Surf Star to Soul Surfer: John Philbin’s Real-Life Ocean Journey 🌊✨
Release Date: 07/06/2025
From Hossegor to 100-Foot Waves: Laurent Pujol and the Soul of Surf Photography - The Temple of Surf - The Podcast
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This week on The Temple of Surf Podcast, we welcome Laurent Pujol, an underwater cameraman and surf photographer whose work has helped define how modern surfing is seen, remembered, and felt. Laurent’s career sits at the crossroads of risk, patience, and absolute precision. Shooting from inside the impact zone, often beneath moving mountains of water, he has developed a rare sensitivity to timing and positioning, the kind that only comes from years spent reading the ocean at its most unpredictable. In this conversation, we go beyond the surface of surf photography to explore what it...
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Jerome Sahyoun — Morocco’s Big Wave Charger and the Reality of Heavy Surf - The Temple of Surf - The Podcast
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This week on The Temple of Surf Podcast, we sit down with Jerome Sahyoun, a Moroccan big-wave surfer whose life has been shaped by powerful oceans, remote coastlines, and a deep respect for waves that demand total commitment. Born and raised in Morocco, Jerome Sahyoun represents a generation of surfers who grew up far from the spotlight, but close to serious water. Morocco’s long Atlantic coastline, exposed to relentless swells, became his training ground, a place where patience, observation, and humility are essential. In this episode, Jerome shares how surfing in Morocco forged both his...
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Surfing, Storytelling, and the Hidden History of Waves | Andy Martin on The Temple of Surf Podcast
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In this deep and compelling episode of The Temple of Surf Podcast, we welcome professor, writer, and one of the most insightful voices in surf literature, Andy Martin. Known for his ability to explore surfing beyond performance and competition, Andy brings a rare blend of academic depth, lived experience, and poetic clarity to the conversation. Andy Martin has spent decades writing about surfing as culture, obsession, language, and way of life. As a professor, lecturer and a lifelong surfer, he bridges the worlds of academia and the lineup, showing how waves can be read like texts and how...
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Chasing Light & Heavy Water 🌊 Vincent Kardasik on Surf Cinematography, Timing & Truth - Interview with The Temple of Surf - The Podcast
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This week on The Temple of Surf Podcast, we sit down with Vincent Kardasik, a director, cinematographer, and visual storyteller whose work bridges the worlds of surf culture, film, and ocean-driven narratives. Vincent is known not only for capturing powerful surf imagery, but for directing and crafting moving stories that go far beyond a single frame. Through film, cinematography, and photography, he explores the emotional depth of surfing, the patience, the tension, the silence, and the moments of release that define life in and around the ocean. In this episode, Vincent shares his creative...
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Joe Blair: The Art of Hand-Shaped Surfboards & the Soul of Surf Design - Interview with The Temple of Surf Podcast
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This week on The Temple of Surf Podcast, we sit down with legendary surfboard shaper Joe Blair, a true craftsman whose influence on modern surfboard design runs deep through decades of wave riding, innovation, and hands-on shaping. Known for his commitment to functionality, flow, and timeless outlines, Joe Blair represents a generation of shapers who learned their craft in dusty bays, under fluorescent lights, driven purely by feel, intuition, and an obsession with waves. In this episode, Joe Blair takes us back to the roots of his shaping journey, how he first fell in love with surfing, the...
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Lines, Curves & Soul: The Art of Shaping with Ian Byrne - Interview with The Temple of Surf - The Podcast
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In this week’s episode of The Temple of Surf Podcast, we sit down with one of the most quietly influential craftsmen in modern surfing: Ian Byrne, master surfboard shaper, designer, and the visionary behind some of the equipment trusted by surfers around the world. Known for his deep respect for tradition and his relentless drive to refine the feel of a surfboard under the feet of everyday surfers, Ian has built a career grounded in precision, humility, and an authentic love for the craft. Across our conversation, Ian takes us on a journey from his early days learning the fundamentals of...
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Rob Vaughan: The Quiet Master Behind the Perfect Board - Interview with The Temple of Surf - The Podcast
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This week on The Temple of Surf Podcast, we sit down with one of the most respected, quietly influential surfboard shapers of the past four decades: Rob Vaughan. A master craftsman, a true student of wave mechanics, and a lifelong innovator, Rob has shaped a legacy that stretches from the golden era of Californian surfing to the performance-driven boards of today. In this in-depth conversation, he opens up about his journey, his shaping philosophy, and the stories behind some of the most iconic boards he’s ever created. Born and raised in South Coast of England, Rob grew up surrounded by the...
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Through the Lens of Sean Davey: Surf Photography Redefined - Interview with The Temple of Surf - The Podcast
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This week on The Temple of Surf Podcast, we are honored to welcome one of the most recognizable names in surf photography: Sean Davey. Known for his unmistakable style, masterful use of light, and deep connection with the ocean, Sean has spent decades documenting the beauty, culture, and spirit of surfing. His images, often vibrant, dreamlike, and full of emotion—have become iconic in surf magazines and galleries across the world. Born in Tasmania and later establishing himself in Hawaii, Sean Davey developed an eye for the kind of ocean moments that most people never see. From glassy...
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Writing Point Break: W. Peter Iliff on Crafting a Surf Legend - Interview with The Temple of Surf - The Podcast
The Temple of Surf Podcast
13TH SEASON FINALE!!! In this exclusive episode of The Temple of Surf Podcast, we dive deep into the mind of W. Peter Iliff, the legendary screenwriter who brought one of the most iconic surf films of all time to life : Point Break. Written in the early 1990s and directed by Kathryn Bigelow, Point Break became a cultural phenomenon, blending the adrenaline of big-wave surfing with the raw energy of undercover crime and spiritual brotherhood. Peter shares the incredible story of how Point Break came to be from his early writing days in Los Angeles to the moment the film caught...
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From Brazil to Basque Country: Johnny Cabianca’s Shaping Journey
The Temple of Surf Podcast
Johnny Cabianca – The Shaper Behind the Champions In this new episode of The Temple of Surf Podcast, we sit down with one of the world’s most respected surfboard shapers, Johnny Cabianca, the Brazilian craftsman whose boards have powered some of the greatest surfers on the planet, including Gabriel Medina, multiple-time World Champion. From his early days in Brazil to his current shaping bay in the Basque Country, Johnny shares an extraordinary story of talent, dedication, and a lifelong obsession with performance surfing. In this exclusive interview, Johnny Cabianca opens up about his...
info_outline🎙️ THE TEMPLE OF SURF PODCAST – THIS WEEK’S EPISODE FEATURING JOHN PHILBIN
From Hollywood Classic Roles to Real Waves: The Untold Surf Story of Turtle and Nathanial
This week, we’re beyond stoked to welcome a true icon of surf cinema and authentic wave-rider to The Temple of Surf Podcast — John Philbin.
You might know him as the unforgettable Turtle from North Shore or the intense and unpredictable Nathanial from Point Break, but behind the silver screen, John Philbin is not just an actor, he’s a committed surfer, a passionate teacher, and someone whose life has been deeply shaped by the rhythm of the ocean.
In this in-depth episode, John opens up about the real story behind two of the most beloved surf films of all time, sharing what it was like to bring these characters to life, and how the process of learning to surf for film eventually led him to become a real surfer and part of the surf community for life.
🎬 We talk about:
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How he was cast in North Shore and Point Break
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What it was like training in the water for the role of Turtle
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The cultural legacy of North Shore and why it still resonates with surfers today
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Behind-the-scenes stories with Keanu Reeves, Patrick Swayze, and the original Ex-Presidents
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How those films shaped global surf perception
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Why surfing became more than a role, it became a lifestyle
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His journey into surf coaching, ocean therapy, and staying grounded through surfing
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Reflections on fame, identity, and reconnecting with the sea
Whether you grew up quoting Turtle’s iconic lines or were inspired to pick up a board after watching Bodhi ride one last wave at Bells, this episode will take you deeper into the heart and soul of surf storytelling, both real and fictional.
John’s journey is one of transformation, from actor learning to surf for a role, to surfer choosing the ocean as a path for healing, creativity, and personal evolution. His voice brings both humor and humility, and his stories are rich with that unique intersection of Hollywood energy and authentic surf spirit.
🌊 As always, The Temple of Surf Podcast brings you close to the people who shaped surf culture and those it shaped in return.
🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms.
If you love surf movies, surf stories, or just a great conversation about what it means to ride waves — this one’s for you.
Follow us for more episodes featuring legendary surfers, artists, shapers, and watermen from around the world.