Living Water Surf Co.

History

Ana, originally from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, started surfing at age 12.   Ana was Brazil’s National surfing champion twice!   Ana’s sponsors wanted to send her to compete and surf around the world.  Ana competed in ASP World Tour (Asociation of Surfing Professionals) events  in Hawaii, Australia, South Africa, North and South America, Europe and the Caribean.  Ana had a reputation for being an excellent big wave surfer in Brasil and on Oahu’s North Shore especially at her favorite wave, Sunset.

Chuck also began surfing at age 12 but in Ormond Beach, Florida.   After highschool Chuck moved to San Diego, CA and worked at the Nectar surfboards surf shop and repaired surfboards at Nectar’s surfboard factory.  Chuck had some success competing in Florida and CA yet preferred exploring the Baja Mexico Penninsula for surf or lengthy trips to Australia and Hawaii.  Chuck then moved to Oahu’s North Shore working as a tree trimmer and surfboard repairman for Bill Barnfield’s surfboard factory.

Chuck and Ana met on the North Shore of Oahu in 1991.  They became fast friends in and out of the water.  Chuck, a tree trimmer would bring  Ana fresh coconuts from the coco trees he trimmed.  Brazilian girls love to drink fresh coconut water after surfing!  They shared epic surf together on the North Shore esp at Sunset Beach.  Chuck and all the guys were blown away how the little Ana could keep up with the boys at big Sunset and Waimea!

Chuck, a romantic surfer, would pick many tropical flowers for his “friend” Ana.  Hawaii has amazing flowers growing everywhere!  Chuck had marriage in mind and joined the Coast Guard in Honolulu asking for anything in Hawaii.  Unexpectedly, he was stationed on another island, Martha’s Vineyard!  The Coast Guard sent over Chuck’s full Hawaiian quiver of “magic” JC Hawaii surfboards to MV.  JC-John Carper and Chuck had become longtime surf buddies and close friends over the years.   Ana and Chuck always loved going to Saturday nights at the Carper’s house.   A big potluck meal for the traveling surfers from all over the world, a time of Bible study and worship, the house would be overflowing, popping at the seams!!

Ana stopped competing and went to a Bible College in CA.  To make a long story short, they got married when Ana graduated and the Coast Guard had them stationed on Martha’s Vineyard and later in Newport, RI.  Chuck went on to become a Helicopter Rescue Swimmer in the Coast Guard and the Barend’s were then stationed back in Hawaii.  They plugged right back in living at Sunset Beach and thought they would live back on the North Shore forever.  But when their twins, Edward and Maria, turned 3 they decided to raise the little keikis in New England and here we are in Little Compton, RI.

The Barend’s have ridden JC surfboards for over 25 years. Chuck worked for JC surfboards,  WEST wetsuits, PRO-LITE accessories, and a few other surf companies as a New England rep and provided surf gear to surfshops all over New England.  Chuck then began dreaming of having his own shop.  Well, Living Water Surf Co. was born out of this dream and a desire to serve people and share our deep knowledge of surfing and help you find great, high performance, equipment.

We have been working with the New England youth, coaching them in competitions, and teaching surf camps.  Bringing local surfer kids to surf contests it was only natural for Ana to show them how to do it and begin competing again.   Ana has won numerous North East Women’s contests as well as making some history winning Men’s events too!   Most notably Ana is a 2 x Brazilian National Champion and 6 x Ladies shortboard East Coast Champion, 3 x Ladies longboard East Coast Champion.  Ana is honored to be selected for the 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 , and 2013 ESA All STar Team and assists in coaching the young ESA All Star Team members.  Ana was chosen as ESM’s “Wahine Surfer” of the year in 2010.  Ana is “Living her dream” to work with the East Coast’s most talented young surfers!

Being an East Coaster, Chuck was proud to be featured in an ESM “Who Da Guy” article and win a surf contest in San Diego, CA back when he was 18.  Chuck’s competitive surfing highlight is winning an East Coast title in North Carolina and being selected to be on the ESA All Star team.

The 2013 season was special for Chuck as a competitor and coach.  Chuck competed in Open Mens in 2013 and placed 2nd overall at the East Coast Championships in North Carolina.

“Competing against he younger surfers really pushes you, they surf fast and progressive and surfing all the way into the Open Men’s shortboard final at the East Coast Championships was pretty unexpected!  It was bitter sweet competing against some amazing young surfers that I had been coaching!”

Back in 2010 and 2011 Chuck and Ana made a little history being the first husband and wife on the All Star Team together!  They had a chance to travel with the team to Central America, train, compete, and assist the Head Coach, Pat Emery with the East Coast’s next generation of “East Coast’s best of the best” surfers!

Most recently, Chuck competed in the Water Brother’s Pro and made the finals, still young at heart!

Now our children Ed & Maria are continuing the family surfing legacy and have both won surf contests and surfing world class waves around the globe during the Winter months with Mom & Dad!  Surfing together with our kids in Hawaii, Australia, Costa Rica, Brazil, PR, California and up and down East Coast has been a very special blessing and we are very thankful!

Our goal at Living Water is to take these surfing accomplishments and our depth of experience and share it all with our patrons and friends here at Living Water Surf Shop!

Whether riding big or small waves on short or longboards we are simply enjoying the Ocean, it is a great gift!  Enjoying the many friends we’ve made and shared along the way is a real blessing too!  Stop in, say hello, and check out all the great gear at Living Water Surf Co we are always very happy to serve you!

Mahalo,

The Barends

Chuck’s cell 401 662-9291

e-mail: chuckana@verizon.net

The Barend’s back on the North Shore of Oahu