Some make their living from the sea, or live by it, relax on or in the water, or retire to gaze upon it. Alexander Outerbridge has done it all, almost since the day he was born.
A native of Hamilton, Bermuda his father would throw him into the pounding surf as a toddler. It was sink or swim. By the age of three he was swimming. By four he was sailing solo, taking his dinghy along the Bermuda coastline. He became accomplished with virtually every form of water sport and craft, at one time holding the record for sailboarding around Bermuda (21 times). But it was surfing that truly possessed him.
If he wasn’t on the water he was in the Dojo, as a member of his county’s Karate team. Between his aquatic and land pursuits he has competed at World Championships (WUKO World Championships Budokan, Tokyo) the Pan Am Games, and the Los Angeles Olympics (in four separate sports).
For most of the past 20 years Alex has lived near Golfito, in Costa Rica. In pursuit of the perfect wave, he has found one of the longest left point breaks in the world, and it’s right on his doorstep. For many years he ran his own surf shop. These days he teaches surfing, standup paddleboarding (SUP) and organizes surf and tropical adventure tours. Now in his mid-60’s he still surfs or paddle boards daily. His stamina and verve are almost supernatural, earning him the local nickname “El Diablo Blanco”: The White Devil.
No comments