From alligator wrestling in the Everglades and the clothing-optional communes of Pasco County (the nudist capital of the world), to the lawless life of leisure down in the Keys where time basically stands still—Florida’s got some wild subcultures. The Sunshine State is home to pirate enthusiasts, rocket scientists, a mythical Big-Foot-adjacent creature named Skunk Ape, and the most concealed carry permits in the country. With just over 22 million people and 300 glorious days of sunshine, it's also a hotbed for warm-weather worshippers and sun chasers.
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Local Florida man, Evan Geiselman, has been chasing sun and swell his entire life—taking advantage of that 1,300-mile Florida coastline (and the state’s 1,250 golf courses). The 30-year-old pro surfer hails from New Smyrna Beach, where he was born into a family of dedicated surfers. Both his parents are deep-rooted in the local surf community as the owners and operators of Orion Surfboards, a Florida institution since 1985. His dad, once a pro surfer, owns a factory in Edgewater where he shapes all their boards, and Evan’s older brother, Eric, is one of the best free surfers in the world.
Being born into Florida surf royalty, Evan caught his first waves early on and naturally took to competitive surfing. He clinched his first national title at age ten and absolutely owned the amateur ranks. He won the US Open Juniors at 16, and has since racked up an impressive 15 East Coast championship titles, was nominated for “Barrel of the Year,” and surfs with a famously progressive, goofy-foot style.
Tempted by the quality and consistency of waves on the West Coast, he moved out to San Clemente, California for a stint, but after a few years, the pull to come back home was too strong—and the Florida-native boomeranged right back to New Smyrna.
“When I got home, I realized how much I missed it. I just fell back in love with Florida and the surf/fish lifestyle my hometown provides.”
California might have year-round swell and a competitive pro scene, but there’s something special about the East Coast surf communities. There's a stronger sense of camaraderie and grit. In California, the waves are almost always firing. In Florida? It’s a mixed bag that yields scrappy guys who charge no matter the conditions. You really have to love the sport (and maybe be a little crazy) to surf year-round on the Atlantic side.
“That’s what the East Coast is known for. There’s that fire. Doesn’t matter how shitty the waves are, you’re surfing all day. That’s all you got.”
Growing up on the beach in Florida, Evan spent most of his time out on the water—whether it was surfing or fishing. Since he can remember, he’s either been ripping waves on a board or casting flies on a boat.
“New Smyrna has such fun waves and a great fishery. And we grew up at the beach where surfing and fishing just go hand in hand. I’ve been fishing since I was eight years old. One of my best friends lived on the water in the north end of Mosquito Lagoon, so we’d take paddle boards or a canoe out and just get lost in back creeks all day and rip red fish. Was an absolute blast.”
Earlier this year, we invited Evan out to Puerto Rico for a few days—the Caribbean island is known for both its waves and fishing. He’s spent a ton of time there, dubbing PR the “North Shore for East Coasters.” Of course, he flew straight in from a competition, with a brand new board his dad had custom-shaped for him. We surfed in the mornings and chased 50-pound tarpon in the afternoons. We had a killer time, even when the fish weren't biting, thanks to Evan’s unfiltered and infectious stoke for life.
“We got super fun waves, crushed plenty of Medallas, and for the fishing—I’ll never forget—stalking permit on the reefs and seeing my first tailing permit… It was incredible.”
In 2015, Evan had a near-fatal wipeout—a three-wave hold down—at Banzai Pipeline on Oahu’s North Shore that altered his entire outlook on life. Rescued by a fellow waterman and lifeguards, he defied the odds and made a full recovery, walking away with a humbled perspective and an earnest gratitude for every moment. You can see it on his face 100% of the time. He’s always wearing a wide-mouthed grin and never not having a good time.
“That really changed my outlook on life. Life happens fast, you gotta enjoy each and every day. Always see the best in situations and enjoy the moment!”
Evan’s really leaning into his own advice these days, living up that quintessential Florida lifestyle: fly fishing in skinny waters, charging unpredictable surf, and working on his golf game. He’s living the dream. And this Florida man couldn’t be more grateful.
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