The Mahloe Fin is a tribute to one of the ocean’s most rare shells found only in the remote depths of the Hawaiian Islands. Sunrise shells, with their vibrant burst of fiery oranges, reds, pinks and yellows, are among the rarest shells on Earth, surfacing from the profound depths of the Pacific Ocean, where they lie hidden 300 to 600 feet beneath the surface. They are a symbol of nature’s untamed beauty, born in the deep and almost unreachable realms of the sea.

 Sunrise shells carry the spirit of the Hawaiian islands, the sacred energy of the ocean, and a connection to a world few have experienced. Each sunrise shell is as elusive as the dawn itself, a fleeting moment of brilliance from a place that few can touch, but all can feel.

My Story

My sister can vouch for the fact that I’ve always been fascinated by shells since I was a little girl. Growing up, I spent hours upon hours on the shoreline and in the rockpool collecting them. When I moved to Hilo on Big Island in my late teens, I truly immersed myself in the culture. I felt like I had found my people, other humans who shared my fascination with the natural beauty of shells and that indescribable rush you get when you find one in perfect condition, especially your favourite species of shell.

What’s interesting is that Australia and Hawaii share many of the same shell species, I personally have always felt a deep bond between the two places that share the same ocean. The first time I found a Hawaiian sunrise shell was an unforgettable moment. I remember diving down to grab an old broken plastic bucket and while laying on the bottom of the ocean bed something orange caught my eye in the corrugated sand bed. I literally was screaming underwater as I swan to the surface with the biggest widest smile my face had ever felt. I’d spent the entire day diving at one of my favourite dive zones, and the memory still lives rent free in the forefront of my mind. What amplified how special that moment was being able to swim ashore to my best friends and relive it with them as sunset lite up the mountains as they dropped off into the sea. It felt like a perfect moment of connection to nature. I remember looking up at the vibrant sunset that shared the same colours as the sunrise shell in my hand and feeling as though the universe itself had conspired to create that perfect moment of synergy.

So when the Hawaiian company MidFin reached out to me for this collaboration, there was no other shell that felt more fitting as a source of inspiration for the surfboard fins. The sunrise shell symbolises everything I love about nature, and the feeling of belonging to something bigger than yourself. It’s a perfect blend of personal history and cultural significance, and I’m honoured to bring that energy into this Fin collection.