By: Matt Rott

Emily Erickson is one of the best surfers out at Waimea — male or female — and arguably the modern inspiration for the Red Bull Queen of the Bay contest. She’s also got a solid North Shore pedigree, being legendary Waimea charger Roger Erickson’s daughter. And she quietly goes about her business, letting her clean, purist approach to surfing — especially big-wave surfing — do the talking.

But as you get to know her, you get the impression that Emi has more to say than she initially lets on—that once she gets started, she’s the kind of person who will give you some real conversation. With the equality issue raging and the Red Bull Queen of the Bay officially in its waiting period, real conversation is exactly what we are in the mood for, so we called up Emi to see if she had anything she wanted to chat about.

Winter has been a bit slow in starting, but the forecast is looking good and a solid swell is finally on its way to Hawaii. How are you feeling about dusting off the guns and getting back out there?

I’m stoked and excited as always! Surfing big Sunset feels like going home, so I can’t wait for that. And I have a really good feeling about this season.

The Red Bull Queen of the Bay waiting period started a couple of weeks ago, and runs until late November. What are our chances of scoring a proper swell for the event? And what are your thoughts about the event in general?

Well, I think that the Queen of the Bay event brings a new, different vibe to the whole women’s equality movement. It’s never been done before. It’s a clean slate, and an opportunity for not just a few, but for all of the women who really love to surf big waves. I hope that it will highlight feminine athleticism at its finest. The chances of getting a real swell during our waiting period aren’t super high, but there have been early season swells before. So I hope we get the right swell, because I want to see the event run, and I think it’s really important for the North Shore community to become inspired and fight for more women’s events—for our women now and for the girls in the future. This event could help shift the current mindset and inspire positive change.

Women’s big wave surfing has sort of been trending over the past couple of years, and positioned at the center of the equality/equal pay movement. How do you think the surf industry is doing in terms of supporting women in the progression of big wave surfing, and in surfing as a whole?

In my opinion, there’s a lot of room for improvement. There’s a difference between equality and sameness, but they’re often mixed up. We aren’t men, and personally, I don’t want to be one. So I think we need to celebrate our differences as strengths. This has been a really gray area when it comes to big wave competitions, and it’s been hard for me to identify with a lot of what I see happening. To be honest, I don’t think either the men or women really know what’s going on with big wave surfing right now, on many levels.

You had a pretty good competitive season last year—you made the final in the Peahi Challenge, won the Nelscott event, and got second at Puerto. Are you looking forward to competing this season, or more focused on freesurf sessions? And what spots are you hoping to chase during the winter?

I’m looking forward to everything! I’ve had a phenomenal year, and I just want to carry that momentum with me into this winter. Whatever competitions come up, I’ll try my best and stick to my guns as usual. But my focus is mainly on freesurfing. That’s what it’s really about. It’s hard to bring the soul essence of big wave surfing into competition. Freesurfing is where you can really connect with the ocean. I’m always happy to surf at home, as there is plenty of adventure to be had here. And I’m hoping to chase some swells to Mavericks again this winter.

Waimea Bay has always been special to you, and you have had a lot of success there, including that amazing cover of The Surfer’s Journal. How much of that comes from the influence of your dad?

Well, I think I’ve inevitably been shaped by Dad’s influence, but ultimately I’ve pursued this big-wave thing because I wanted to. When I stumbled into the surf world, it just took hold of me. The people around me at the time thought I was insane, but I just knew — I guess it sort of felt like fate. Dad had the boards, the knowledge, and the history. I just took them and used them. Sometimes when the Bay is breaking, he bikes down and watches me surf through the binoculars. I have memories of watching him surf from when I was a child. It’s crazy to me how everything’s come full circle in our lives.

And what about your boards? I know that you have a love affair with single-fin guns. Is your quiver mostly single-fins, or do you have some other nuggets stashed in there as well?

My quiver is still mostly single-fins, but I love trying all kinds of things. I rode some really good quads in Puerto this summer, which has me curious and a bit inspired to switch things up at the moment.

You’ve been a fixture on the North Shore basically your whole life, and leading the charge in XXL conditions for the past five years or so. Are you living the dream already, or do you have other plans/goals for the future? What does a successful life for Emi look like 10 or 20 years down the road?

I’m definitely living my own little dream, for sure! I’ve been pretty happy living a simple life, but I know I can grow more. I’ve made a lot of life choices based around the flexibility needed to surf and travel, and I’ve honestly really enjoyed life so far. The good, the bad, everything. I’ve worked hard and explored, and learned a lot. Who knows what’s going to happen in the future? To be honest, it makes me anxious to think about it too much, given all the crap going on in the world. I definitely see myself continuing to give life a go. I’ll keep doing what I’m passionate about—surfing big waves, living healthy, exploring, learning, stepping into my power. And spreading this empowerment to others. My goal is to be a total babe and a total badass at the same time.