Hi, and welcome back to the second edition of The Shaka. If you’re in Italy right now, like @l_anziana , this is (at least) the second Sunday you’re spending locked at home. Last week, she replied to The Shaka #1 asking for some entertainment advice:
You could give us some advices about books / documentaries / movies about surfing (since we MUST stay home), or share with us more video contents of your Portugal /Morocco experience.
Here are some personal recommendations 👀
STEFANO – I can recommend “ Surf Is Where You Find It ”: written by one of the most revered surfers of all time, Gerry Lopez, it’s a collection of stories about a lifetime of surfing and the lessons learned. “ Under An Arctic Sky ” by amazing photographer Chris Burkard is a pleasure to watch; it’s about defying all odds and surfing incredible waves in Iceland.
RICCARDO – “ Barbarian Days ” is unarguably one of the greatest books ever written about surfing, and an amazing autobiographical work; whether you are a surf addict or not, this book really makes you feel what surfing is all about. “ Given ” is a movie about the childhood we all wish we had; the story of a surfing family traveling around the world, told through the memories of a 6 year old.
GIANFRANCO – I’m cheating a bit here, since it’s not really surf-related, but “ The Overstory ” talks in a magnificent way about trees and about a handful of people who learn about this hidden and interconnected world and are drawn up into its unfolding catastrophe. If you have Netflix, you cannot miss “ Our Planet ”; I’m not that into nature documentaries but trust me and be amazed at the beauty of the world we live in (and be prepared to feel the urgency and need to protect our planet 😢).
* not-so-post-scriptum/humble-suggestion: if you are going to buy a book or anything online, consider contacting a small local store from your town and asking them if they can order it and deliver it for you. Yes, it might cost a tiny bit more and take more time, but you’re supporting small businesses that need your help to survive these difficult times.
SURFER OF THE WEEK: TORREN MARTYN
We’ll say it without any sense of shame: here at The Surf Tribe we are Torren Martyn fanboys.
Is it his gracefulness and style in heavy conditions? Is it the way he draws lines on the water with his amazing M.O.T.E. surfboards? Is it because he embodies the ethos of the true traveling surfer, interested in slowly discovering not only the best waves but also different cultures? Is it because he seems to be an all around nice guy? Or all of the above?
He had the same idea as us (going to Morocco for the winter) and spent months scoring. Proof:
harrisonsan let’sbe honest, was that the wave of your life?
torrenmartyn / sheeeesh it’s gotta be!/ @harrisonsan
Here’s some of our favorite movies starring him and his adventures (but don’t blame us if you turn into a twin-fin lover & Torren Martyn fanboy too):
- Surfing through Indonesia in “On The Light Side”
- An improptu adventure in Nias “Ocean Motion”
- Finding a buried treasure in Mexico “Tesoro Enterrado”
- The ultimate Australian road trip, and finding “A Sense of Space”
STORY OF THE WEEK: COVID-19 & SURFING
We can’t stress enough how important it is, right now, to stay home, practice social distancing and think first about the health of other people. As much as we love playing in the ocean, we believe this is the time to stop and think; waves will keep on rolling and if we all do our part we’ll be back riding them soon 🌊
Want to know more about the situation in Portugal, Italy and Spain? Read Magicseaweed’s article about being a surfer in a country that’s currently in lockdown.
Some surfers, like the italian Roberto D’Amico, used the downtime to put together a clip of the waves he scored before the devastating virus hit Italy and started a campaign called #Stayathome. You can read an interview on the WSL website, and watch the clip right here 👇
IG OF THE WEEK: ONE TURN FROM JJF
Just one turn, but what a turn 🤯
And that’s it for this Sunday. Hope you enjoyed and we’d be super stoked if you had more suggestions that we can share in the next Shaka, or requests about what type of content you’d love to read about next week. Just reply to this email 🤙
Hope to see you soon in the line-up,
Gian & The Surf Tribe team 🌊
