Escape Winter: Live Vicariously in Hawaii

Whatever preconceptions you have about the surfer lifestyle, they're probably right, bro. ESPN's Jim Caple braved waves of "dude!" and "whoa!" to get the lowdown on the crests and troughs of the professional surfing scene, which includes huge sponsorships but also hidden dangers that lurk just below the impossibly blue surface of balmy tropical waters.

Jordy Smith's surfing career gained so much steam that Tiger Woods gave him advice on how to deal with fame and sponsorship. Roy Powers found himself able to impress a date by showering her with $1 bills at a strip club. Ian Walsh hops planes to wherever the next big swell leads him. All of them are, like, totally living the life. (More surfing stories.)