Off Diamond Head (Honolulu, 1966-67) -- Smell the ocean (California, ca. 1956-65) -- The shock of the new (California, 1968) -- 'Scuse me while I kiss the sky (Maui, 1971) -- The search (The South Pacific, 1978) -- The lucky country (Australia, 1978-79) -- Choosing Ethiopia (Asia, Africa, 1979-81) -- Against dereliction (San Francisco, 1983-86) -- Basso profundo (Madeira, 1994-2003) -- The mountains fall into the heart of the sea (New York City, 2002-15)

Describes the author's experiences as a lifelong surfer, from his early years in Honolulu through his culturally sophisticated pursuits of perfect waves in some of the world's most exotic locales