54 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM {due west} get stoked travelersurfclub.com PHOTOGRAPHY: COURTESY OF GEM PADAMADA / COURTESY OF MORGAN SAUNDERS “We’re kind of pinging all over the place,” Rel chuckles. “It’s juggling. It’s like being in the circus.” Julie chimes in, “It keeps it fun!” The ocean keeps them grounded in this vortex of activity. “You clear your mind when you’re in the water, because there’s really nothing else you can be doing,” Rel points out. “When you get out of the water, too, there’s something about the energy of the ocean that stays with you—that kind of tingly feeling throughout the day.” Julie nods her agreement. “I love that it’s different every day,” she adds. “It’s not like a skate park or like snowboarding where you can see it ahead of you. The wave is being formed right in front of you.” Seeking to share their passion, Traveler cultivates the next generation of wave riders with surf lessons for all levels. Rather than group sessions though, expect one-on-ones tailored for those “looking to become independent in the water,” says Rel. “We’re trying to get people to establish surfing as a lifelong practice … becoming a real person of the ocean. That’s our goal. The lesson is the catnip that hopefully turns you into a lifelong surfer.” And when you’ve reached that point, the Traveler club is a perfect place to get plugged in. “We overhear that they’re going on a surf trip together or we see them coming into the club together, and they just met in our backyard,” Julie says of their members. “There are so many cool little connections and friendships that are happening. That feels like a measure of success for us.” Of course, it helps that they’re all rallying around a shared love. “You’re out there together, riding little balls of energy that come into shore,” Julie describes. “It’s pretty magical.”
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