ESPN Surfing

Who is Rob Brown? Good question. I just knew Rob Brown as the guy down in Hatteras who takes off on big throats next to the groin, pulls in and stands straight up like — well, like a laid back Outer Banks local who has been in enough pits to know how to look relaxed in the vortex.

Then I saw the dude in an Outer Banks feature in the January issue of the Surfer's Path, behind the curtain on the Intro page of the last ESM, towing some crazy West Coast slab, and then in Surfer Mag. I had to learn who this mysterious dude was.

Courtesy Will Skudin

Meet Rob Brown, relaxing at home.

ESPN Surfing: So, what's up? You're everywhere lately.

Rob Brown: Yeah I'm really amped. My goal was to make sure I hit up all the good swells up and down the East Coast. I guess it paid off.

ESPN Surfing: And they are all barrel shots?

Rob Brown: I know — it's pretty bad. I'm sure someone is talking sh*t on that. Even my mom called me out. It's cool though. I love getting barreled.

Rich McMullin

Brown at his most relaxed.

ESPN Surfing: That's rough. My Mom says she recognizes my style from the beach. I'm pretty sure that means I surf like a gorilla. What can you do? How're things on the Rock?

Rob Brown: It's been insane. Zoo York has a house rented for us and the waves are good. I can't complain about a damn thing.

ESPN Surfing: I don't remember ever hearing of any contest results. You're obviously charging. Do you just not compete? Is that cool with your sponsors?

Rob Brown: Zoo York is cool with what ever I do. It's not like I'm some anti-contest guy, even though sometimes I never want to do one again. I guess if it's the right time and the right place, I'll get into competing. But I'll never try to do the WQS or anything like that.

ESPN Surfing: What its like to be apart of the Zoo York crew?

Rob Brown: It's awesome. Everyone surfs really well — big or small waves, so that's really good to be around. I'm really happy. Thanks Zoo!

ESPN Surfing: A few shots have circulated of you guys on some mean cold water wave with Garrett MacNamara. I know you're not going to tell me where that West Coast slab is, but how the hell did you guys get there?

Rich McMullin

Brown says he will never try to do the WQS. He's too busy hunting deer, doves, and big drops.

Rob Brown: All I can say is that it's dangerous and that you probably don't want anything to do with it.

ESPN Surfing: Fair enough. I heard you like to drink Coors Original and whiskey? Coors Original?

Rob Brown: Hell yeah! Cold beer and bbq'ing. You just can't go wrong.

ESPN Surfing: I know you're loving the North Shore, but do you miss those bombing days on the Outer Banks?

Rob Brown: Yeah, definitely! North Carolina is the best. It's kind of funny how people don't even know we get good surf. The other day I was hitch hiking and I told this guy where I was from, and he didn't even know NC was on the coast. Anyway, I miss home before I even come out here for the winter.

ESPN Surfing: Probably a little less crowded?

Rob Brown: Of course. I can't wait to go home and surf a nice empty beach break. I don't even care how cold. I was talking to Brett Barley the other day, and he said he got some good waves buy himself. He said it was head, to a foot over head barrels, and no one out. I was honestly jealous and it was probably better out here.

ESPN Surfing: You miss deer hunting?

Rob Brown: I actually get to do most my deer hunting before I come out for the winter. I do miss my duck hunting. That's my real passion. My grandfather has taught me everything I know about it. It's crazy how much he cares about the habitat and everything. When I'm older I definitely want to be like him.

The "Lens" Lenzo

Though he loves the North Shore, dark temptresses like this harken from the Outer Banks (with a few less suitors in line.)

ESPN Surfing: I heard you've been cooking doves or something?

Rob Brown: Well yeah. You have to cook the meat before you eat it. What I do is take the dove breast, put a jalapeno on it, a little cream cheese on that, wrap it with bacon, then put bbq sauce all over it. Place it on the grill and your cookin.'

ESPN Surfing: Where did you get doves? Should I even ask?

Rob Brown: We shoot them with shotguns. Most of the time, at home, we just go sit in a cut corn field and wait for them to come in to feed. The funniest thing is the doves out here in Hawaii are way bigger than North Carolina. So for the last few years we've been shooting them in the back yard with a pellet gun. People definitely think we're crazy when were ripping the feathers off and gutting them out. Then it really trips them out when we throw them on the grill to cook. I think that's hilarious.

ESPN Surfing: That's all I have for now. There you have it. Rob Brown, the dove-loving charger. Thanks again. I'll see you next time I'm down in Hatteras.

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