Propelled on a Zephyr of Compressed Wind
By Joe Donnelly
From TSJ 30.4
A half-century into it, and Craig Stecyk, inarguably one of California culture’s most influential figures, still continues to surprise. Here, in just a few coats of paint, he drags us from Dora all the way to the world’s most prestigious attic. The author, an award-winning journalist, digs up all the fine-print to connect a variety of culture markers together. As is typical, CR finds himself at the very center of the web. —Whitman Bedwell, Editor
Pumpjack
By Kevin O’Sullivan
From TSJ 30.2
When Sam Hawk migrated to the North Shore from the oil derricks of Huntington Beach in the late 1960s, he dragged along a steamer trunk of verve, and era-defining talent. This profile came out of nowhere, showing the sort of style and lifelong commitment that contemporary surfers might do well to emulate. —Scott Hulet, Creative Director
The Warmest Sands of Wishing
By Bryan Di Salvatore
From TSJ 30.1
As fine a writer to exist in our sandbox (he penned the definitive profile of Merle Haggard for The New Yorker, as evidence) Di Salvatore sat on this far-East trip for over 40 years. And while the author pays enough attention to the surf, it’s everything else—the unknowns, the adventure, the world-view gains and losses—written in a master’s hand that proves there’s lots of worth in the wait. In the absence of any visual record of the trip—a major hurdle for any magazine to overcome—artist Evan Hecox was a perfect fit, and had even traveled to the (unnamed by choice) region before. His sketchbook aesthetic was a great accompaniment to Di Salvatore’s words. —Jim Newitt, Art Director
Fortune Favors the Bold
By Mike Ritter
From TSJ 30.3
There was an undoubted grittiness behind the discovery of Grajanagan, and it really shines through here. Jack McCoy’s imagery captures the untamed rawness, danger, and mystique of G-Land from long before it became a destination. It was a pleasure working with Jack on the images, and, in the process, learning about what it was like in the early days from a first-hand source. —Grant Ellis, Photo Editor
First Among Equals
By Gabriella Aoun
From TSJ 30.5
Andrea Moller’s path to world record-setting waves at Peahi was hard fought. The author tracks, in detail, Moller’s heavy-water beginnings, meticulous preparation, selfless rescues, and conscious advancement of women’s big-wave surfing—all done with a commendable level of humility. As the feature’s subhead reads: “Moller’s accomplishments and commitment defy comparison. Just don’t count on hearing it from her.” —Ben Waldron, Associate Editor
Keep Dreaming
By John Durant
From TSJ 30.2
From a purely visual standpoint, curating Slim Aarons’ work was a treat. And it brought forward The Journal’s favorite ethos—surprise—in grabbing a mainstream fine-art shooter with surf relevance. He made portraits of the Duke, after all. —Kevin Voegtlin, Assistant Photo Editor
