In Pursuit of the Ultimate Party Wave | The Inertia

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Team Fun en route to find some warm water peelers. Photo: Peterson

Team Fun en route to find some warm water peelers. Photo: Peterson

Luke Davis found chair surfing to his liking and had a blast juggling a multitude of toys and boards. Photo: Peterson

Luke Davis found chair surfing to his liking and had a blast juggling a multitude of toys and boards. Photo: Peterson

Colin Whitbread tipping his sombrero to the hot sun and the fun little peeler that lies ahead. Photo: Peterson

Colin Whitbread tipping his sombrero to the hot sun and the fun little peeler that lies ahead. Photo: Peterson

Even though Alex couldn’t surf due to a knee injury, he was always the first one in the water. After 4 months of rehab and no surf, he was so stoked just to be in the ocean again. Photo: Soens

Even though Alex couldn’t surf due to a knee injury, he was always the first one in the water. After 4 months of rehab and no surf, he was so stoked just to be in the ocean again. Photo: Soens

$One of those single fin kinda days. And that\'s alllllright. Photo: Dane Peterson$

One of those single fin kinda days. And that's alllllright. Photo: Dane Peterson

With plenty of fun to small size waves on hand, the team got creative and many a party wave ensued. Here’s Kassia shaking her Maracas. Photo: Peterson

With plenty of fun to small size waves on hand, the team got creative and many a party wave ensued. Here’s Kassia shaking her Maracas. Photo: Peterson

Kassia Meador, backlit and cruising. Photo: Soens

Kassia Meador, backlit and cruising. Photo: Soens

The doctors told Alex that his knee wasn’t ready for him to stand yet, so he found ways to improvise. Photo: Soens

The doctors told Alex that his knee wasn’t ready for him to stand yet, so he found ways to improvise. Photo: Soens

Dance party + party wave = dance party wave. Photo: Soens

Dance party + party wave = dance party wave. Photo: Soens

Dane Peterson, five over and five up. Photo: Soens

Dane Peterson, five over and five up. Photo: Soens

Luke Davis known for charging solid surf, made the use of the small waves with all sort of toys, and showed us all another side of himself. Photo: Dane Peterson

Luke Davis known for charging solid surf, made the use of the small waves with all sort of toys, and showed us all another side of himself. Photo: Dane Peterson

Colin Whitbread and Dane Peterson party waving. Photo: Soens

Colin Whitbread and Dane Peterson party waving. Photo: Soens

This MIGHT have been the ultimate party wave. ...Nah... Photo: Peterson

This MIGHT have been the ultimate party wave. ...Nah... Photo: Peterson

Kassia Meador shakes, rattles and rolls. Photo: Peterson

Kassia Meador shakes, rattles and rolls. Photo: Peterson

Luke Davis boosts off a rampy little shore break section. Photo: Soens

Luke Davis boosts off a rampy little shore break section. Photo: Soens

$Maracas are fun. It\'s undeniable. Photo: Peterson$

Maracas are fun. It's undeniable. Photo: Peterson

Continuous early morning surf sessions coupled with late night dinner parties had the crew surfed out and sun burned. Colin takes a moment to hide from the sun. Photo: Peterson

Continuous early morning surf sessions coupled with late night dinner parties had the crew surfed out and sun burned. Colin takes a moment to hide from the sun. Photo: Peterson

An injured Alex Gray throwing maximum aloha at Luke Davis – punting in the shore break. Photo: Peterson

An injured Alex Gray throwing maximum aloha at Luke Davis – punting in the shore break. Photo: Peterson

$Load \'em up! Headed to the city. To Tequila. Yup, that\'s a place. Photo: Peterson$

Load 'em up! Headed to the city. To Tequila. Yup, that's a place. Photo: Peterson

$After three days of surfing, drinking and a dropping swell, the crew journeyed to the city of Tequila to discover how and where tequila actually originated. Not many know that there is a town actually called Tequila, but it\'s only three hours inland from Sayulita, or a 45-minute drive from Guadalajara. When you arrive it is a totally different temperature than on the coast. It feels like you’re in the Napa Valley– warm, with a slightly damp, yet subtle lushness in the air. Photo: Soens$

After three days of surfing, drinking and a dropping swell, the crew journeyed to the city of Tequila to discover how and where tequila actually originated. Not many know that there is a town actually called Tequila, but it's only three hours inland from Sayulita, or a 45-minute drive from Guadalajara. When you arrive it is a totally different temperature than on the coast. It feels like you’re in the Napa Valley– warm, with a slightly damp, yet subtle lushness in the air. Photo: Soens

Before heading to the Jose Cuervo Distillery some of the crew wandered the streets of Tequila. It was the day before the day of the dead holiday, so amazing action was happening in the city. Photo: Peterson

Before heading to the Jose Cuervo Distillery some of the crew wandered the streets of Tequila. It was the day before the day of the dead holiday, so amazing action was happening in the city. Photo: Peterson

Colin standing in front of one of the original paintings of where the Mexicans depict what tequila originated from. In the mid 1700s, lightening struck an agave plant during a storm. As the plant sat for a few more days, the agave fermented. Some of the farmers then tasted the agave plant and realized it had medicinal uses... like killing pain. Photo: Peterson

Colin standing in front of one of the original paintings of where the Mexicans depict what tequila originated from. In the mid 1700s, lightening struck an agave plant during a storm. As the plant sat for a few more days, the agave fermented. Some of the farmers then tasted the agave plant and realized it had medicinal uses... like killing pain. Photo: Peterson

The team started off in the original agave fields that date back to the late 1700s. We each got to personally chop the agaves, or pinas as they are also called. The team got to see firsthand the amount of time and energy that goes into making a single bottle of tequila. Because of the overwhelming demand for pinas in the budding tequila market, you have to ensure that the tequila grows up to eight years for it to reach its full maturity, which ensures that you get the sweetness that’s needed for the consistent flavor. After a beautiful morning of shooting in these agave fields, I put the camera down and wandered around in absolute amazement. Photo: Beck

The team started off in the original agave fields that date back to the late 1700s. We each got to personally chop the agaves, or pinas as they are also called. The team got to see firsthand the amount of time and energy that goes into making a single bottle of tequila. Because of the overwhelming demand for pinas in the budding tequila market, you have to ensure that the tequila grows up to eight years for it to reach its full maturity, which ensures that you get the sweetness that’s needed for the consistent flavor. After a beautiful morning of shooting in these agave fields, I put the camera down and wandered around in absolute amazement. Photo: Beck

Once the pinas are chopped, they are brought to the distillery where they are baked for 36 hours. The whole process of making tequila from the fields to the bottle takes less than three days. This tour was an experience I will hold close to my heart forever and am extremely grateful to have had the fortune of being a part of it. Photo: Peterson

Once the pinas are chopped, they are brought to the distillery where they are baked for 36 hours. The whole process of making tequila from the fields to the bottle takes less than three days. This tour was an experience I will hold close to my heart forever and am extremely grateful to have had the fortune of being a part of it. Photo: Peterson

$Who\'s happy to be at the distillery? These two are. Photo: Soens$

Who's happy to be at the distillery? These two are. Photo: Soens

Alex Gray had a blast on our tour and is making it very apparent what his favorite room of the distillery is here. Photo: Soens

Alex Gray had a blast on our tour and is making it very apparent what his favorite room of the distillery is here. Photo: Soens

After taking the tour of the original La Rojena Distillery, we got to end the afternoon with a proper education in tequila tasting. Here Colin and I revel in our experiences of the day with the others. Photo: Soens

After taking the tour of the original La Rojena Distillery, we got to end the afternoon with a proper education in tequila tasting. Here Colin and I revel in our experiences of the day with the others. Photo: Soens

As an additional bonus, each of the riders got a chance to pour their own bottles of Jose Cuervo Tradicional tequila. Talk about the icing on the cake! Photo: Soens

As an additional bonus, each of the riders got a chance to pour their own bottles of Jose Cuervo Tradicional tequila. Talk about the icing on the cake! Photo: Soens

Salud! Photo: Soens

Salud! Photo: Soens

A few months ago, the good people at Jose Cuervo approached me with an idea to put together a small team of the most fun humans in surfing. The plan was to invite six of us to Mexico to surf our brains out, discover the roots of tequila, and document the story as it unfolded along the way.

Naturally, I chose close friends and the ultimate purveyors of fun: Kassia Meador, Jared Mel, and Colin Whitbread. We’ve all traveled extensively together, and I know they bring the fun wherever they go. When I started talking with Cuervo, I had been working with the team at Reef and very closely with Luke Davis, another classic character who would be a great addition to our crew. We also wanted to bring someone along for the journey who loves Mexico and has been constantly going there to surf. We wanted to bring them along and show them a side of Mexico that they had potentially never seen before. Alex Gray was the obvious choice as the final addition to “Team Fun” as we eventually dubbed the crew.

With this large crew on hand, I knew I had my work cut out for me. We decided a second photographer was necessary, so we got in touch with the forever-joyous Mr. Scott Soens. Of course, when he heard about the project, he happily obliged and our team was solidified. The images above represent an epic journey in pursuit of the ultimate party wave. The best part is…you can never really find it. You’ve gotta keep searching.

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