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Surfer Darshan Gooch catches a ride while sunlight just barely peaks over the lip of his wave

Welcome to Santa Cruz Vibes Magazine&#8217;s inaugural issue! I&#8217;m Ryan &#8216;Chachi&#8217; Craig, your photo editor and the contributor for our travel series, &#8220;The Chachfiles,&#8221; featured in every SC Vibes edition. With 15 years specializing in surfing photography, I became a staff photographer at Surfer magazine. This role allowed me to photograph renowned surfers and explore diverse cultures, landscapes, people, and food. It&#8217;s been an incredible journey capturing unique travel moments.
In future issues, I&#8217;ll showcase my favorite road memories, but let&#8217;s begin this issue by focusing on Santa Cruz. Its diversity, from Big Sur to San Francisco, has fueled my passion for photography when I was just getting interested in the craft. I&#8217;m still in love with our coastline&#8217;s beauty and grateful to call Santa Cruz home. Join us in celebrating Santa Cruz&#8217;s wonders in the pages of Santa Cruz Vibes Magazine. Enjoy the ride!

Elevated view of a surfboard shaping room in a foggy forest landscape captured by Ryan "Chachi" Craig

Morning fog takes on a different look when you’re staying in a four-story house surrounded by trees in the heart of Montara. While working on a project in 2018, I had the opportunity to stay with a few friends in a forest home and document four surfers who were also talented surfboard shapers. With a garage turned into a makeshift shaping room, we enjoyed a week of surfing, storytelling and shaping. This image was taken just after sunrise with a couple surfboard ‘blanks’ in the queue for an afternoon of shaping.

Colorful sunset photo of Its Beach in Santa Cruz, CA captured by Ryan "Chachi" Craig

I grew up as an avid bodyboarding enthusiast and Its Beach was the epicenter of my life as a teenager. I have countless memories of watching the sunset from the water there and later on in life, photographing many gorgeous skies along that stretch of sand. This sunset in particular might be one of the more beautiful I have witnessed. After an afternoon of rain the skies parted at sunset as the sky began to glow. It’s not often that you see rain squalls illuminated in orange and red hues as is the case on the left side of this image. This night will be forever ingrained in my mind. (Its Beach is a south-facing beach below the bluff on the west side of Point Santa Cruz.)

A surfer rides a wave from the nose of his surfboard with the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf and Beach Boardwalk in the background with a rainbow shining through some dark clouds above captured by Ryan "Chachi" Craig

How sweet it is when everything comes together for a photograph! It’s not often that you see a rainbow over the Boardwalk with crisp winter light and a talented surfer perched on the nose of their board. This image just happened to come together while taking a leisurely stroll on Westcliff Drive with my camera in hand.

Surfer Noah Wegrich catches air of the lip of a wave with a rock formation in the background captured by Ryan "Chachi" Craig

Backdrops like this rock formation north of Santa Cruz are one of great things about being a surf photographer here. Having Noah Wegrich as your subject, well, that might be even better!

A surfer carries his board while riding his bicycle through Lighthouse Field in Westside Santa Cruz, CA on a foggy morning

Ryan "Chachi" Craig shares a collection of images gathered during his expeditions as a professional surf photographer.

Chach Files: Issue 1

Chach Files: Home

Jodi Frediani is a Monterey Bay-based photographer whose images have captured the world’s most extraordinary marine life, from the icebergs of Antarctica to the vibrant waters of the Caribbean and South Pacific. Yet her connection to the ocean goes beyond photography. A passionate conservationist and researcher, Frediani’s work has contributed to understanding humpback whale populations across the globe. 
“I feel quite fortunate to be able to share my passion for the beauty of the natural world with others through my photographs,&#8221; Frediani says. “I hope to inspire people to join in protecting the wildlife and wildlands around us.”
In addition to being a photographer, Frediani is also a key player in whale research. She collects fluke ID photos — images of the unique markings on a whale’s tail — used to identify and track individual whales&#8217; movements over time. Working in Alaska, Monterey Bay and the Dominican Republic, Frediani contributes these vital photos to databases managed by organizations like Allied Whale, CEBSE, Happywhale and Cascadia Research. These collections help scientists monitor whale populations, migration patterns, and health. Frediani also supports California Whale Rescue by documenting entangled whales and collaborates with the California Academy of Sciences and Long Marine Lab to study whales affected by ship strikes. Currently, she is part of the WhaleSETI team, combining her photography skills with acoustic research in Alaska.

Frediani’s journey to becoming a photographer is as varied as her career. Born in Los Angeles and raised in the San Fernando Valley, her childhood love of animals led her to consider careers in art, marine biology, and veterinary medicine. She initially studied veterinary medicine at UC Davis, but later transferred to UC Santa Cruz, where she pursued biology and art, eventually earning a bachelor’s degree in Art with a focus on photography.
Over the years, her life has taken many twists and turns. After marrying and raising two children, she settled in Bonny Doon, north of Santa Cruz, where she started Yarrow Hill Farm, an organic farm known for its fruits, vegetables and award-winning dairy goats. Despite managing the farm, she continued her travels — a passion first sparked by childhood trips with her parents to Europe and the Soviet Union.

When her children grew up and left the house, Frediani shifted gears. She became a TTOUCH Instructor, teaching a distinctive animal training method, and worked as an environmental consultant for 35 years, focusing on forest conservation. Her interest in marine life reignited in the early 1990s when she joined Earthwatch projects centered on whales and dolphins. A standout experience was a trip to the Bahamas with Ken Balcomb’s beaked whale project, where bad weather thwarted whale sightings but intensified her passion for marine life.
In 2009, Frediani delivered her first photographic presentation to the Monterey Chapter of the American Cetacean Society. Shortly after, she was invited by Nancy Black of Monterey Bay Whale Watch to photograph whales at her leisure. Since then, she has been documenting the marine life of Monterey Bay and beyond, capturing the ocean&#8217;s beauty and wonder.

Frediani’s latest project, “Wild Monterey Bay,” is a collection of real-life stories shared by various individuals about their most memorable wildlife encounters in the Bay, continuing her mission to connect people with the natural world.
“Putting together ‘Wild Monterey Bay’ has been a labor of love,” she says. “I am so fortunate to live at the edge of this magnificent ecosystem and be able to spend time on the water year-round.” 
Frediani hopes the book shines a light on the uniqueness of the area we all call home. “I hope this anthology will inspire others to come to appreciate the magic, beauty and biodiversity that is Monterey Bay.”

Wild Monterey Bay

<blockquote>
<h1>🔥 MUST-START VIBE: Jayden Daniels (vs. Cowboys)</h1>
Jayden Daniels is about to embarrass the Cowboys like a kid who just learned the Fortnite dance at recess. Passing yards? Done. Rushing touchdowns? All day. The Cowboys are the Oprah of fantasy points: “You get a touchdown! You get a touchdown! EVERYONE gets a touchdown!”</blockquote>
MUST START PROJECTION ( PPR )  26.50 
&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;&#8212;-
🤡 SNEAKY VIBE DUO: Malik Nabers &amp; Tommy DeVito (vs. Buccaneers) 
Tommy DeVito under center? Relax, it’s not Armageddon. If he made Slayton and Robinson look competent, Nabers is about to look like Jerry Rice on steroids. The Bucs’ defense couldn’t stop a nosebleed—this is basically a charity event.
😴 SLEEPY VIBE QB: Tua Tagovailoa (vs. Patriots) 
Tua’s heating up like that mac and cheese you left in the fridge, and the Patriots’ blitz is about to get served. It’s Thanksgiving leftovers vs. an air fryer, and Tua’s the chef.
🚫 BAD VIBE QB: Matthew Stafford (vs. Eagles) 
Stafford’s colder than your ex liking your new partner’s Instagram post. And against the Eagles? He’s about to get sacked so hard, they’ll send him back to 2015.
🔥 GOOD VIBE RB: Brian Robinson Jr. (vs. Cowboys) 
The Cowboys&#8217; run defense is a bad joke. Joe Mixon hit them for three touchdowns last week, and Robinson’s ready to turn it into an open mic night. Fantasy points? Served hot and endless.
😴 SLEEPY VIBE RB: Trey Benson (at Seahawks) 
Benson is your sneaky hero—quiet, dependable, and ready to deliver. Seattle’s defense is softer than a rom-com plot, and Benson’s about to steal the spotlight.
🚫 BAD VIBE RB: Kyren Williams (vs. Eagles) 
Kyren’s got a better chance of winning the lottery than finding the end zone against Philly. Just bench him—don’t let this matchup ruin your Sunday.
🔥 GOOD VIBE WR: Malik Nabers (vs. Buccaneers) 
DeVito might look like he’s auditioning for “The Longest Yard,” but Nabers will still feast. The Bucs’ secondary is a buffet, and Nabers is first in line with a plate the size of Texas.
😴 SLEEPY VIBE WR: Nick Westbrook-Ikhine (at Texans) 
Ikhine’s hot streak is insane—he’s that guy who wins on every scratch-off ticket. Against the Texans? He’s about to cash in again. Cha-ching.

🚫 BAD VIBE WR: Jakobi Meyers (vs. Broncos) 
Jakobi vs. Pat Surtain II is like you vs. taxes—painful and inevitable. Don’t even bother; there’s no winning this matchup.
🔥 GOOD VIBE TE: Travis Kelce (vs. Panthers) 
Kelce had a bad week? I don’t care. He’s still the headliner, and the Panthers are just the opening act. Watch him turn this game into the fantasy equivalent of a Super Bowl halftime show with his girlfriend, and he&#8217;s the hype man.
😴 SLEEPY VIBE TE: Ja’Tavion Sanders (vs. Chiefs) 
Sanders is finally getting noticed, like the nerd who suddenly hit the gym. Against the Chiefs, he’s about to flex.
🚫 BAD VIBE TE: Tucker Kraft (vs. 49ers) 
Kraft’s stat line is the dating app bio of fantasy football: “Low effort, low reward, probably not worth it.” Against the 49ers? Swipe left and forget it.
🔥 GOOD VIBE WR: Rome Odunze (vs. Vikings) 
The Bears’ passing game is like watching paint dry with a twist—you’re the one applying the paint. But Odunze is the one bright spot in this snooze-fest. Against the Vikings’ defense (a.k.a. warm bodies in uniforms), he’s about to turn this into his own art exhibit.

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Chach Files: Issue 1

Santa Cruz, California