Haleiwa, Hawaii
A waterman by every definition, Mark Healey has been surfing since age 3. He’s since rounded out his aquatic pursuits to include professional big-wave surfing, spear-fishing, free-diving, and even jobs as a Hollywood stuntman. We caught up with the man whose schedule is dictated primarily by global weather patterns to find out what drives him deeper into the ocean.
Q:
What goes through your head when you first wake up in the morning?
A:
What are the ocean conditions like close to where I am, then what the ocean conditions are forecasted to be around the world.
Q:
Where is your favorite place to surf and spearfish?
A:
For surfing, it’s at a place that I can’t name in Hawaii. For Spearfishing, it’s French Polynesia.
Q:
How do you up your game year after year?
A:
I put myself in uncomfortable situations. I think operating in that state is like a muscle that you can build.
Q:
If you could do anything better, what would it be?
A:
I would be better organized.
Q:
What haven’t you accomplished that you aspire to do in your lifetime?
A:
I’d like to get involved in deep sea exploration and shed light on to some big blank spots in our understanding of this planet.
Q:
What part of you, or what you do, reflects a spirit of restlessness?
A:
My life is dictated by the weather patterns and animal migrations around the world. That creates endless things to chase for a restless person like myself. It’s always winter somewhere.
Q:
If there is any love-hate relationship with any aspect of what you do, can you describe what that is?
A:
It’s just the act of travel. Not traveling itself, but the constant string of planes, layovers and jet lag. I think that wears on me more than the physical abuse I put myself through.
Q:
What are the 3 most essential things you need for what you do?
A:
Good lungs, strong mind, and confidence.
Q:
If you could bring anybody in the world with you to do what you love (dead or alive), who would it be?
A:
I would bring the President. Not because I’m a fan, but because I’d like to show him why we want to protect our wild places.