Girl Gone Wild: Surfer Mary Osborne's Journey with 5 Gyres

Patagonia surfer Mary Osborne aboard the Sea Dragon.

It’s a sickening image: A decomposing albatross, its stomach pried opened to showcase a collage of plastic lighters and colorful bottle caps. But the famous photograph, taken by Chris Jordan as part of his Midway series, is quickly becoming just a highlight in a saddening collection of portraits of marine animals stuffed full of plastic waste. The scary part? They weren’t out feasting on some mythical “Island of Trash” floating through the ocean, much like we’ve been led to believe by our morning news hosts. If they had, the problem would be manageable—the reality of the plastic pollution situation is much worse. 

“All I knew was there was this big ‘pile of trash where currents cumulate and it’s the size of Texas,’” says Mary Osborne, a Patagonia Surf Ambassador who, in 2010, sailed across the Atlantic Ocean with the 5 Gyres team to witness the pollution firsthand. “I didn’t understand why we couldn’t just fly there, document the gyre, help clean it up, and fly back.” With a team of 13, Osborne voyaged from Brazil to South Africa aboard the ship the Sea Dragon to the South Atlantic Gyre, a massive, slow rotating whirlpool where plastic waste accumulates. We caught up with the 31-year-old Ventura, California, native to learn about what exactly she discovered on her month-long expedition:

Read our interview after the jump!

Girl Gone Wild: Gillian Gibree Shares SUPYoga Tips

Yoga isn’t easy to begin with (not many people can readily twist themselves into figurative pretzels), and it’s gotten progressively tougher thanks to variations like sweat-inducing Bikram and inverted trapeze yoga. But no form of yoga fires up those little (and rarely used) muscles quite like standup paddleboarding yoga, the art of stretching out while perched on a SUP board in the middle of the water.

SUP yoga is relatively new, too, with the first weekly classes sprouting up in San Diego about three years ago. The woman behind the craze? Paddle Into Fitness’ Gillian Gibree, the lanky blonde beauty you may recognize as one of the models from the new Roxy Outdoor Fitness campaign. The Massachusetts native grew up lifeguarding, ocean swimming, and surfing on Cape Cod, but it wasn’t until she moved to San Diego that she decided to combine two of her favorite fitness pursuits—yoga and standup paddleboarding—and launch the first set of weekly SUP yoga classes through her company, “Paddle Into Fitness.” Here, we catch up with Gillian to get the scoop on the benefits of yoga on the water and her tips for getting started.

What are some of the benefits of practicing yoga on a SUP board versus in a studio?

It’s a fun way to get outdoors when the weather is nice. The unstable surface of the board makes it a little more difficult—even planks and other simple poses become harder and they fire off muscles you may not be working on stable ground or in a studio. It’s a nice change from the mirrors and the studio—our goal is to have fun and enjoy the elements, to get out on the water and try something different.

Gibree wearing Roxy Outdoor Fitness apparel. Photo by Shadow Van Houton.

What are some beginner yoga moves we can try on our boards?

Anything from a seated position—eagle arms to open the shoulders, even meditating from a seated position to get into the routine. From there coming to all fours, doing some cat-cows to warm up the spine before extending the opposite leg and hand, which will get the core firing. Work on some balance moves and you’ll start noticing the board making something like the table top position more difficult. Get into plank pose for a few breaths, then move to downward dog.

More after the jump!

Girl Gone Wild: Katie Boué's Cross-Country Van Trip

Photo by Katie Boué. The "Craggin Wagon."

In May of 2011, climber Katie Boué and her "big hairy boyfriend," Niko Monteiro, embarked on a five-week cross-country trip in Boué's parents' Pilot—a dream many of us have. After stint doing the whole "normal person" thing back in Miami, the duo decided they wanted to expand on their trip—for an entire year, to be precise.

So they're back on the road again, living in a van with just enough Internet service to stay connected and a stockpile of baby wipes to stay clean. They're calling it Simply Adventure, a year-long jaunt across the country in their van—dubbed the "Craggin' Wagon"—to practice climbing, educate people about the importance of caring for our crags and National Parks, and prove that real adventure is not only possible—it can be practical and inexpensive if you do it right. Two months into their trip, I caught up with Boué, a 24-year-old freelance copywriter, to see how her plans have changed so far and get her tips on making a simple cross-country trip a reality.

Aw so cute! Nike and Katie enjoyed the scenery.

You'd originally set out to visit every state in the country except two. Now that you're on the road, has the plan changed?
During the planning of the trip, Niko and I originally wanted to visit all 48 states on the mainland, but quickly decided to nix Oklahoma and Kansas because we've driven through them so many times. After finding out about some supposedly sweet climbing in the Wichita Mountains, we might be changing our minds again. Nearly two months into the trip and we've visited 10 states, from Florida to California to Utah.

Girl Gone Wild: SUP Yoga Instructor Emma Rossoff

Have you ever met someone who you thought was going to be awesome, then she turned out to be even better? That's kind of what I have going on with Emma Rossoff. I got in contact with her when I wrote this piece about Outdoor Vino and immediately wanted to know more. It started with her covetable position as Tasting Room Manager at Naked Winery near Hood River, Oregon, where she gets hands on with sales, staff and, yes, tastes wine. Then it was her summer job running an outdoor yoga program, followed by her winter job running the Sno-Blasters Kids Snow Sports program at Mt. Hood Meadows. To top off it all off, the girl is stunning. Amazing home base, dream jobs, killer body and personality to boot? I think it's safe to say she fits in here.

Oregon is such a wonderful place to live for an outdoorswoman. What activities do you take part in?
I love to ski and snowboard on Mount Hood, and standup paddle board and kite board on the Columbia River. Down winders on the SUP [standup paddle] are some of the best adventures.

You were one of the pioneers of SUPYoga—what are the benefits of practicing on the water?
It challenges your core stabilization muscles and your senses more than on dry land. You're surrounded by beauty, which can sometimes distract or overwhelm you, so you have to be more focused. The consequences of falling in the water are way more fun (and refreshing) than falling on a studio floor, so one might be encouraged to get into an inversion, for example. It's a total confidence booster.

What's one piece of gear you're loving right now?
I'm loving my Marcy ear-flapped beanie by Pistil and my Omni Mitts by DaKine—both essential for winter in Hood River. The Naish 12'6" Glide is the best all-around SUP for me. It's wide and stable enough for SUPYoga, fast in the flat water and easy to carry.

Tell me about picking up kiteboarding.
I had a nightmarish adventure learning how to kite off Jetty Island near Seattle a few years before moving to Hood River. I launched myself into the air and crash-landed into the sand. My friend had to spend an hour saving the kite I was using. When I moved to Hood River, I invested in five or more hours of private lessons...essential! Even though the gear is much safer, everyone should learn from a certified instructor. Kiting on the water together with my husband is one of the coolest things we share, although one of us is usually on the beach with toddler duty.

Working at a winery seems like a great job—how does your career help you lead an outdoorsy lifestyle?
At Naked Winery, "we aim to tease!", so it's always fun. Several of us also work for Mount Hood Meadows during the winter, including one of our owners. He understands the importance of keeping it real and we even have a brand of wine that represents that with Outdoor Vino.

What are the top three items on your bucket list right now?
1. Standup paddle the Colombia River to the Pacific Ocean.
2. Hike the Pacific Crest Trail south to north with my family.
3. Hold Pinca Mayurasana on a SUP.

Check back next month because Emma is showing us three easy yoga moves to try on our SUP boards right here! 

Girl Gone Wild: India's First Female Surfer Ishita Malaviya

This post originally appeared on GrindTV.com.

When Ishita Malaviya, 24, first paddled away from shore on a surfboard, she had no idea she was the first female Indian surfer in history. In fact, she's still one of the only women in her country to venture near the water—India sees over 75,000 drowning deaths every year, a heavy deterrent even for those willing to try the sport. Now, she's hoping her role in "Beyond the Surface"—a new documentary directed by Dave and Crystal Thornburg-Homcy and starring fellow surfers and environmentalists Liz Clark, Lauren Hill, Emi Koch and Kate Baldwin—will encourage more Indians to get into the water and bring a new wave of ecotourism and hope to her country.

When did you first realize you could possibly be the first female surfer in India?
I started surfing in 2007 with the Surfing Swamis and they were the ones who initially told me I was the first Indian girl to start surfing on home shores, but I just couldn't believe it at the time. It felt too unreal. Two years later on a surf trip I would find out it was true. We had decided to travel along the entire South Indian coastline to meet other Indian surfers. I asked them if they knew of any other girls who had started surfing and they said," No Ishita. You really are the first one!"

Photo by Charlie Yacoub

Remember slackliner Dominique Harrison? She sent me this picture the other day. How cool is she? I'm definitely not dedicated to slacking enough to freeze my butt off like she did:

"I haven't been slacking as much as I would like recently as I injured my ankle pretty badly on the line," she tells me. "But I couldn't resist having a quick slack when the snow came."

Ok, Darlings, spill: Do you know an adventurous girl who deserves to be featured in Girl Gone Wild? Tell me so I can reach out to her and share the spotlight!

Girl Gone Wild: Lindsay Perry

Photo courtesy of Lindsay Perry.

They say God doesn't give with both hands, but after chatting with Billabong surfer and artist Lindsay Perry, I'd have to disagree. She's a bonafied stunner with classic sun-kissed beauty (tousled waves, freckled skin), a knack for art and graphic design and, now, a budding career in music. Sure, she's a triple threat, but she's also too sweet to eat. See what I mean? Two. Hands. I caught up with Lindsay to hear what's new in her life (and snag some awesome packing tips!).

What makes you a Dirtbag Darling?
I like that term, ha ha. I think partially it's being able to just go with the flow. Not being high maintenance—being able to camp all night and surf all day, but still be stylish and feminine. I love all outdoor activities, really. Surfing, fishing, book reading at the beach, bike riding, and even outdoor leisure sports like corn hole, bocce ball, ladder ball.

How does the ocean influence your art and music?
The ocean influences my whole life. It's something that keeps me calm and peaceful. When I go too long without getting a little salt in my hair, I get grumpy.

Art by Lindsay Perry.

Tell me about your album!
Thanks for asking! I'm so excited about it. It's my first album, titled L.O.V.E. and it releases this month. It's a lot of blues, but nothing too emotional. I'm working with a really great group of people in Florida, Studio 18. They've put in so much work with me for it, I can't thank those guys enough.

What's your ideal Saturday?
An early surf, hang at the beach for a while, come back, make a good lunch, cruise for a bit then maybe an evening session. Come home, get dolled up and go out for dinner and a night on the town with my girlfriends.

You've traveled so much—have you become a good packer? Any tips?
You have to be, especially if you travel with boys. After my European road trip with Billabong, I learned to only bring the essentials. For me, I try to not pack an article of clothing unless I know for a fact I'll wear it. If I'm not wearing it at home, chances are I won't wear it traveling. I usually carry:

Girl Gone Wild: Lorna Jane Clarkson

Lorna and her pup Roger

I'll admit it: I'm a bit of a workout apparel hoarder. I have more sports bras than I do pairs of pants, and I'll take a pair of sneakers over red-soled pumps any day. But when I find a brand I love, I'm loyal forever, mostly because it's so gosh darn hard to find a brand that lives up to the hype and the ever-important criteria of looking cute, fitting well, and performing perfectly. 

So when a pair of lovely PR ladies introduced me to Australia's leading activewear and sportswear label, Lorna Jane, I was impressed. Since then I've acquired a few pieces from LJ and they've taken me from my local jogging paths all the way to Yosemite and back again. I run in Lorna Jane, I climb in Lorna Jane and I'd sleep in if I could (wait, no I wouldn't, sweatpants are too awesome). I was humbled when the founder herself, Lorna Jane Clarkson, read a review of her apparel on my blog and spread the word—she's definitely a down-to-earth business woman who hasn't let success go to her head. So of COURSE I had to get to know the fitness-guru (and, to my surprise, outdoor enthusiast). Read on to meet Lorna and get majorly inspired to do something healthy for yourself today:

What makes you a Dirtbag Darling?

One of the things I crave as soon as I wake up is to get outdoors, breathe in some fresh air, soak up a little sunlight and get my body moving. I absolutely love an early morning hike, run along the beach or simply walking my dog. It has become a daily ritual that allows me to clear my head, be in the moment and prepare for the work day ahead. On weekends, I might follow my run with a swim in the ocean or some yoga moves on the beach. It's amazing how much positive energy you can generate by simply being outdoors.

The Lavish Zip Through jacket. Photo courtesy of Lorna Jane.

Girl Gone Wild: Stephanie Schechter

Like most teenagers, Stephanie Schechter loves bikinis, the beach and trying new hair products. Unlike most teenagers, she's a stylish competitive and sponsored surfer (Axxe Classic Wetsuits, Wonderland Sun Optics, Kevin Connelly Surfboards, Insight, Hansen Surf Shop) with one of the raddest internships out there.

I met Stephanie last year at Shaper Studios, a do-it-yourself surfboard shaping workshop in San Diego where she interns. While I was interviewing some better-known female surf talent who frequented the shop, she bounded in and stole the show with her epically long hair and bubbly attitude, quickly introducing me to the entire staff and showing me some of her quirkier surfboard designs (she's notorious for doodling Pokémon and monocle-clad octopi on her friends boards). Needless to say, the girl is going places.

How did you learn to surf?
My father has been surfing since a very young age and taught me and my brother how to surf as soon as we could swim. Around age three, he would take me out on the nose of his longboard and by six or seven I was catching my own waves.

Girl Gone Wild: Amanda Chinchelli Greer of Seea

I remember the day I met Amanda Chinchelli Geer because I was terrified. I've never been pro at interviewing people, and I was intimidated: Italian/Brazilian designer, amazing surfer, and a natural beauty? That all changed once she greeted me with a huge smile and warm, honest answers (which can be hard to get from people who probably spent the afternoon deciding what they really wanted me to know for my articles).

That's why I'm extra glad she's seen major success with her surf and swimwear line Seea. Get to know this beautiful (inside and out) lady:

My name is Amanda Chinchelli and I live in San Clemente, California. I'm originally from Italy but I was born and raised in Brazil until I was 10, when I moved to Florence. I grew up learning to swim fast underwater, sew, crochet and ride scooters in traffic.

I'm the founder and designer of Seea, which is a swimwear brand created to help others enjoy the surf without worrying about sunburn and wardrobe malfunctions while looking stylish and feminine.

My favorite piece from Seea!

Girl Gone Wild: CO Babe Alex Swanson

There are plenty of amazing women out there, but I've only met a few that are truly exceptional in every way. Alex Swanson is one of these ladies. She's inherently kind, outgoing, inspiring, adventurous and loyal, and has that rare quality that makes you feel like she's really listening when you talk. It doesn't hurt that she has legs for miles and supermodel good looks to match. But what I really love about Al, who works as a marketing manager for nature-loving label Element Eden? She's a true dirtbagger. Oh, and fellas...she's single:

Her favorite outdoor activity:
If it involves the outdoors and a moving body, it's my favorite.

The most adventurous thing she's ever done:
It started in the third grade when my older brother told me my dearest boy crush would date me if I jumped off the garage roof...and I believed him. Turns out it was all a lie, but it did result in a new passion for "flying" by way of snowboarding off the roof, cliff jumping into water, and skate ramp bungee launches into the lake. I still have yet to find a dream guy with enough balls to hold up his half of the deal.

Girl Gone Wild: Slackline Girl Dominique Harrison

Photo by Charles Yacoub

Slacklining may just be the most challenging thing I've ever tried (if you don't know what it is, check out my post on getting inspired to try it here). Still, when I see women like Dominique Harrison walking gracefully across the line, I can't help but envision myself there. So I caught up with the well-balanced lady to learn a little more about her sport and chat about slacking with elephants and challenging the guys:

Tell me about yourself, Dominique.
I was born in Scotland and grew up in Uganda, Indonesia and Kenya (where home is at the moment). I'm 20 years old and at university in Brighton, England where I'm training to be a teacher.

How did you get into slacklining?
Someone told me about it and I went along to a session that was linked with my university, and as soon as I tried it I was addicted.

Girl Gone Wild: Danny Clayton of Salty Gypsy

Gripe about technology all you want, but I love the way it can connect you with someone all the way across the globe. Take Danny Clayton for example: I would never have known about her had it not been for her blog, Salt Gypsy. Now, I'm writing an article about her surf leggings and chatting with her about her life on the water and shaking our booties to some salsa music. Danny sleeps, eats and breathes surfing, a lifestyle that's taken her from the corporate offices of Billabong New Zealand to the freewheeling life of a surf guide in the Maldives. I just can't get enough of this girl!

My name is Danny and I live in the Maldives on a surfari boat. I'm originally from New Zealand, where I grew up learning to duck dive on the ferocious West Coast and to follow my passion.

Girl Gone Wild: Rhea Cortado

 I met Rhea during a summer party thrown by Insight at their Venice Beach store last year. I was there with a friend who worked at Surfer, so I figured I'd be listening to surf talk all night (not that I mind, but I was in need of a little girl talk that night). Luckily, the two of us got to talking by the bar and I realized girl talk could be surf talk, too! We chatted about our experience, the boards we wanted and, yes, her really cute shoes. By the end of the night, we were having so much fun we decided to go to another location to continue our chat. It's been a few months since then, so I emailed up my long-lost friend so she could share some of her ocean-based wisdom with you:

My name is Rhea Cortado and I live in Venice Beach, California. I'm originally from Watsonville in Northern California where I grew up learning to love the beaches and redwoods of Santa Cruz and local, farm fresh produce.

I'm a scatterbrain and can only comprehend today, in the present. I’m also a writer as an occupation and can only work for a very efficient five to six hours in front of the computer before I hit a wall and have to go outside and do something active.

I admire women who make their livelihood by pursuing their passion and love it so much that you can feel it, energetically from them. I like to call it “palpable stoke.” I love women who have palpable stoke. I also love women who are self-confident, independent, totally happy, alone but not lonely.

When I have a weekend off from working, I usually spend it surfing and sunning at the beach in the morning until I reach physical exhaustion and then trying some new cooking experiment for dinner and dessert with my favorite girlfriends and/or my boyfriend. 

My favorite place to spend time outdoors is the beach because I love the water and someone told me that the ions released when water crashes is scientifically proven to be relaxing. Even just walking on the beach or walking around mountainous areas where you can see the coastline in the distance feels like everything will be all right with the world.

Surfing has taught me patience, discipline, humbleness, payoff for work and commitment, and that whatever was bothering you in the parking lot doesn’t matter anymore when you’re floating out in the middle of the wild ocean. 

One luxury item I always have with me is my Shiseido sunscreen while I’m outdoors. And a Hermes bracelet my sister gave me for when I’m doing the city girl thing.

This fall I'll be in the southwest of France cooking up a storm as the in-house chef for Surf Sistas and Big Friday surf camps through September and October.

One thing I'd love to learn to do is commit to a yoga practice because I like how there is a spiritual and physical component to it and I always feel refreshed after class. I'd also love to learn how to get over being scared of falling from tall heights because I would love to get out to the desert and learn how to rock climb!

My favorite piece of advice for living a healthy lifestyle is to care and pay attention about what you put into your body. Many ailments and illnesses originate from poor diet. And take some time for yourself every day—whether it’s preparing your own food, doing something active outside, having a crafty creative hour or book-and-hammock time. Your work life will be more productive and your personal relationships more mutually rewarding when you’re a happy, mentally and physically well-balanced person.

Thanks Rhea! If you want to see more of the radness Rhea's putting out everyday, check out her blog TheSurftorialist.com. 

Images by Allan Nadel and Kate Czuczman

Girl Gone Wild: Jessica Cramp

Jessica Cramp is brave, but not for the reasons you might think. Sure, she swims with sharks and has her pilot's license, but she's also done something that most people will always be too scared to do: She quit a well-paying job and stable future to chase her dream.

Cramp, a Pennsylvania native (like me!), was living in San Diego working as a scientist and running experiments in search of new medicines. She loved her job and the freedom it gave her to surf during lunch and take vacations, but still she felt a gaping hole in her life. That's when a stroke of luck changed her fate. "In a strange turn of events, I won a ridiculous game show with two of my best girlfriends," explains Cramp, "and it gave me the funds to pay off college." After her big win, Cramp quit her job and began volunteering with organizations and causes she believed in. Since then, she's been to Haiti, Costa Rica and Panama, sailing to Tahiti before decided to settle down in the Cook Islands. Now she manages the Pacific Islands Conservation Initiative, an organization that runs a shark sanctuary, a turtle research effort and a conservation education project. 

"I learned to live simply in a very tight-knit community," she says of her new life. "It's been an emotional roller coaster, but I wouldn't trade a minute of it because I'm living true to the fire that burns in my guts." Studying sharks, swimming with turtles and making a difference? Jessica is a huge inspiration to me, so I caught up with her to give you guys a little more insight into what she's all about:

Girl Gone Wild: Brook Power

I met the stunning Brook Power a few months ago during a photoshoot for the magazine I was an editor at and developed a serious girl crush. The model, surfer and skateboarder is intimidating at first (after all, she’s incredibly beautiful), but as soon as you start chatting with her you realize she’s full of quirks and she makes you feel so at ease. Maybe it’s her Hawaiian upbringing, or the fact she’d rather spend money on her horse than on a new pair of shoes. Naturally, she’s the type of girl I’ve stayed in touch with from time to time.

So, I caught up with Brook to chat about her outdoor life and paying homage to her Dog Town skater dad:

Hey Brook! You grew up in Oahu, which most people dream about visiting. What’s the best and worst part about living there?

I did! It’s really one of the best places to be a kid because you live without any fear and so many aunties and uncles to surround you with love…and Spam musubi’s haha. I grew up so at ease with the ocean, even on its wild days—it’s like my baby blanket. Growing up in Hawaii you are fairly free from superficial things. I still don’t have any desire to buy expensive things and I think it’s because I grew up never even thinking about cars or clothes or shoes. All I wanted was my Roxy bikini and my Hello Kitty backpack. The down side of the island life, especially on O’ahu, is how overpopulated it’s become. Traffic is terrible and they have been constructing these horrifying plastic dollhouse housing developments all over the island. It’s sad really. I hope that Hawaii kids will never be jaded because of the malls and department stores and will stay barefoot as long as possible.

What kinds of outdoor activities do you love?

I live by a national park at the moment so I ride horses out here and hike around waterfalls and mountain bike. I can hike to the highest peak in the Santa Monica mountain chain from where I live. I’ve been surfing Malibu a bit lately, too, and in the winter we go to the sulfur hot springs. 

I remember you saying one time that your dad was a Dog Town skater back in the day. Did he try and get you to skate a lot when you were younger?

Meet the First Darling Ambassador: Eleasha Gall!

Introducing the first Darling Ambassador: my sister Eleasha Gall! Darling Ambassadors are the women I admire who truly embody the healthy, happy, adventurous spirit of Dirtbag Darling. They’ll check back in and share their adventures with us all year. Check back as we’ll be adding more inspiring Darling Ambassadors every month! 

Asking Lea to be my first Ambassador was a no-brainer. She’s the one who inspired me to start hiking and kayaking and even convinced me to love yoga (it took a while). Even when I was a little kid, she was always jetting off to some exotic country to live on a boat or visit a leper colony (yep). Get to know Darling Ambassador Eleasha Gall now:

My name is Eleasha Gall and I live in Long Beach California. I’m originally fromTrumbauersville which was a very small town in Pennsylvania with only two streets,  Main and Broad. My dad was actually mayor for a little while but that’s only because they went door to door asking if anyone wanted to volunteer for the job. I grew up learning to be self-sufficient and handy.  We didn’t have a lot of money so if something around the house broke we had to figure it out. 

For work, I’m the Director of Animal Behavior and Training who oversees the care of all of the animals at spcaLA. My team and I work with dogs with issues to help them become more adoptable and much easier to live with once in the homes.

I admire women who are kind. It’s unfortunately very rare that you meet a truly kind person, someone who—without a personal agenda—goes out of their way to make someone have an easier day or smile. I had an amazing friend, Erica,  who always made everyone feel as if they were the most important thing. Unfortunately for the world, Erica left us all way too soon but her kindness will never be forgotten and is something I’m forever amazed by when I meet the rare person like her.

When I have a weekend off from working, I usually spend it paddle boarding with my dog Monster, hiking and camping with both of my dogs, doing yoga on the bluff, reading on the beach or getting together with friends to listen to some live music. 

My favorite place to spend time outdoors is the beach or in the woods because it helps you to very much love living in the moment.  It’s important to look at this amazing world and cherish it. We should never take our planet for granted. The world is big; life is short.  

My favorite outdoor activities are sailing, diving or anything on the water. Being out there is a magical feeling. I was hooked on diving the first time I floated underwater.  It’s like flying on another planet, especially night diving when all the creatures come out. Love it!

One luxury item I always have with me are my princess-cut diamond earrings. No matter how dirty or muddy I get outside they always make me feel like a million bucks.