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Nelly's Magic Moments PodcastAuthor: David Nelson & Brian Upton
Dave Nelly Nelson is a globally published veteran surf and skate photographer with countless magazine covers and spreads to his name. After spending years as a senior photographer at TransWorld Surf Magazine, Dave now shoots freelance for domestic and international publications.Major action sports brands such as Vans, ONeill, Fox, and Reef commonly contract Dave to shoot on location for trips locally and abroad.As one of the best action water photographers in the world, he is usually in the right place at the right time to produce the goods. Daves relationships and mutual respect with some of the most elite athletes in the world give him access to the best action at the best spots.Daves dedication to the sports of surfing and skateboarding is matched by his values as a person. A true family man, Dave cares about is daughter and wife as much as he cares for his community of Santa Cruz. A consummate role model for young athletes coming out of his hometown, Dave has helped pave the way for some of the best young talent in Nor Cal. Language: en-us Genres: Places & Travel, Society & Culture Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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Adam Replogle , Chris “Bear” Green, and Craig Young: Golden Era Surf Culture, Sobriety, Mentorship & Making Art in Santa Cruz
Wednesday, 3 December, 2025
The room hums with old stories and new nerve. We sit with Adam Replogle , Chris “Bear” Green, and Craig Young—three Santa Cruz originals whose lives trace the arc from a golden era of surf and skate to sobriety, mentorship, and a creative second wind. The first act is pure place: Capitola as a melting pot, surf movies at the Civic that packed the town, river mouth bars that made heroes, and the shortboard and skate booms documented in grainy photos and backyard ramps. It’s loud, funny, and vivid; parties rolled from Day’s Market to the sand, and if you were there, you remember the nicknames.Then the tide turns. We dig into what happens after the legend years, when the dimmer switch of substance use lowers the volume on connection and the ocean grows distant. Craig walks us through a 27-year tattoo run, world travel, and the moment he and Bear picked a date and stopped for good. No platitudes—just the quiet shock of clarity, the return of salt and sunlight, and the simple rituals that rebuild a life: daily cold dips, long bike rides, boards and art taking shape by hand. The creativity didn’t vanish; it was waiting under the noise.We also talk identity and expression as Craig’s headdress, feathers, and handmade jewelry spark questions and conversations. What looks like provocation is actually presence: collecting, crafting, meeting strangers, and choosing love and humility while listening to concerns. The deeper thread is agency. If money, politics, and power are human-made narratives, so is the story you choose to live. Sobriety can be a fresh draft. Mentorship can be a plot twist that helps a kid paddle out—not just for waves, but for a voice. The ocean still heals. The town still breathes. And the best time isn’t only behind us; it’s wherever we start turning the dial back up.Listen for history, stay for heart, and share it with someone who needs a nudge back to the water. If this resonated, follow the show, leave a review, and send it to a friend who could use a reset.
