Surfing Saves with John Angiulo

Surfing Saves with John Angiulo

Our guest for this episode of the Swell Season Surf Podcast is John Angiulo — a professional surfer, surf educator, author, filmmaker, and one of Montauk’s most thoughtful voices exploring the deeper meaning of surfing and wave culture. John grew up immersed in the roots of East Coast surfing. His father, Kenny Angiulo, was considered one of New York’s standout surfers during the golden era of East Coast surf culture, often mentioned alongside legends like Ricky Rasmussen. His uncle, Michael “Mick” Angiulo, played a major role in helping legalize and expand surf access throughout New York State beaches through his groundbreaking work with the Eastern Surfing Association. John began surfing at just five years old at Ditch Plains, and over the past three decades has taught thousands of people to surf in places like Montauk, Indonesia, Costa Rica, and Puerto Rico.But this conversation goes far beyond surfing technique. Through projects like A Word on Waves and the Surfing Saves Project, John explores the idea that surfing is more than a sport — it’s a framework for understanding life, community, energy, and our relationship with the natural world.We dive into Montauk surf history, the battle for beach access, surf instruction, lineup culture, spirituality, quantum theory, wave consciousness, and how surfing can become a tool for personal and communal regeneration. We also discuss John’s monthly “Paddle Outs to Peace,” designed to promote collective coherence and connection through the ocean.This is a thoughtful and wide-ranging conversation about surfing, philosophy, community, and the power of waves — both in the ocean and in life. We hope you enjoy… Follow John on Instagram @_surfingsaves_  [https://www.instagram.com/_surfingsaves_/]You can find his books at www.surfingsaves.com [http://www.surfingsaves.com]  The Swell Season Surf Podcast is recorded by The NewsStand Studio at Rockefeller Center in the heart of Manhattan and is distributed by The Swell Season Surf Radio Network.  For more information, you can follow @swellseasonsurfradio [https://www.instagram.com/swellseasonsurfradio/] on Instagram or go to our website: www.swellseasonsurf.com [https://www.swellseasonsurf.com/]  Music:  Artist: Cornell Campbell Song: Lost in a Dream Album: The Very Best 00:00 Welcome and Guest Intro 09:26 Epic Session and Lineage 11:52 Angelo Family Roots 14:10 First Wave and Lifelong Stoke 15:57 Babylon Montauk Split 17:20 Boards and Early Mentors 18:58 Competition and Anger 20:11 Surfing vs School Freedom 24:25 Spiritual Shift and Waves 29:14 Mom Prayer and Quantum 32:17 Maharishi Effect Explained 34:41 Paddle Outs to Peace 36:46 Community and Connection 40:41 Surf Lessons Origin Story 41:59 Launching The Family Surf School 43:49 Mentors And Montauk Legends 46:13 Surfing And Writing Path 49:27 Teaching Beyond Technique 53:12 Surfing Saves Explained 56:58 Waves As Life Metaphor 59:49 Lineup Culture And Dark Side 01:08:27 Havens Nine Wave Model 01:13:55 Research Behind The Framework 01:15:45 AI Tools Validate Ideas 01:17:09 Nine Dimensions Made Practical 01:18:37 Protocols for Daily Coherence 01:21:00 Film Grants and Eclipse Story 01:23:31 Interview Subjects and Partners 01:26:56 Governance Model Against Corruption 01:30:03 Community Over Extraction 01:32:04 Future Paddle Outs Expansion 01:33:32 Surfer Questionnaire Fun 01:39:11 Heaven Wave and Final Plugs Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/swell-season-surf-radio--3483504/support [https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/swell-season-surf-radio--3483504/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss].

How Surfing Ruined My Life with Jason Borte

"The day I decided to quit surfing… it just popped in my head like, 'Huh, nobody just quits surfing. Like if I did, what would happen? Who would I be?'" On this episode of the Swell Season Surf Podcast, we ponder the question of ‘who would we be without surfing’ with our guest for this episode. Jason Borte is one of the true pillars of East Coast surfing — a competitor, storyteller, teacher, and lifelong ambassador of the stoke.  Hailing from Virginia Beach, Jason's journey began with a humbling first session in 1982 and took him all the way to ESA All-Star and ASP East Pro Champion. A Master's-level educator, surf school founder, Hall of Famer, and author of multiple books including Pipe Dreams, Virginia Is for Surfers, and his upcoming memoir How Surfing Ruined My Life, Jason now serves as Director of Surf Coaching at Atlantic Park — home to North America's first Wavegarden Cove surf lagoon — where he continues shaping the future of the sport through coaching, community programs, and youth initiatives. We dig into his transition from 15 years in the classroom to the surf world, new competitive formats at Atlantic Park like the man-on-man "Chlorine Clash," and inclusive youth programs bringing swimming and surfing to underserved kids through partnerships with Pharrell and Adidas. Plus, Jason shares the story behind his books and what led him to step away from the ocean for an entire year. Follow Jason on Instagram @jborte [https://www.instagram.com/jborte/] & @howsurfingruinedmylife [https://www.instagram.com/howsurfingruinedmylife/]And you can order his books here: Diangelo Publications [https://www.diangelopublications.com/shop/p/how-surfing-ruined-my-life?utm_source=ig&utm_medium=social&utm_content=link_in_bio&fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMjU2MjgxMDQwNTU4AAGnwS6n5v2MNSz0xe1TwItCR6fqJtbX5BPAFsqKCHU6anR3-tQyJ62XdcaOkU0_aem_avjimMNgyzmKO-N9btLLiw] The Swell Season Surf Podcast is recorded by The NewsStand Studio at Rockefeller Center in the heart of Manhattan and is distributed by The Swell Season Surf Radio Network.  For more information, you can follow @swellseasonsurfradio [https://www.instagram.com/swellseasonsurfradio/] on Instagram or go to our website: www.swellseasonsurf.com [https://www.swellseasonsurf.com/]  Huge Shoutout to Trey Highton for the connection! Music:  Artist: The Mountain Goats Song: This Year Album: The Sunset Tree 00:00 Guest Introduction 04:05 Kelly Slater Mixup 05:34 Leaving Teaching Behind 06:36 Maker Space Class 12:28 Surf Projects Surprise 13:49 Surf Camp Curriculum 17:07 Atlantic Park Origins 18:13 Typhoon Lagoon Break 22:16 First Wave Moment 24:59 Director Role Daily 26:49 Tom Curren Visit 31:27 Wave Pool Impacts 36:03 New Contest Formats 42:10 Community Access Programs 45:42 Wave Pools With Purpose 46:28 Ebony Beach Club Groms 48:03 Mentorship In The Lineup 49:08 First Surf In 1982 51:29 Virginia Beach Pecking Order 54:39 Early Contests And Drive 58:06 Parents Backing The Dream 01:00:52 Facing Kelly And Going Pro 01:03:23 OP Sponsorship And Rivalries 01:05:26 Bud Tour No Priority Chaos 01:12:26 Wes Laine East Coast Icon 01:16:59 From Pro To Surf Writer 01:21:33 Learning Under Steve Hawk 01:25:55 Writing Pipe Dreams 01:29:56 Research And Kelly Access 01:34:28 Slater Self Awareness 01:35:34 Rivalry And Book Sequel 01:37:33 Kelly Reviews The Manuscript 01:39:35 Press Tour And Career Choices 01:43:04 Self Publishing Kooks Guide 01:45:36 Virginia Is For Surfers 01:51:04 What The Community Revealed 01:57:05 Quitting Surfing For A Year 02:03:33 Withdrawal Compulsion And Perspective 02:08:40 Book Deal And Wrap Up Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/swell-season-surf-radio--3483504/support [https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/swell-season-surf-radio--3483504/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss].

The Cobbler with Jamie Meiselman

On this episode of the Swell Season Surf Podcast, we welcome board industry vet, Jamie Meiselman to the show! We  trace his journey from cold-water surfing in Westfield, New Jersey and the DIY dawn of Northeast snowboarding to a lifetime of innovation across board sports. Jamie reflects on his early roots in skate, surf and competitive snowboarding, pioneering boot technology with Burton and Airwalk, and his years shaping the voice of the industry as Managing Editor of Transworld Snowboarding during its explosive growth in the early 90s. After earning an MBA at Columbia, he pursued an ambitious surf-focused wave pool project that ultimately collapsed, shaping his philosophy on risk, resilience, and iteration. In 2017, Jamie returned to his core passion and founded Solite, introducing the first heat-moldable surf bootie and building a lean, performance-driven brand now respected worldwide. This conversation explores obsession, reinvention, craftsmanship, wave pool evolution, and the mindset behind creating products that truly improve function — closing with reflections on shaping, favorite boards, and the perfect eternity wave. Follow Jamie’s company Solite Boots on Instagram @soliteboots [https://www.instagram.com/soliteboots/]and you can check out the latest selection at https://soliteboots.com/ [https://soliteboots.com/] The Swell Season Surf Podcast is recorded by The NewsStand Studio at Rockefeller Center in the heart of Manhattan and is distributed by The Swell Season Surf Radio Network.  For more information, you can follow @swellseasonsurfradio [https://www.instagram.com/swellseasonsurfradio/] on Instagram or go to our website: www.swellseasonsurf.com [https://www.swellseasonsurf.com/]  Music: Artist: Sure Sure Song: This Must be the Place Album: Sure Sure 00:00 Welcome to the Swell Season Surf Podcast + Jamie Meiselman’s Wild Resume 04:18 Risk, Failure & the Brutal Early Wave Pool Dream (1999–2004) 07:08 Franken-Boots, First Patents & Burton/K2 Innovation Stories 10:47 The Obsession Advantage: How Jamie Thinks, Learns & Gets Distracted (AI Tools) 13:21 Building a Lean Niche Brand: Solite’s Focus, Marketing & Why Performance Wins 19:02 Growing Up in NJ: Skateparks, Hamptons Summers & Learning to Surf 23:32 Early Snowboarding DIY Era: Woodshop Boards, Ski-Shop Roots & Tinkering Mindset 28:07 Solite Origin Story: From Seamless EVA Surf Gloves to Heat-Moldable Boots 32:42 Staying Small on Purpose: Competitors, Core Values & Avoiding the ‘Next Nike’ Trap 35:46 Founder Reality Check: Freedom vs 7-Day Weeks, Support Systems & Family Balance 41:58 Less Is More: Letting Kids Learn With Guardrails 42:53 Balancing Marriage, Work, and Empty-Nester Life43:42 Surf vs Snowboard: Family Interests & Learning Curves 46:17 Living Inland vs Beachside: Staying Hungry for Waves 49:40 Dartmouth Days: Choosing Mountains, Quitting Lacrosse for Snowboarding 52:03 Starting a Snowboard Club + Early Skiers vs Snowboarders Tension 54:41 The ‘Urinal Meeting’ That Launched a Transworld Writing Career 57:09 Why Surfing Stays #1 (and Chasing Feel Over Progression) 01:00:06 From Shaping Curiosity to DIY Boardbuilding as a Step-by-Step Process 01:05:52 Boots, Concave Decks, and Performance-Enhancing Gear Ideas 01:09:17 Inside Transworld’s Boom: Ads, Trade Shows, and Snowboarding’s Explosion 01:13:30 From Airwalk to Burton: Boot Wars, Culture Shock, and the Wave-Pool Seed 01:19:45 From Water Parks to Surf Pools: The Wave Pool Spark01:20:27 Prototyping the Dream: Trade Shows, Engineers & Early Wave Tech 01:21:42 Business School as a Launchpad: Columbia, Seed Money & Raising Capital 01:24:09 The Hard Part: Rejection, Anxiety, and Getting to the First Million 01:26:20 The Fatal Flaw: Adjustable Bottom Contours and Why the Pool Kept Breaking 01:28:11 When It Fell Apart: Boardroom Confidence, Bad Partners & Lessons Learned 01:29:43 The Randall’s Island “What If”: NYC Indoor Surfing That Never Happened 01:32:18 Bouncing Back: Mindset After Failure and Building Smarter at Solight 01:35:48 Solight’s Growth Playbook: DTC vs Wholesale, Dealers, and Global Distribution 01:40:17 Marketing Breakthrough: Pros in Cold Water and the Slater Boots Moment 01:43:19 What’s Next for Solight: New Products, Hats, and “No Me-Too Gear” Philosophy 01:47:57 Surfer Questionnaire + The Perfect Eternal Wave (and Wave Pools Today) 01:54:34 Closing Thoughts: The Future of Surfing, Wave Pool Communities & Sign-Off Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/swell-season-surf-radio--3483504/support [https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/swell-season-surf-radio--3483504/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss].

Saint Christopher Surfboards with Christopher Thomas Campbell

In this episode of the Swell Season Surf Podcast, We welcome Christopher Thomas Campbell, artist, architect, and founder of St. Christopher's Surf Craft, to the show. We dive deep into Campbell's unique journey from architecture and fine art to surfboard shaping. Discover the intricacies of edge board design, the influence of New York's surfing conditions, and the evolution of modern backyard shaping. Campbell shares insights on rail engagement, fin setups, and the philosophy behind his craft, culminating in a thought-provoking discussion about whether surfboards can be considered art. Don't miss this engaging conversation about innovation, craftsmanship, and the future of St. Christopher's Surf Craft. Follow Saint Christopher Surfboards on Instagram @saint_christopher_surfcraft [https://www.instagram.com/saint_christopher_surfcraft/]and you can find his artwork here: https://christopherthomascampbell.com/ [https://christopherthomascampbell.com/] The Swell Season Surf Podcast is recorded by The NewsStand Studio at Rockefeller Center in the heart of Manhattan and is distributed by The Swell Season Surf Radio Network.  For more information, you can follow @swellseasonsurfradio [https://www.instagram.com/swellseasonsurfradio/] on Instagram or go to our website: www.swellseasonsurf.com [https://www.swellseasonsurf.com/]  Music:  Artist: Fairport Convention Song: Genesis Hall Album: Unhallfbricking 00:00 Introduction to the Swell Season Surf Podcast 01:09 Meet Christopher Thomas Campbell 02:24 Diving into Edge Board Design 03:27 The Unique Features of Edge Boards 04:49 Exploring Surfboard Design and Innovation 38:05 The Influence of Skateboarding on Surfing 43:45 Art and Architecture in Surfboard Shaping 47:57 Introduction to the Shop Manager 48:16 From Sculpture to Surfboard 49:48 The Veneer Essay and Surfboard Aesthetics 53:11 The Importance of Glassing and Collaboration 57:42 Sustainability and Material Choices in Surfboards 01:03:59 Gender and Surfboard Design 01:12:28 Surfboards as Art vs. Function 01:21:16 Rapid Fire Questions and Conclusion Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/swell-season-surf-radio--3483504/support [https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/swell-season-surf-radio--3483504/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss].

Madman, Saint or Sinner with Pete 'Luigi' Shaw

In this episode of the Swell Season Surf Podcast, we welcome NYC big wave surfer Pete ‘Luigi’ Shaw. Raised in New York, Pete's journey from local waves to conquering some of the world's biggest breaks, like Nazaré and Teahupo'o, showcases unparalleled grit and determination. Pete shares his experiences paddling out solo, his method of managing fear, and his approach to surfing's evolving culture. We  discuss the highs, the near misses, and the relentless passion that drives Pete to chase monster waves around the globe. we’re diving into big waves, fear, resilience, community, and what drives someone to paddle out with nothing but heart and a helmet that occasionally slips over his eyes.  Follow Pete on Instagram @saltypetv and YouTube for a glimpse into his wild adventures: https://www.youtube.com/@saltypetetv [https://www.youtube.com/@saltypetetv]  The Swell Season Surf Podcast is recorded by The NewsStand Studio at Rockefeller Center in the heart of Manhattan and is distributed by The Swell Season Surf Radio Network.  For more information, you can follow @swellseasonsurfradio [https://www.instagram.com/swellseasonsurfradio/] on Instagram or go to our website: www.swellseasonsurf.com [https://www.swellseasonsurf.com/]  Music:  Artist: T.S.O.L Song: It’s Too Late Album: Hit & Run 00:00 Introduction to the Swell Season Surf Podcast 01:38 Meet Pete Shaw: The Gritty New York Surfer 03:26 Big Wave Adventures and Solo Surfing 06:43 Early Surfing Days and Inspirations 12:04 Pioneering Big Wave Surfing in New York 22:51 The Journey to Surfing Jaws and YMA 32:52 First Encounters with Nazaré 38:12 Navigating the Lineup 39:04 Catching the Monster Wave 41:32 Challenges of Big Wave Surfing 42:24 Breaking into the Big Wave Community 45:06 Paddle Surfing vs. Tow Surfing 48:20 Building a Team and Trust 59:41 Managing Fear in Big Waves 01:07:07 Surfing in New York and Family Ties 01:13:20 The Evolution of Big Wave Surfing Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/swell-season-surf-radio--3483504/support [https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/swell-season-surf-radio--3483504/support?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=rss].