Second Breakfast SWA Podcast

Second Breakfast SWA Podcast

From our table to yours, this space serves as an extension of those caffeinated post-surf chats. It’s a way to connect and engage in meaningful conversations, sharing our stories of play, challenge, and triumph in and out of the ocean. Listen + watch to be inspired, empowered, educated, and challenged while connecting to a community of women surfers through storytelling.

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Second Breakfast SWA Podcast
  • Bodysurfing, Big Waves, and A Lesson in Flow

    In this episode, Holly sits down with Katie McConnell to explore the world of bodysurfing and big wave surfing. Katie shares her inspiring journey—from learning to surf as a beginner, to falling in love with bodysurfing, to eventually competing in some of the world’s most powerful waves. They div...

  • A Mother’s Worst Nightmare: Saving Her Toddler from a Jungle Snakebite

    Holly chats with Meredith, a Santa Cruz native who moved to Pavones, Costa Rica after falling in love with a local surfer—now her husband. Meredith shares what it’s been like to build a life in a remote jungle town, from surfing and raising kids to becoming part of the local community.

    The conve...

  • What No One Tells You About Moving to Costa Rica

    Holly is joined by photographer and author, Kristen, as they dive into the vibrant life of Costa Rica, and explore the challenges and joys of living in a tropical paradise. From surfing adventures and cultural transitions to the complexities of sustainable development, this episode offers a candi...

  • Surfing and Hitchhiking Across 7 Countries: A Radical Road to Healing

    Holly sits down with Aloe Driscoll—author, surfer, and adventurer extraordinaire—for a wide-ranging conversation that dives into the complexities of family relationships, money and investing, surf culture, and personal transformation. Aloe shares stories from her journey as a novice surfer evolvi...

  • Surfing Since '71: Lessons from 50+ Years as a Woman in the Lineup

    Jo caught her first wave in 1971—and hasn’t stopped surfing since. In this episode, she shares how five decades in the ocean shaped her life, fueled her passions, and led to a recent dream surf retreat with Seea x Surf With Amigas. From early surf days as a women in predominantly male-dominated l...

  • What Costa Rica's Growth Means for Locals and How Expats Can Help

    Former pro surfer and Costa Rican local Andrea Díaz joins Holly to discuss how tourism and foreign investment are transforming Costa Rica’s coastal communities. Andrea shares her journey from competitive surfing to community advocacy and motherhood, while also highlighting how expats can support ...

  • Pavones Under Threat: Surf Town vs. Mega Developers

    Holly and Dr. Tara Ruttenberg dive into the complex realities of surf tourism in Costa Rica, with a focus on Pavones—a surf town at the center of recent government-led demolitions and mega development plans. They unpack how gentrification, foreign investment, and tourism impact local livelihoods,...

  • Bad Surf Advice, Females in Business, and Our Favorite Surf Stories

    In this unfiltered episode, SWA founders Holly Beck and Jackie George pull back the curtain on all things Surf With Amigas. They dive into the most frequently asked questions from the Amiga community, share some of their wildest behind-the-scenes stories, reflect on how far SWA has come, and offe...

  • How One Woman Built a Global Brand from Surf Leggings: The Story of Salt Gypsy

    In this conversation, Danny Clayton shares how her passion for surfing and desire to connect women in the water led her to create Salt Gypsy. What began with a blog and a pair of surf leggings evolved into a surfwear and surfboard brand centered on empowering female surfers. Danny discusses the c...

  • Mindset Hacks to Design the Life You Want

    How can you shift your mindset to take empowered steps toward the life you want? In this conversation, amiga and nutrition and fitness coach, Leka, shares how you can do just that through training and visualization practices. Leka's nature-filled, unconventional upbringing led her to pursue surfi...

  • Leah Dawson on Finding Flow and Fulfillment in Surfing

    Today we chat with Leah Dawson, a style icon in surfing. Leah has lived through incredible growth in women’s surfing, confronting many challenges of her own in the industry while also bringing a unique perspective to the sport. In this episode we learn about how Leah’s philosophy of surfing and s...

  • My Surf Trip Worst Nightmare Came True

    Rachel Lonergan shares her story of a freak accident which resulted in the loss of her husband while on a surf trip in Indonesia. She talks about their love for surfing and their travels to remote surf spots around the world. Rachel describes the panic and uncertainty she felt when her husband we...

  • Embracing Aging, Learning to Surf Later in Life, and Finding Your Tribe

    Holly and Alumni Amiga, Nancy, chat about learning to surf later in life, the importance of community and support among women surfers, and the challenges and joys of aging while staying active. Nancy shares her story of learning to surf at 55, finding her tribe of adventurous women through the su...

  • Why Should Surfers Care About Plastics?

    In this conversation, Emma, podcast producer and SWA instructor, shares her experience as an environmental advocate supported by Surf With Amigas. She recently attended the United Nations Plastic Pollution Treaty Negotiations in Busan, South Korea, where delegates from 175 countries sought to fin...

  • How to Beat Imposter Syndrome and Own Your Success

    In this episode, we dive into one of the most debilitating forms of self-doubt and how to overcome it: imposter syndrome. Around 75% of women say they suffer from imposter syndrome, yet not many of us actually talk about it. Holly and amiga, Kristin, chat about how imposter syndrome can rear its ...

  • Women Shape Surfboards Too with Ashley Lloyd

    Today we chat with surfer and shaper Ashley Lloyd, who grew up immersed in Malibu's male dominated surf culture. She shares her journey of breaking into the shaping industry and her collaborations with some of surfing's most influential figures. As she spent much of her life in California's compe...

  • Obsessed with 'Just One More Wave'? Consider This

    What should you do when surfing isn't fun? Can you end a session by paddling in to the beach without chasing "just one more"? How can visualization enhance your surfing experience? We explore these questions and more in today's episode with Hilary Achauer, amiga, journalist and aspiring author. W...

  • Why Saying No Is a Superpower

    In this episode we explore themes of self-worth, boundaries, and generational resilience while chatting with 23 year old director, Meg Wriggles. Her documentary, White Horses, explores the intersection of horseback riding, surfing, and some of the pressures professional sports players face. We di...

  • I Surfed Mexican Pipeline in the 90's

    Brandy White shares her journey from a life centered around surfing in Puerto Escondido in the 90's as one of the only women in the lineup, building a business, and living through the war on drugs in Mexico, to eventually relocating to San Diego with her kids. She recounts her love story with Joe...

  • Why It’s Never Too Late to Pivot

    In this engaging conversation, we cover a range of topics with our guest, Shelby Stanger -- author, podcast host, and full-time adventurer. We delve into Shelby's interesting career, from surf instructor to international journalist to sports show host to freelance writer, and more. Shelby shares ...

  • Imagine Escaping to Raise Your Family on a Sailboat

    In this conversation, Amy Cobb shares her incredible journey of living aboard a sailboat with her five children and husband. She reflects on her past as a model and surfer, her experience working for Playboy, and the transition to motherhood, commercial fishing and a life at sea. This chat highli...

  • How Would a Matriarchal Society Redefine Surf Culture?

    This conversation explores the intersection of surfing, women's empowerment, and bodily autonomy, focusing on the initiatives of 'She's On Edge' in Charleston, South Carolina. She's On Edge is a Charleston-based women’s surf and skate collective that hosts meetups and special events for ladies of...

  • Lessons From a Gypsy Witch Doctor: Holistic Healing

    Amiga, MD and self-proclaimed gypsy witch doctor, Irene, grew in Cuernavaca, Mexico, and started surfing later in life when she realized it helped her heal physically and emotionally. This encouraged her to pursue alternative healing modalities such as Chinese medicine and shamanism after studyin...

  • 9 Months Pregnant and Still Surfing

    Would you still surf if you were 39 weeks pregnant? Former SWA Instructor, Hannah, would, and she would do it in a 5/4 wetsuit! In this conversation we explore the intersection of surfing, pregnancy, and motherhood. Holly and Hannah discuss surfing while pregnant, and the impact of motherhood on ...