For the team at SurfGirl, the sea isn’t just a backdrop—it’s at the heart of everything we do. This International Women’s Day, we’re celebrating the incredible women behind SurfGirl, who live, breathe, and find strength in the water. Here are some quotes from the SurfGirl Team:
Hayley
“Surfing, and the ocean, are at the heart of my family life, my work and my physical and mental fitness. It wasn’t always that way. I came into surfing late and it was a difficult and frustrating sport to take up. But I didn’t get into surfing, or persevere, just because I wanted to be a surfer. It was because the sea has always been my happy place, and it got me through some really difficult times. Over the years it’s led me to finding lifelong friends, bringing up a family of surfers and using the power of the ocean to drive my words, my work, and my lifestyle.”
Scar
“Having the ocean on my doorstep is something that can never get old. For someone who has always been drawn to the sea, I somehow managed to spend a lot of my life living very far away… If my younger self could see me now—living in the surf capital of the UK, working both in the water, and for publications that celebrate it—she wouldn’t believe it. Even on the greyest days, the ocean is a reset button. Being part of SurfGirl, and inspiring other women to embrace the beach lifestyle, is something truly special.”
Lucia
“Growing up in north Cornwall, the sea has always been a big part of my life, my dad has always been a keen surfer and had my sisters and I in the water with him from a young age. Throughout my teen years and adulthood, the beach and he sea have always been a place I can go to to unwind, when I’m in the water the stresses of the outside world seem to wash away for a while, and I can just have fun and be myself.”
Holly
“I love the water for many reasons but mostly for the fun feels and the opportunity to not take yourself too seriously.”
Rosie
“International Womens Day for me is a celebration of the progress we’ve made in women’s surfing over the years – there’s now more women than ever in the water, women are now surfing in countries that they wouldn’t have been able to even 10 years ago and we have equal pay in WSL comps to name a few. There’s still a long way to go but here’s to appreciating the wins. Going for a surf with other women is a priviledge and a buzz that will never get old.”
Carly
“Life has had it’s ups-and-downs for me over the last five years and during the trickier times I worked out that a surf, swim or just walk on the beach was often the tonic for calming down my nervous system and getting a clear head. We have a little house motto “it’s never a bad idea to get in the sea” and so far that has been true to form. The ocean is free, it’s always there and you never leave it feeling worse-off than before.”
Louise
“Being part of SurfGirl on International Women’s Day and reflecting on the resilient and inspiring women we’ve met and featured over the years, it’s makes you feel proud to be part of this amazing community of water women.”
From girls who have spent their entire lives in the water to those who found the ocean later in life, we all share a deep appreciation for its power. At SurfGirl, we are lucky to connect with women worldwide who feel the same, and today, we celebrate them all.
Happy International Women’s Day to all the water women out there—may the waves always bring you strength, joy, and a sense of belonging.
