Waterpeople Podcast

Many of us dream of laying roots in some balmy, wave-rich location far from where we sprouted - to grow food and let the ocean dictate the day. Few of us do it.Christian and Ka'ale Sea have spent the last 21 years together - surfing, diving, planting, growing a family. They have three daughters, all homeschooled on the remote West Coast of Sumba Island, Indonesia, where they own and operate Ngalung Kalla retreat. Christian started life in the Atlantic, on the 48-foot wooden sailboat his father rebuilt. Launching from their homestead on St. Thomas, Christian chased waves in Fiji, Tahiti, New Zealand, Hawaii and Australia before settling on the Big Island of Hawai’i, where he earned a degree in Marine Science and eventually worked up the nerve to ask out Ka'ale. Bree Ka'alemalu Sea - Ka'ale  for short - is a surfer and dive instructor who was homeschooled on the wild Puna Coast of the Big Island. In her late teens, she took off to explore the wider world spending time elsewhere in Polynesia, Thailand, India, Nepal and Indonesia. She eventually settled back on the Big Island where she studied Hawaiian culture and, together with Christian, nurtured a rustic homestead and put permaculture principles to practice in the jungle.They spent ten years as the in-house waterman and woman at one of the best hotels in the world before packing up their truck to camp on the land that is now Ngalung Kalla Retreat. Over the past decade they’ve established flourishing food gardens to help feed visiting adventurers, and have built a collection of cliff-top Sumbanese guest houses to share. Together, they've had many beginnings, most initiated by their commitment to the water. Listen in to hear about their experiments in systems thinking, remote parenting, and building spaces that keep us present. …Listen with Lauren L. Hill & Dave RastovichSound Engineer: Ben Alexander Theme song: Shannon Sol Carroll Additional music by Dave & BenJoin the conversation: @Waterpeoplepodcast Send us a text...Listen with Lauren L. Hill & Dave Rastovich Sound + Video Engineer: Ben J Alexander Theme song: Shannon Sol Carroll Additional music by Kai Mcgilvray + Ben J Alexander Join the conversation: @Waterpeoplepodcast ... Get monthly musings and behind the scenes content from the podcast by subscribing to our newsletter. You'll get water-centric reading and listening recommendations, questions worth asking, and ways to take action for the wellbeing of Planet Ocean delivered straight to your inbox. You can stream every Waterpeople episode from your desk.

Around 500,000 people were displaced by the 2018 earthquake that rocked the island of Lombok in Indonesia. It was estimated that 80% of all structures were levelled on the North of the island. At the time, Flora Christin Butarbutar, then in her early 20s, had taken up surfing on the Island of Bali. Originally from Sumatra, Flora was shaken by the need for help on the neighbouring island of Lombok. She put her budding surfing life aside, and harnessed her social media notoriety as Indonesia's first competitive female longboarder to garner aid for those in need on Lombok. She helped to build around 200 family homes there. Perhaps because of her late start to watery life, Flora has become a leading light of surfing in Indonesia - and beyond. She hosts Flora Retreats in Bali. We sat down with Flora in Bali and she talked us through the challenges of growing up in Sumatra, quitting her stable job to travel, finding surfing in her 20s, and her kampung life on Java, where she loves to give her homegrown vegetables to the neighbours. …Listen with Lauren L. Hill & Dave RastovichSound Engineer: Ben Alexander Theme song: Shannon Sol Carroll Additional music by Dave & BenJoin the conversation: @Waterpeoplepodcast Photo Credit: RoxySend us a text...Listen with Lauren L. Hill & Dave Rastovich Sound + Video Engineer: Ben J Alexander Theme song: Shannon Sol Carroll Additional music by Kai Mcgilvray + Ben J Alexander Join the conversation: @Waterpeoplepodcast ... Get monthly musings and behind the scenes content from the podcast by subscribing to our newsletter. You'll get water-centric reading and listening recommendations, questions worth asking, and ways to take action for the wellbeing of Planet Ocean delivered straight to your inbox. You can stream every Waterpeople episode from your desk.

Can a single wave really change your life? For Hawaiian waterwoman  Moana Jones Wong, one wave changed everything.  She shares about the fated, sparkling bomb at Pipeline that altered both her sense of self, and her surfing career. Moana made history by winning the first ever Women’s Championship Tour event at Pipeline.  As a North Shore local, she cut her teeth in heavy water, earning her the title  “Queen of Pipe.”Moana was also the first to earn a bachelor’s degree in  Hawaiian and Indigenous Health and Healing. She co-stars in the Prime Video series  Surf Girls Hawai’i, which follows the next generation of Native Hawaiian female surfers as they navigate competitive surfing. Moana also talks us through traditional Hawaiian concepts of health and well-being, wave riding as a healing modality, and outgrowing her dreams of surfing Pipe like a guy.  …Listen with Lauren L. Hill & Dave RastovichSound Engineer: Ben Alexander Theme song: Shannon Sol Carroll Additional music by Dave & BenJoin the conversation: @Waterpeoplepodcast Photo Credit: WSL/Brent BielmannSend us a text...Listen with Lauren L. Hill & Dave Rastovich Sound + Video Engineer: Ben J Alexander Theme song: Shannon Sol Carroll Additional music by Kai Mcgilvray + Ben J Alexander Join the conversation: @Waterpeoplepodcast ... Get monthly musings and behind the scenes content from the podcast by subscribing to our newsletter. You'll get water-centric reading and listening recommendations, questions worth asking, and ways to take action for the wellbeing of Planet Ocean delivered straight to your inbox. You can stream every Waterpeople episode from your desk.

Lewis Arnold and Chris Nelson discuss the toxic nature of neoprene wetsuits and their link to Cancer Alley in Louisiana. They talk about the high cancer risk in the area due to chloroprene emissions from the chloroprene plant. The guests highlight the need for transparency in the surfing industry and the availability of better alternatives. They also explore the controversy surrounding limestone neoprene and emphasize the importance of embracing purpose over profit. The impact of documentaries in raising awareness and empowering ethical choices is also discussed. Media challenges in addressing the toxicity of neoprene are mentioned, along with the need for the surf industry to examine itself and find solutions.

If you only had 10 healthy years left of life, would you choose to know it ?Big wave surfer Felicity Palmateer is known for her paddle-ins at Peahi, commentating WSL events, starring in Australian Survivor (twice) and holding the record for largest wave ever ridden by an Aussie woman.Parallel to her successful surfing career, Felicity has navigated tumultuous familial seas.  She talks us through losing her mum to early onset dementia in 2021  — her 50/50 chance of inheriting the gene mutation that causes it - and how grief and loss have inspired her over the ledge at some of the worlds tallest and heaviest waves. Tune in to hear about Flick’s time playing Survivor, the state of inclusivity in surfing, why she transitioned from pursuing the Tour to chasing heavy water, and her recent marriage to a childhood friend. …Felicity is an ambassador for Dementia Australia, whose work your can learn about here. …Listen with Lauren L. Hill & Dave RastovichSound Engineer: Ben Alexander Theme song: Shannon Sol Carroll Additional music by Dave & BenJoin the conversation: @Waterpeoplepodcast …Photo Credit: Giulia ÁvilaSend us a text...Listen with Lauren L. Hill & Dave Rastovich Sound + Video Engineer: Ben J Alexander Theme song: Shannon Sol Carroll Additional music by Kai Mcgilvray + Ben J Alexander Join the conversation: @Waterpeoplepodcast ... Get monthly musings and behind the scenes content from the podcast by subscribing to our newsletter. You'll get water-centric reading and listening recommendations, questions worth asking, and ways to take action for the wellbeing of Planet Ocean delivered straight to your inbox. You can stream every Waterpeople episode from your desk.

“Each of us occupies a singular ecological niche in the web of life that is uniquely ours, and when we restore ourselves to health and vitality, we contribute to the health and vitality of our entire planet.” Such is the philosophy of psychiatrist and surfer Dr. Elizabeth Nguyen. Dr. Nguyen specialises in cross cultural psychiatry, the intersection of spirituality and mental health, and the healing power of water. She coined the term ‘human ecological restoration’ to describe the work she does to help her patients “clear out” psychological debris from trauma, both personal and ancestral. Elizabeth was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii. Her parents were refugees from Vietnam, who arrived in Honolulu in 1975, at the end of the Vietnam WarDr. Nguyen recently released her first novel Aloha Vietnam.We caught up with Elizabeth remotely to talk about her insightful book and her medical practice, specifically the practice of prescribing water as medicine.…Listen with Lauren L. Hill & Dave RastovichSound Engineer: Ben Alexander Theme song: Shannon Sol Carroll Additional music by Dave & BenJoin the conversation: @Waterpeoplepodcast …Send us a text...Listen with Lauren L. Hill & Dave Rastovich Sound + Video Engineer: Ben J Alexander Theme song: Shannon Sol Carroll Additional music by Kai Mcgilvray + Ben J Alexander Join the conversation: @Waterpeoplepodcast ... Get monthly musings and behind the scenes content from the podcast by subscribing to our newsletter. You'll get water-centric reading and listening recommendations, questions worth asking, and ways to take action for the wellbeing of Planet Ocean delivered straight to your inbox. You can stream every Waterpeople episode from your desk.

With gender norms up in the air, what does it mean to be a dad today? For Chris Del Moro, it means showing up for it all - good, bad, and messy -  and maintaining stability for his family. Chris is an artist, surfer and devoted father to his two boys. He shares about the pivotal experiences with his own fathers and mentors that shaped him into the steadfast man he is today. Chris spent more than a decade as a professional freesurfer, featured in movies including "Sliding Liberia, "The Present”  and the biographical Bella Vita by Jason Baffa, which explores his Italian heritage and the blossoming culture of Italian surfing. Chris has also worked closely with environmental organisations, like Surfers for Cetaceans, combining art and activism to help protect wild species and spaces. Chris is now the co-owner of Baghsu Jewels, with his wife Madgi, and is the Creative Director for Drifter Surf in Bali.   At the time of recording, they’ve been traveling the Southern Hemisphere for nearly a year with their two boys Marley and Bodhi, aged 7 and 4. We caught up with Chris during the 3-month leg of their Australian adventure.  Chris talks us through why he said ‘no’ to professional surfing, growing up amongst LA’s South Bay legacy of watermen, the rite of passage of life guarding,  the deeper purpose that activism brought to his surfing and art, and cultivating the under appreciated virtues of service, responsibility  and staying centered - so that we can bring our best selves to our families. ....Listen with Lauren L. Hill & Dave RastovichSound Engineer: Ben Alexander Theme song: Shannon Sol Carroll Additional music by Dave & BenJoin the conversation: @Waterpeoplepodcast ...Photo Credit: Unknown (If you took this photo please reach out)Send us a text...Listen with Lauren L. Hill & Dave Rastovich Sound + Video Engineer: Ben J Alexander Theme song: Shannon Sol Carroll Additional music by Kai Mcgilvray + Ben J Alexander Join the conversation: @Waterpeoplepodcast ... Get monthly musings and behind the scenes content from the podcast by subscribing to our newsletter. You'll get water-centric reading and listening recommendations, questions worth asking, and ways to take action for the wellbeing of Planet Ocean delivered straight to your inbox. You can stream every Waterpeople episode from your desk.

When was the last time you refused to take 'no' for an answer ? Belen Alvarez Kimble shares about the life-changing instance when she pushed against cultural norms and expectations to lay down her life's path. Belen occupied one of the very few positions as a professional freesurfer through the early 2000s and worked with surf brands as an ambassador for unifying women’s surfing around the globe. She stands amongst the longboarding icons of the Blue Crush era that saw the resurgence of women to the line-up.  Belen grew up in a traditional Mexican household in southern California, her mother a first-generation immigrant from Mexico.Belen now resides in Northern NSW, where she is the owner and operator of Salty Girls Surf School. ....Listen with Lauren L. Hill & Dave RastovichSound Engineer: Ben Alexander Theme song: Shannon Sol Carroll Additional music by Dave & BenJoin the conversation: @Waterpeoplepodcast ...Photo Credit:  Belen KimbleSend us a text...Listen with Lauren L. Hill & Dave Rastovich Sound + Video Engineer: Ben J Alexander Theme song: Shannon Sol Carroll Additional music by Kai Mcgilvray + Ben J Alexander Join the conversation: @Waterpeoplepodcast ... Get monthly musings and behind the scenes content from the podcast by subscribing to our newsletter. You'll get water-centric reading and listening recommendations, questions worth asking, and ways to take action for the wellbeing of Planet Ocean delivered straight to your inbox. You can stream every Waterpeople episode from your desk.

What's possible in the eighth decade of life?  Rusty Miller will be 80 this year - and he's still rocking off at Lennox Point and taking off on the best set waves. Born in Southern Californian, Rusty was the 1965 United States Surfing Champion. He moved to Byron Bay Australia in 1970, where he has since lived, surfed, taught, and written about surfing -- and been an integral member of the community. Rusty was amongst the first surf travellers to venture to Sri Lanka, Lebanon, Israel, Egypt and Portugal in the mid-1960s. In 1971, he was featured in Albe Falzon’s iconic film Morning of the Earth. In 1973 Rusty started the North Coast region’s first alternative newspaper, The Byron Express, and has been printing an annual magazine - Rusty’s Byron Guide–  since 1984. It offers a practical and philosophical introduction to the Byron area. In 2012, Rusty co-wrote his first book Turning Point: Surf Portraits and Stories From Bells to Byron 1970-1971. Then came Turning Point II: Surf Portraits and Stories Hawaii: Oahu-Kauai-Maui 1968-1972. Both of which were collaborations with his partner, social  geographer Trisha Shantz. They have two daughters, Taylor and Courtney.Rusty continues to share his ample surfing wisdom through his school – Rusty Miller Surf. ....Listen with Lauren L. Hill & Dave RastovichSound Engineer: Ben Alexander Theme song: Shannon Sol Carroll Additional music by Dave & BenJoin the conversation: @Waterpeoplepodcast Waterpeoplepodcast.comPhoto Credit: Chris DuczynskiSend us a text...Listen with Lauren L. Hill & Dave Rastovich Sound + Video Engineer: Ben J Alexander Theme song: Shannon Sol Carroll Additional music by Kai Mcgilvray + Ben J Alexander Join the conversation: @Waterpeoplepodcast ... Get monthly musings and behind the scenes content from the podcast by subscribing to our newsletter. You'll get water-centric reading and listening recommendations, questions worth asking, and ways to take action for the wellbeing of Planet Ocean delivered straight to your inbox. You can stream every Waterpeople episode from your desk.

Welcome back for the 5th Season of The Waterpeople Podcast. Listen in as Dave and Lauren turn the mic on one another and get set for 16 fresh episodes of ocean-centric storytelling. ....Listen with Lauren L. Hill & Dave RastovichSound Engineer: Ben Alexander Theme song: Shannon Sol Carroll Additional music by Dave & BenJoin the conversation: @Waterpeoplepodcast Send us a text...Listen with Lauren L. Hill & Dave Rastovich Sound + Video Engineer: Ben J Alexander Theme song: Shannon Sol Carroll Additional music by Kai Mcgilvray + Ben J Alexander Join the conversation: @Waterpeoplepodcast ... Get monthly musings and behind the scenes content from the podcast by subscribing to our newsletter. You'll get water-centric reading and listening recommendations, questions worth asking, and ways to take action for the wellbeing of Planet Ocean delivered straight to your inbox. You can stream every Waterpeople episode from your desk.