The tale of the water woman.

I can't tell you how many times I've written and rewritten this introduction for Lauren Hill's interview. I'm finding myself suddenly inarticulate because there are just so many wonderful things to say about her, so much so it's hard knowing where to start! Our correspondence has only been through email but her kindness, friendliness and general aura have made her words positively effervesce off the screen. Surfer, environmentalist, humanitarian, artist she is so many of my favorite things! 

What I hope to convey most of all within this interview is that there is so much solidarity for women in surfing. Lauren is a true water woman who is being part of the positive culture emerging in female surfing.

So without further ado here is Lauren Hill in her own words.  

1. If you were given only a minute to explain who you are and what you do, what would be the main points?

LH:  I am a human attempting to live a joyful, loving, silly and compassionate existence.  In this pursuit I try to live relatively simply, spend as much time in wild spaces as possible, and challenge myself physically, creatively, intellectually and otherwise. I have an incredibly fortunate life and feel a responsibility to share the freedoms I experience with others. It's all an experiment. 

2. As an accomplished surfer being new at it probably seems a long time ago but can you tell us how you first got into surfing and how long it took to feel like you were competent?

LH: I started surfing when I was 13. I had lots of guy friends who surfed and one day, after a really vivid dream about surfing, I knew that I had to try. Surfing came pretty naturally for me, especially since I had been a competitive gymnast up to that point. I entered my first surf contest after surfing for six months. I still feel incompetent on a surfboard sometimes, though. Surfing is the kind of experience that has an infinite capacity for teaching.

3. If you were to give advice to aspiring or beginner surfers what would that be?

LH: Learn the basics from someone experienced —how to paddle, pop-up and begin to read waves.  Then spend as much time in the water as you can, even just swimming can help you better understand the ocean and make you a better surfer. Observe the ocean and other surfers. 

4. For the 21^st century woman there is immense pressure to be accomplished in every area of life – career, love, finance etc, how do you maintain balance in your life?

LH:  Feminism has won some incredible victories  and created so many opportunities for what is possible for us as women.  Many of us can have it all—career, family, love, passion, surfing---just probably not all at the same time . It is rare to experience perfect balance of all aspects of life at the same time….and if you do, thank your lucky stars, but know that it will change. All will descend into chaos again at some point. Doing  my best to be present and do what makes my heart sing are the things that allow me to find balance. Also, not taking on too much at any one time. And, when all is out of whack, I’ve always got the ocean to go to and put things in perspective.

5. Female surfers are sometimes thought of as bikini models before athletes. What are your opinions of female representation in the surf industry and the future of female surfing? 

LH: Oh my. This is a black hole for me. I like to stay positive, so I’ll just say that I try my best to support active, engaged, sustainable and respectful ideals for female surfers. Part of this means spreading the word about how talented female surfers are as athletes, artists, activists, water women, etc. through writings and on my blog TheSeaKin.com I’m fortunate enough to be supported by two companies, Billabong and Bing Surfboards, and I feel like that might have been possible even 10 years ago---there weren’t really women being supported by the industry for being free surfing/activists then. The definition of what it means to be a woman surfer is constantly evolving and the industry will respond to that. Depictions of women in the surf industry really aren't any different from depictions of women in the mainstream. It’s up to us as water women to demand new imagery and create the kind of content that we want to see; to reflect the reality of what it means to be a female surfer. It’s not enough to complain about the wrongs. We can make change by creating our own cultural contributions; make a  ‘zine, start a blog, write a story for a magazine, take photos, tell your story.

6. Art and activism seem irrevocably entwined in your life,what inspires your creativity and what motivates you to support environmental and humanitarian causes?

LH: Inspiration is an attitude. It’s all around us. I get inspired observing the non-human world, watching people ride waves, and sharing ideas with friends.

Surfing has been one of the most powerful guides in my adult life---from the topic of my thesis to helping me create a great love. I guess that's partly what motivates me to support environmental causes; feeling indebted to all that the ocean has done for me. I'm so grateful for having been born into such a sincerely fortunate lot in life, I feel responsible to at least play a small part in shining the light on some of the injustices I encounter and working to undo them, even if only in tiny ways. 

7. You’ve recently started your own organization ‘Sea Kin’ can you tell us a little bit about this venture and what inspired you to establish it?

LH: Sea Kin’s first incarnation was as ‘Mersea Beaucoup’, a blog that I  started straight out of university when I couldn't get a job amidst the global financial crisis. Since I couldn't fulfill the role that society expected of me post-university (get job, climb work ladder, get mortgage…etc)  I decided to just do what I really wanted to be doing anyway: surfing.  So I wrote about my passions for surfing and environmental science  and vowed to surf every single day during that experiment. I ended up getting a number of writing gigs and new surfing sponsors because I was putting what I loved and cared about into the world.

Anyway, Sea Kin is the product of many experiments in doing what I love. It’s  a place to share stories about the ocean from different perspectives than what I tend to see in most surfing media. Sea Kin is about creating culture for ourselves.

8. Can you think of a time during your surfing/life where you became stuck and how you overcame that plateau?

LH: Definitely. Life is a constant series of undulations  and sometimes it requires  active effort to move beyond those plateaus. Challenge is a great way to get unstuck--- try something that you’ve never done before. Also, making time to get out of my head usually helps; doing yoga, exercising, crafting---- something that allows the mind to rest and take a break. This also tends to make space for new ideas and inspirations to come.

9. What are your hopes and dreams for the future?

LH:  More love, compassion, empathy, connection to nature, egalitarianism and fun.

10. If the world was ending tomorrow describe how you would spend your last 24 hours? 

LH: I’d be at the beach all day surfing with loved ones and eating incredible, fresh food. 

Thank you so much Lauren for the inspirational words and for gorgeous pictures! 

The rough guide to surviving long shifts at work.

I'm working over the weekend which I guess is ok, because I love my job. There is however a weensy smidgen of envy watching everyone leisurely get up knowing I'll be at work in x amount of hours and will be there until late o'clock.

I've therefore devised a rough little guide to help you get through working long hours should you find yourself in a similar situation. Work doesn't need to be like ground hog day, small positives can really break up the hours. 

Oddly enough I'm also finding shifts are really helping me be super organised, noticed how regular my posts are recently?! Now that I have to prioritize tasks and savor my spare time, I'm finding I'm a lot better at stopping the annoying little jobs from becoming big chores. 

Drink Tea.

I don't have set break patterns so making a cup of tea has become my few minutes of calm. Whether its a caffeine option or herbal the time it takes for the kettle to boil will give you a moments head space. Enjoy it, savor the warm mug in your hands, the small sips and the feeling of bliss as you sit down and appreciate a good brew! 

Exercise.

I know, I know its annoying having someone enthusiastically suggest exercise before a twelve hour shift but trust me it works. As little as twenty five minutes of cardio will not only help keep that super gorgeous surfer body toned, it will also seriously help concentration. That and if you've any 'drama' in your life there's nothing like a bit of sweat to leech the annoyance out of you! 

Eat well.

Its so simple but its so true! Your body is a beautiful biological machine and the stuff you put in it directly affects the output. Fill it with rubbish and you will feel rubbish. On my long shifts I like to prepare loads of nice little healthy treats throughout the day to keep my going when my energy flags. I'm no saint so if there's a treat to be had (which there inevitably is working in a care home) I don't deny myself, as my ma says everything in moderation. 

Meditate.

A well known Buddhist scholar whose name I really should remember said as little as ten minutes meditation a day can really make a difference to your outlook. Find a quiet corner, close your eyes and start concentrating on your breath! Sometimes simply regulating your breathing can help work through frustrations and stop you making harmful remarks to colleagues or doing a poor job.

The playlist.

As the enigmatic Bob Marley once said; 

'When music hits you feel no pain,' 

Having a playlist on in the background when your heading to work can really get your sh!t together and keep you motivated. Here's this weeks playlist for you. Listen and love :) 

1. Fidlar - Max Can't Surf 

2. Skrillex & Damian Jr. Gong Marley - Make it Bun Dem 

(If you want to procrastinate watch this video. AMAZING). 

3. The Bots - I like your style 

(these kids are so cute which is probably not what their going for but seriously so talented and so young)!  

4. Macklemore - Thrift shop (someone followed me round and  

   recorded every rant I've ever had about main stream stores)! 

5. Everything, Everything - Cough, Cough

6. Pearl Jam - Fixer

7. Ida Maria - I like you so much better when your naked 

8. Max Graham Vs Yes - Owner of a lonely heart 

   (so wrong its right). 

9. Zap Mama - Rafiki  (<3 Zap Mama) 

10. Lauren Aquilina - Fools (This girls 17 and AMAZING). 

Have a plan.

Last but not least its good to have a plan, something your working towards when that shift just won't end. For me its always when my next surf trip is going to be and where - I like to think of every shift as one wage packet closer to realizing my dreams. At the end of the day work is a means to afford to do the things you like so enjoy the process! 

Find positive moments in your day, small things which make you smile, be pleasant, be kind and above all remember you won't be on shift forever! 

Stay strong, surf well 

X 

Call me girly, go on I dare you.

HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY!

Dear surfer girls, soul sisters, earth mamas and all the fierce women of the world.

You are exquisite, you are sublime, you are the the salt and earth of this rock, third from the sun. 
Take a lungful of air and  feel proud, you matter, you are important and you have the right to every equality the man next to you has. 

Be girly, be a tomboy, wear fake nails, surf, climb rocks, write poetry, fall in love, cook, forget to vacuum, be all that you aspire to be. 

REAL WOMEN HAVE CURVES AND SURFBOARDS is not about needing to have an hour glass figure to be part of the club, all women whether boy shaped or curvaceous have curves. No. RWHCS is about Marge Calhoun she was the first women's world surf champion and she accomplished this not only later on in life, but as a wife and mother. You. Go. Girl. 

Inspiration.

 

 

 

 


Stay strong, Surf well Ladies 

X 

Show & Tell.

Show. 

Listening non stop to Zap Mama - Brrrlak!  

I'd like to take the opportunity to show you some of the art work I've been doing lately. I've started incessantly drawing African tribal women which makes me think I'll end up on the continent sometime soon. Africa makes me feral, even though I'm as English as it comes, there's something about the place which always feels like I'm going home. I wish I could explain it better than that but Africa its a feeling, an energy. I guess your just going to have to go to see for yourself! 

   



































These are incomplete and preliminary sketches for a bigger piece I'd like to do, but you can see where I'm going with this! Below are some marine ink sketches I've been doing for some surf pieces I'd like to try and do also. 

Tell.

So anyway let me tell you about my day. 

Quite unusually I found myself off on a Monday, a strange situation to find oneself in when practically everyone else I know is busy off to work. I got up feeling guilty as most other instances of been off on a Monday has been due to unemployment. By my last mouthful of Ready Brek I was starting to panic - my time is sacred, I must do something, I can't be bored, please don't let me waste this day! What on earth am I going to do? There's no one to hang out with until later - Gah! Suddenly my Monday seemed like a barren and boredom filled wasteland. 

So I did what I always do when I have things to mull over, I threw on some old clothes, grabbed the dog and took said reluctant jack russell for a walk over the canals. I purposefully left my music player at home, today I wanted to hear the birds and connect a little with my immediate environment. It did the trick and by the end of the walk I had found solace. 
I decided you know what it's time for a 'me' day! 

So I went to the cinema - by myself. Its such an alien concept to walk into a cinema and ask for one ticket and you cant help but feel a little bit sad when you do so. I had to stop myself from giving the cashier girl my entire life history and an explanation as to why I was at the cinemas on a Monday afternoon by myself. Once you get over the initial feeling of having a giant neon arrow over your head you actually start to enjoy yourself. 

Solo cinema trips are one of my guilty pleasures, if I go to the cinemas with someone else I usually want to talk to them or if I'm being perfectly honest make out (ahem)! So it was kind of awesome to go and actually appreciate the film I was watching ('I give it a year' but more about that later)! 

Afterwards I went to a coffee shop where I started composing this blog post. Coffee shops are my ULTIMATE guilty pleasure, I love sitting nursing a soy cappuccino watching the world go by. Its a habit I developed in childhood, me and my dad who most often than not were left bored and waiting for my mom and sisters to finish shopping, would go find a bench to people watch from (neither me nor my dad relish shopping). It was our time to bond I guess.

I finished the day rock climbing with a friend and whilst it was awesome to have a catch up I've enjoyed immensely having time to myself. I think all too often we're afraid to be alone, to have time to reflect and be bored but this is where our curiosity lives in the moments where we are forced into contemplation. I can admit to always wanting to be busy and purposeful but sometimes its good to be the complete opposite of that. I often find myself wishing for these empty days of endless possibility, especially when I dream of living by the sea - imagine being able to go for a cheeky surf session and having all day to do so! 

So anyway. 

The film I watched was a little British number called 

'I Give It A Year' 

It fits into the romcom genre with some pretty cringe worthy parts but is totally not what you expect. I really enjoyed it and you find yourself rooting for the characters you didn't think you'd like! 

I reckon that in the aftermath of a breakup its expected I find comfort in slush like said film, which I suppose is somewhat ironic because its probably the exact opposite of what you need. I don't want to talk too candidly about my relationship but I do wish to be honest. Other than missing the person I think its the companionship I miss the most. You become someone's friend and hearing about their day becomes a feature of your own. I find myself wanting to tell my ex things, insignificant things and have to remind myself he probably doesn't need a monologue of my everyday observations!! 

I think all things considered we broke up pretty well, we're civil, friendly and very kind to each other if that makes any sense. I don't know if in the long run that makes things harder but I appreciate that we're both trying to be gracious. I think its pretty obvious I miss him, that's normal, but like the initial anxiety felt of going to the cinema by yourself, you have to try and embrace being alone because you might just learn a few things. I'm lucky that I loved at all and I'd do it all again in a heartbeat - love makes a person. 

Well that's enough rambling for one night. 

Stay Strong and Surf well! 

X 

Vice and Virtue.

     
































Late night blogging (when I first composed this post) is always an indication that I've got things on my mind. I do. I'm a little surprised by this as I'd say generally speaking I'm pretty dam happy! Naturally my coping mechanism is surfing (and well I can't do that at the moment), music, exercise and art - precisely the reason why I'm writing on here! 

Yoga and meditation are constants in my life which always bring me back to myself. I've been doing Shiva Rea surf yoga a lot in the hope her flow sequences will magically transform me into a better surfer. I'll keep you posted on that front... 
Now Yoga is a pretty wholesome endeavor, you'll never regret dedicating time to your practice (even when you pull muscles you didn't know you had)! 

Today I was doing wave meditation a form of Pranayama which uses the rhythm of the ocean as a template for concentrated breathing. Listening to the sound of the sea (unfortunately from a CD) and really feeling the depths of my inhalation and exhalation brought me a clarity I can only replicate when I'm on a surfboard. 
Concentration is a wonderful rare thing that I feel is constantly eroded by the distractions of everyday life. I am queen of procrastination, sometimes I have managed to get so distracted that I forget that my sole purpose of venturing upstairs is because I need to pee. How do I forget my bladder?! 
So anyway enough about urination for now! Let's talk about vices. 

The irony is not lost on me that as an English woman one of my biggest vices is tea. Gawd the stuff is like my heroin, I have to get my 'fix' on a morning and guzzle the stuff by the gallon throughout the rest of the day. 

Also.

One of my greatest weaknesses strengths is that I love too easily. I don't wear my heart on my sleeve, I wear my soul. Naturally this has gotten me into some trouble in the past but I have a healthy attitude to my heartaches these days. I don't waste breath on regret, everything is an opportunity to learn something - well at least that's the theory and I'm sticking with it!! 

You'll have to forgive me for the haphazard approach I'm taking to writing tonight/today. I'm having a bit of an inner monologue moment so am finding myself typing whatever enters my head! 

Recently came across this poem I wrote which reflects on love lost. I wanted to share an extract of it with you dear blog reader despite cringing to the tips of my toes... 

The Ex. 

They sully our heart but only in crayon, so there is still opportunity for the one with indelible ink to graffiti you with their love. 

We are but malleable to our experiences and though the pain and the longing carves deep into us,it does not define us. 

Rather it leaves gullies for our dreams and strengths to fill us whole. 

And our exes are like Polaroids;

caught in a flash, developed for a moment, then dropped as the second passes. Beautiful, preserved but fleeting.

A Poem By Sophia Hobbs 

So to conclude this totally random blog post about nothing in particular I'm going to leave you with a mix of songs which  I've been listening to recently. 

The theme is summer is on its way! 

The 'It's almost Summer' playlist!

1. Mungo Jerry - In the Summer Time 

2. Stealers - Stuck in the Middle with you 

3. Simon & Garfunkel - Cecilia 

4. The Beach Boys - Good Vibrations (seriously great background music for creating art work)! 

5. Weezer - Island in the Sun 

6. O.P.M. - Heaven is a half pipe (I am LOVING listening to O.P.M at the moment)

7. Outkast - Hey Ya (go on admit it you'll be shaking it like a Polaroid picture)! 

8. Geggy Tah - Whoever you are  

9. The Drums - Days 

10. Lykke Li - Get Some.

Stay strong, surf well and do some yoga! 

x