With determination, most things will be quite easy. You go out and get hammered by a wave and then by another one and another one, and you think, ‘OK, I’m still here.’ And then you get a good wave, and you’ve made it. The one thing that’s great about surfing is that there’s no right or wrong way. ”
9.    DON’T GET STALE. “Ideas [about new surfing techniques and new sports] come out of boredom and my desire to be passionate. You have to figure out ways to make things exciting and interesting. When something I’ve been doing for a while becomes popular, I’m beyond it. So by default, I end up being different. It’s that whole desire to keep inspiring and keep renewing your passion.”
10.    DON’T JUDGE. “The ocean is non-judgmental. It doesn’t differentiate between you and the next guy. I want to be a little more like the ocean — not judging people who have an opinion. One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that we’re all equal before a wave.”

Posted by,
A Laird Life Editor
11-9-2009

Laird is a pretty simple guy. He rarely wears anything but flip flops, board shorts, and a Tee. He sticks to functional gadgets, nothing fancy, and nothing nonfunctional. Just the basics to get him through his day! We ask him what his latest favorite products are…

Who makes your favorite Board Shorts?
Oxbow. I made sure that they don’t have big pockets on the side that get caught on things or fill up with water while I’m surfing. And in Big Surf for protection I wear a ’short John’ wetsuit instead of board shorts.

Do you have a favorite Tow Board that you ride on the Big Waves?
Some of my most favorite tow boards are made by Dick Brewer and Gerry Lopez. When I have a current board I refer to it as my Betsy but however I have learned a long time ago not to get overly attached to my equipment.

What is your favorite Standup Paddle Board?
I make a 10′6 standup board – it’s my favorite all around stand up paddle board it’s the best performing on different types of surf. Once I get into bigger waves I use a different board. But for everyday standup paddle the 10’6 you can’t beat it.

Do you have a favorite Paddle? Do the sizes and types matter or are they all the same? For me I really like the Peahi but for beginners I recommend the Kanaha. I can’t tell you how many paddles I have broken in this process.
The Peahi is a Laird Exclusive Paddle – not for beginners!

I see you mountain bike a lot, do you have a favorite?
I use Cannondale for both mountain and street biking but for mountain biking I like Super 6 and The Rise.

You happen to be one of the most ‘fit’ people I have ever met, what is your favorite workout for training?
Circuit Training is probably my favorite I do this to help me improve my functional movement working on all planes of motion for a neurological challenge which translates to better performance in everything I do and overall it’s been the only form of training that keeps me engaged and continues to evolve. Lastly it’s been a great form of camaraderie with me and my friends. view Massive Workouts for Massive Waves

What’s your favorite activity to do with your daughters?
I really like doing outdoor things with the girls like swimming, playing at the beach, and when we are home they like to play rough and wrestle with Dad. But at the end of the day snuggling on the couch and in the morning a little sesame street is really great.

Do you have a favorite website? Well if I don’t say my wife Gabby’s website TheHoneyLine it could be a long night! (Laird laughs). She has worked really hard building it and is really passionate about providing a support system for people especially people looking to lead healthy lives. But otherwise I look at architectural sites and sites that have boats, motors, training gear, and heavy equipment!

I hear you love Espresso in the morning, do you have a favorite type?
I drink Anthony’s Espresso – Anthony’s is one of my favorite breakfast and lunch stops while I’m on Maui! I’m actually having them make my own label I love it so much – no headaches, great ingredients, great taste. No sugar no milk it’s that smooth.

What are your favorite supplements?
I use Catie’s Whole Food Powder C’s and Greens almost every morning. I add them to my smoothie. They have many organic, whole, healthy ingredients. View Laird’s Smoothie Recipe

What are some of your favorite Charities?
My friend Don King’s charity for Autism called Beautiful Son and I‘ve done a lot with the Cystic Fibrosis foundation. The connection is that both have been known to be positively impacted by water.

I think I know the answer to this! What do you use for music?
I have an IPOD I use all the time even in the water. I have waterproof headphones made by H20 Audio so I can listen to music while I paddle, foil, or surf.

What is your favorite music group to listen to at the moment?
Right now…I’d say the Red Hot Chili Peppers. I think a lot of surfers and musicians see things in a similar way. A lot of surfers love to play music and a lot of musicians love to surf.

Have you read any books recently that you enjoyed?
Lone Survivor and Crazy for the Storm

I know you keep it simple but do you have any favorite grooming products? I use a soap I really like called Dr. Bronners (lavender) and some lip balm by Dr. Hauschka

ON THE ROAD(BIKE)

A Training Session With Laird Hamilton Part Two

SurferMag Interviews
Online Editor
by Zach Weisberg

Laird Hamilton and Team Surfing USA hit the road as SURFER’S Online Editor rounds out the pack. Photo: Todd Glaser

After much anticipation (Read all about it here), I trekked up to Malibu to engage in what would surely be a torturous day of training with Laird Hamilton and his Race Across America relay crew, Team Surfing USA. While I was apprehensive about training with Laird, a little research into his relay team revealed an impossibly more intimidating character in 76-year-old Don Wildman.

I know. How could a seventy-six year-old man possibly emanate the intimidation factor of the 6’3” 215 lb. superhuman that is Laird Hamilton? But as his surname suggests, Wildman isn’t your average septuagenarian. Named “The World’s Fittest 76-Year Old” by Esquire magazine (Read about Don Wildman) , Wildman is the founder of Bally Total Fitness and holds weekly workouts that as Esquire writes, “caus[e] some of these men to — there’s really no subtle way to put it — projectile vomit.”

With projectile vomit on the brain, I arrived to Don’s place near Pt. Dume, and met the rest of the crew, which included Rage Against The Machine bassist, Tim Commerford, and former Texas Tech quarterback, Jason Winn. After meeting briefly, the six-foot battalion (plus one) shipped off on a short standup paddle to a pier about a quarter mile away.

“Try to keep your front elbow straight when you paddle,” Laird advised me.

I adjusted my horrendous technique as the distance between us grew larger and the team grew smaller, but I managed to keep some sort of respectable pace. The fact is, they had little intention of taking a journalist (I use the term liberally) and throwing him straight into the fire; they were diplomatic, and gave me an “idea” of a typical day of training for Race Across America. So once we got back from the paddle, I asked about the bike ride.

Laird eyeballed me from the top of my mini-afro to my sandy toes, and said “We could put you on a bike right now and kill you, but I’m not sure if that would be the best use of our time right now.”

Point taken. That said, he suggested we hop on road bikes and do a six-mile ride to get some lunch so “I could get a feel for things.”

This is what I learned about road biking:

The hardest part is getting on the bike. Road bikers lock in to their pedals with a specially designed shoe, and this part proved embarrassingly problematic for me. I swear I peddled around Don Wildman’s driveway like an idiot for 20-minutes struggling to “click in” as the troop of athletes glared at me with a generous degree of patience. For what it’s worth, the clicking contraption seems to be located in an extremely awkward position on the bottom of your foot.

I finally got situated and we hit the road. Having never been on a road bike before, I was taken aback by the width (or lack thereof) of its tires. Gliding downhill on PCH, we probably topped off around 30 MPH on what seemed more like rubber bands than actual tires, and when it came time to hit the brakes, I felt myself skidding toward traffic like Tokyo Drift until we finally reached our destination: Coogie’s Restaurant.

Polishing off two plates of fresh fruit covered in honey, (“We put honey on all our fruit,” says Laird) the crew elaborated on their journey ahead and its inspirations.

“I’ve always liked the classic concept of the messenger where the guy would ride horses to deliver the mail.”

“I’ve always liked the classic concept of the messenger where the guy would ride horses to deliver the mail.” Laird says. “In Hawaii guys had to paddle across the channel and run across the islands to communicate; it’s interesting to consider how you go about connecting a message to a place. I just thought, ‘If you were in London and needed to get a message across to someone in Paris, physically how would you do it?’”

That’s the literal frame of mind that sparks trans-American cycle races.

“And the message in this case, is to benefit Lou Gehrig’s Disease and autism,” Laird continues. “Someone said something about breaking records – I just want to get from my house in Malibu to the Statue of Liberty. That’s my goal right now. Now if along the way we can pass a couple guys who are taking their biking really seriously, that’s great. If we don’t that’s fine too, but at the end I want to get there. If we can help some people who aren’t so fortunate while we do it – it’s a no brainer.”

So I ask him what he enjoys most about these seemingly superhuman feats: paddling the entire Hawaiian island chain, traversing the English channel, resurrecting Hermes’ messenger spirit in the modern age.

“You know what the best part about it is?” Laird asks rhetorically.

I wait for his reply.

“When you’re done; that’s the best part. That’s why we’re doing it. We do it so we can be done. We can look back and go, “Man, that was good. Remember that?” And have a big old steak at Luger’s Steak House. And really the journey of it, too: the camaraderie and the experience we’re going to have together. We’re going to look back on this thing forever and we’re going to carry it with us.”

“I don’t know where we go when we leave here, but one thing’s for sure,” Laird continues, “If you can bring anything with you it’s probably going to be your memories and your experiences and these are the kind you want to have.”

Here’s to being done.

LA Times Interview: Big-wave surfer Laird Hamilton writes ‘Force of Nature‘
October 30, 2008 | 10:55 am

Laird Hamilton is one of those rare living legends, larger than life, although he often appears as a mere spec on some of the waves he rides in his backyard at Jaws off Maui.

He pioneered the sport of tow-surfing, utilizing jet skis to streak aboard mountainous peaks. More recently, he modernized stand-up paddle-surfing and not long ago paddled the length of the Hawaiian island chain — standing up, in daylight, darkness and on rough seas.

Now Hamilton has written a book, his first, appropriately titled “Force of Nature: Mind, Body, Soul (and, of Course, Surfing),” published by Rodale Books.

It’s not what you might expect. It does not boast of Hamilton’s many accomplishments, for they’re known already. It is, rather, the surfer’s philosophy on life and a revelation of his extreme health-oriented lifestyle.

And chances are that “Force of Nature” — thought it won’t necessarily turn you into one — will  inspire you to enjoy a fuller, healthier and more confident existence.

The pages are splashed with photos and accounts from people who have influenced Hamilton’s life, including wife Gabby Reece. But it is Hamilton’s take on life, his honesty and genuineness, that drives this work.

The following are just a few of what I call Lairdisms, his words to live by:

On positive thinking: “I believe that our thoughts have real, powerful effects on us. For instance, let’s say you wake up one morning in a  rotten mood. You don’t know why, but you’re just looking for a fight. Well, in my experience, the moment you walk out the front door you’re going to find someone who wants  to fight you back. He’ll probably be standing right there.
“On the other hand, if you’re just thinking about enjoying yourself, you’re probably not running into a lot of complications.”

On risk: “If you live in Afghanistan, you’re not in need of any extra uncertainty. But for those of us who are fortunate enough to live in places where our lives are relatively safe, I think if we challenged ourselves—even scared ourselves—once a day, we’d be better people. It helps to have that little jolt of perspective to remind you that life’s fragile.”

On fear: “Meet up with your fears. If you’re afraid of sharks, go learn all about sharks. Get into the water with one. If you respect fear, face it straight on and act anyway. What you’ll find isn’t terror—it’s exhilaration and the moments that you never forget.”

On negativity: “If you’re plagued by negative thoughts, here’s a simple cure: Do something. If you think about it, negative thoughts are a luxury. They’re a way to avoid getting down to work. We are each our greatest inhibitors. We stop ourselves. The irony is that if you just get out of your own way, you’ll do really well.”

And so the book goes, expanding beyond philosophy to work ethic and physical conditioning. Hamilton describes his favorite workouts, which might explode the heart of an average person. He’s deeply into yoga and reminds that notorious warriors under Genghis Khan did 1,000 sun salutations to start their day.

Hamilton describes the foods he loves — all of it fresh and, whenever possible, organic — and supplements he swears by. (There’s even a recipe portion, courtesy of chef/surfer Giada De Laurentiis.)

Later in the book Hamilton talks about growing up. He and Gabby discuss raising three girls. “We’re balancing out the testosterone,” she says.

Hamilton recounts the Hawaiian island channel crossings, which were to raise autism awareness. He discusses the evolution of surfing and provides tips for those wanting to expand their surfing horizons.

What does it all mean?  Hamilton says what matters is to find your passion and look inward. “If you look outward,” he writes, “all you’ll see is what other people are doing. You’re not other people.”  — Pete Thomas

Purchase Force of Nature

by Gizmodo

Laird Hamilton is as tech savvy as surfers get, using jet skis, kites and hydrofoils to have more fun on the waves. Here are his first experiences with waterproof music, and his discovery of H2O Audio earphones and iPod cases:

The thing about the water is that a lot of times you have other people out so having music to listen to is a way to block out people’s questions. Kidding aside, it’s one way to be in your own little world.

I use music in my regimen when it involves anything with long distances–if I’m doing a really long crossing, or something that’s going to take me a while, music is a good distraction. It’s a way to kinda let time go by.

Then I found that surfing with the right song creates a whole other situation that you don’t have when you’re not listening to the music. It’s almost like you use a different part of your brain than you normally would without music. Sometimes I feel like things slow down, and I have more time to do maneuvers and to observe what’s happening. (I’m not sure if there’s any scientific research on that.)

Obviously, when waves are at 80 feet and our lives are on the line, we’re not listening to music. We need to hear what’s going on and, being put in a demanding situation, we need to be able to communicate. But we do it a lot on our foil boards–those hydrofoil boards that we ride–and again, with the right song, it’s a little bit like a movie with a soundtrack. Music just really turns it into a whole different experience.

Before H2O Audio and the iPod, we had music. We were hungry in the early days, so we had the Walkman. They made a little case for a Walkman, with some earphones. We’ve been using music in surfing and paddling since it first became available in any form.

Laird Hamilton has been a surfing hero since the 1980s, solidifying his reputation as the king of big wave surfing when he conquered Tahiti’s Teahupo’o Reef at its most perilous in August 2000. As an innovator, he pioneered many new activities including kitesurfing, tow-in surfing and hydrofoil boarding. He’s on the board of directors at H2O Audio , makers of pro-level waterproof iPhone and iPod cases, and has his own signature line of Surge waterproof earphones , proceeds of which are donated to the Beautiful Son foundation for autism education.

By Miki Turner

BEVERLY HILLS — For a man born in a bathysphere, an underwater tank with reduced gravity, Laird Hamilton certainly has an idyllic life.

He has a beautiful wife, former pro beach volleyball star Gabrielle Reece. They have a lovely daughter, Reece Viola. And, he’s the ultimate surfer dude — tall, tan and tough as nails.

And that’s not all. Hamilton, the son of legendary surfer Bill Hamilton, is considered the best and most innovative big wave rider in the world.

Some of his greatness, along with the mind-boggling feats of his fellow watermen, is nicely presented in a new feature documentary called “Riding Giants.” The film, which Hamilton also produced, hits theaters in select cities this Friday.

If you love surfing or just want to know more about the sport, be sure to hang ten on this wave. This film will take you where you want to go. There are thrills, spills and an intimate look at the athletes who essentially risk their lives every time they paddle out.

In 10 Burning Questions, Hamilton, who was born in San Francisco and grew up in Hawaii, talks about the film, his passion for surfing and his way of life.

1. How daunting was it for you to be involved on both ends of the camera, as a producer and talent?

Laird Hamilton: It was a huge honor to get this film made first of all. Actually, it was an honor to pay homage to the Hawaiians — the original pioneers of big wave riding — and then just march our way along. I wish I could have only paid my respect to all the people that I respect, but that would too many films.

2. How long did it take to pull this documentary together?

We’d been trying to build the film for about four or five years. Then I met Stacy Peralta, and him having been a surfer, I thought we were one step closer to getting it made. That was a prerequisite … actually having someone who knew about surfing from personal experience. Once we got him and the studio said OK to him directing, that whole ball started rolling.

3. Why did you want to do this kind of film?

I just want people to know our story. I want people to know about our history. In most other sports, you know all the history. It’s easier for you to be more attached to the sport — the legend of so and so and the greats of all these sports. With surfing, people are attracted to it and they like it and the clothes are cool and the locations are desirable, but they don’t really know much about it.

4. Because of the Beach Boys and “Beach Blanket Bingo,” a lot of people might think that surfing culture originated from California. What’s the real deal?

Everybody only knows what they know about where it came from. Surfing is the sports of Hawaiians, but Polynesians who were the greatest navigators our planet has ever known. They navigated by stars and sailed around the world. It’s an ancient sport. We don’t know how many years, we know it’s more than hundreds years old. That in itself makes it something. It’s the sport of kings. The ability to ride a wave for people around the ocean, that’s the essence. That’s the ocean in all its majesty. And if you can actually have the skill to master that …

5. Was it kind of pre-destined that you’d be a surfer with your dad being one and you being born in that water tank?

I believe in (things being) pre-destined. In a way I feel like I was fortunate that I was raised in the right place, had the right kind of background and childhood. I had the right circumstances to create who and what I am. It’s almost like how it was for the big waves. To create a good wave you need all of these pieces. You need the wind from the right angle with the swell and the tide and all these variables to come together. I’ve been fortunate enough to be the recipient of that blessing.

6. Has there been any point in your career where you’re riding a wave, something went wrong and you thought you weren’t going to make it?

Well, Tahiti [a scene in the movie]. That wave in Tahiti was one of those moments that I questioned the success of that ride during it. Right in the apex of it I was seriously questioning whether I’d make it, and I had this voice telling me to jump off. I was having this internal battle as to what to do. I’ve had some heavy situations when I was young, too, because of growing up in Hawaii around the ocean. I had a lot of really powerful things on me when I was young that had a lot greater impact then. When you get older they don’t seem as bad.

Any encounters with sharks or other dangerous sea dwellers?

I’ve seen big sharks, yeah. I’ve been lost at sea, trapped under waterfalls … I’ve had some great stuff. My mom was surprised I made it to 20. So the fact that I’m 40, that’s a huge leap right there. It’s the whole nine lives thing. There were a few times I could’ve been taken out, but I’m still here. I promised I’d turn from my sinful ways!

7. Can you kind of put into words what it’s like to ride that big wave all the way through?

That’s a very difficult question. It’s like describing a color in words. If you’ve never seen any colors and you go, Hey, describe purple … It’s a sensation like if it’s the fastest you’ve ever been driving or flying or some situation where the moment is so intense it demands so much focus that you can’t see anything else. It’s almost like the twilight zone where time stops for a moment and you’re in a place where there is no beginning and no end. It’s probably one of the truest forms of living in the moment that we have on this earthly plane — before we go.

8. What was the best advice your dad ever gave you about surfing?

Well, my dad said never do a sport where all the best guys in the world are dying!

9. People describe you as an old school surfer. What’s the difference between the old school and the new school?

I think sometimes people have a tendency to be very narrow-minded, and they think there’s only one discipline in the surf. When they refer to me as old school, I think it’s because I’m not flashy surfer guy. I’m not riding the little tiny board and riding the small waves. I did that when I was 16. This is the man’s part of the sport — big wave riding. There are men and there are kids. For me big wave riding is for the men. There are young guys doing it, but at the end of the day, you’ve got to do it for a few years. To be a mature big wave rider, it takes time. I just do a lot of traditional stuff. I ride long boards, stand-up paddle. I don’t surf in contests because I never liked that whole judgmental thing. I just never have fit into a box. I’ve never had a bunch of sponsors.

Speaking of old school, what do you think about the Fox series “North Shore?”

I laughed when I saw it! It is so way off course. It’s things like that show that make all of us look really unflattering and perpetuates this surfer dude mentality thing. That’s why I made “Riding Giants.” That show “North Shore” is absolutely laughable.

10. Your own kid has to have incredible athletic genes. So is she a surfer or a beach volleyball player?

You know what? I’ll tell you. We’re not Little League parents, Gaby and I. I think it would be an unbelievable sadness or disappointment to make your kids do something you want to do, that you want for you. With the children, I’m just going to provide opportunity and create exposure. Here’s windsurfing, here’s snowboarding, here’s film, here’s scholarship, here’s library books, film and golf. And you know what? It’s what ever they want to do. The primary objective is to create a fulfilled person.

B on Hawaii Mag interviews Laird about his paddle for “Beautiful Son”

An Interview With Laird Hamilton, Dave Kalama & Don King

On Their Incredible Feat, Done In The Name of a “Beautiful Son”

by Brian Berusch, April 27, 2008

Some times in this business of sharing information, you meet and interview people whom you become truly giddy with excitement to rush home and write about… just for the opportunity to share it with your readers. We recently had such an experience, and bring to you a series of interviews that took place over the last few weeks.

We learned about a tremendous physical feat, which led us to a heartfelt story, only to reveal a controversial issue involving medical science. And all of it was tied together with a silver lining of friendship and the desire to heal. Allow us to explain…

This past June, surfer of massive waves and exemplary waterman Laird Hamilton teamed up with pal Dave Kalama (who is deserved of the same introduction), to cross the entire Hawaiian Island chain. They began at South Point on the Big Island (after a 5 hour flight from California), biked through the evening to the Northern Kohala Coast, and after a brief rest atop craggy lava rock, set out to paddle themselves to Maui. Rinse, repeat — 5 times — until 7 days and 450 miles later they dragged their strained-muscles on to the beach at Nawiliwili, Kauai. There, they were greeted by a handful of teary-eyed mata’s and their autistic children, who danced with joy and draped maile lei across the exhausted athletes.

Big wave riders are born, not made. And I think there’s something to it. It’s in your foundation. It’s inside you. I’ll tell you the true challenge, is how you continue doing it, after you’ve ridden the biggest wave, crossed the longest distance. You set up challenges that are more than what you ever did before. And through it, you get the sensation you completed something. And if it’s dangerous, then other things that scare you, it will strengthen you for those situations. – Laird Hamilton

Trailing the pair for the duration of the entire journey was a man named Don King. Some of you might know him as the cinematographer and photographer who shot movies that include Endless Summer II, Die Another Day, Cast Away and Riding Giants, which featured Hamilton and Kalama at the movie’s apex. King, it turns out, was the reason Kalama and Hamilton made the crossing.

King is — as I sit here typing this story — in the process of editing his llatest movie. It’s a documentary called “Beautiful Son” that is about just that — King’s son Beau, who was diagnosed with autism. King mentioned to long time friend Hamilton that he needed to raise funds in order to distribute his self-funded production, which took he and his wife Julianne around the country, meeting families who struggle on a daily basis with autism.

The film is a heartfelt look at the people they met, the shocking data they uncovered that points a finger towards a possible reason for a spurt in autism over the last 2 decades, and some of the treatments that have been gaining attention.

We had the privilege to speak with King, Hamilton and Kalama on separate occasions about the film, the crossing and the passion and friendships that underline all their efforts. Enjoy the story.

Brian Berusch, B on Hawaii: This is something that I’m going to guess you didn’t just ask Laird and Dave to do, unexpectedly. How’d it come up in conversation… to cross the entire Hawaiian Island chain in order to raise a few bucks”

Don King: Actually, Laird had been thinking about doing it for a while. He’s a really passionate trainer, so he’s conditioned for distance. He knew about the film, and knew I was struggling to raise money. He came to me and said “I want to do this as a fund raiser for your film.” I was blown away by the offer. For such a good friend to do this for me, I can’t tell you how much it emotionally affected me — continues to affect me.

B on Hawaii: Seriously…most people have bake sales! Not cross 450 miles of volcanic rock and turbulent sea.

Laird Hamilton: Don took my first picture that appeared in Surfer Magazine 30 years ago — he’s a part of our family. And I have 2 healthy kids that aren’t autistic — so I often think about what it’s like for Don. And I can’t even begin to understand it. He’s always saying “I’m so thankful.” But after we punish ourselves for a week, we go back home and recoup. He’s on the longer journey.

B on Hawaii: Tell us a little bit about the film.

Don King: It’s a personal story of our family and our son. It’s our journey to try and understand what is going on with autism, so we can best treat our son. This idea of “treating” autism is very new. In fact, most people don’t know there are biological treatments for it. But there needs to be more study.

B on Hawaii: What are some of the treatments you learned about through the film?

Don King: Behavioral therapy is of the utmost importance with autism. But the biological treatments stirred up quite the commotion on the mainland. You see, autism affects multiple body systems. If you can get the immune system, the digestive system, nervous system and so on to work together, you can make some headway. Where the controversy comes in is that it seems all these systems were negatively affected by one substance — mercury.

B on Hawaii: So mercury is the cause of autism?

Don King: We definitely can’t say that. But there are people who do say it. There are some startling facts. Like in the U.S. 1 in 166 children born in the 1990s were diagnosed with autism. In Denmark, Japan and Russia it’s like 1 in 10,000. Why we mention these countries is that they are all places where mercury was banned from childhood vaccines 20 years ago. Now, mercury was banned from most all vaccines here too — but the medical world has a hard time saying that they did it because it is linked directly to autism. No one wants to accept that huge responsibility.

B on Hawaii: So there was mercury in childhood vaccines?

Don King: Small amounts in every vaccine, that alone were not toxic. But children get dozens of vaccines over the course of their first few years of life. And research found that when you added up the average amount of mercury in all the “normal” vaccines a standard U.S. child got, they level of mercury was totally toxic. So now, one of the means of treating autistic children is getting heavy metals out of their system. But the research is in it’s infancy. A lot of it is privately funded, as again, no one in the medical field — and even less in the government — want to admit they were poisoning children.

Laird Hamilton: You have these mercury levels that really seem to be the culprit, and then these guys don’t want to pinpoint it as that, because then it means that they’re liable for what was happening all those years. So they turn it around and say it’s not exactly that. It’s pathetic.

B on Hawaii: How can people see the film?

Don King: We are working with PBS right now, who will hopefully run the film this spring. We are also submitting it to a number of film festivals, and hopefully that will get us some distribution. People can visit www.BeautifulSon.com and follow where we’re at with it.

B on Hawaii:: Laird, who’d you get onboard as sponsors by doing the crossing?

Laird Hamilton: It’s been amazing how many people have come out. My sponsors are American Express, Toyota, Oxbow and a few others. And not even just the companies sent support for the film — some of the people at the companies were touched and have kicked in. I’m continuing to get people to send money. The more you can expose it [the film], the more we can get it people. It’s unfortunate that it takes money for that to happen, but that’s the truth. The more money we raise, the more people see the film.

B on Hawaii: How do you think the film will affect people who have been dealing with loved ones with autism for decades?

Laird Hamilton: Autism is everywhere, not just here. As long as we get the word out of the latest information, the treatments that the King’s learned about on their journey and in the film, it improves everything. Did you know that there are father’s out there who hide their autistic children, or even themselves, because they think autism is genetic and their embarrassed? There are even places where people have spun theories that moms who didn’t give their kids enough love as babies are responsible for it. We can make things better for some of those people.

B on Hawaii: Laird, Dave, tell us a little about the crossing. What were the hardest parts?

Laird Hamilton: We’re paddlers — ocean guys — so the biking was actually the struggle. The first night we did a 120-mile ride with a 7,000 ft. change in elevation. It was a crank.

Dave Kalama: The night we left Oahu for Kauai, things got a little dicey. A sizeable Kona rain squall hit us. It was pitch black with a 20 knot wind blowing. We were planning on a 16 to 18 hour crossing, and I kept thinking, this is slowing us down by half — there’s no way I can keep this up for 36 to 40 hours. But the worse it got, the closer the boat stayed and I thought of Don and his effort every day with his amazing son. And then I though “What have I gotten myself in to?” But when it started to die down, I was set: there was no turning back. We still had a ways to go, but we’re gonna do it.

B on Hawaii: Can someone really be prepared for something like this? Or better yet, for the kind of surfing you do? I know you need to be in top physical shape, but the mental preparedness… how does one get there?

Laird Hamilton: My step-dad used to say “Big wave riders are born, not made.” And I think there’s something to it. It’s in your foundation. It’s inside you. I’ll tell you the true challenge, is how you continue doing it, after you’ve ridden the biggest wave, crossed the longest distance. You set up challenges that are more than what you ever did before. And through it, you get the sensation you completed something. And if it’s dangerous, then other things that scare you, it will strengthen you for those situations.

B on Hawaii: Tell me about the finish. It must have felt…other-wordly”

Dave Kalama: It really did. You’re almost a little punch drunk, sort of delirious. It felt like the ground was still moving. You’re so glad it’s over. Then, these mothers showed up with their autistic kids and some lei’s. And there was something very tangible there, the reason we did the whole thing. The kids and the mother’s were stoked. Some were crying. It was powerful. It made it very worth the while. It made the suffering worth it. Since then, a lot of people have told me that it inspired them. If it gets even a few people out to volunteer, that’s great. Even if it gets people out to exercise, that’s great too. Just doing something good — for you or the community would be awesome. No matter how small. As long as it’s a step in the right direction, it’s a step to more.

By Surfing HQ · February 26, 2009
Feature Interview with DailyStoke.com

Laird Hamilton has new book out – Force of Nature – Mind, Body, Soul, and, of course, Surfing. We reviewed Laird’s book in December. We were fortunate to get the chance to sit down with Laird Hamilton and talk surfing. We learned some interesting stuff. Here goes:

DailyStoke.com: Laird – seems like life is treating you well. You split your time between two surfing meccas, Hawaii and Malibu. Not bad right?

Laird Hamilton: Yeah, in the summer season, when the surf is down, we’re normally in California. In Hawaii, in the summer, the surf is a non-event. Summer was also Gabby’s volleyball season. In the wintertime, that’s the surf season, and is my season.

DailyStoke.com: Do you ever paddle out a Malibu?

Laird Hamilton: I do. I go out there, paddle out, but it’s more like a comedy. Big waves are more like…a drama. If somebody drops in on you in Hawaii, it could be a life threatening situation, and you’ll get a bit more upset. People will give you a 20 foot wave, but they’ll fight you for a two footer.

DailyStoke.com: Your out there on a SUP, and Malibu is a crowded spot.

Laird Hamilton: It’s pretty crowded, but you can’t take it personally. And you’ve got to go out there and have fun. You get a random guy yelling, but I grew up in a really aggressive surf environment that makes Malibu a bit of a cakewalk. Normally, people who are frustrated out in the water are frustrated on land. They brought their frustration with them. If you go to a beach where there are a hundred guys out, and you paddle out looking to ride waves alone, you’re setting yourself up.

DailyStoke.com: So what are you surfing these days?

Laird Hamilton: Mostly standup paddle. For the past seven or eight years, I don’t really lay down, unless I break a paddle or something like that.

DailyStoke.com: This Stand Up Paddling thing is pretty controversial these days.

Laird Hamilton: Snowboarding was controversial, too. We’ve got to evolve.

DailyStoke.com: You don’t ever break out a shortboard?

Laird Hamilton: No. Nope. That would be a regression at this point. That’s like asking me to crawl. I’ve done that discipline and it’s…uninspiring. I got to a point where I hit a ceiling…and I’m not a buck-twenty-five where I can make speed on a one foot wave where I can fly or trick around. I’m a downhill guy. I need a big wave to really excel. The smaller stuff is a bit like…ballet for me.

DailyStoke.com: We’re still a long ways from summer, but a lot of surfers are headed to warm destinations and getting some sun. You live in a very sunny climate – do you put on sunscreen to keep yourself protected?

Laird Hamilton: Nothing. Be in good health, eat well and get good sleep. [Pauses] First of all, I have a dematologist, Dr. Lancer, who is appropriately named. He’s never cut me! Melanoma is more hereditary. For women it’s more of an issue for wrinkles. Men, that’s part of you becoming mature. The problem with sunscreens is that most of them are pretty toxic. In the next 10 years we’re going to find that there are worse things in sunscreen than the sun burning you. Not letting the skin overheat is a big part of not getting sunburned, and frankly your cardio health is much, much more important. Everybody’s in for a quick fix. Give me a tube and let me slap it on, negates the fact that I’m not eating well and I’m not working out.

DailyStoke.com: Yeah, well, now you’re making me think twice. You new book has got some great stuff about eating right, but I pounded down a Big Mac…

Laird Hamilton: Did you like it?

DailyStoke.com: Well, yeah!

Laird Hamilton: If its tastes really good like that, chances are you don’t want to eat it everyday. If it’s getting repetitive, day in and day out, that’s no good. It tastes good, but where are the nutrients?

DailyStoke.com: Do you ever put down a Big Mac, fries and a Coke?

Laird Hamilton: Sure, I’ve had Big Macs. It’s been awhile since I’ve had one, but oh yeah, I’ve had them.
I don’t drink soda. Too much sugar. I took a sip from a soda the other day, and it was so sweet, I didn’t even want it. You almost have to dilute it. When you don’t use sugar in your diet, all of the sudden fruits are really sweet. Honey is really sweet. Your taste buds change. I’m not psycho never have anything sweet, because that takes too much energy. The stress on your body just isn’t worth it.

DailyStoke.com: There’s a pretty famous shot of you at Teahupoo. Have there been more important waves for you?

Laird Hamilton: For me, it’s really about the body of the work. Does one shot make you, as a photographer? At that time, and that place, was a monumental moment. It was a little bit like the four minute mile. Until then, no one had done it. We broke the four minute mile. After that, plenty of guys had done it. Since then, we’ve had some other monumental moments. A year ago last October there. Last December 3rd, we had what I’m calling 12 to 15 stories. No photographs. My friend almost got killed.

DailyStoke.com: Right. That’s serious stuff. This winter, in Whistler, a number of boarders have been taken out by avalanches. What king of precautions do you take?

Laird Hamilton: The bigger it gets, the slower we go. When it’s 40 feet we do things three times. When it’s 50 feet, we do things four times. That includes the knot, the ski, the thing, the this, the that, the floatation. All of it. We’ll go through the whole checklist. Then we’ll not be in a hurry and make a decision of where we’re gonna go, what the battle plan is with the intention of swimming back, crawling back – you’re going to be your own rescue. The good thing about the ocean is that when the waves are breaking you can see them. The mountain, it’s white and sleeping. And if it’s moving, you’re in it, and it’s took late. Accidents befall the good and the bad, the experienced and the inexperienced. We have a saying in Hawaii that no one is above lickings. You gotta be worried about getting too overconfident. It’s good to be scared. They have a saying in aviation. There’s old pilots and bold pilots. There are no old, bold pilots.

DailyStoke.com: How does Maverick’s compare for you?

Laird Hamilton: I’ve actually never surfed Mavericks.

DailyStoke.com: Really? That’s kinda funny. Is it the cold water? [Laughing]

Laird Hamilton: [Not laughing as hard] It’s not the cold – that doesn’t really bother me – when you wear a full suit, that’s a lot of floatation. It just happens to be that Mavericks season is my season. The thing is, we’ve got the biggest waves in the world. And everybody that comes from Mavericks and surfs Jaws – they say Jaws is heavier, it’s breaking faster. The only desire to go ride it is just to say I’ve ridden it. [Pauses] I’d like to Stand Up paddle it. I’d be a visitor going in there. When the timing is right, I’ll probably go there and surf it. But you know, I’ve got enough work right here. Confirmation of that was December 3rd.