Crossing 3,300 miles of the Pacific Ocean over 26 days What is sailing the Pacific Ocean really like? Three of us did this ocean passage and 3,300 nautical miles in 26 days, on 38ft Elan sailing boat, Finding Avalon Books...
Category - Features
Surfer Boys are Like Ice Cream: The waves aren’t the only thrill we seek
Is monogamy the most satisfying option for every free-spirited adventurous woman? Removing slut shaming from surf travel The dish is set in front of me with beautiful presentation. The flavor is perfect. I savor the...
Road Trip Through Mainland Mexico: How to budget
How to Budget For a Road Trip Through Mainland Mexico What things cost in Mainland Mexico and what to expect on your road trip I left San Diego, CA with a 4×4 SUV, a backpack filled with surf bikinis, three boards...
Meditation: One thing every injured athlete needs to do
When injury prevents participation in the thing that brought you the most joy, meditation can help Inactivity for an athlete can mean boredom or even depression. Especially for those sports that come with an adrenaline rush...
Breast Augmentation for Athletes: Are my boobs in the way?
Unintended consequences of breast augmentation may affect athletic performance My knee doesn’t fit under my chest… While practicing yoga, I was going from down dog into a low lunge, a maneuver nearly identical to a...
Las Sirenitas of Popoyo: Empowering Nicaraguan girls through surfing
Las Sirenitas is Far More Than a Surfing Program for Girls When the healing power of the ocean, 21 Nicaraguan girls and a woman named Bella come together to form Las Sirenitas, magic happens! Isabelle “Bella” Delfosse is a former...
A Point Break Scheduled to Become a Shipping Yard: Waves, indigenous people, and the environment at risk in Punta Conejo
The Mexican Government is Partnering with Singapore to Build a Shipping Yard on a World Class Point Break, Punta Conejo Punta Conejo is a sand-bottom point break heaven. But that could change dramatically. Located in southern...
Five Reasons to Surf a Dumping Beach Break, and One Big Reason Not to.
Beach breaks in less than ideal conditions can be brutal. Here are a few good reasons paddle out anyway, and one not to. Sometimes it takes a little motivation to paddle out. If the water is cold or the conditions at the beach...
Surf Travel and Inequality: Are tourist dollars helping or hurting the locals?
The Ethics of Surf Tourism Are the foreign dollars surf travel brings to tiny fishing villages propping up local economies or pricing indigenous people out of the market? Jose Eduardo is happy. This is by his own confession. But...
Sailing to The Galapagos – 960 nautical miles from Panama City
Saying yes to sailing to The Galapagos – 960 nautical miles, Panama to Galapagos In the spirit of always saying ‘Yes‘, I find myself at the start of a 3-month sailing and surfing trip across the Pacific Ocean on...
Becoming a Waterwoman: What riding a surfboard didn’t teach me about the ocean
An injury might be the best thing that has happened to me as a surfer Returning to a basic love of the ocean might make me a better waterwoman than surfing ever could have. I am a transplant surfer. I grew up in Michigan...
What is it About a Surfer Girl? 10 reasons why surfer girls are special
See the surfer girl in the line up? – Here’s 10 reasons why she is so special It takes a certain personality to take beating after beating, be outnumbered by men day after day, & still go out there chasing a dream. This is...
When ambition gets the best of a surfer
Becoming too ambitious can rob the joy from surfing Surfing is so freaking hard! Ask any of your high achieving friends why they love surfing and at least part of their answer will include, “Because it is hard.” Surfing...
Drilling for Oil in The Great Australian Bight – What’s in it for us?
Who’s really winning from drilling in the Bight? This article (part 1) examines how little the Australian public has to gain under current mining arrangement surrounding oil exploration permits in the Great Australian Bight, and...
The Shannon Reporting Interview: Sexism, surfing Nazaré, and staying vibrant
The Shannon Reporting interview A recognisable face on the production team for WSL Big Wave Tour, Shannon Quirk has long been fighting a battle behind the scenes to help get women’s big wave surfing to where it is now. A...
Debra Searle Interview “Choose your attitude” – Mindset, marriage, & rowing the Atlantic solo
It’s Not Magic, It’s Mindset Those words might sounds cliché, but when you say them after rowing 111 days across an entire ocean, well then those words pack a punch! Debra Searle is a professional adventurer. As a young...
A story as unique as the photos – Meet ocean photographer Shannon Glasson
Shannon Glasson Interview The teenage photographer that learned to swim before she walk, doesn’t feel fear due to not producing cortisol, and subsequently shoots the most exquisite big wave images from deep in the impact...
Finding a Sense of Purpose: The pressure to accomplish more
The Pressure To Do Something Bigger This little thought of “shouldn’t I be doing more with my life?” niggles away at me. This is what I have learned. I ran into my 8th-grade algebra teacher while visiting family for the...
Surfing’s Environmental Impact – 8 Eco-friendly surf products to swap out today
Eco-friendly surf products are more important than ever before How environmentally damaging is surfing? Can the surf industry ever be a leader in sustainability? We take a look at the environmental impact of surfing and what...
Diet Culture: The pressure on female athletes to be thin
Diet culture is so deeply entrenched in American society that it’s easy to miss It Have you ever been so far inside something that you couldn’t see you were even in it? After living the majority of two years in...
Making Space for Joy: Living a decluttered life around the holidays
How do you make time to surf every day? This is a question that sometimes comes up in conversation. How to make time to do what you love on a daily basis is something worth asking. When I had stuff, but I didn’t have...
Deep Breathing: Why every athlete should be doing it
Deep breathing has hundreds of proven benefits. That’s why some of the world’s top athletes practice it regularly. We all know we should take more deep breaths. But doing it is another story. Here are...
Finding Flow in Sports: What the Yoga Sutras teach us
What the Yoga Sutras have to teach us about finding flow in any sport The whole idea behind the practice of yoga is to remove excess thinking and start becoming. The Yoga Sutras, an ancient Hindu text, mentions only...
International Surf Competition Hosts No Women’s Division: A story of inequality in surfing
Inequality is alive and well, unfortunately, in the sport we love the most. There is a buzz in the air this week here in Puerto Escondido as the annual international surf competition is coming up this weekend. The...
Sailing Around the World – The less obvious ‘How To’ steps
Dream of sailing around the world? Here’s how. All the things you never thought of. It’s an honor to introduce you to one of our best friends who made her dream happen. We’re so excited to be following (&...
Never Feeling Good Enough – Depression and the perceived curse of being ‘different’
Depression & my own self-limiting beliefs from being a tomboy The dark states we find ourselves in from time-to-time should be shared. Communication and openness is a wonderful healer & I’m incredibly grateful to...
How to survive surfing in winter – 8 ways to nail winter surfs
Surfing in winter : 8 ways to nail winter surfs Surfing in winter. With another British winter in Cornwall just around the corner, here are some top tips to get your head in the right spot to prepare for the bleak yet beautiful...
How to Know if Conditions are Above Your Ability Level or if it is Just Fear Holding You Back
Knowing When to Push your Comfort Zone and When to Say No is Very Important It can mean the difference between injury and maybe getting the best waves of your life. I sat on the beach watching the waves break. On that day...
How to choose the right surfboard – A surf coach breaks it down for you
How to choose the right surfboard With so many shapes, sizes, variations, refinements, and customizations, it’s so important to know how to choose the right surfboard and aid progression, rather than hinder...
Organic Skincare vs. Chemical Nasties – Why you need to switch now!
Organic skincare vs. chemical nasties Why would you put anything else on your skin? We catch up with Made For Life Organics founder Amanda Winwood on what it means to use herbs and flowers over chemicals, and why you should make...
Equal pay for women in all WSL controlled events from 2019 but NOT the QS (yet)
This is a historic day for women’s surfing and women’s sport in general Same sports. Same wages. Read the WSL press release. Today the WSL announced that for all events that it controls, from 2019 both male and...
Laura Crane has skin in the game – A surf story in 5 parts
Laura Crane has skin in the game This article was originally posted by Rebecca Olive, on her blog Making Friends With The Neighbours, kindly republished to Still Stoked with permission. The title of this essay is inspired...
Passion will see you through the toughest of times – Meet Swiss surfer Delphine
Surfer Delphine may be the most inspiring women in the world. The girls on the women’s WSL tour think so! Delphine’s story is a testament to the power of having a passion, and how that passion will see you through the...
How to surf like a pro with no waves nearby – Meet German surfer Kat Kern
How to surf like a pro when you’re from a landlocked country Katerina Kern is an absolute shredder from Germany. How did she do it? How does a girl from a landlocked country (OK, I know Germany has a small coast-line)...
For Her Eyes Only – Surf tips for girls. Because all these things will happen to you!
For Her Eyes Only – Surf tips for girls All the things you wish that your surfing-mother told you If you are like me, then most of your surf mentors have been male. A boyfriend, a dad, the old salty dog (aka an older...
Open letter to Department of Health – Instagram models paid $600,000 to promote health to young girls
Open letter to Department of Health Australia MissAdventure penned this open letter in response to breaking news that The Department of Health paid Instagram models & influencers $600,000 of taxpayer’s money to promote...
Talalla Surf Camp Review – A week of progression & yoga in paradise
Talalla Surf Camp Review, Sri Lanka Talalla Surf Camp is affordable 6-night surf and yoga retreat in South Sri Lanka Best for surfers that want a chilled vibe, to learn or progress quickly, in soft, manageable waves & a...
Billabong Ballito Pro tells girls the world values them less than boys
Blatant sexism in junior surfing Ballito Pro surfing competition and Billabong come under fire for massive sexist oversight Hot on the leg rope of the first women’s big wave competition in Puerto Escondido where...
The complete guide to buying skis for women
How to buy skis for women What to look for when buying skis for women With an increase in women hitting the slopes, it’s hard not to notice that ski companies are developing and manufacturing some great, female...
How to get your sports photography featured in major publications
So you want to get your sports photography published? Summer 2018 really is the summer of sport and a great time to work on your sports photography. With top-billed international events such as Wimbledon, the football...
Surf Boat Life – All girls on a Maldives surf charter with Triton Safari
Maldives surf charter on The Triton The Triton Maldives surf charter runs 14x fully customisable, 12-night trips during the Maldives surf season, mid-April to mid-October. Surf charter prices go from 1,300 EUROS – ...
Overcoming fear of wiping out – In surfing and in life
Overcoming fear Overcoming fear, it’s that exact moment where you must commit 100% to the wave. The point of no return. At that moment, if you aren’t absolutely certain that wave is yours for the taking, then you will...
Shadow Boxing in the Lineup
Shadow Boxing in the Lineup – Guest post by Karren Knowlton, originally posted on Medium I feel their eyes glide over the curves of my body. Their gaze evaluative, hungry. I am being watched. My skin prickles with...
The ALEXA Surf Bikini – Fully adjustable so won’t move when you do!
Designing the ultimate active bikini Because so many surf bikinis don’t stay put! Use code STILLSTOKED for 10% off Large bust small frame bodytypes need the exact opposite of what mainstream bikini brands currently...
Why do yoga teacher training if you don’t want to teach?
Why do yoga teacher training? Yoga has been a constant in my life since I was 16. Alongside snowboarding, it comes an equal first as my longest relationship – 18 years and counting! Without yoga in my life, I’m...
You aint paddling right! – Surf tips to paddle stronger & surf better
Paddling – Show that sweet spot some loving! – Guest post by surf coach Alice Louise Brown of King Surf surf school If you ain’t paddling right, there’s no point in trying to learn new surf tricks when you’re...
Have idea. Quit job. Start SunGod – Founder Zoë Watkiss shares her story
Have idea. Quit job. Start SunGod. That’s what their bad-ass female boss Zoë Watkiss did when she started sunglass and snow goggle company SunGod. Little did she know their idea would become one of the UK’s...
Surfing Hokkaido in Winter – The snowiest place on earth
Surfing Hokkaido in winter I remember watching this video of surf legend Sally Fitzgibbon’s documenting on a surf trip to Novia Scotia, Canada. Beat down from the cold, she wept in the car, saying to her dad over and over...
An Open Letter to the International Olympic Committee on the “Shit Show” that was women’s slopestyle
The “shitshow” that was women’s Olympic slopestyle – This letter was written by Amber Stackhouse (an exceptional snowboarder that was a HUGE inspiration to me). Thank you Amber. I have added my...
Alexa Hohenberg – Graduating from park-rat to the backcountry snowboarding (film)
From park rat to the backcountry Growing up is weird. I’ve definitely been struggling with it recently. I turn 34 next month. Apart from the artheritis in my neck that has started to RAGE since surfing in 5C water...
Coalition Snow Interview – Two women tackling the male-dominated snow industry
Coalition Snow : Defying Shrink It and Pink it I knew first-hand that women never had as many choices as men when it came to performance equipment. – Jen Gurecki, CEO of Coalition Snow If you’ve...
Best Cat Skiing in Niseko – Where to go for backcountry snowcat in Niseko?
The best cat skiing in Niseko? Niseko has a few cat skiing options in the local area. From day trips to multi-day overnight stays. We break down the best Niskeo cat skiing operations and what each one offers. I’m...
Battling Depression – Jess Grimwood on suicide and the support of surfing
A raw interview with WQS surfer Jess Grimwood I first met Jess Grimwood while surfing in El Salvador during a stop of the WQS qualifying series. She was competing for a spot on the World Tour. Even though we didn’t...
Best Surf Sunscreen – Full review of reef safe, natural sunscreen brands
What is the best surf sunscreen? We test the best reef-safe surf sunscreens. Please look after your skin & don’t put chemicals in the ocean. Clue up on this stuff & READ THE LABELS! Each year I spend well...
Why women need the support of men in the outdoors
Aspiring to be a strong female ski guide – This article took a long time to write. First started in 2016 and finished in 2017. I was scared to publish it. ‘Girl. You’ve got to be better, faster, stronger’ – that was...
Melissa Arnot tries to explain ‘Why’ – On climbing Everest without oxygen
The incredible Melissa Arnot A mentor to my good friend, Syd Paez Duncan, and an inspiration to women all around the world. Melissa Arnot is someone I personally look up to in absolute awe. Not so much for her mountaineering...
Dear sports marketing. Ditch the f**king models. We want athletes & real women.
Real women inspire us I work in advertising. It pays the bills far quicker than snowboarding or blogging ever could. Sometimes I feel bad about this. Like that time I worked on fast-food chicken, shouting the benefits of...
Simple living is the hardest thing to do – Or is it?
Simple living in the mountains Alone in a hand-built log cabin deep in the Canadian mountains, I’m sitting here pondering life. It took a lot of effort to physically get here, and right now life is pretty sweet...
Working a winter snow season in Japan – Everything you need to know!
Working a winter snow season in Japan Everything you need to know about planning and doing a ski season in Japan Japan is home to some of the best powder skiing in the world. If you’ve been considering working a snow...
20 Questions with Isabella Nichols – Surfing is the best job in the world
Isabella Nichols interview A ripper surfer and a one-time body double for Blake Lively, The life of Isabella Nichols could have been very different had she stayed in Denmark, where she was born. Instead her family moved to...
10 Reasons to road trip in winter – Car adventures aren’t just for summer!
Take a road trip in winter Road tripping is synonymous with sunshine, long evenings, sunsets and adventures. When I think of taking a road trip, I envision weekends surfing, living in my car and exploring blue pins dropped at...
How to maintain a travel budget after you’ve returned home
How to keep that travel budget long after you’ve returned home It only took 7 days for the desires to set in. What scented candle will I have in my room? What new hairstyle shall I get? OMG, I have to have that cute little...
The reality of a female wakeboarder – Carro Djupsjö speaks out
Carro Djupsjö wants to change the conversation This article was originally published by Carro Djupsjö on her website, Wakecarro.com. Many words rang true for me, inline with an article I wrote last year with over 10,000...
10 lessons to be learnt from Japanese culture
Opening my eyes to Japanese culture It’s been a great pleasure living in Japan the last three months. I have worked as a backcountry snowboard guide on the north island of Hokkaido (population 5.4 million). The Japanese...
What’s in my backcountry pack? Essential gear for ski or snowboard trip
What’s in my backcountry pack? We all love gear right? Some people more than others. Get a few backcountry ski or snowboard heads together and sooner or later the conversation will turn to gear. Who has what. What...
Fran Miller Interview – The unique style behind her surf photography
I don’t like rules and I don’t like boring. -Fran Miller I first met Fran Miller on the slopes of Perisher ski resort a few years back. She had a strong backside 180. Her photography skills were immediately apparent...
Top female athletes share their environmental goals for 2017
With the new year comes an opportunity to reflect and focus on opportunities ahead. This year, something feels different. We are entering into a new political era where emotions are raw and positive change is uncertain. Nowhere...
Olympic Snowboarding Big Air – So hot right now
Snowboarding has always been a world of two halves: the competitive side fuelled by increasing rules and regulations, and the soul-searching freeride side, seen as art more than sport. Never are these two sides more...
Surfing or Snowboarding? Can you love two sports equally?
Snowboarding or surfing? “Surfing or snowboarding – which do you prefer?” For what used to be an instant response, “Snowboarding of course!”, today the answer is taking a little longer to formulate. ...
The world’s best female action sports photographers – part 2
The world’s best female action sports photographers These women are leading the charge in capturing some of the best adventure photography on the planet Following on from The world’s best female action...
The world’s best female action sports photographers – Part 1
What does it take to be a good photographer? My own personal interest in photography led me to exercise my curiosity. For all the great adventures we see captured in a photo, there is a story behind each image and a journey to...
Don’t call me lucky. You make your own luck
You make your own luck One 12 hour flight. Two grueling 7 hour bus journeys. 3 countries and 2 continents later, here we are in the Andes! My face beams with excitement. I write this with a bus window view that spans the...
Skiing in Argentina – A survival guide to spring in the Andes
Skiing in Argentina Malbec wine, delicious steaks, steep couloirs, smiling locals – what’s not to love about skiing in Argentina! During the Northern hemisphere summer months, down below the equator where the...
Why you shouldn’t quit your job to travel the world
Don’t quit your job to travel the world – Guest post by Nina Ziezman from Shewhoadventures.com It’s become a cliche of the 21st century, hasn’t it? Quitting your job to travel the world. From your local...
These Syrian women are the real heros of the 2016 Olympics
With so much buzz around the Olympics in Rio (not all good), it’s easy to get swept up in the hype and hysteria and overlook the freedoms that allow free movement and permission to chase your dreams. All athletes...
Don’t make these 6 mistakes when learning to surf
6 mistakes you will make learning to surf Learning to surf is tough. I read an article by the amazing Girl Surf Network recently that spoke about surfing being a 10 year sport. Yup. 10 years. That’s how long it could take...
Why every athlete should practice yoga
Practice yoga and bend so you don’t break! If the best in the world are stretching their arses off in order to get strong, why aren’t you? Like most snowboarders, my body has taken a serious beating over the...
Sex Sells You Short – Social media & the pressure on female athletes
Sex Sells You Short When I look back on the female athletes I admired as a kid, they were strong, unapologetic badass women, who shattered gender prejudice and trail-blazed a highway for other girls to follow (thank you Lisa...
How does Bethany Hamilton surf with one arm?
Bethany Hamilton just inspired the entire world. Her performance surfing at the Fiji Pro left everyone with mouths on the floor and nothing but wide eyes and praise for professional athlete, mother, wife and inspirational...
VANLIFE: The tiny home, bus & van conversions of Thompson Pass Alaska
Living up on Thompson Pass in Alaska the last month taught me a few things: You do not need many possessions to be comfortable Two changes of clothes should cut it There is a whole world of people living simply and...
Tailgate Alaska – 10 must have survival items
Tailgate Alaska Survival It’s my first year at Tailgate Alaska, a 10-day winter festival in the parking lot at the top of Thompson Pass. Thompson Pass is the snowiest place in Alaska and the connecting roadway between...
Become A Better Surfer – The importance of mobility & stretching
How to be a better surfer – The importance of mobility & stretching If you want to look graceful, sharp and stylish in the surf, as well as avoid surfing injuries down the track, get friendly with a surf specific...
When someone shows you who they are, believe them
When someone shows you who they are, believe them – Famous quote by Maya Angelo This is an unusual post. Not at all action sports related, but life lesson focused. It’s about wanting to let something go...
3 Mental Tricks to Overcome Fear
99% of action sport athletes don’t know when to listen to their fear or work through it. In this article you’ll learn the how to take advantage of the 3 dimensions of the Performance Triad. We will identify the 7...
The proof is in the powder – How I ended up at Baldface Lodge
I believe that good things happen to good people. This winter, I’ve had wonderful things happen with the support of strangers, friends, ski resorts and brands. Sadly, bad things also happen to great people and last week a...
She Shreds – Julie Ann Chapman on women in snowmobiling
My goal for women in snowmobiling is to get more ladies in love with the sport and to create a greater awareness for backcountry safety. Julie-Ann Chapman is a female professional snowmobiler originally from...
How to overcome fear after an injury
In a second article by pro snowboarder Jussi Tarvainen on the topic of injury and recovery, we look at how fear can impact you . If you missed the first article 5 Reasons injury can be the best thing to happen, make sure...
5 Reasons injury can be the best thing to happen
Did you just come out of an injury and now you’re second guessing yourself, overthinking and freezing up when trying to do old tricks? Are you seriously underperforming and afraid to fall, make mistakes and get re...
10 excuses that stop you from living out your dreams
You put that dream out there and you start that journey, that dream and that goal changes so much it’s ridiculous – professional BASE & Wingsuit Flier, Chris “Douggs” McDougall from the...
Surf fitness and exercises with pro surfer Paige Hareb
Paige Hareb is a professional surfer from New Zealand with an wicked sense of humour and envious, globe trotting lifestyle on all the best waves. We met through the Girl Surf Network and ran a small riot in Manly, during...
You have to fall to rise
You don’t need a reason for everything you do in your life. Do it because you want to, do it because it’s fun…..do it because it makes you happy. – Guest post by Echo Giesel Widmer I do not...
Surfing and Happiness – One wave is really all it takes
At my home break on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, there’s a bright and beautiful surf group that meet every Friday at dawn. Fluro Friday: they wear bright, skin tight, patterned lycra and surf with ginormous smiles, wigs and...
Winter sports travel insurance – The best for heli skiing or backcountry?
Best travel insurance for backcountry skiing? I have just gone through the rather painful process of looking at numerous travel insurance companies to find the best winter sports travel insurance for heli skiing...
Be A Good Human – Silvia Mittermüller on her clean, GMO-free diet
When I was younger, I used to watch these snowboard edits from this European crew called iSenSeven. There was this one chick, Silvia Mittermüller, that got a section in these films. She RIPPED! Over the years, through...
Pro snowboarder Helen Schettini dicusses the link between diet & injury
The relationship between injury and poor nutrition, a healthy diet and athlete staying power; Helen Schettini knows a thing or two about both these things. After breaking her legs three times over three consecutive...
Backcountry Safety: Gear, courses and essential avalanche skills (video)
Backcountry Safety Gear, courses and the skills you will need Backcountry skiing and snowboarding is hot topic right now. Escaping the ski resort crowds, getting amongst the beautiful mountains, slaying the line of your...
What to pack in your backcountry snowmobile backpack?
What to pack for snowmobiling Professional snowmobiler Julie-Anne Chapman knows a thing or two about packing a backcountry bag. She takes us through what items she wouldn’t leave home without and makes some recommendations...
Your protein diet needs when training
Getting ready for winter involves a lot of training and strength work. You need to be ready for long days riding and more importantly, ensure your body is injury proof. I am even more focused and motivated to get strong for...
Living off the grid – One girl’s solo snowmobile adventure to Alaska
Aged 18, I met Inga on my first season in Whistler Blackcomb in 2002. She was this cool Norwegian chick living up the road, that I’d always see in the snowpark ripping the same features as me. I can’t remember how we...
How to snowboard: 12 tips for beginners
So you want to learn how to snowboard? Yes! I’m stoked for you! Learning how to snowboard should be really fun. It is just awesome and I’m personally ALL for introducing more people to my favourite thing...