GIVING BACK
If you grew up in the Hawai‘i surf contest scene, you definitely know Bryan Suratt and he has probably helped you along the way somehow. With a big heart and a style of teaching that cannot be copied, “Uncle” Bryan has bred many world-class surfers, including world champions like Sunny Garcia. Everyone from Kalani Robb to Fred Patacchia, and of course his own kids, Nainoa and Cru Suratt have all been helped by Uncle Bryan’s coaching in one way or another.
Nowadays you can find Uncle Bryan running his own surf school on the North Shore. His base camp is set at Puena Point but you’re likely to see his surf school’s vans scattered all along the coast. It is a treat for anyone that gets to learn from Uncle Bryan. He and his crew (including his sons) are some of the best teachers in the business because they have been surfing and sharing their knowledge their entire lives. “I’m really happy now that I get to work with my kids. It’s a family business you know, kind of old fashioned. It’s something that I can leave for my kids, the best surf school on the North Shore,” says Uncle Bryan. “We have lessons 365 days a year. It’s crazy. People get hooked. I love it when I see the smiles on everyone’s faces after their first wave.” Being a former professional surfer, Uncle Bryan knows the importance of contests, but right now he just wants to give back to the North Shore and teach the true stoke of surfing.
Zen: How is business with your surf school?
Uncle Bryan: Super good. We don’t have any days off. It’s great! We got four vans, gonna get two more, so we’ll have six pretty soon. You can’t miss us. We are all over the North Shore. It’s our service that people come back for. We got so many returning customers. I try to teach the old Waikiki beach boy way of surfing. That’s the feeling I want to keep because it’s been taken away in Hawai‘i.
I know you used to take a bunch of groms to surf abroad. What is your fondest memory from that time?
Everything. Nobody used to do that shit. We would take like 20 kids and tell all the sponsors, “Ok we are gonna take all these kids to France.” And we did it! All 20 kids from Hawai‘i just chilling surfing contests in France. It’s such a good moment in my life. All the kids from that time have become so successful. Where ever we went we would kick some fucking ass. [Laughs]
Do you have any thoughts about the contest scene out here?
It’s good but the companies are making millions from the contests and the surfers. They [the companies] need to give back as much as they can. Not just give them a t-shirt and tell them thanks. I got my own deal now with the school and it is so good to be doing this.
What do you think about the changes on the North Shore?
The North Shore is always gonna be the North Shore. It’s easier said then done but lets live it! We only got one life, just like anybody else. Enjoy what you got and just shut up. It’s beautiful over here. It doesn’t matter where you are from– the mainland, Japan, France. Let’s enjoy it together. It’s the best place in the world.
What do you think about the localization of the coast?
You know what? I’ve was born and raised out here, since the ‘50s, so I know who the real locals are. There are so many people that act local but I know deep in my heart who the real locals are and all those guys and I have respect for one another. Just as long as people show respect to the real locals, it’s all good.
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ブライアンスラット
NorthShore出身のウォーターマンで何人ものプロサーファーを育て上げたサーフィンコーチ。今では自分のサーフスクールをNorthでやっている。昔のワイキキビーチ ボーイと同じアロハでサーフィンを教えている。生まれて育ったNorthShoreを心から愛している。
