Some Mornings You Just Show Up
It was a classic situation for us, Christina needed to take our daughter to a soccer camp at the University of Florida, and I went to show Marloru’s support for the Sisters of the Sea’s monthly meetup, this month including the Piper Austin Toes on the Nose Surf Clinic.
Family life is a balancing act with an 11 and 14 year old, and then running Marloru and my photography business…sometimes we are just holding on!
Swimming out at the Jax Pier, with my camera and fins, watching more than a dozen women out there with an amazing level of support and companionship, it was easy to feel why we started this whole business, and why we support the causes we do!
Piper Austin / Photo Adam King
Sisters of the Sea has been doing this since 1997.
If you're not from Jacksonville Beach area, you might not fully understand what this organization means to the women who've come through it. It's a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that has been connecting women through surfing, beach cleanups, and community for nearly 30 years. They've supported cancer survivors, mentored beginners, and built something genuinely rare: a surf community where every woman already has a spot in the lineup before she even paddles out.
Marloru has been proud to support Sisters of the Sea for years. We were the title sponsor of the Sisters of the Sea Surf Classic, but that event holds a permanent place in our hearts. It was the first surf contest our daughter ever competed in, in the push-in division, splashing around in the whitewash with her dad. We knew we had found our people. When we launched Marloru, it was the first event we were excited to sponsor, and also the true birth place of Marloru Crew!
The Classic has caught its final wave now. But Sisters of the Sea hasn't slowed down for a second. Monthly meetups, beach cleanups, the annual Sisters & Survivors event for women impacted by cancer — this community keeps showing up. And so do we.
Our first Sisters of the Sea Event, after Kayla's first heat ever!
About Piper.
Piper is one of the most respected surfers to come out of North Florida. She built her reputation as a standout shortboarder, competing in several (Sisters of the Sea Surf Classics herself!), but over the years she's evolved into a world-class longboarder, (which has always been my favorite surf style to photograph.)
I’ve had the privilege of photographing Piper for years. One of my favorite shots of her came from the very first Justin Quintal Loggerhead Classic back in 2018. That photo ended up blown up as the window display at Jax Surf and Paddle, a local surf and beach shop that also happens to carry Marloru bags. Small world, but really just a tight supportive beach community.
Watching Piper teach her skills to these women made it obvious she still has a deep passion for time in the ocean, and sometimes its harder to tell, easier to show!
The Morning.
I actually started a little before sunrise, where I was able to catch up with a few girls of Marloru Crew and catch some beautiful colors, and help them with a few of their other brand sponsor’s content demands. We are often the first to sponsor many of the girls that join Marloru Crew, but we teach them and help them if that’s something they want to pursue.
We brought some Essential Slings and Sunday Bags as gifts for the Sisters’ crew. We hope to be back every month, and we will be bringing back more goodies, (so come out!). Like I said, these are our people!
See your shots.
The full gallery from the morning is live now on Adam King Photo. Find yourself, download your photos, and share freely, please tag us!
Sisters of the Sea holds monthly meetups every first Sunday at Jacksonville Beach Pier (Next months will be the following week because of the July 4th holiday). Free, open to all women, no sign-up needed. Follow them at @sistersofthesea and learn more at sistersofthesea.org.