Jarrad Howse
Originally from Adelaide in South Australia, Jarrad Howse resides in Freshwater Beach, in Sydney, New South Wales. Leaving his home in his early twenties, Howse has enjoyed all that Australia has to offer by residing in three different parts of the country. He learnt the ropes in the frigid waters of South Australia, then moved north to the tropical perfection of the Gold Coast to improve his tube talent, and then polished his competitive act in the dog-eat-dog environment of Sydney.
Photos:INTERVIEW WITH JARRAD HOWSE
WHEN: 23/08/2008
WHERE: On his apartment balcony, Hossegor, France
I was more or less born into the water. My mom and dad surf and I was born right on the sea.
At the age of 2 I stood on a board in a swimming pool. WE have the picture. It’s awesome. It’s got these rounded edges and is slightly faded. My dad bought a big foam board and put it in the pool and my mom took the picture.
The first time I properly stood on a board and caught a wave was when I was 5.
I remember the first wave where I went along the wave. I was 7. I was totally convinced that I was in a barrel.
It was a 4ft7 Shane Ellis board. I still have the board. And I have the photo of me out that day and there was no way I was even close to a barrel. There was no barrel.
If I didn’t know how to surf I would find something that I was good at. I would be a good skateboarder. Golf is good too. Dorky… but good money.
My hometown is the little village of Freshwater. It’s cool. It’s got a mainstreet with cafes, frtuit and veg market and all that. And Freshie beach – it’s great because it is a beach which is often overlooked. It’s not like the rest of syndey.
Worst trip?
I have never done a boat trip. The worst time was when I got stuck in Santiago in Chile for three days. It is a dirty crazy full-on city. I dragged everyone down there convinved that we could get a flight, but seriously we couldn’t get one for three days. I would go to the airport every day to try and get something, but there was nothing. We were stuck there.
Most embaraassing moment:
I got dacked in the commpetitiors area in lacanau. Why? Coz one of the aussie guys thought it would be funny to take down my shorts. The lady who checks you in there saw the whole thing, and I swear she laughs at me every time I am there and she sees me.
What do you still want to try in life?
I want to catch bigger waves. I am talking about being towed into waves 15 foot plus. I think I like the idea of the rush of it. I haven’t done anything else like that. I have surfed up to about 12 foot in southern Australia. I want to do it with my brother. He hasn’t done it either. We just need to get out there and do it.
My perfect day would go like this
Wake up in a tent. Open it and look out onto perfect uncrowded waves. I would surf until I couldn’t paddle any more. I guess I would have to have lunch at some stage. I would end by having a coopers ale watching the sunset over the ocean before falling asleep from surfing all day.
I have done close to that – healthy and nice!
What makes you angry?
Getting lost. Seriously. Maybe I used to get lost a lot in my past life or something but I hate backtracking. I go crazy. Seriously nothing gets under my skin more. On the O’Neill Mission, Adam (Roberston) and I got lost loads. I was going crazy.
What is the last dream you had?
I recently had an operation on a boil on my hip. When I got put under, the doctor said to me think of good surf and a French kiss. I dreamt I was winning the competition. I was about to win it as they pulled me out of my sleep. I think I said something like – I am about to win the competition.
If you could change one thing what would it be?
My age. I have learnt so much. I would like to go back to the age of 20 and iron out the bumps with the knowledge I have now.
I wouldn’t doubt myself so much
And I wouldn’t worry about the future so much.
In my early 20s I spent a lot of time wondering and worrying if I would ever be a pro surfer. I should have stopped wondering and just gone out there and gone for it a little bit more.
What’s the most important thing to remember as a surfer?
Never turn your back on the ocean
How do you wake up in the mornings?
With the alarm on my phone. I wake up 30 seconds before it goes off though. Every time. What’s that about?
I have had a bit of an indulgent year this year I think.
I really took time out to do other things besides surf. I spent time between comps travelling round and visiting different cities. I just made this time to stop and do whatever. I have seen a lot of the world this year that I have never seen before and I might never see again – places like Munich and London. I don’t know if it is the result of being single again, but there are so many times when I just thought – what the hell, and just went for it. You grab things a little bit more – I guess it is about having more time to be selfish.
What keeps you out of the surf?
Injuries. Although the longer you surf, the more you begin to understand your body. It is all about managing injury – seeing the signs that something is going wrong, and then knowing how to take it easy until it has passed. That way you avoid a lot of serious injury.
Next season?
Next season I am going to win a lot more. I have been thinking about this a lot.
I can’t put my finger on what I am doing differently this year. I think I am surfing a lot better than usual. But it’s just not coming together this season. Maybe because I got into it a bit later? I am not sure. Next season I am going to give it my all from January 1st. During the first six months I am just going to go for it and get a good start and then be into it.
There are plenty of events left this season, I am just a little frustrated I think. I don’t really get angry and upset when I loose. Maybe I am too nice! Or too chilled out.
I want to really give it a go next season.
I have so many plans for life after surfing. I love travelling. And I love the adventure. The more I do it the more I want to continue – meeting amazing people, seeing new things. It’s such a way to experience life.
Freesurfing. I would love to work with this. There is so much that hasn’t been done. Especially from a creative point of view. I think working with photographers, and using different angles and working out different shots would be so interesting. There is so much more creativeness that can be put into surf trips. Different waves, different shots, different angles.
My life away from surfing is pretty mellow. I don’t do very much. I guess I like just chilling out by myself a bit. I have a lot of friends back home who don’t surf which is refreshing. They are more creative different people with different jobs, and a life more centered around the city. Its nice to just throw a pair of jeans on, go out with friends and forget about surfing every once and a while.
I enjoy that part of my life. I like living in freshwater so I can still go for a surf, and then go into town and hang out with friends – they are all photographers and stuff like that. I think spending some time in a different environment makes me enjoy surfing a lot more.
My family. The come out and visit me a few times. My dad came to Hawaii a few years ago. It’s great having them around – if not only because I seem to always do a lot better when they are there. I did well in Hawaii when my dad was there. Also My brother came to Europe and I did really well there.
My mom came to Durban once – I actually didn’t do so well there!
I would love my mom and dad to come over to Europe sometime and experience it. They have never been over here. I come over here every year for a few months and it would be so nice for them to come over and see where I am during those months and get a feel of what it is like.