Over the years, surfing has become an important part of my family’s life, too. Some of our best conversations happen on the drive to the beach, between sets in the water, or cheering each other on when someone catches a great wave. For me, surfing has always been as much about the people and connections as it is about the waves.

At sixteen years old, Sandy Ordille stood quietly beside a van in a parking lot while everyone else prepared for the long drive back to New Jersey. The East Coast Championships had come to an end. Surfboards were strapped to roof racks. Friends exchanged hugs and promised to see one another at the next contest. For the first time, her older brother wasn't there.

Surfing has a way of bringing people together—but for Brent, Ryan, and the Dotters Family, it became the thread that stitched three generations of family into a life built around the ocean, community, and craft.