Aloha, my name is Shannon Marie Quirk (@ShannonReporting) and I am a surfer, television host, journalist, and WSL Big Wave Tour event coordinator. I was born in San Francisco, California and currently live on the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii. However, my work and surf trips keep me busy with travel, which I appreciate as much as I love being at home in warm water.

My schedule (at this point in my career anyway) completely depends on the weather. If the winds are bad or swell is tiny, I sleep in. Sleep is the most valuable thing for an athelte's muscle recovery, and most of us don't get enough. On the big XXL swells, I get very little sleep, so it balances out. At home in Hawaii, I usually wake up with the sunrise - it's always so beautiful and makes me really grateful to be alive. Here in Nazare, Portugal, the early mornings are really cold and the waves have to be absolutely pumping and perfect to get me out of my warm bed, haha.

While travelling to new places, I have some cheat days where I will try a new plate, but I have found that if I keep my breakfast consistent and light, I feel great all day while surfing. A green smoothie is my favorite, packed with superfoods and supplements from my sponsor Elemental Wizdom. They have Spirulina and plant proteins which give me nutrients and natural energy. I take my supplements everywhere I travel; food is my medicine. I also like to eat protein in the morning - so I make a veggie omlet after surfing or exercise. Mushrooms, kale, spinach... as many greens as I can find. And another coffee.

Yoga is a daily ritual for me, but I will stretch throughout the day no matter where I am or what I'm doing. While watching a movie with friends, I am often on the floor holding my toes or rolling out on a foam roller.

Surfing for me is full of positive energy and makes me really happy. It's my daily medicine, and riding a really good wave gives you a heavy dose of adrenaline and intense gratification. It's addicting like a drug. You always want more and need a heavier dose to fulfil you next time, in the form of bigger and more challenging waves.

Sometimes, though, the ocean humbles you by slamming you down to the bottom of the sand. A bad wipeout can rattle you a bit, but no matter what happens, I come out of the sea as a better human being. The salt water is very healing. I don't like staying dry on land for too long...


After surfing, I take a hot shower and get my yoga pants on. Stretching and foam rollers are the key to quick recovery. If I have been filming or shooting an XXL swell, I go straight to a cafe to upload the best surf clips and send my videos to media outlets. I try to be a timely reporter with surf news, so people usually want to see the waves from that day. I am trying to do more live feeds and lifestreams now to cater to the Facebook audience. Social media is how I end most every day, focused around growing our sport and promoting big wave surfing.


Happiness. Being true to myself and my roots. The more positive people you can surround yourself with, the more laughter and smiles throughout your day. I am grateful for the surf community and the amazing people I meet while traveling who change my perspective and keep me open-minded. In regards to surfing, the secret is to transform fear into action - turning something that would normally hold you back into motivation to train more and work harder. Surfing bigger waves requires mental wellbeing to not panic in terrifying situations, so I focus more energy on my health and finding my "zen". When you face a challenging situation, channel your inner Buddha.