TEST PILOT: BRENDEN MARGIESON
Having been dubbed the world's 'best-ever free surfer', it's hard to overstate the impact Margo's style and approach has had on multiple generations of surfers. A pioneer of making a career of surfing outside the confines of competition, Margo continues to refine his approach into his 50s and is the living embodiment of the idea that true style is timeless.
GIVE US A BRIEF RUNDOWN OF WHO YOU ARE AND WHAT YOU’RE PASSIONATE ABOUT.
I am Brenden James Margieson, 51 years old, living in Valla Australia.
I have been a free surfer for the last 30 years, and I am passionate about the environment around me, whether it be the ocean or the bush.
WHAT’S YOUR DISCIPLINE?
My disciplines are surfing, bush walking and birdwatching.
WHAT’S THE NEXT CHALLENGE FOR YOU IN THE OUTDOORS?
Working part-time as an ecologist assistant my next challenge in the outdoors is targeting endangered species in the Australian bush. I set up motion cameras, pitfall lines, and harp traps in the hope of finding some critters. I also am passionate about observing birds in their natural habitat.
WHAT ACCOMPLISHMENTS ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF IN YOUR DISCIPLINE?
It is a tricky question to answer… I’m proud of the surfer/person I am today, it’s cool to be respected by different generations and feel my surfing is relevant in this day and age.
WHAT PIECE OF FLORENCE GEAR DO YOU TEST THE MOST?
It is summer in Australia, so the hooded rash and the board shorts are my go to.
ANYTHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO ADD?
It’s awesome to be Florence Marine’s Test Pilot!
Yeah Margo! I respect the path you blazed as a free surfer, but I had no idea you were a budding ecologist! After staring at the horizon for 20 years in California, I looked inland at our bush and started asking ecology and evolutionary biology questions myself, which sent me from a near high-school dropout to being a first-generation college student and now a professional Wildlife Biologist. My fascination with rare and endangered species, especially Californian plants, is what makes them rare. Is it an ecological niche with a limited range? Are they a relict from a past climate? What are the human impacts, and how can we mitigate them? I am sure your field work will stand the test of time like your surfing, and I look forward to reading about it.
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