I often get asked questions like what is the South Coast Kook and what are my intentions for it. I wanted to put something in writing, for my own sake to look back on during the times when I feel like I have steered off the path and to help others see what I am trying to achieve.
Who I am and why did I become the South Coast Kook?
For those that don't know me, I am Mat and I am a former Coal Miner turned stay-at-home Dad. I run a surf podcast called the South Coast Kook that shines the light on legends in the industry that are connected by their love of catching waves.
I am a massive ambassador for mental health and a big believer in saltwater therapy, giving my time to One Wave as a Tribe leader at 7-mile Gerroa and helping out as a surf coach for the Veterans Surf Program.
The reason for starting the South Coast Kook was to keep the mind active whilst battling through bum changes and The Wiggles. This gave me a platform to promote amazing stories from people whose voices may not be usually heard.
I have always been a people person and enjoy hearing guests talk about their surf stories or the cool businesses that they have created. It's almost as if they get transported to that exact moment in time and relive their amazing waves or the journey they have made.
People often see what I am doing and just assume that it is for financial gain. It's not. what people may not know is, that it actually costs money to run a podcast! This is something that I love doing, and I’m happy to keep doing it just so I can sit in the booth again to meet someone new and hear another story.
But at the end of the day, if everything falls over tomorrow, I have had the best year of my life working hard for this podcast to keep this podcast running and I have absolutely enjoyed the time with my daughter.
Have a listen to all my episodes on my Spotify Channel. Just click here!
Why surfboard and product reviews?
My surfing journey only started within the last 6 years or so and because of this, I fully understand the frustration and confusion that comes along with starting something new and being a beginner trying to navigate which board to buy, or which board to progress to next. That's why I started to do surfboard & product reviews.
I was sick and tired of reading surfboard reviews that were full of technical terms and manoeuvres that the average knockabout surfer (or ‘kook’ like me) couldn't understand or come close to performing in the water. Plus, you're expected to spend over a thousand dollars on a board with less than a paragraph of writing, as a description. So I thought why not change this myself?
Doing this has been a whole lot of fun and I have learnt so much about my surfing through riding boards that I usually wouldn't ride. To ensure the reviews are an honest reflection, I ride the surfboards over a span of a couple of weeks/months in as many different conditions I can find. I also play around with other fins and fin configurations, to ensure I get the most out of the boards.
If you have any questions about the reviews I have done, please reach out. Or if you have any suggestions I am always looking for my next board to ride. Click here to read all of my reviews!
Online store
As mentioned before it costs money to run a podcast, so to help cover these costs, I decided to launch an online store selling surf essentials and merchandise. I only sell products that I have personally tried and tested and continue to use myself.
My intention with my online store is to only offer a small selection of essential items because it is so easy to get overwhelmed walking into a surf shop with the massive variety that is on offer these days.
To eliminate this confusion I only stock one brand of each item so that when it comes to making a decision it's an easy one and I will personally vouch for the brands that I stock. Click here to check out my online store
Ask me your surfing questions.
I always encourage people to message me their surfing questions. I am far off from being any kind of an expert but I have spent many nights trolling the internet researching products and keeping up-to-date in the surf industry.
I have wasted heaps of money in the past buying the wrong equipment for my ability at the time and I don't want anyone else to make the same mistakes.
No question is a dumb question, and if I don't know the answer, I guarantee that I will research it and find the answer. Just write your questions in the automated bot on the bottom right-hand corner of this page or email at southcoastkook@gmail.com
What is the best way to support the South Coast Kook?
If you like what you are hearing and seeing, the best way to support the South Coast Kook is to shop from my online store and listen to some episodes, and share them with your friends! Every sale is helping to lock in another guest in the future. Shop here!
I am always open to the potential of getting sponsored so that I can continue to chase this passion of mine. So if you feel like our brands align and you want a space to advertise then definitely reach out for a chat.
Thanks, everyone for your ongoing support and super keen to see you out in the water.
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