What if the thing you were seeking all along was right in your own backyard?

Elaine Abonal was an exchange student in Florida when she first saw surfing—and something inside her lit up. But it wasn’t until she returned to the Philippines and realized there were waves in her own country that everything changed.

In this episode of Confessions of a Surf Lady: The First Women’s Surfing Podcast™, Elaine shares how her surf journey started by breaking cultural expectations and carving out a new path in the Philippine surf scene. As a Filipina surfer, community builder, and entrepreneur, she’s created something truly powerful: a space where people feel welcome, safe, and inspired to surf.

We talk about her experience originally being one of the few women in the water in Siargao, what it's like to build surf culture from the ground up, and why inclusion—especially in the global surf conversation—has to come from people who live and breathe the culture every day.

Main Themes:

🌍 Surfing as a Cultural Awakening

“I thought I had to go far away to learn to surf. I didn’t realize the waves were in my own country.” – Elaine Abonal

💪 Creating Safe Spaces in the Lineup

From guiding tourists to teaching locals, Elaine opens up about her mission to make surfing feel welcoming—especially for women in the Philippines.

🏄🏽 Representation in Surf Culture

Why it matters that the face of surfing includes Filipina surfers, and how surf media often misses the real stories from local communities.

🌀 Surfing as a Mirror for Growth

We explore how surfing helped Elaine confront fear, trust herself, and return to joy—even through life’s personal and professional challenges.

Resources:

• Follow Elaine on Instagram: @elaineabonal
  Learn about Surfista Travels: surfistatravels.com
• Join our global women’s surf community — The Surf Société — and start your free 7-day trial today. 🔗 Click here to join now
• Or learn more first → The Surf Société overview
• Shop Dip and get 15% OFF with the code "confessionsofasurflady" at checkout at Dipalready.com
• The Surfing Copywriter: Learn more about his work at www.thesurfingcopywriter.com.

How to Support the Podcast:

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Support the show

Confessions of a Surf Lady, women's surfing podcast, is supported by The Surf Société, our unique digital women's surfing platform where we come together to Learn More. Surf Better. Live Happy. Learn more at Surfsociete.com