From my very first swim on Abalone Street after moving here, I felt a connection to the water. I felt safe. I felt like I was exactly where I was supposed to be. Looking back more than a year later, I know that feeling was real. I’ve always believed things happen for a reason—sometimes it takes days, sometimes it takes years, but eventually everything clicks into place.
I got involved with the Outer Surf crew almost immediately. I noticed the shop on Abalone Street during that first swim and reached out to Bri over email, hoping to offer my photography and just get involved however I could. Soon I was taking photos at surf lessons and spending time around the shop. I made friends quickly. If you know the Outer Surf crew, you know how welcoming and fun they are. It was a hectic summer, though. I started working two jobs, which ate up most of my time, and between that and trying to settle into a new life, I had very little room left for creativity.
In August, Outer Surf hosted an end-of-summer BBQ with food, music, and all-around good vibes. The waves shaped up around sunset, and everyone was more than ready to paddle out. I was just as excited—this would be my first time swimming out with a group of surfers, and I couldn’t wait to capture the evening from the water.
That night changed me and my connection to the surf community. The sky was glowing, everyone was hopping on party waves, there was laughing and splashing, and I felt blessed to be part of such a pure, joy-filled moment. It was as if the world paused, leaving only happiness, movement, and light. I felt one with the waves, the current, the ocean itself. It was like Mother Nature whispered, “Hey Sammy, you’re about to fall in love with this lifestyle.” And I did. I fell in love with the ocean, the feeling, the rush, the art—and suddenly everything I once thought mattered, didn’t anymore. I was right where I needed and was meant to be.
