Born in South Africa to a family on 'surfari' from Australia, ocean-going friends we met along the way brought us to Hawai'i in the early '70s. With a father who made surfboards for the top pros of the day, and a mother who worked in a then-fledgling surf industry, the road was always going to take me in the direction of waves.

While I had fun surfing a few pro contests, my passion grew behind the scenes and as the world tour of surfing developed, I was fortunate enough to climb on board as the sport's first touring media director.

As my own family started to grow, Hawaii became our full-time home and my business today revolves around the ocean year-round, specifically here on the North Shore of O'ahu. My whole family surfs and we've found the natural surrounds of the area and the free Pacific playground have become the lifeblood of our family in every way. It is true that to live a life in surfing is to live a dream. To this day, nothing amazes me more than the good fortune I have had in carving out an existence from an ocean canvas.

There was no doubt in my mind that when I finally jumped from the perpetual motion of the world tour and put down stakes, it was going to be in Hawaii. There's a magical magnetism to this place that never loosens its pull. I guarantee you, at the very least, your visit here will stand as a deeply etched memory for life, if not a regular return ticket - particularly if your plans bring you here to the North Shore. Like any place on Earth, we're not perfect out here. Paradise can still have its problems. But like I always say: if you've got to have a problem, I'd rather have a problem in Hawaii! Somehow the scenery that greets us every day, along with the warm ocean and air, has the ability to temper life's ups and downs.

For all of us who make it to this shoreline, life takes on new perspective when you can clear your head with a Tradewind breeze and contemplate the magnitude of life as you watch the ocean dramatically rise and fall before your eyes. This little strip of coastline is truly a natural phenomenon all its own. It is a sight that you can never get enough of and a memory that takes on a life of its own.

It brings me a lot of happiness to share it with you. So if your travels do bring you here, keep your eyes open for any big-wave events that might be going on and, if you get the chance, stop by the media trailer and say hi. We'd love to meet you.

Safe travels and a very warm Aloha!