Jersey Surf Film Festival
Over the weekend of 13th - 14th July, surfers and ocean enthusiasts alike gathered at the far end of St Ouens Bay, at The Far Flung Motel, for the Jersey Surf Film Festival.
Its' third year saw a wider focus on the ocean and environmental issues, and how we can come together as an island to work towards restoring healthy oceans, rather than simply surf culture. OCL got in touch to see if we could join some of the activities, and meet some of our like-minded islanders with whom we can connect and work towards this bigger cause.
The organisers of the surf festival encouraged communication between individuals and organisations through a range of mediums.
They organised art workshops, provided sustainable and local food from Scoop, and our local foraging expert Kaz took groups on nature walks to explore the freshest produce available on the island. Combined with some of the best surfers Jersey has seen, we gathered for the board meeting on Saturday afternoon, hosted by Jason Horton, Arlene Maltman, Andrew Ozouf of Freevibe magazine and Dave Ferguson, one of our OCL storytellers.
It was so interesting to meet such a diverse range of people, from scientists who are working with soil acidity and sustainable farming, to professionals in the States of Jersey who are predicting and working against our rising sea level here on the island, to families who want to learn more about restoring health to our oceans. It was great to connect with people and talk about how we can help them capture and share their stories, not only in Jersey but to a wider audience around the world, thanks to social media.
We discussed how surfers can be activists for positive change and the importance of training with friends and having fun, more for the social interactions rather than the stress of competing. In this way, we have a higher appreciation for the ocean itself, the sport and the community it creates, rather than simply seeing it as a way of testing our skill.
Later in the evening, we gathered by the campfire for some beautiful acoustic music with Tom Rolls, Sam Walwyn and Todd Macdonald. This highlighted the beauty of our simple, supportive and encouraging island community; no technology needed, a mutual love of the outdoors and our ocean, with beautiful sounds and the warmth of burning wood.
Photographer - India Sutton
Camera - Leica Q
Words - Pip Monks
With thanks to Jersey Surf Film Festival!
