Off the Beaten Path
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Dirt roads. Windows down. Boards rattling in the back. Red-eye flights. Tiny hopper planes. Eight hours of winding jungle roads. And then – just like that – the great blue, wide open and waiting.
Travel wasn’t easy but the best stuff rarely is. And at Title Nine we have a saying “we like to earn our turns”. And this crew? They did. Up for anything: dawn patrol, chasing sets, long days on the water. Rolling with whatever came next, with plenty of laughs along the way.
Behind the Scenes: Women Running the Show
Every Title Nine expedition is powered by women. Behind the lens. In the lineup. Calling the shots. Making the whole damn thing happen.
These aren’t professional models, they’re athletes, mothers, adventurers, entrepreneurs. Women who take risks, get outside, and find joy in the doing.
And Costa Rica hit differently thanks to our local producers and founders of AWA, Mona and Giulia. They know the backroads, the breaks, the people. The woman making burritos for surfers. The woman walking two hours each way to sell her handmade jewelry.
And Christie – board shaper, business builder, all-around force – who brought us into her world, from shaping boards to running a surf shop and yoga farm.
This wasn’t just a shoot. It was a community.
Where the Road Ends The Wild Begins
Life gets pretty simple when everything fits in one bag. We brought our summer gear to Costa Rica and just… wore it. Through heat, salt, sand, repeat days, and whatever the day decided to throw at us.
Long-line bikinis and midkinis surfed, dove, and paddled. UPF tops and longer shorts made it from trail to town without much thought. And our one-and-done dresses? Yeah… we pretty much lived in them.
Less about outfit changes. More about staying out a little longer.
Meet the Faces of Adventure
Freya: Light Chaser, Adventure Photographer
Feral roots. Barefoot childhood. Camera in hand by 12. Freya shoots the same way she lives – fully in it. What started as one girl in a sea of dudes turned into something better: women, front and center. Strong, messy, fearless. Now she’s leading all-women crews into wild places, capturing women as they are, and making sure we see ourselves in every frame.
@freyafennwoodphotography
Mona: Good Vibes Generator, Planner of Epic Moments
Mona co-founded A Week Awake, hosting women’s surf retreats around the world. After years exploring breaks across the globe, she knows southern Costa Rica like a local, from the dusty backroads to the waves worth chasing.
Giulia: Wild-Hearted Adventurer, Steady Hand BTS
Co-founder of A Week Awake and the steady force behind the magic. From hidden surf breaks to horseback rides through the jungle, she knows the spots – and the people – that make a place feel like home. Walked away from a high-paying city job to build her dream life. Never far from her dog. Never not planning her next adventure.
Ellis: Big Wave Surfer, Med Student
Born on a longboard. Lives in the lineup. First big wave and she was hooked – nothing compares. Started surfing on Oahu, the only girl out there. Still not 50/50. Still stays with the water ‘til it gives something back. Once a firefighter, now a med school student – always chasing her wild. She’s road-tripped through Alaska to shred big mountain lines and to Costa Rica to chase the longest left. Never one to shy away from a T9 expedition. Honestly, she’s usually already packed.
Anna: Former Gymnast, Breaker of the Fourth Wall
Capturing every paddle out, every laugh, every wipeout – and occasionally stepping in front of the camera herself. A natural behind the lens and in the lineup, she brings movement, perspective, and a little magic.
Maya: Send-It Spirit, Knows When to Chill
Fearless by nature, drawn to the unpredictable–if there’s a wave to catch or a cliff to jump, she’s already moving. Fresh off sailing Tahiti with a boat crew, she’s fully at home on the water. Quick to send it, grounded when it counts. She leads with a full heart, which might be why nursing feels like the right next move: real, unpredictable, and all in.
Christie: Board Shaper, Zen Raiser
Surfer, artist, and transplant who’s built two businesses here: a yoga farm and a surf shop that doubles as a coffee spot. We filmed her shaping a new board from first pencil line to foam taking form.
These women live for the outdoors. Adventurers, athletes, mamas, entrepreneurs – they’ve surfed everywhere: Florida, Hawaii, New Zealand, Morocco, the Philippines, Bali, Mexico, and up and down the California coast.
contributing T9 Expert
Andie Pine, Sr. Photo Producer
If there's a crew, a camera, and a pile of gear somewhere off the beaten path, there's a good chance Andie helped get it there. As a producer at Title Nine, she spends her days chasing the next great location, collaborating with women who make their lives outdoors, and turning ambitious shoot plans into reality. Originally from New York, she still brings a little East Coast hustle to every production, though she's happiest when the gear is unpacked, the light is good, and the day ends near the water.
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