Creative software giant ‘ADOBE’ backs Mr B Productions to develop a small online show based out of South East Cornwall into an entertaining but completely educational online resource. Father and daughter combo Anthony and Ella host a cast of nationally and internationally recognised experts, companies, organisations and individuals to deliver an exciting look into all things ocean.
This is the second episode of Catch Fish, surfing the same board in both clips. The 5'3 keel fish is hand shaped by Ryan Lovelace. Pushing the limits of this board in proper tubes and big air sections, twinning is winning after all.
A last minute trip to the Spanish Basque Country during one of the biggest swells in six years. With a worldwide reputation, Mundaka was the destination of choice, pull in here.
Aliso Viejo, Calif., October 28, 2020 - Vissla has once again partnered up with their friends at the Surfrider Foundation for the 6th Annual Creators & Innovators Upcycle Contest––going digital this year to maintain safe social distancing while also holding true to their efforts in raising awareness of plastic pollution and encouraging people all across the globe to ‘convert waste into want.’
Single-use plastics, such as balloons, bags, straws, expanded polystyrene, such as Styrofoam, and cigarette butts along with other offensive waste items can end up in our ocean, waves and beaches, harming marine life and our ocean ecosystems. Every year, an estimated 8 million tons of plastic enter our oceans. A significant problem with plastic is that it doesn’t biodegrade. It photodegrades, breaking into smaller and smaller pieces over time, meaning that virtually every piece of plastic ever produced still exists today in some form.
To help turn the tide on plastic pollution, Vissla and Surfrider have teamed up to challenge the wave-conscious to upcycle trash or an old or found object into a functional wave riding craft (i.e. surfboards, handplanes, paipos, fins, alaias, skim boards, boats, etc.). All contestants were required to submit a video or three to six photographs showing their project from start to finish via Instagram with the hashtag #CreatorsContest and country of residence by September 11, 2020.
For the first time ever, Vissla and Surfrider opened the voting process to the public. Individuals were given the opportunity to view each project, learn about the process and materials used to create it and cast their votes for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners (http://upcyclevote.vissla.com). The public’s vote made up one of three total votes to decide the winners––additional judges included Surfrider CEO, Chad Nelsen, and Vissla CEO, Paul Naude. Over 20,000 people from all around the globe cast their votes for this year’s winners, with the finalists’ projects getting over 85,000 views during the five-day voting window.
RESULTS:
In 1st place came Charlie Cadin from St. Aubins Bay, Jersey with a surfboard made from dried sea lettuce and fibreglass. Once dried, the sea lettuce created a rigid sheet from which the deck, bottom, rails and skeleton were shaped. Charlie and his board feature in the latest issue of Carve 204 out now in print and digital download.
In 2nd place came Andreas Noe and Štěpán Řezníček from Peniche, Portugal. Using an old fridge that was discarded close to sea, they stripped the Styrofoam and glued it together to create a surfboard blank. To create the design on the deck and bottom, they used cigarette butts, face masks and various microplastics, all collected at/around the beaches in Peniche.
In 3rd place came Marceau Pegon from France with a surfboard made from over 600 rolls of toilet paper, cork, recycled cardboard, and a piece of surfboard foam for the rails.
Aitor Francesena is a legend in the Spanish surfing scene. At 14, he lost sight in his right eye to congenital glaucoma. Years later, a surfing accident cost him his vision in his left eye, leaving him completely blind. Still, his love for surfing never waned. Francesena continues to ride the tides, depending on his sense of hearing to judge the size of the waves. Now, he’s giving back by organizing surf clinics for those with disabilities, granting everybody with a dream and with desire the opportunity to soar.
“This is my journey and it’s as raw as any other persons,” says singer-songwriter Jack Bessant reflecting on his latest solo project Brother Thunder EP.
For the Reef bassist, life-long surfer and solo-artist, this most recent body of work - which also includes the album Lucky Mountain (August 2020) - is the culmination of a road long travelled. There’s a certain symmetry to his journey. Jack grew up on the West Country strawberry farm where he is now raising his own young family, back to the landscape of his childhood, reconnecting to his community. “It’s been about finding my path,” explains Jack, “to just stand in front of a mic with a guitar and harmonica and share songs from the soul that have meaning and emotion and heart.”
These latest releases have been something of a catharsis, confronting an intensely personal subject that has been buried deep. “I had to deal with my brother committing suicide,” he explains. “It was heavy, it was horrific. I’ve managed to deal with it now through my music. I didn’t want to have to talk about it at the time, I didn’t want to have to say it out loud, but it’s important, we have to be able to be raw with each other… It’s been a dark horse on me and hopefully through my music I’m able to help other people, not just with coming to terms with something like that, but the realness of all our lives.”
Recorded on the farm, Brother Thunder EP is far from a dark body of work. It resonates with rich emotion, from rousing basslines and driving guitar, to the soaring highs of soulful harmonies and mournful melancholy of folk rock harp. Jack’s aim is simple, “The EP has given me a certain energy, it’s a release in the real sense of the word. I hope people get something positive out of it, a feeling of ease, a sense of freedom.”
The title track is a foot stomping tribute. “I was lying in bed and heard the most vibrant, dangerous thunder clap echo around Cheddar Gorge. I revelled at nature’s great energy and ability to perform feats of wonder at any given time. It made me think about my late brother and smile, surrendering to the fact that sometimes things are just out of your control,” explains Jack. “Channelling my energy into music, skateboarding and surfing – helped me get through something… that’s kinda the message of the song.”
The second track Never Give Up is an ode to creativity. The video was the brainchild of photographer Tim Gutt and multi-disciplinary creative Shona Heath - famed for producing surrealist, playful and fantastical creations for the most exciting fashion houses and photographers over the last two decades. “I instantly felt a connection with the lyrics,” explains Shona. “It’s light and happy but it goes really deep into the soul. We knew we wanted to do something fun and un-fancy to do justice to the honesty that reverberates through this song.”
“It was all very lo-fi DIY,” says Tim. “Jack came to lend a hand to his alter-ego, giving him all his harmonica and guitar skills. We were a small group of friends tugging and pulling ‘Jacks’s’ ropes, the tune the intuitive guiding force for our collective nerve system. ”
Jack’s greater journey has taken in some of the highest altitudes a musician can strive for - from stadium tours to industry awards and platinum selling albums. As a band Reef started out close to the ocean, with weekly gigs by the beach and salt crusted hair - and it here he still feels most at home. It’s where he’s drawn to when he needs to recalibrate. “I love going camping and surfing, taking just a guitar and a harmonica,” he explains. “I have a lovely family, want to travel a bit, do some gigs here and there and live a little. This is the journey that I’m on and you don’t always want it to be the same, you want to flow.”
Brother Thunder EP is out now with High Head Industries:
Jack Bessant is a solo singer-songwriter and the bassist in platinum selling English rock band Reef, formed in 1993. The current Reef line up includes original member and long time friend Gary Stringer and guitarist Jesse Wood who joined the band in 2014.
Jack wrote his first song for Reef in 1993, ‘Choose to Live’, about the death of his brother.
Suicide is the single biggest killer of men aged under 45 the UK* thecalmzone.net
