Last winter, I spent a month soaking up all the wonderful things the North Shore has to offer. I mowed through countless snow cones and ate poke bowls from Foodland for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Not to mention I scored some of the best waves of my life. Just when I thought things couldn’t get any better, I met three girls that made my experience on the North Shore that much more memorable.
One afternoon, my friend Toby Aimer and I had just surfed Sunset. It was big, the crowd was thin, and the water texture was smooth as a baby’s bottom. The only thing that could’ve made this day any better was to grab a few beers and my camera and catch a glimpse of the sun before it set over Rocky Point. In our mission to capture the perfect Instagram, we came across three of the coolest sea birds on earth: Leah Dawson, Leane Darling, and Anna Santoro, three best friends and roommates who are often referred to as “the Hens” on the North Shore. And for those who don’t know, these three girls absolutely rip at surfing.
Leah Dawson rips the guitar just as well as a surfboard. Photo: Brian Bielmann
Toby and I were quickly adopted into what I can only describe as their daily celebration of life. We instantly became best friends. The Hens were strumming their guitar and singing praises to the setting sun while only a sliver of sunlight remained. As darkness rapidly approached, so did the rain. In a scurry for shelter, the Hens invited us back to their place, which, very fittingly, they called the Hen House.
Upon entering the Hen House, harps played, birds chirped, and supernatural masseuses massaged out all my kinks, as this home’s warm, ambient-lit, relaxing energy expelled nothing but good vibes. The girls poured us wine and invited us to stay for dinner. Other friends of their’s began showing up and a small-scale party ensued. Leah and Toby jammed on guitar, Anna helped me stretch out a surf injury, and Leane added mystical sounds with the Tibetan singing bowl. After dinner, Leah played us a song while Toby jammed on guitar alongside her. The night was full of dancing, laughing, and song. Our night at the Hen House was the best night of our stay on the North Shore. Here’s the song Leah played for us after dinner. Thank you Leah, Leane, and Anna for the awesome experience.
Video by The Inertia Juicewhale, Jeremy Searle. Check him out on Instagram.
