Eben Page [upd] ❲RELIABLE | ROUNDUP❳
And then there is Eben Page.
In big-wave surfing, there is a saying: "There are old surfers and there are bold surfers, but there are no old, bold surfers." eben page
Born and raised on the North Shore of Oahu, Page grew up in the shadow of Waimea Bay. He cut his teeth in the same whitewater as the Malloys and the Hamiltons. But unlike his peers who chased magazine covers, Page chased a different metric: survival. And then there is Eben Page
In an era of hyper-curated Instagram feeds, daily vlogs, and sponsored hashtags, the true "surfer’s surfer" is becoming a rare breed. We are flooded with content, but starved for mystique. But unlike his peers who chased magazine covers,
He currently runs a small woodworking shop on the North Shore, building furniture for local families. He is likely wearing a faded t-shirt and sandals right now. He probably hasn't looked at the Surfline forecast in three days.
In a rare 2016 interview (one of only a handful he has ever given), Page said: "Panic is a luxury you can’t afford. When the water goes dark, you have to find the light in your own chest. That’s not bravery. That’s just training."
Eben Page is the exception. And that is because he treats the ocean like a mathematician, not a matador. Those who have surfed Mavericks with Page describe him as unnervingly calm. While waves detonate with the force of a freight train, Page doesn't hoot. He doesn't flail. He breathes.