Growing up in Belgium was different. I thought I was going to be a pro soccer player, but my parents loved surfing and moved to Costa Rica when I was eight. The twist is that I’m severely visually impaired—pretty much blind without my glasses. So, I was forced to improvise.
I started surfing with prescription glasses when I was 10, after my Dad made me a custom pair with a leash system so I wouldn’t lose them. They work great. However, surfing with glasses can be quite difficult at times. Salt creates a film on the lenses. Consequently, I see sets later than most guys, which can affect me in competition. But once I’m on the wave, all is great. The only problem is when I’m in a barrel. Sometimes they get ripped off and I kind of have to feel me way out.
This clip is from here in Nicaragua during El Niño. It’s been super fun and there’s been an abundance of great swells. I was traveling a lot this winter, but when I’ve been here it’s been pumping. Despite witnessing El Niño’s amazing power in Hawaii all winter, nothing’s better than waking up and surfing firing waves in your backyard with your best friends.
