About Today
About Sea Together
We believe that surfing is sacred. More than a sport or a trend, we believe surfing is a lifelong practice of learning — one that invites us to honor the ocean, the places we visit, and the people we meet along the way.
We exist for women seeking deeper inspiration, connection, and self-discovery through a shared love of the beautiful craft and culture of surfing. Whether you're just paddling out for the first time or you're a lifelong surfer, this is your space. A place for shared stories, conversations, retreats, and a global sisterhood that gets it. You belong here.
What We Believe
Surfing reveals things. About yourself, the ocean, and the women riding it beside you. It humbles you, heals you, and shows you things nothing else can. Every wave is an invitation to go deeper — and we're here for all of it.
We believe women's surf stories are part of our collective cultural history. Through films, essays, conversations, and community, we're committed to preserving and sharing stories that deserve to be remembered.
What We Stand For
Everything we do is rooted in five values: community, creativity, exploration, growth, and renewal. These live in the water, in the stories we tell, and in the women who find their way to belong here.
Surfing is what brings us together. Through it, we discover friendship, creativity, courage, belonging, and a deeper relationship with the places we call home.
What We Offer
Surf Retreats — Weekend intensives and 3-6 day surf pilgrimages in locations with rich surf histories. Small-group coaching, local awareness, creativity, rest, and meaningful connection to the place and each other, hosted by our founder. Some retreats also include time with inspiring local women surf leaders.
Surf Campouts — Weekend gatherings in a camping setting, focused primarily on surf progression and time in the water, while still carrying the spirit of Sea Together. Hosted by our founder, or sometimes special surf guests.
Stories & Podcast — Interviews with women surfers from around the world and personal essays rooted in surf culture through a feminine and poetic lens.
Surf Resources — Surf guides, ebooks, 1:1 surf coaching & surf consulting, and practical tools to help women go deeper in their practice and feel more at home in the water around the world. After years of teaching women’s surf studies at a university in Hawai’i, leading retreats, and helping women build confidence in the ocean, Bri offers personalized coaching for those wanting to deepen their relationship with surfing.
Sea Sisters Membership — Our Substack community for women who want to go further. Monthly essays from our Founder, podcast videos, practical surf tips, occasional online workshops, and a global sisterhood of women who get it. Sea Sister Members get 20% off weekend gatherings, 1:1 coaching, and 10% off guides and merch.
YouTube — Short documentary films, surf stories, podcast previews, and glimpses into women surfers' lives around the world.
Creative Studio — A surf-inspired creative studio with a Pacific perspective. Open to collaborations, co-produced films, shared storytelling, and connecting you with creative talent from our network.
What Grows Here
Something happens when women surf together. We've seen it enough times to know it's not an accident.
Women leave our spaces more connected to what they already knew — the ocean has a way of reminding us. Deeper in themselves, in the water, and in each other. Having gone further — into their practice, into the ocean, and into community.
We built this because we needed it too.
Our Founder: Who's Behind It
The reason why I am sharing about myself is because I believe it is important to know who is behind something.
Sea Together was founded by Bri — that's me. I've been surfing for about 20 years, and was lucky enough to be taught how to surf by my stepdad, who grew up in San Clemente, California.
I'm an artist and an Art & Surf Studies Professor with an MFA in Art & Social Practice, a degree where I spent 3 years learning how art can bring people together, build community, and facilitate meaningful spaces for participation and connection.
I'm mixed race (white, Black, and Indigenous American), with white passing privilege. My mom’s grandparents were immigrants from Europe and my dad’s family is Creole and lived in New Orleans since 1700.
I've never belonged to just one place — 50+ moves, 6 high schools, 3 states (Hawai’i California, and Washington), and a life lived in between identities. But the ocean is the one place that always felt like home.
I created Sea Together not only to make space for others — but because subconsciously, I needed it too, and couldn't find it anywhere else when I started it in 2017.
Today, Sea Together is growing and evolving as people come be part of it: a place for women to surf, learn, create, connect, and share stories.
Welcome, I’m glad you are here! It’s an honor to have you in this space. 🌊
Bri, our founder, a surfer of 20 years, who is passionate about surfing, facilitating safe creative spaces, teaches art at a university in Hawai’i, and holds an MFA in Socially Engaged Art
Our History
Sea Together began in 2017 as a print women’s surf magazine — two issues built on a simple belief: that women surfers deserved more representation, more honest storytelling, and more space to share their voices. We featured women not normally seen in mainstream surf media at the time, highlighted diversity and creativity in surf culture, and brought together contributors who were all surfers themselves.
This is what I wrote when I started it:
"I wanted to gather the waters of the sea together — in support of each other, empowering each other, encouraging that the differences that make us different can still come together, as the ocean is a place of uniting. I believe that all humans one day will have equal representation in surf culture everywhere. But it will take us to get there. If this inspires just one person, or one young girl, then it will be something worthwhile."
— B. Ortega, December 2017
That belief hasn't changed. Everything else has just grown around it.
The Pause & The Return
In May 2023, our Instagram account was hacked and removed overnight — taking nearly 10,000 followers with it. It was a loss that asked us to stop, reflect, and ask what Sea Together was really for.
After two years away, the answer was clear. The community still needed this space.
Since summer 2025, Sea Together is back, stronger and clearer than ever. If there's one thing the hiatus taught us, it's that community built on owned platforms matters. So wherever you find us — get on our website email list and add our emails (bri@seatogether.com sea.together.mag@gmail.com) to your contacts so we don't end up in spam, and/or join our Substack email list. We're not going anywhere, but the internet can be unpredictable.
We’re back and this chapter is just getting started. 🌊