Three Australians, one 2001 Chevy Suburban and a genuinely questionable idea: drive from Los Angeles to Panama and hope the waves – and the engine – keep turning up.
That idea became The Frog and Toad, a surf and road trip film born the old-fashioned way: buy a massive, ageing American SUV, stuff it with boards and commit fully to life on the highway. No hotels. No fixed plan. Just camping, border crossings, breakdown paranoia and long stretches of road stitched together by surf checks and stories swapped with strangers along the way.
Best mates Joe Elliot, Shae Cridland and Jake Fittler set off on the ten-month journey in 2024. Originally from Fingal Head, the trio found themselves at a rare crossroads: plenty of free time and nothing tying them down. Instead of choosing the sensible option, they shaved their heads and picked the most unhinged plan they could come up with.
“We’ve always been inspired by the type of films that Torren Martyn makes,” said Joe. “We wanted to do things a little differently – feel that sense of adventure and connect with locals and their stories.”
A couple of years earlier, Joe had started shooting surf photos and video while working on unrelated projects. Taking inspiration from those films, he initially planned to turn the trip into a short edit. Within weeks of leaving LA, it was obvious the story was bigger than that.
“We’d already scored heaps of waves early on and I was filming so many different interactions that I knew it couldn’t just be an edit,” he said. “The film took almost two years to make, but I’m really proud of what we put together.”
Material came easily. The road delivered plenty.
“There was one moment in Mexico that really stands out,” Joe said. “We’d just crossed into the mainland and straight away it felt different to Baja. About half an hour in, federal police pulled us over and warned us about cartels ahead. Not long after, guys wearing shorts and tees, posing as police, stopped us with AKs. They made us get out, opened the boot and ripped out everything – boards, camping gear, the lot. Our hearts were racing. We’d only just arrived and I honestly thought that might be it. They yelled at us in Spanish for a while, then told us to pack up and let us go.”
For all the moments of fear, Joe said the hospitality they experienced left a deeper impression.
“There’s this expectation that it’s super dangerous – and sure, some parts are – but we met so many friendly, generous people who were stoked to show us their homes and their waves.”
The boys spent six months roaming Mexico before ticking off Central America in the final four. Paid accommodation was a rarity.
“We camped pretty much the entire time,” Joe said. “We bought three tents from Walmart and only used two. We had a solar panel and battery to charge all the camera gear, which was a lifesaver when we were camping in the Baja desert with zero reception. There were maybe five places the whole trip where we actually paid to stay somewhere.”
Food was basic and logistical challenges constant.
“We cooked on gas, but it was an absolute mission when we ran out. Finding camping supplies in Mexico is exactly as hard as you’d imagine.”
Between the miles and mishaps, the waves kept delivering. Along with the familiar Mexican points, the crew chased swells across the region.
“We scored a crazy swell at Pascuales – that place is wild,” Joe said. “But my favourite was probably The Boom in Nicaragua. So many fun days there and just an amazing place to spend time.”
So what can viewers expect from The Frog and Toad, which is set to tour film festivals throughout the year before a wider release towards the end of 2026?
“It’s the most honest version of three mates backing a slightly mad idea,” Joe said. “It’s more of a road trip film than a surf film. We score plenty of waves, but it’s the moments in between that really define it.”
The film premiered in late 2025, drawing more than 300 people to Coolangatta Hotel.
“It was a proper community night – live music, a charity raffle and a packed local crowd,” Joe said. “All the proceeds went to Waves for Water, which supports clean water projects throughout Mexico and Central America. We ended up raising $3,579.70.”
Since then, Joe has hosted smaller premieres in Japan and Sri Lanka, with more screenings planned across the year. Like the trip that inspired it, The Frog and Toad is still very much on the road.
