Brazilian babe Maya Gabeira rides big waves.  Not just any big waves, but some of the biggest waves in the world big.

She’s elevated the women’s surf industry to another level by surfing where most men wouldn’t dare to put in a board.  She noticed a lack of women out there taking on walls of water at legendary spots like Waimea, Mavericks, and Teahupo’o, and knew that needed to be changed.

“I try never to be stopped by my fears,” Gabeira says. “Because I’ll tell you what–I’m always scared.”

As a young teenager she learned quickly how to live on her own after her parents divorced.  She was kicked out of the house for her rebelliousness and started surfing when looking for something that would give her some focus in life.  She moved to Hawaii on her own at the young age of 16 to hone her craft and she’s been killing it ever since.

“And yes, in the beginning I did take a lot of risks, but in the beginning you have to take those risks.  How else do you make it?  How else do you realize your dreams?”

Gabeira is said to have surfed the largest wave ever ridden by a woman at the shark infested ‘Dungeons’ on the South African coast (photo).  Damn, talk about living it up.  She’s on fire.

Maya Gabeira on Twitter

Sources & Photos:  Women’s Health, Outside Magazine, LA Times, Red Bull, Huck Magazine

Photos:  Hawaii – Kalalau Trail, Na Pali Coast, Kauai

The sun was beating down on us and we were aching all over.  Our packs were weighing us down and our blisters were on fire.  I held my breath around the dodgy corners so I wouldn’t slip and tumble to my death.  We completely underestimated how tough this hike would be.  After two nights of camping on the remote Kalalau Beach, my boyfriend and I were heading back to civilization along the rugged 11-mile Hawaiian Na Pali coast trail.

We had a running joke, “How much money would it take for you to walk allllllll the way back to camp and then walk alllllllll the way back?!”

“There’s no way… I physically couldn’t do it. I would die,”  was my response.

A young couple from Germany caught up with us for a snack break.  We throw our packs down and perch ourselves on the side of the rocky cliff overlooking the vibrant blue and green tropical coastline.  The view is so stunning it looks fake.  Aside from the occasional tourist helicopter buzzing overhead, we are the only 4 spectators watching the waves crash violently into the rocks down below.  We sit completely exhausted in our Clif bar eating trances and wait for a cool ocean breeze to come by and slap us back to life.

Breaking the silence I asked them, “What part of Germany are you from?”

“Bavaria.  Where are you from?”  the tall young German guy asked as the sweat dripped into his face.

“Southern California… What brings you to Hawaii?”

“We’re 6 months into our year long round-the-world trip.”

I gasped then responded, “Really??  We’re dying to plan an around-the-world trip one day.”

Without hesitation he looked me dead in the eye and in his German accent he simply responded, “Do you dream or do you plan?”

I shuddered as it sunk in instantaneously. “One day” doesn’t exist on the calendar.  This guy was right.  Maybe it was the sweltering heat, maybe it was because I was chewed up and spit out by this 22-mile trek, but his simple straightforward no bullshit response has resonated with me ever since.

While stretching out my sore knees, I looked at my boyfriend and asked, “So… what would it take for you to go allllllllll the way around the world and back?

Do you dream? Or do you plan?  Make it happen.

THIS BLOG IS MOVING TO VELOKOVA.COM…

Photo:  Buzz Aldrin

Same blog, new name and look.

I’ll be here conducting experiments on a regular basis.

VELOKOVA.COM

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