Seea - Seeababes

Santa Cruz Shout Out: Sawyer Land and Sea

2013-07-24T10:00:00-07:00

Providing a new perspective and creative alternative to the established surf and outdoor brands in Santa Cruz, Stacy Forrester’s store Sawyer Land & Sea Supply (named after her grandfather) is quickly becoming a new Westside community hang-out after being open just four months.

Owner of Sawyer Land & Sea Supply, Stacy Forrester.

On the day we stopped by, Santa Cruz surfboard shaper Travis Reynolds—whose boards are sold at Sawyer—cruised by to say hello. Stacy’s phone rings with friends calling. A local woman came back to buy a piece of art on the store wall by Mark Yanowsky and was debating between the smaller or bigger of her top two choices.

Stacy says, “You’ll figure it out. Do you want to just take it home and then bring it back?” The customer made her final decision without test-hanging it in her bedroom first, but that’s the kind of open hospitality and community trust that Stacy has with her customers.

We were introduced to Stacy through our San Francisco counterpart Julie Cox and visited the store in the Swift Street courtyard in the Westside of Santa Cruz. We talked to Stacy more about her surfing journey and the camaraderie of the female surf community from Steamer Lane to Pleasure Point.

Entrance to the shop. A lot of the wood used in the shop was made from reclaimed fences in Santa Cruz.

When did you start surfing and living in Santa Cruz?

I started surfing in my 20’s but fell out of the sport when I took a corporate job in San Francisco. Thankfully, years later I made a career change that brought me to Santa Cruz. I’ve been living in Santa Cruz 9 years and surfing whenever I can.

Why did you decide to open a store and what was the vision for it?

After spending that last twelve years working as a sales rep I found that as the years rolled on I was becoming less and less satisfied in my job therefore for my own personal growth I needed to make a change. In 2012 I started to develop a business plan with the idea of creating a store that addresses the Santa Cruz lifestyle in and around the ocean.

Old roll-top door and open air at the Sawyer storefront.

Thomas Campbell art and books for sale and Verve coffee from Santa Cruz.

How has it been so far and what have you been learning for the few months it’s been open?

Retail is not easy and doesn’t come without stress, but the change for me personally has been very positive. In the four months that I have been open I have met so many amazing people and developing friendships that I know will continue to grow. The local Santa Cruz community has been very supportive of Sawyer, and it is that support that drives me daily.

Board display. Sawyer stocks boards by local shapers Ashley Lloyd and Travis Reynolds.

What was it like when you first saw Seea with Julie and how’s it been received in Santa Cruz?

Seea—it’s unique and beautiful and that is what I was looking for. My customer’s love the colors, creativity, and point of difference that Seea brings to the sun/surf category.

What’s the female surf culture in Santa Cruz like?

Growing! I feel that I see more and more women out on the water than ever before and it’s amazing to watch and be a part of that energy in and outside the water. Equally cool is to hear the support they have for one another when surfing together. It’s fantastic, and it’s something that I wish I would hear more of when surfing. It’s all about having FUN, right?

Seea table!

You sell some interesting handcrafted alternative wavecraft like wooden paipos and wooden trays. What is the story behind the trays?

The beautiful wooden trays are Long Ship Designs version of the fast food tray that many of us as kids used to ride the waves and many kids still do today.

Inside the shop.

What are you working on for future Sawyer products and collaborations?

I am working on creating Sawyer’s “camp blend” with [the Santa Cruz coffee company] Verve. Long Ship Designs and I will be collaborating on some additional wooden items like cutting boards, surf wax container. There has been mention of a t-shirt collaboration with Save The Waves and I hope to create a bag with Topo Designs. Oh and by the way, I would be stoked to work with Seea down the road if ever given the opportunity.

Tell us more about your monthly events.

It is a part of Sawyer’s mission to give back to the community through supporting local nonprofits as well as support those who support Sawyer. To accomplish this I have monthly events that involve beer, music, good times and good people to support a local cause or celebrate a local artist. We look forward to showing films this winter and continue to house live music all of which allow Sawyer to give back.

What are your other favorite local businesses to support in Santa Cruz?

With in minutes from Sawyer I have many options and favorites. Bantam, it’s the new hot spot – incredible food and service. Hit Odonata for wine tasting. Santa Cruz Mountain Brewing right around the corner from the shop is awesome. Kelly’s is located on the other side of the shop and offers fantastic fish tacos. If you want to pack a lunch and go to the beach, go to New Leaf Market and hit up the deli. If meat is your thing, the sausage at El Salchichero is off the charts. A must is the bourbon bacon. Another new by bakery to hit is Companion Bakery that is actually located next to Odonata is fantastic. Basically you can’t go wrong when you stop in the Swift Street Courtyard, you can get everything you need within a couple blocks and before or after your surf.

We're big fans of Santa Cruz's gorgeous natural surroundings and super fun waves so its awesome that such a tight-knit, supportive group of surfer women are representing the area gracefully. Thanks Stacy for supporting Seea and fostering many creative artists in the community with your shop!

From SoCal to NorCal: Talking with Julie Cox

2013-05-04T08:37:00-07:00

Julie works on her cross step, somewhere in Mexico.

As a young veteran of the surf community, most women (and men) surfers cross paths with Julie Cox sooner or later. She’s been a dedicated local in the waters of southern California, a former professional surfer for Roxy in the mid 2000s, an instructor for Las Olas Surf Safaris in mainland Mexico and researched surf legends as operations manager at the California Surf Museum in Oceanside—which is where we first met her.

The next place you might see Julie is up in Northern California. She lived up there during the time she was pursuing a degree at UC Santa Cruz and traveling to compete in surf contests, and has recently returned to the bay area to be the manager/buyer of Mollusk in San Francisco. She is also Seea's Northern California sales rep.

We talked to Julie back when she was studying women’s surf history for the “Women and the Waves” exhibit at the California Surf Museum. This time, we had a conversation with Julie about women’s surfing in the current era and her new adventures in San Francisco.

Shown left, Julie with Ashley Lloyd Thompson at the Logjam in Santa Cruz. Congrats to Julie for taking 2nd place and Ashley for taking 1st.

How did you come to work at Mollusk in San Francisco?

Last year, I decided it was time to move away from Oceanside and explore the San Francisco Bay Area. I thought Mollusk would be a good fit and a good landing place for me. Thankfully, the owner did too and created some room for me within the company. Mollusk is similar to the museum in a lot of ways, but at Mollusk my job is pretty focused on a few things, whereas at the museum, I did a little of everything.

You went to school at UC Santa Cruz and have traveled around California a lot. Now settling back up in the Bay Area, why does it feel like the right place for you to be now?

It feels great to be back in the Bay Area. It feels right to be around the stunning natural beauty, the amazing restaurants, the progressive and artistic culture; the most sustainable city in the USA. I felt like I was ready to grow more and had always wanted to live up here. Timing felt right to take the plunge.

Even though surfing is a hobby of yours, working with people who surf, and brands that serve surfers is also a part of your career. What do you love about working with people who also surf and share the same kind of way of life as you?

I have surrounded myself with surfing for a long time, in many different types of jobs, but it comes down to being surrounded by good people. I feel lucky to have surfing be a part of my career path.

Angles and colors, Julie finds a photogenic spot to sit.

Who are some of the women surfers that are inspiring to you today and that you look up to?

I look up to Ashley Lloyd because she is a great surfer, great shaper, great human. Bev Sanders (founder of Las Olas Surf Safaris for women) has always been supportive of me and of women learning to surf. Both of those women are putting such positive energy into surfing and women's surfing. Jeannette Prince is also really fabulous. She surfs great, is super creative, and has stayed stoked on surfing throughout her life it seems.... Donna Matson is another early lesser-known pioneer. She is a mentor to me because she has lived life on her own terms and has amazing stories about surfing, sailing, scuba and her business (Western Instructional Television).

During the 1990s, it was a big deal for Lisa Anderson to be the first woman on the cover of Surfer and it was still a very male-centric sport. How do feel it’s changed from when you were surfing professionally around that time?

I think there are many more women surfers now and Lisa Andersen, along with the surf industry's women's lines, have helped inspire more women to get in the water in the 1990s. I used to know just about every girl in the line-up, but now I don't. There are so many! It is rad.

You made a line of women’s surfboards with shaper Jed Noll. What are some of the differences in making a surfboard for women than for men?

Jed and I created the Jule Collection to help support women in surfing and give them some fun options for boards made with women in mind. Dimensions are created based on my surfing, Jed's shaping experience, and also my experience teaching women how to surf. We make boards for a variety of conditions, body types and surfing styles. Guys like the Jule boards too, but our marketing and esthetics are focused on the women.

From seeing women surfers every day at Mollusk, what advice do they most frequently ask you for, and what do they want in surfing clothing and equipment?

Women are really stoked on the Seea suits because they are so cute, the styles are refreshing, and they are functional. I hear that some women are looking for more surf buddies to go surfing with. I think we are more social and want that camaraderie and support.

Coming from Southern California, how is the surf culture in Northern California different?

The surf culture is different up here for sure. The Santa Cruz surf culture is thriving and strong, but in SF it is more low key. There is just less surf industry, fewer stickers on cars—that kind of thing.

But the surfers up here charge! The waves are bigger and gnarlier and surfers are as dedicated and stoked. There are so many waves up here and lots of adventure to be had.

Julie in the Hermosa brown shell/navy.

Julie inside Mollusk San Francisco.

Museum Quality

2012-05-23T07:01:00-07:00

Who would have ever thought Seea would end up in a museum?? Well, if you stop by the California Surf Museum in Oceanside, you'll find that's exactly the case!

Considering that some of the original ideas behind Seea were actually inspired by a visit to the museum itself, (See our previous post on Julie Cox and the Woman on Waves exhibit), things really start to make sense. It's a great feel-good story, and a tribute to the importance of the CSM, and it's ability to inspire others to look at their history and create something fresh and new.

We love Julie, but then again - who doesn't? We are thankful and humbled by her support!

Our busy handyman whipped out another custom display - this old house siding gets a new life!

And away it goes!

Vintage suits from Seea, a nice Ukulele & some postcards. What else do you need to remember your visit to Oceanside?

The Museum's own Todd Quinn showed up early and lent a hand with the installation. Thanks Todd!

With an eye on the past, Seea pulls from our history as women surfers, and seeks to create beautiful, fun suits - A modern expression of the classic joy of surfing, tailor made for the women of today. We are excited to announce Seea's arrival at the museum, and are filled with stoke as Seea comes full circle: From inspiration to presentation, truly we have Julie and the CSM to thank!!

"Jules Schools" Special Guest Julie Cox on Women's Surf History

2011-12-23T11:08:00-08:00

We are proud to introduce our latest contributor, Seeababe Julie Cox, who will be schooling us all regularly on surf history from here on out. Well qualified to do so, Julie is the Operations Manager at the California Surf Museum in Oceanside, is a former professional surfer herself, and played an integral role in creating the highly successful WOW (Women on Waves) exhibit, featured at the museum last year.

photo Foam magazine

To start, tell us a little about your own surf history.

I fell in love with surfing around the age of 8, though I wasn't surfing regularly until about age 16 (after I got my driver's license!). Before I could drive, my mom would take me, or I'd catch a ride to the beach with my neighbors, the Colling's Family. I enrolled in the Jr. Lifeguard program at Leo Carrillo State Beach one summer, and went every summer after that. I loved the challenge, freedom and feeling that surfing gave me. Plus, I was meeting such interesting people at the beach, I was totally hooked.

After high school, I went to college at UC Santa Cruz where I surfed, traveled up and down the coast doing contests and also traveled internationally, while pursuing my degree. I was sponsored by Roxy and also taught at Las Olas Surf Safaris for women down in Mainland, Mexico. I started putting my creative side to work in 2005, when my shaper Jed Noll and I decided to create a line of women's specific surfboards called the "Jule Collection". I simply loved being involved with surfing in any way I could and continued to find opportunities to keep up with my passion. Though I stepped away from competition recently for the sake of mixing it up, I still surf regularly and am surrounded by surfing all day long at the California Surf Museum, where I work.

Julie styling - photo Lorene Carpentier

Let's talk about the popular Women on Waves exhibit. What part did you play in creating it?

My role was to research and write the manuscript for the "1990s to today" segment, and to gather artifacts to go with it (boards, wetsuits, bathing suits, trophies, photos, etc.) I also helped install the exhibit and had the pleasure of organizing events and led many tours of the exhibit itself. WOW was an amazing accomplishment. Currently, I am working with my team on publishing a book of the exhibit. It ran for 1 year and was a huge team labor of love. My favorite part of the whole process was meeting these amazing women and learning about their incredible lives.

WOW Exhibit - Photo- California Surf Museum

Which movements in women's surf history inspired you the most?

For me, the most obvious movement that inspired me was Lisa Andersen in the mid 1990s. Seeing advertisements of Lisa in the male dominated surf magazines gave me inspiration that girls could surf. Those were empowering ads and she was leading a whole new generation of surfer girls, like me. Now that I've learned more about the history of women's surfing, there are a handful of movements that really inspire me.

Lisa Andersen - Photo Jeff Divine

If you could go back in time to surf, what era would you choose & who would you take along?

Hmm... It would have been fun to surf Malibu in the early 1950s, before the Gidget boom. I would take Rell Sunn with me. I would have loved to meet her and hang with her.

photo Malibu Beach News

Who is the most inspiring woman surfer you've met, from the past or present?

So many of the girlfriends I grew up with are inspiring... I could go on an on, but while working at the museum, I would have to say that Marge Calhoun and Donna Matson are incredibly inspiring. Keala Kennelly too...

Marge Calhoun - source unknown

You recently did some modeling for the new Seea catalog. What is your favorite suit??

I love the Malibu suit! It's a bit "Tom Boy", which is more my style :)

Julie at San'O, Seea photo shoot - photo Aaron Checkwood

We've come a long way since the video below of PV Cove in the 40's, but retro suits are still the coolest!! Keep on the look out for more posts and fun filled surf history soon. School is out! Thanks Jules!