As Santa Barbara Sheriff's Deputy Kenny Rushing stepped into his police cruiser on a frigid
winter evening in 2010, he received an urgent call, detailing a police chase that resulted in a
head-on collision. Both hands gripping his wheel, Rushing’s eyes gleamed with determination,
fixated on the road ahead. The flashing lights of his police cruiser prompted an immediate shift
in demeanor, readying himself for the tense scene ahead.
“There was nothing but fire and screams when I got out of my vehicle. I knew the flames were
too hot, but I couldn’t sit around and do nothing,” said Deputy Rushing

In April of 1965, The Vietnamese jungle felt unusually humid on this particular afternoon with an air engulfed in fumes of distant fires. This created a suffocating atmosphere filled with unknowns, which surrounded Staff Sergeant Frank Lee and the rest of his squadron. As they walked up to the desolate village on patrol, boots covered in mud, hands tightly gripping their metal machine guns, something seemed off. Slowly making their rounds they realized the village seemed much more isolated than usual. The doors of the makeshift wooden homes were wide open, empty, and filled with dust, producing an eerie feeling of abandonment. They continued along the path led by the battered brick walls, wearily trudging down the dirt road to the center of the village. As they reached the end of this path, they paused for a moment, sitting in silence.

ASM’s stories are clean, family-friendly, and deeply connected to the real lives of surfers. Lambert insists they are trying to tell stories that have impact and can make a difference. It’s a deliberate break from the industry’s often jaded and commercialized tone. The magazine’s rapid evolution from digital upstart to a publication with ambitions for print is a testament to a singular vision, rooted in community growth and providing opportunities for young writers to tell stories that matter....

The familiar scent of salt air was tinged with smoke, making lineups feel lighter in the shadow of loss. In the aftermath of the wildfires, Malibu surfers weren’t just wrestling with battered waves and murky water. They were facing something deeper, a fractured community scarred by destructive flames and the loss of family homes. The Palisades Fire left over 6,800 structures destroyed and many families without a home. The runoff from these memory-filled structures left many surf spots polluted a...

“I saw 21 of them on my 21st birthday,” said Brock. “I couldn’t believe it. There were so many endangered fish in one place.”The giant kelp forests along the Santa Barbara coastline are unique, teeming with endangered life forms and unparalleled biodiversity. Giant kelp is the largest marine alga in the world, growing about two feet every 24 hours and capable of reaching over 100 feet tall. According to California's National Park Service, the grand size of giant kelp forests creates intricate un...

Here is the embodiment of these attributes in the realest set of surf film, combining clips from all three Florence brothers into a tasteful look at Oahu’s most talented brotherly trio. This surf film encapsulates the 2023-2024 Hawaiian surf season, giving viewers a glimpse into surfing’s most unforgiving stretch of coast. Here isn’t just a set of stacked clips produced for the viewer's enjoyment; it’s a purposeful film that builds throughout, ending with a climactic show of elite-level surfing....

Breaking away from their pre-show huddle, the band Cordoba took to the stage dressed in white button-ups and black slacks, stylishly equipped for their debut. After weeks of practice, the dreams of their first performance culminated in a sweaty backyard oceanfront show, atop a makeshift wooden stage.As they prepped their instruments, the crowd waited anxiously for their show to begin. One strum of a guitar turned into a cohesive clash of fluid jams. Cordoba’s jazzy flow kept their audience buzzi...

Longboards or Mid-lengths are highly recommended to have the best time while out at San’O, providing the optimal amount of foam to get you into as many waves as possible. This is due to the soft and steady form that waves take at this break, creating a calm and peaceful session for all surfers. The waves will continue throughout the year, as even during the surf off-season, the waves will rarely go flat. It is best to surf early in the morning to beat the crowded line of surf-hungry locals. You...

After almost losing a limb from a life-threatening surf-related injury, surfer and UCSB alum Sorrel Tolkmitt found his way back in the water only a few months after surgery. “I have had countless memorable sessions, but one specific one comes to mind,” said Tolkmitt. “After I injured my knee, my first surf back was at Sands. My friend shot photos of my first wave… the perfect moment after overcoming such a scary injury like that.”Isla Vista isn’t just a college beach town, it’s a place where stu...

This spot is primarily known for its rocky point break, providing surfers with a peeling right wave that will take you on a joy ride down the California Coast. Akin to Rincon on bigger swells, this spot will be perfect for surfers with a more advanced skill level. The main take-off area is extremely risky and hard to predict, landing you right above a cluster of salt-covered boulders. El Cap is one of the few waves in the Santa Barbara area that gets steep enough to throw a proper barrel. The ma...

Unlike other more predictable spots around California Big Sur’s breaks can be fickle. The breaks along this coastline are heavily affected by the tides, wind, and swell direction, which will all be defining factors in creating a proper session with rideable waves. The best time of year to surf in Big Sur is during the Fall or Winter, as the swell direction will mostly be coming from the northwest. This direction brings the most consistent and powerful waves to the shores of Big Sur, offering sur...