Who are the girls behind an all-girls surfing community SheSurfs?

We decided to ask Mikala and Hayley a few questions all about their SheSurfs project, how it all came about, where it is now, where they want it to be and a bit about their surf trips to Indo and the Maldives coming up.

Girls, tell us a bit about yourselves. Where are you from? What’s your home break? Where and when did you start surfing?

M: I live in Mona Vale on the northern beaches of Sydney and have moved around from beach to beach for the last 4 years.  I grew up on the Hawkesbury River water skiing and traded in my skis for a surf board when i was 18. I seriously took up surfing when i was 23 years old and have been surf stoked ever since. I surf the northern beaches every week but any chance i get, you’ll find me on the road heading either to the north or south searching for waves and sleeping in my car. I am a surf photographer so the east coast of Australia is a pretty fun playground for me. My favourite place to surf and shoot is the mid north NSW coast.

H: I live in Dee Why, however, I hardly ever surf there as I hate surfing on my own so usually surf Freshy or Manly. I grew up in Sunny sweet Coffs Harbour, the northern beaches is Sydney’s answer to a coastal town vibe I think, so i love it here! I am obsessed with surfing and all things oceanic… I wish I was a mermaid and thought I was one until I was 13 (my mum had to gently break it to me). I race triathlons and I am a healthy fitness freak, fiercely love my friends and family and am pretty much always happy. Oh I started surfing when I was about 21 but seriously for only about 3 years.

What is your favourite local and overseas surf break?

M: Every beach here is so different and my favourites would be Manly, Curl Curl and North Avalon. Overseas would be Jails in the Maldives and Canggu is pretty fun in Bali

H: Local break… um North Ave or the Bower for a nice Log session. Overseas would have to be Jails in the Maldives when it’s not crowded.

What is your major line of work/what were you doing before SheSurfs came about?

M: I am a surf and wedding photographer. I’ve been photographing weddings for the past 7 years and merged my photography skills with the underwater world about 5 years ago.

H: I run the day spa at the Hilton in the city (Sydney).

Tell us a bit about why you started ‘SheSurfs’?

M: My photography took a turn towards the surf industry about 5 years ago and over the time i found myself photographing and focusing more and more on the girls surfing industry. Living the lifestyle myself and being completely surf stoked, I went on my first overseas surf trip in 2008 with a few girl friends and photographed the whole trip which then appeared in Curl magazine. Since then, my photography has been heading in the editorial direction. Hayley and I were close friends and surfing together every week and always talking about how we wanted to meet new surfer girls. We started SheSurfs because we wanted to share the lifestyle we live with girls all around the world and connect other like-minded surf girls together. It started as a creative outlet for us both for my photography and Hayley’s writing and design skills and really it was the perfect match for an online surf space.

H: Because we love surfing and want to encourage more girls to surf! I love making new friends im a totally social butterfly and think surfing is the best thing I stumbled across! Mikala was one of my closest friends and we wanted a creative outlet so SheSurfs was born after a surf at Dee Why over a coffee

Tell us a bit about SheSurfs. What exactly is it you do?

M: Yeah, a bit of everything. We are very lifestyle-based and like to bring everything a girl loves and needs to know about being a surfer girl to one place. We like to source out new and exciting brands, do giveaways of cool things, write articles that surfer girls would be interested in reading.

H: Oh we do everything you name it! Interviews with pros, interviews with everyday surfer girls, product reviews, recipes, fitness, beauty tips, photos, surf trips, videos and much much more!

Starting out, what did you think SheSurfs would be? Did you always intend for it to grow the way it has?

M: SheSurfs is becoming something i visualised and wanted to do long time ago, I just never knew it until recently. To be honest, i didn’t think much about it at all when we first sat down with the idea. I was just so excited and consumed with the idea about creating a creative outlet for ourselves that i had no idea that it would go in the direction that it has and as fast as it has.

H: I mean it’s always good to have dreams and I am always dreaming, but the reaction we have got wasn’t something we were prepared for. However when you do something you love I think that shows and people see your passion and are drawn to what you are doing.

Why do you think the girls surfing community has gotten behind SheSurfs?

M: I think because SheSurfs shows the beauty and grace in being a surfer girl and living the coastal life. We have reached out to so many girls that not all surf but just love the lifestyle of the surfing life. I think the girls have gotten behind it because it has open the doors to connect surfer girls all around the world together through sharing photos, travelling and meeting new people and sharing the great brands out there that are creating great products for surfer girls.

H: There is nothing quite like it out there. We are not out there for ourselves we want to help girls get into surfing and encourage those who already do to get better also to surf more. In particularly we want to encourage girls to be healthy and active and surfing is such a sturdy platform and culture that does this.

What is it that makes you different to a local board riders club or other all girls organisations out there?

M: We are different because we are more of a brand and are focused on bringing everything a surfer girl needs to keep her in the water surfing. Tips on surf fitness, photos to motivate her through winter, suggestions on new products etc. We cater to all girls from beginner to advanced and we are more about connecting girls together on a broad scale.

H: We are not based on results and want to cater for all levels and ages of girls that surf. It is for any girls who has a coastal mindset. We want girls to get involved on whatever level they want and want them to feel like they have a place to go to find out anything surfer girl related.  We always try and get back to girls who email us and are open to suggestions.

Without giving away too much, what future plans/goals do you have for SheSurfs, where do you see it or where do you want to see it in say 5 years?

M: Yeah some very exciting things in store for SheSurfs. Definitely more adventure and fun! You’ll have to stay tuned!

H: Oh so many plans and dreams and goals with SheSurfs, more trips, more fun, more adventure, more give aways! We would love to get something published in one way or another so keep your eyes open for this.

You have already done a few surf charters with Perfect Wave to the Maldives and they have been very successful. Tell us a bit about these. How did they come about?

M: The trips came about 2 years back when I was asked to shoot a girls surf trip in the Maldives. Hayley came along and we blogged it on SheSurfs. Since then it has just exploded, again in a way we weren’t expecting. So we had the opportunity then to get girls together from all over and go on surfing adventures in search of perfect waves! The Maldives is an amazing place with so much to offer a surfer. The last few trips we have met some awesome girls from all over and had an absolute ball. The girls mostly come on their own and don’t know anyone. By the end of the week the girls feel so comfortable and a few girls have formed great friendships. 2 girls from the last trip recently met up and went surfing at the wave park in Abu Dhabi. It’s so great to see as that’s what we at SheSurfs wanted to do was to connect surfer girls and like minded girls together.

H: I HEART the Maldives. My first trip was a few years ago now but it was the best 10 days of my life! It’s a safe place and a fun place! Over the last few trips, we have a made so many wonderful new friends and experienced things we will all never forget.

Any funny stories from the past trips you can tell us about?

M: Every trip has its funny moments. The last trip would have to have had the funniest moment. Being stuck on a tropical island in a tropical storm in the middle of it all, a girl losing her Ray Ban sunglasses in a lobster tank resulting in one of the other girls diving into the tank to fetch them. This tank was full of lobsters. We all returned to the boat saturated from the dhoni ride back to our charter boat.

H: So many funny stories; Somehow Mikala and I always end up running late… We are always running through airports in a fit of giggles. (We always make the flight but our names are usually called over the loud speaker)

What’s in store for next season (2014) – where are you off to?

M: We are really excited to explore a few new places with surfer girls next year. New adventures are just around the corner!

H: Mentawais, Maldives, Maldives and possibly Fiji.

Anywhere in particular you really want to take a SheSurfs group one day?

M: I would love to do a road trip through either South America or Europe or something! I think that would be a crazy, fun-filled adventure

H: I would love to go to Hawaii with a group of SheSurfs girls.

Finally… Any message for surfer girls out there, where can they find you, how can they book on to one of your surf trips or anything else you want to pass on?

M: We love to hear from surfer girls! We are always looking for interesting stories, great new products and anything else in the world of surfing. If you live on the northern beaches of Sydney, you will always find us out in the surf or up and down the east coast of Australia. We are always up for a surfing adventure and if you want to come travelling with us, you can learn about our surf trips on our website and through The Perfect Wave!

H: www.shesurfs.com.au | Facebook – Shesurfs | Instagram – @shesurfs1 | Personal Instagram: @hayles11 and @mikalawilbow.