#53 - Joel Guy. Serving and Preserving Kauai’s North Shore + Working with the Best Surfers on the Planet.

Joel Guy was raised on the North Shore of Kauai. Not only is this area stunning, with an incredibly rich history, but it also happens to produce some of the world’s best surf, and surfers. For these reasons and more, it has also become a major tourist destination. Joel tells the story of growing up there, becoming Andy Irons primary filmer, and traveling the world with Andy and a crew of world class surfers, during the peak of Andy’s competitive domination. Some of the other names include Bruce Irons, Dustin Barca, Roy Powers and more. Top of the top. While traveling the world and spending time at the best surf destinations on the planet, Joel saw and experienced how other communities manage their challenges; challenges very similar to those impacting his home on Kauai. So, for the last two decades, Joel has been passionately involved in the North Shore community, working to navigate the balance between being one of the most beautiful places on the planet; and the resulting impacts of heavy tourism. Today Joel is the Executive Director of the Hanalei Initiative, which works to improve the community and environment of Hanalei and the North Shore of Kauai.