Issue No. 01 Spring 2023

We couldn't do this without you. We really couldn't, it's true. Since the early days of Standup Journal, this magazine has always been about sharing our passion for water with you, our extended family of devoted readers and subscribers. Without you, there is no mag. The stories, the adventures, the heroics, and the simple thrill of putting these pages together just doesn't have the same meaning without you. You give us the inspiration to do what we do and we wouldn't be interested in doing it without you.

Issue number 1 of our newly re-branded title is hot of the presses and we couldn't be more excited to share this first issue with you. In a digital world continuously vying for and playing into our short attention spans, we strive to create the analog counter balance – the yin to their yang. The richness of fibers and pulp you hold in your fingers stimulate the interconnected neural pathways from your naked fingertips to your cerebral neurons in a way that alkali-aluminosilicate sheets of glass can never replicate. This perfect bound density of 4-color processed pulp with eye-popping photography is our vinyl to their mp3.

We feel the duty, the privilege, and the responsibility to honor this time-tested art of print that goes back to the days of delayed gratification, to exercising the patience to develop a story, and to the heightened exhilaration of seeing your name or photograph in print. We're proud to produce a product that encourages you to slow down enough to plan the precise time and moment when you crack the cover and commit to going through each issue from front to back, taking as much time as needed to study every page and immerse yourself in every photo. We promise to do our part to make you feel each adventure, place yourself in every story, and bear witness to each and every experience through captivating storytelling and dripping wet extraordinary photography. Welcome to Session Magazine.

We gave a lot of thought to how this first issue would roll out. But nature ran its course and we slipped into the flow, letting the pulse of timely events build the narrative that would explain how things went down. Giant swells filled the timeline, one behind the other. No one could argue that we were witnessing one of the most prolific demonstrations of natural power known to humankind. Thus, this inaugural issue will have a slight bent toward the biggest stage of all – the big wave stage. Nothing captures our attention more than the images of what could be the biggest waves ever ridden. Very few natural events can compare to the awe and the grace of a giant wave, followed by another giant wave, in a destination thousands of miles away connected to the same source of energy.

Personally, I couldn't be more proud or inspired by our cover model and humblest of big wave champions, White Water Willy, who traveled to the ends of the earth to ride some of the biggest waves manifested from these recent maelstroms. If you don't know Will, that speaks to his humbleness. If you do, well then you understand why we commissioned this photo to represent our first and only inaugural issue. Personal bias aside, Will is one of the unspoken heroes of the surf industry who works hard for little to no recognition, and does so with humility and grace. The grit of New York embodies this big wave persona, but the humbleness and humility of this incredibly talented surfer prevails through every kind of personal and physical challenge. Will won't always tell you where he's headed, but when he gets there, he gets the job done and leaves everyone a little wiser. Huge shout out to big wave charger and fellow Will Skudin fan, Dylan Stott, for capturing the essence of what it's like to be with Will.

I can't thank you enough for embarking on this journey with us. For committing your dollars and time to the stories we so passionately want to share. After all, it's all about you, the reader, the subscriber, who placed your confidence in us to take you away from your life for a few short hours to show you what other like-minded humans with similar passions are doing to satiate their shared passion and addiction for water. I can't emphasize enough how similar we are, you and us. It's a healthy addiction of fitness and health that creates a bond with nature and one another. Because without the passion, it's just paper and a little bit of glue.

Respectfully yours,
Russ, Evelyn, Jeff & Adina