Riding The Wave

At 63 years old, Mark Castlow is as determined as he is lighthearted. He has pledged his life to the ocean and plans to enjoy every minute of it.

It started as a quiet collaboration between a boy and the ocean. The ocean gave Mark Castlow recreation – primarily surfing – and his return was production – starting his first surfboard line, Atlantis, by the age of 16. That’s when their partnership went public.

Over the next four decades, Mark would introduce countless people to the water through boat manufacturing and shallow-water fishing expositions, but his influence reached greater depths. At times, public service – like leading his own environmental army during the 2010 BP oil spill – trumped or complemented his business.

“My whole life is a collection of wild stories,” Mark says, and so far the waves have taken him for quite a ride. His work has had a ripple effect. Today Mark honors the ocean from Dragonfly Boatworks in Vero Beach where he custom builds skiffs and paddleboards for water lovers worldwide.