Bark Paddleboards

The 25 mile channel between Santa Cruz and Monterey is in some deep, cold water. It’s some of the most nutrient rich water in the world and sits over a 2.5 mile deep trench larger than the Grand Canyon. The waters out there are consistently windy, and have deepwater currents pushing cold water up to the surface, making it full of sea life… including sea otters, whales, albacore tuna, and some impressively large sharks.

To most people, the thought of being out there on a 12’ stock paddleboard would make them more scared than a cat in a room full of rocking chairs, but The Ghostryders Waterman Club routinely paddles from Santa Cruz to Monterey for “fun”. Only two people have paddled across the Monterey Bay and back in one day. Mike Dilloughery in 2014, and just a few days ago, Oliver Levine.

Oliver waited 10 years for this weather window to line up, so we wanted to catch up and see why he decided to embark on this crazy day of paddling, and what made it so special.

Full interview linked in bio.

“The biggest battle wasn’t necessarily what was actually around me, but the scenarios my mind created from what I couldn’t see. Once something like that happens, your imagination starts running. Every splash or glow in the water became something my brain wanted to identify as a possible threat: a 20-foot great white rising straight up from the canyon more than two miles below ready to take a huge bite out of my board. Or a pod of killer whales heading directly toward me, their trails of bioluminescence visible from a mile away. Whatever the scenario was, my mind had no trouble creating it in the dark. It would have been very easy to panic and turn around. During that first hour, I slowly realized that the only way I could stay calm and hold a straight course was to keep bringing myself back to what was real and within my control: the next paddle stroke, my bearing, and remembering to eat.“

“It’s important to understand how dark it actually was. Unexpected haze from the hurricane completely blocked the lights on the other side of the bay. I knew it wasn’t the typical marine fog I had been watching for, as the unusually warm water was actually one of the reasons I ex

Hear from the champs! Interviews with the division winners from the 2026 Catalina Classic are now live on the site. Hit the link in our bio to read the race breakdowns and get inspired.

Huge congrats to:
Finn Aune, Men’s UL Champ
Harris Henderson, Men’s Stock Champ
Sydney Brouwer, Women’s Stock Champ
Emily Bark, Women’s UL Champ

Well done to all the racers. Crossing the channel is an amazing accomplishment and we’re honored to be part of your journey, and to make the boards you trust to get you across.

CATALINA 2026.

Congrats to everyone who made it 32 miles across the channel yesterday⚡️

Photo gallery up on the site. Link in bio.

Custom stock headed East.

It’s a good week to get in the water.

Fresh 15’6 UL logging its first miles.

2026 MOLOKAI WOMEN’S CHAMPS

We are stoked to congratulate Kanesa Duncan Seraphin and ally schillinger on their incredible races across the channel! Great work to everyone out there ⚡️

1st place UL and 1st Woman across the line: Kanesa Duncan Seraphin
1st place Stock: Ally Schillinger

Photos: 1 ally schillinger 2 Mike Ito

A huge good luck to everyone crossing the channel tomorrow at Molokai to Oahu Paddleboard

Here’s to good wind and a fast crossing⚡️