Welcome back to the podcast blog, where we dive deep into the lives of ocean enthusiasts who have mastered the art of finding their unique flow state. Today, we celebrate the remarkable journey of Jonathan Steinberg, a true ocean stylist whose approach to wave riding and community building is as unique as his choice of equipment. Jonathan embodies the philosophy that joy and connection are the true measures of success in the water, proving that sometimes, the most unconventional path leads to the deepest fulfillment. His stories remind us that the ocean is a place for continuous discovery, whether you are battling a heavy swell or simply paddling out with a milk crate strapped to your board.
The Lifelong Intermediate: Finding Flow in a Unique Quiver
Jonathan Steinberg’s history with the ocean is one of persistent enthusiasm and adaptive joy, starting from a childhood spent on the Southern California coast. Born in New York, he moved to California in 1964, growing up around the Malibu mountains and spending countless hours at Zuma Beach, a place known for delivering a good beating and forging resilience. Like many kids of his generation, his early wave-riding tools were varied and experimental, encompassing everything from Converse surf mats to cheap Styrofoam boards bought at the local Zodiac, often breaking the same weekend they were purchased. These early experiences taught him that fun and accessibility were paramount, laying the groundwork for a lifelong appreciation of simple, effective wave craft.
His journey took a familiar detour when the demands of work pulled him away from the waves, forcing him to set aside his boards and focus on career priorities. For years, surfing was just a fond memory, something he’d dabble in occasionally during a beach trip, relying on body surfing or whatever stray boogie board he could find. The true rekindling of his passion came when his son, Paul, at the age of five, expressed a desire to learn to surf, pulling Jonathan back into the fold. Suddenly, Jonathan found himself not just teaching, but rediscovering the profound, almost forgotten sensation of gliding on water. This return coincided with the ease of riding longboards, a welcome change from the short, challenging equipment he’d struggled with in his youth, allowing him to embrace his identity as a “lifelong intermediate” who is simply dedicated to having fun.
Today, Jonathan’s true devotion lies not with traditional surfboards, but with a highly specialized piece of equipment: the surf mat. He rides Fourth Gear Flyer surf mats, which are essentially inflatable little biscuits, short for surf mattresses, a craft he affectionately refers to as riding rafts. These mats, designed by Paul Gross and George Greenough—the man who fired the first salvos of the short board revolution—are the modern iteration of the inflatables he rode as a child, transforming his wave experience entirely. Jonathan notes that since making the switch to prone surfing on the mat, his wave count has soared, his frustration with crowds has vanished, and his joy in surfing has dramatically increased, proving that sometimes, abandoning conventional gear is the key to unlocking true flow.
Fired Out of a Cannon: The Unconventional Speed of the Surf Mat
The surf mat is far from a standard piece of equipment, typically measuring around 40 by 22 inches, inflated to only a few inches thick, and constructed of durable Dacron. This unique, pontoon-like structure is designed to minimize drag and maximize speed, creating a sensation that Jonathan describes as unparalleled in traditional surfing. Riding a mat is not about maneuvering or carving rails; it is about pure, frictionless velocity. Since the mat has no rail or fin, the rider must use their arm and swim fins to hold a line and guide the craft, demanding a deep, physical connection to the wave face.
While the mat requires a specific, slopey wave face, like the inside sections at his local break, the reward for mastering the subtle controls is immense. When the mat catches speed, the rider is instantly propelled forward, feeling “like being fired out of a cannon” due to the complete lack of drag. This explosive speed and frictionless glide are the hallmarks of the surf mat flow state, allowing Jonathan to blaze across kelp patches and sections that conventional surfers would struggle to navigate. Furthermore, the mat allows him to access waves that others ignore or cannot use, effectively eliminating the frustration of crowded lineups by giving him his own private playground.
To facilitate this unique style of wave riding, Jonathan pairs his mat with specialized swim fins, which he deeply appreciates as beautiful pieces of industrial art. Currently relying on tri-color Duck Feet fins, he has a long history of collecting and appreciating fins, recognizing that they are crucial extensions of the body in the water. This dedication to finding the perfect, often overlooked gear—from the inflatable mat to the precise swim fin—is central to Jonathan’s philosophy, allowing him to achieve a state of immersive focus and speed that few ever experience. The mat and fins together form a minimalist, highly efficient system that strips away the complexity of traditional surfing, leaving only the pure, exhilarating feeling of flight across the water’s surface.
The Dual Dimension: Finding Peace Through Milk Crate Fishing
Jonathan’s quest for immersive ocean experiences extends beyond wave riding into a highly personalized form of fishing, which he calls “milk crating.” This simple, low-impact activity has become a profound source of peace and functional joy, allowing him to engage with the ocean in a completely different dimension. His setup is beautifully minimalist: an old soft-top surfboard, a milk crate bungee-corded to the nose, and PVC pipes zip-tied inside to serve as rod holders.
This setup allows him to paddle out into the kelp beds near his home, effortlessly reaching prime fishing spots that are inaccessible to large boats, all while wearing only a wetsuit and boots. This method bypasses the stress of owning a boat, the financial burden, and the hassle of crowded boat ramps, allowing him to leave his house, fish for rockfish, lingcod, or halibut, and be home within two hours. The simplicity of the process is deeply rewarding, minimizing disruption to his family life and maximizing his time in a peaceful, natural environment.
What Jonathan appreciates most about milk crate fishing is how it forces him to see the ocean environment differently. When surfing, the focus is entirely on the movement of the waves; when fishing, the focus shifts to the underlying contour of the ocean floor, the behavior of the kelp, and the rhythm of the tides. He notes that the best fish often come from the most unexpected, heavily trafficked areas, recalling a ten-pound lingcod he caught right under the parking lot at his local break, in water only five feet deep. This dual perspective—seeing the same patch of ocean as both a wave machine and a vibrant ecological system—deepens his connection to his local environment, confirming that the kelp bed is constantly producing fun and stoke, whether he is riding a wave or casting a line.
The Ultimate Fulfillment: Sharing the Ocean’s Joy Through Right of Way
While Jonathan’s personal pursuits are defined by unique gear and individual immersion, his greatest fulfillment comes from sharing the ocean’s transformative power through the Right of Way program. This organization, born from the vision of Danny Cortazzo, is dedicated to taking children with disabilities and those surviving cancer out for a day of safe, supported wave riding. Jonathan is heavily involved, dedicating his time and resources to ensure that these children experience the pure joy of the ocean.
The atmosphere on the beach during a Right of Way event is infectious, a powerful reminder of how lucky many of us are to move freely in the water. The program utilizes specialized equipment, including chairs mounted to surfboards, allowing children with severe disabilities to catch waves safely, often getting rides better than those of regular surfers. Jonathan notes that for these kids, the small, gentle waves at their chosen spot become their Mavericks, providing an incredible, exhilarating experience of freedom.
The emotional impact of Right of Way extends beyond the participants; it profoundly affects the parents and the volunteers. Jonathan recalls parents coming to the volunteers in tears, stating that it is the only day they see their children simply as kids, free from the constraints of their disability, calling it
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