I’m writing a story for Surfer Magazine about Great White sharks so I finally watched the critically-acclaimed documentary Sharkwater. It’s an absolute must-see. Biologist Rob Stewart dives with sharks around the world, showing that they’re far from the mindless monsters the media has portrayed them as. On the contrary, Stewart and other experts show that sharks are shy, sensitive creatures who kill fewer people per-year than elephants or — get this — vending machines falling on people. It’s such a crucial film for our time because sharks, in just a few decades, have gone from being the top-predator on earth to one of the most preyed up on. Sharks have survived on earth for more than 400 million years through five mass extinctions. They’re older than the dinosaurs. But their population has declined more than 90 percent due in large part to shark finning, the practice of killing sharks for their fins alone, which can fetch up to $300 per pound in Asia where shark fin soup is a delicacy. The finning industry (which wastes the entire shark except the fins) in combination with long-lining and other dubious fishing methods kill 100 million sharks per-year and could quickly decimate the shark population, which would throw off the entire ocean balance in devastating ways. If the top predator isn’t around, fish and seal populations could boom, hitting plankton populations which provide us with 70 percent of the oxygen we need to breathe. Stewart argues that protecting sharks is protecting ourselves and he teams up with Paul Watson of the Sea Shepherd (see Whale Wars) to expose the illegal shark finning industry and more. The result is a harrowing adventure that will change your perspective of sharks forever. To learn more about sharks and what you can do to save them go to http://www.sharkwater.com/education.htm
It’s a very exciting day. We are finally beginning production on Saltwater Buddha: The film and you can view the pre-production trailer above. This is just the first stage — putting out the word and raising money — but I’m so grateful that the renowned and visionary film-makers at Nohoch Productions and Roberto Vezzone Films saw potential for Saltwater Buddha to be put on the silver screen and that we’re also partnering with beautiful organizations like Save the Waves,Surf Stronger, Las Olas Surfboards, and others. Plus, my favorite musicians, Jim Klar and Nine Pound Shadow, are creating the soundtrack, which I know will give Saltwater Buddha the right vibe.
If you’re interested in joining Saltwater Buddha: The Film as a sponsor or collaborator, contact Producer Lara N Popyack at lara@saltwaterbuddha.org
Stay tuned as scenes develop. I’ll be posting updates here.
Hope to see you all that Aqua Surf Shop’s surf photography event tonight. As you all know, Aqua is the most rocking shop in SF and, as exhibited by this Paul Ferraris photo, the photography will be stellar.
November 11, 2009
Here’s the info:
AQUA SURF SHOP PRESENTS LOOSE CONNECTIONS 2
San Francisco, CA—Aqua Surf Shop is pleased to announce the opening of Loose Connections II, a special exhibition featuring the work of eleven photographers united by their art, their friends, and the ocean. The show begins on Friday, December 4th at Pkirkeby Fine Art & Framing in Potrero Hill. Rob Brodman, Scott Eggers, Paul Ferraris, Art Gimbel, Mark Gordon, Dickson A. Keyser, Jake Johnson, Matt Proehl, Adam Warmington, Sachi Cunningham, and Elizabeth Pepin are all Bay Area residents and photographers who share a deep connection to Ocean Beach. They have captured this landscape, and the special community to which they belong, in their personal imagery. Loose Connections II offers viewers a unique opportunity to see through the eyes and lenses of these ten committed surfers as they pursue a life of wave riding in an urban setting surrounded by natural beauty. 25% off all sales from the exhibit will go to benefit San Francisco Baykeeper. Catch a glimpse of the surfing lifestyle—and all the adventures that this passionate community experiences—at Aqua’s opening party for Loose Connections II on Friday, December 4th, from 7:00 to 11:00 p.m. Feast on Mexican food from an on-site taco truck while live DJs supply the evening’s soundtrack. Pkirkeby Fine Art & Framing is located at 128 Texas Street in San Francisco. For more information about the space, please call 415 863 3060. For more information visit - aquasurfshop.com
