Maria Fernanda -- big wave surf photography, fins and a camera

 ** Episode 101 **

Maria Fernanda swims with fins and a camera in waves that most of us won’t paddle out for. As a native of Mexico City, Maria found her love of the ocean through years of family trips to the coast to ultimately discovering natural strength in big surf. Tied to Maria’s passion for photography, this has led her on a journey to photograph some of the heaviest waves on the planet such as Nazare, Pipeline, Todos Santos, and her home break of Puerto Escondido. Along the way Maria has trained in big wave rescue, survived a broken leg in the water, built a global community of friends in the ocean, and continuously pushes her physical and mental limits swimming in heavy surf.

 

If you like what you hear today, go check out Save the Waves Coalition, at savethewaves.org, and learn about ways thay you can help protect sensitive surf breaks and preserve them for future generations. Thanks for caring about our ocean and thanks for being here today sharing in the ocean life of Maria Fernanda.

 

Thanks for sharing Maria's ocean life with us. Be sure to check her out on Instagram and her website. You can also find fun stuff on the ThisOceanLife.TV website, Instagram, and Facebook, and Twitter. Host: Josh Pederson, @surfpaddletailgate  

 

* Other pieces of our conversation *

• Recent (November 2019) swell at Nazare
• Swimming and taking photos at legendary big wave breaks such as Jaws, Puerto Escondido, Pipeline, Todos Santos, Waimea Bay, Nazare.
• First photo shoots and heavy waves on Kuaui
• Mental and physical training for swimming in big waves
• Growing up in Mexico City and finding her strength in the ocean through weekend trips to the coast with family
• Having a mentor to teach her surf photography, starting with a disposable camera!
• Perspective on the mainland Mexico big wave surf scene, and global big wave surf community