James and I have an article in this month’s issue of Surfing World magazine (Australia). The issue is ‘The Design Issue’. Our article is about an inspired and talented surf board shaper in Japan, who has a dream to grow his own surfboard.
Ono is working with hemp fibres for a unique and environmentally friendly alternative to the highly synthetic boards that currently dominate the market.
While I was San Francisco recently, I went to a screening of the amazing documentary ‘The Cove’ which exposed the brutal mass slaughter of whales in Japan. www.SaveJapanDolphins.org
As a surfer and vegetarian, I was horrified by what was depicted in the movie, yet moved by the progress that has been made by the people standing up for the dolphins, especially Ric O’Barry (trainer of Flipper cum eco-activist) and the Sea Shepard crew, who risk their lives on regular occasions.
This morning as I walked along my now local beach here in Peru, I was shocked to come across the head and tail of a dolphin. The decapitated animal looked as if was still smiling – just as they do at Seaworld and other marine parks.
These photos will be used by an amazing organisation in Peru, Mundo Azul, which is working to protect Peru’s beautiful cetaceans. Killing dolphins is illegal in Peru, however this is rarely enforced.
During our second week in Japan, James and I took a short trip to an amazingly beautiful island not far from Tokyo. Niijima Island was like a dream – clear waters with empty waves, quaint village streets and the most wonderful outdoor onsen (natural, hot water spring) which overlooked the waves crashing below.
We were so inspired that we decided it was the perfect subject to do our first collaboration together – I took the photos and James wrote the article. We submitted it to Outdoor Japan magazine and we ended up getting an 8 page spread, and the front cover. It’s a nice start to our journalistic adventures.
Outdoor Japan Magazine website
Pic: Donavon Frankenreiter
I had a brilliant weekend at the Greenroom Festival in Yokohama. It’s a music festival, based around surf culture. There was a whole lot of amazing artwork including live mural paintings from the Gravity Free crew. These guys are prolific, and James and I will be hooking up with them again to help get their artwork out to the world.
The music was a lot of fun, and the floorboards on the huge wooden theatre were literally bouncing with thousands of dancers. Highlights for me were Dachambo, Natty, Rickie-G, Matt Grundy and Donavon Frankenreiter. I got to meet up with Matt and Donavon after 5 years, when I last saw them on their Australian Tour in 2004. It was a reminder that this is a crazy, small world – and I love it.
Pic: Me sporting a new headpiece from Tokyo Designers Chaco, with some of my new friends, backstage at the Greenroom
