A wise man by the name of Phil Edwards once said, “The best surfer out there is the one having the most fun.” A sentiment true for surfing and likely for most things in life. There’s a science behind why surfing elicits joy — it connects you with one of the most powerful forces of nature, improves your mental health, and like any practice, teaches you patience. And beyond science, that happiness stems from passion. But everyone finds those simple joys in different places, so we asked a few of our more water-oriented friends about that moment of euphoria found with nothing but a little bit of zeal, a board, and the water. 

GiGi Lucas

Photo by Stephanie Keeler

"Surfing in a steady tropical rain and trading glassy eaves iwth only one other person." — GiGi Lucas

Kai Lenny

Photo by Red Bull Content Pool

"My happiest moment surfing was my very first wave I rode on my own. From that point on I knew what I wanted to do the rest of my life. Chase that same feeling — exhilaration, peace. I still haven't caught a wave as monumental as that wave. That's what has led me to more extremes like riding big waves." — Kai Lenny

Carissa Moore

Photo by Red Bull Content Pool

"One of my happiest moments in surfing was winning my third world title at Honolua Bay, Maui, with all my family and friends watching me from the cliff. That moment was magical because it felt like it call came together — the waves were pumping, I was in home waters, I felt free and in the zone, scored a perfect ten in the final, and I got to share it with the people that matter most to me." — Carissa Moore

Kylie Pulcini

"One of my favorite moments in surfing was shared with my favorite person, Vincent. My brother and I paddled out at a local surf spot called RC's. Despite the waves being terrible and small we still went out and had so much fun. I was practicing 360s and when I finally made one Vincent and I were both psyching and when he did a sick closeout snap I would cheer. The uplifting presence of my brother couldn't have brought me more joy." — Kylie Pulcini

Rob Machado

Photo by Mike Balzer

"Definitely the first wave I ever stood up on. Before that I was a body boarder, and my world was a lot different learning how to catch waves and be surrounded by white water all the time, and the moment I stood up on a surfboard it's like I was flying I was going so fast. I was elevated above this noise in the white water. The speed — it was amazing." — Rob Machado