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STEPH GILMORE'S AMERICAN WALKABOUT PART 1: THE BIG APPLE
Steph discovers America's roots and checks out the surf scene in New York City
When you're traveling a lot, you end up stumbling across places that you find you really like or you're just drawn to - what's going on there and the whole culture of it all. The United States is one of those places. I love the US Open and I've met a bunch of friends who live here. So, amongst the grind of the tour, it dawned on me that I might like to try living here.
Lots of other international pro surfers, did it: Sofia moved here from Peru, Serena Brooke came from Australia and spent a lot of time over here and today she's one of the surfers who isn't even on the tour, but she's still really successful with her American sponsors. I realized I was getting plenty of media coverage in Australia but over here, I was a nobody, even in the surf industry. So that was another thing in my mind where I was like, 'I should just go to the States, build more of a presence, see how it goes and hopefully the Americans will like me.'
Those are the sort of long-term things I think about these days. After all, I'm getting a bit older and still need to spread my wings to find out what I really do - and don't - want to do with my life. I'm so excited about traveling and posting up somewhere new. All the places I've been lately - Paris, New York, London - I could live in any of them for a period of time just to try it out. I'm one of those people who can get up, leave everything behind, go make a base somewhere and not be worried about it. I love change and mixing it up and being spontaneous. Why not try it?
I got here in June and will be staying through the end of August, and then I'll be coming back in September. I've found a nice place up in Surfside, halfway between Huntington and Seal Beach. And it's great, such a good little place. The waves aren't too fantastic but, at the same time, that's not one of the main reasons why I came here. I'm not really fazed, and if I really, really want to get good waves, then I'll just shoot to Mexico and it's only really an hour drive to San Diego and Lowers is only a half hour drive from here. Besides, what's more American than driving everywhere?
After dropping off my bags in California, my first destination was New York City. There wasn't too much in the way of surf but coming from a surfing background, the city was such an adventure. My sister Whitney and I snapped plenty of photos so join us as two Aussie girls got a look at the Big Apple.
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August 4, 2009
