Although the wave is beyond the length of a five-storey building, Maya, who took inspiration from the dolphins’ awesome surfing style as a kid, must go on, surfing along the canyon, cutting through the swells that have been her foe and friend. This is the story of 2x Guinness World Record holder Maya Gabeira, who feels at home in the sea.

Maya Makes Waves is an upcoming children’s picture book, a collaborative work by the legendary surfer Maya Gabeira and Ramona Kaulitzki, a three-time New York Times bestselling illustrator. Underlining her journey from being an asthmatic child to conquering chauvinism and doubts with her surfboard, Gabeira laments the death of coral reefs, the rise of sea levels, and the disappearance of marine life in the book. “I try to dive into my own experiences to engage kids, so they fall in love and protect the ocean,” said Maya Gabeira about the work which comes out on August 6th.

On this occasion, I had the privilege to get in touch with the UNESCO Champion of the Ocean and Youth who thinks raising her voice as a surfer is essential to reconnecting “humanity with the ocean” and building “a truly blue society for future generations.” So, let’s dive into the brief chat where Gabeira, talks about her book, thanks her naysayers, and opens up about Blue Crush, a movie that encouraged some of us to dream big.

Author: Loved the illustrations! How were you introduced to Ramona Kaulitzki who illustrated Maya Makes Waves? And how successfully do you think the three-time NYT bestselling illustrator painted what you have lived and imagined?

Maya Gabeira: Ramona always over-delivers. I am a big fan. I was introduced to Ramona’s work by my publisher, ABRAMS, and I fell in love with it! She was my first choice and I am so happy to collaborate with her for a second time now. [Note: Maya and the Beast is the first work Gabeira and Kaulitzki produced together.]

Author: In the book you wrote that the “sea smelled like freedom” and the “water washed Maya’s worries away.” How did the water feel that day in Nazaré, Portugal, when you surfed the 73.5-foot wave, the largest wave surfed by a woman till now?

Maya Gabeira: It felt cold… but also full of energy, and possibilities! It was my best day of surfing, as far as connecting with the ocean and making the most of every wave!

[In 2013, the Brazilian almost lost her life surfing in Nazaré, Portugal as she fell off her surfboard riding a giant wave. She broke her ankle and almost drowned. Hearing was the only sensation she was left with before being rescued. So, I had to ask the following question.]

Author: After that incident where you almost shook hands with death, you returned to Nazaré twice, setting a new world record each time! I understand your deep connection with the sea, still, how did you muster the courage to go back?

Maya Gabeira: I didn’t just return for two world records. I moved to Nazaré in 2015 and trained and lived there for three years until my first world record in 2018. I still live in Nazaré. I was afraid of course, but I decided to put my head down and keep pushing! Time was my biggest ally and to overcome the trauma and replace those hard memories with new ones. Now I have so many amazing memories from Nazaré the accident is just one more!

Author: In Maya Makes Waves, you recounted boys telling younger Maya she was deficient in talent. Later as a pro when you had broken your leg and was bedridden, one of your male peers and childhood idol, Kelly Slater called you “unprepared” and accused you of “endangering people around you.”

Having smashed gender expectations, with two back-to-back Guinness World Records, the Billabong XXL awards, and an ESPY award for Best Female Action Sports Athlete among other accolades, what is your message to the naysayers?

Maya Gabeira: Well as hard as it is being criticized, I have to say thank you to them. They made me who I am. I had to dig deeper and really believe in myself to keep pushing. The naysayers made me better!

Author: Do you have a favorite surf movie? Mine is Blue Crush. I still think of the scene where Keala Kennelly motivates Kate Bosworth, asking her to “paddle hard!” I believe you would like to weigh in on that, would you?

Maya Gabeira: I was so inspired by that movie! It literally made me go to Hawaii when I was 17 and probably had a huge influence on my career choice! It was empowering to see girls doing a dangerous and beautiful sport and proving the guys wrong!

Author: As you have written in Maya Makes Waves, it is absurd that we are more concerned about Mars than “our own ocean here on Earth.” So, as an Oceana ambassador and the UNESCO Champion for the Ocean and Youth, what is your final message to our readers regarding ocean conservation?

Maya Gabeira: Restoring and preserving our ocean is what will allow us to be alive! Life comes from the sea, the air we breathe … food … livelihoods … it regulates climate change. We need to reconnect with nature and value the most important things again. And we need to be informed and aware of the huge problem we are facing, realizing it’s not too late to act!

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