

Waterpeople Podcast
Lauren L. Hill & Dave Rastovich - surf stories & ocean adventures
Stories about the aquatic experiences that shape us. Listen with Lauren L. Hill and Dave Rastovich as they talk story with some of the most adept waterfolk on the planet. Waterpeople is a gathering place for our global ocean community to dive into the themes of watery lives lived well: ecology, adventure, community, activism, science, egalitarianism, inclusivity, meaningful play, a sense of humour. And, surfing, of course.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jul 29, 2022 • 41min
Kshisya Tachanskaya: Gifting Good Days
What if your homeland was suddenly the target of foreign attacks ? What would you do? Ukrainian Kshisya Tachanskaya fled with her two children, a few belongings, reluctantly kissed her husband farewell, and drove for a familiar coast -- some 4000km away (2500 miles). Kshisya is part of Ukraine’s tight knit surfing community who enjoy the couple of windswells that the Black Sea delivers each year. Before she found surfing, Kshisya was a water skier, and later opened Kyiv’s CitySwell Club, and worked as a wake surf instructor.Shortly after her arrival in Portugal, Kshisya got to work doing what she could to contribute: hosting GOOD DAYS Surf Camps for refugee families, now without community, homes or support. More than 12 million people have been displaced from their Ukrainian homes, forced out by Russian attacks. Kshisya has received hundreds of applications for her Good Days Surf Camp sessions, and is seeking financial support to help cover the costs of providing free access to the week-long camps that include surf and skate lessons, but also ocean safety and literacy, food, psychological counselling, as well as yoga and meditation classes.Her mission: to share the ocean’s healing with as many as possible. Head here to learn more or to gift access to ocean play to Ukranian families seeking refuge....Listen with Lauren L. Hill & Dave RastovichSound Engineer: Tiffany RichmondSoundtrack By: Shannon Sol Carroll Additional music by Wave Brain - Dave, Neal Purchase Jr. and Christian Barker Join the conversation: @Waterpeoplepodcast Waterpeoplepodcast.comPhoto Credit: Tata LelitsaSend 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 ... Thanks to our generous sponsors this season: Patagonia Australia Alkaway The Sunglass Fix ... 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.

Jul 7, 2022 • 1h 23min
Tom Wegener: The Artisan's Way
Unlike golf clubs and tennis racquets, surfboards are still largely made by local artisans. But, what sets the surfboard making industry apart from parallel industries? Why do local shapers still make boards? Master shaper Tom Wegener examines this question -- and much more -- in his PhD thesis and book Surfboard Artisans: For the Love. "How can an industry which values passion over money be resilient and sustainable in a capitalistic society which has money as the primary value?," he asks, and goes on the elucidate how commitment to culture has made for an exceptionally resilient, even logic defying industry. Tom started shaping and glassing in 1978 in his parents garage and is best known for helping to re-popularize old and ancient Hawaiian surfcraft, as celebrated in films like Thomas Campbell’s The Present, Nathan Oldfield’s Seaworthy, Jack McCoy’s A Deeper Shade of Blue, and Cyrus Sutton’s Tom’s Creation Plantation.What sets Tom apart as a shaper is his surfing prowess. Tom played an integral role in keeping the traditional logging approach alive when it fell out of fad, embarking in self-funded films like Ten Toes Over and Siestas & Olas, which Steve Pezman, of the Surfers Journal, reviewed as the “best surf travel movie since Endless Summer.”With more than four decades of building boards under his belt, including homegrown timber crafts which exemplify a more sustainable approach, Tom shares with us about the responsibility he feels charged with -- to pass along the knowledge he has acquired and share his journey as a relentless artisan. ....Learn more:www.tomwegenersurfboards.com...Listen with Lauren L. Hill & Dave RastovichSound Engineer: Ben AlexanderSoundtrack By: Shannon Sol Carroll Additional music by Wave Brain - Dave, Neal Purchase Jr. and 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 ... Thanks to our generous sponsors this season: Patagonia Australia Alkaway The Sunglass Fix ... 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.

Jul 7, 2022 • 34min
Tom Wegener: Part 2
Part Two of our meandering conversation with master shaper Tom Wegener talking the nitty gritty of board construction, how he almost got the call to be in The Endless Summer II, experimenting with ancient techniques in the shaping bay and which mode of wave riding is stoking him out the most right now. ...Tom started shaping and glassing in 1978 in his parents garage and is best known for helping to re-popularize old and ancient Hawaiian surfcraft, as celebrated in films like Thomas Campbell’s The Present, Nathan Oldfield’s Seaworthy, Jack McCoy’s A Deeper Shade of Blue, and Cyrus Sutton’s Tom’s Creation Plantation.What sets Tom apart as a shaper is his surfing prowess. Tom played an integral role in keeping the traditional logging approach alive when it fell out of fad, embarking in self-funded films like Ten Toes Over and Siestas & Olas, which Steve Pezman, of the Surfers Journal, reviewed as the “best surf travel movie since Endless Summer.”With more than four decades of building boards under his belt, including homegrown timber crafts which exemplify a more sustainable approach, Tom shares with us about the responsibility he feels charged with -- to pass along the knowledge he has acquired and share his journey as a relentless artisan. ....Learn more:www.tomwegenersurfboards.com...Listen with Lauren L. Hill & Dave RastovichSound Engineer: Ben AlexanderSoundtrack By: Shannon Sol Carroll Additional music by Wave Brain - Dave, Neal Purchase Jr. and Christian Barker Join the conversation: @Waterpeoplepodcast Waterpeoplepodcast.comSend 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 ... Thanks to our generous sponsors this season: Patagonia Australia Alkaway The Sunglass Fix ... 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.

Jun 21, 2022 • 56min
Welcome to Season Four
Waterpeople is back with a fourth season of stories about the aquatic experiences that shape us, change us, and call us into this quirky community of water folk across the globe. This season we'll hear from 16 waterpeople - some globally renowned, others under appreciated - and learn about the moments that changed everything. In this episode we sit down for a catch up with our new sponsor this season Sunbutter Skincare. Founders Tom and Sacha talk us through why they, as a marine biologist and conservation ecologist, started a business, and how protecting people and the planet is embedded in every decision they make. We also dive into the sunscreen nitty gritty: physical vs. chemical barrier, nanoparticles, plastic packaging, and understanding what “reef safe” actually means. ...Listen with Lauren L. Hill & Dave RastovichSound Engineer: Tiffany RichmondSoundtrack By: Shannon Sol Carroll Additional music by Wave Brain - Dave, Neal Purchase Jr. and Christian Barker Join the conversation: @Waterpeoplepodcast Waterpeoplepodcast.comSend 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 ... Thanks to our generous sponsors this season: Patagonia Australia Alkaway The Sunglass Fix ... 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.

Jun 20, 2022 • 1h 8min
Sam Bloom: Gravity & Buoyancy
What happens when life calls you to face your fears? Surfer, adventurer and mother of three Sam Bloom had to face that call after a 2013 family holiday went tragically wrong. Sam is a two-time world para surfing champion. She is the bestselling author of two books, and the subject of the 2020 film Penguin Bloom, starring Naomi Watts. Those three works detail the tragic accident that left Sam paralysed from the chest down, and the unexpected guest – an injured magpie in need of care -- who helped Sam rehabilitate and regain a deeper sense of herself again. Sam shares about her experience of moving away from brink of despair, navigating grief, and how getting back in the water first angered, then buoyed her. ....Learn more:Penguin BloomSpinal Cure Australia...Listen with Lauren L. Hill & Dave RastovichSound Engineer: Tiffany RichmondSoundtrack By: Shannon Sol Carroll Additional music by Wave Brain - Dave, Neal Purchase Jr. and Christian Barker Join the conversation: @Waterpeoplepodcast Waterpeoplepodcast.comPhoto Credit: Cameron BloomSend 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 ... Thanks to our generous sponsors this season: Patagonia Australia Alkaway The Sunglass Fix ... 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.

Feb 27, 2022 • 1h 27min
Committed to Questions
To wrap up the third season, Lauren and Dave turn the mic on one another for a meandering chat through surf adventure stories, common questions from listeners, and their own answers to the central Waterpeople question about a time or experience after which you were never the same. We'll be back with a stacked fourth season in May or June, full of fresh stories, inspiring ideas, and plenty of laughs. If you have a spare moment, please consider leaving a review of the podcast or sharing an episode with a friend – both help us to find the best stories from our global community of waterpeople. ...Listen with Lauren L. Hill & Dave RastovichSound Engineer & Music By: Shannon Sol Carroll Additional music: ‘Evergreen’ by Band of Frequencies: Men of Wood & Foam album Join the conversation: @Waterpeoplepodcast Waterpeoplepodcast.comSend 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 ... Thanks to our generous sponsors this season: Patagonia Australia Alkaway The Sunglass Fix ... 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.

Jan 19, 2022 • 1h 24min
Fergal Smith: Grounded
What is enough to move you to action? For heavy water specialist Fergal Smith, nuclear meltdown became the impetus for a radical shift in life and livelihood. As the founder of Moy Hill farm, Fergal and his team aim to “grow worthy food, build soil, regenerate systems, plant flowers and trees, and work to leave what is in their care healthier than they found it," while also nurturing community. Fergal talks us beyond the romanticisation of farming, and into the muddy complexity of what it means to grow food for one's community, --- and why it's still so difficult to make a living as a farmer. Also, why surfers are (mostly) airheads, and probably more farmers should ride waves. ...Listen with Lauren L. Hill & Dave RastovichSound Engineer & Music By: Shannon Sol Carroll Additional music: ‘Evergreen’ by Band of Frequencies: Men of Wood & Foam album Join the conversation: @Waterpeoplepodcast Waterpeoplepodcast.comSend 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 ... Thanks to our generous sponsors this season: Patagonia Australia Alkaway The Sunglass Fix ... 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.

Dec 8, 2021 • 1h 8min
Acknowledging Pain & A Living Legacy with Gumbayngirr / Yaegl artist Mick Laurie
What is lost when a language perishes? What becomes of a language on the edge of extinction ? Artist Mick Laurie is a man of story and culture, who is revitalising the language of his forefathers by making the first ever modern music in Gumbayngirr, using words spoken by his ancestors for tens of thousands of years. Mick, a Gumbayngirr / Yaegl musician and storyteller, is based near the mouth of the Clarence River in Northern NSW, Australia, where his forefathers have lived and cared for country since time immemorial. Mick carries on this ancient and living tradition of obligations and responsibility for land, sea and culture as a beacon of hope and creative inspiration.You may have heard Mick’s music if you’ve seen Torren Martyn and Ishka Folkwell's 'Lost Track’ adventure/ surf series. This episode closes with Mick’s collaborative piece with Headland, NGUURA, named by Australia’s Triple J as “a moving, significant work in language by an extremely talented emerging indigenous artist… shares the importance of us all taking on the responsibility to care for country and each other. Nguura will stay with you and inspire welcome reflection as you travel through these times.”Learn more about Mick @Maanyung_Music….Presented by Patagonia Listen with Lauren L. Hill & Dave RastovichSound Engineer & Music by: Shannon Sol Carroll Join the conversation: Waterpeoplepodcast.com@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 ... Thanks to our generous sponsors this season: Patagonia Australia Alkaway The Sunglass Fix ... 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.

Nov 25, 2021 • 1h 17min
John Florence: Navigating Edges
Olympian and two-time surfing World Champion John John Florence masterfully navigates the edges of flying and falling. Riding big waves and sailing at high speed around the Hawaiian Islands are amongst his most instructive and inspiring moments. Seen as the most technically gifted surfer on the planet right now, John has the eyes of the surfing world focused on everything he does. His broad ranging interests -- from beekeeping to photography to science fiction -- are cracking the mold of what it looks like to be a competitive surfer. In the tradition of Hawaiian watermen, John has embraced all kinds of ocean activity, and also the wisdom of surfers from the timeline of surfing. In our meandering chat, John talks us through high speed sailing with eighty-year-old surfing legend Joey Cabell, the value of taking breaks from the singular focus of competitive surfing, the ambiguity of the impacts of social media, his favourite surf film, and how he navigates being an introvert in a culture of extroverts. John also speaks to his absolute love of surfing that leaves him speechless, even after decades of marathon surf sessions. ...Listen with Lauren L. Hill & Dave RastovichSound Engineer & Music By: Shannon Sol Carroll Additional music: ‘Evergreen’ by Band of Frequencies: Men of Wood & Foam album Join the conversation: @Waterpeoplepodcast Waterpeoplepodcast.comPhoto Credit: HurleySend 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 ... Thanks to our generous sponsors this season: Patagonia Australia Alkaway The Sunglass Fix ... 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.

Nov 17, 2021 • 47min
Regenerating Reefs with Gator Halpern of CORAL VITA
We’ve already lost 50% of Earth’s coral reefs. It's estimated that 90% will be gone by 2050 at the current pace of destruction. Coral Vita just built the world’s first commercial land-based coral farm for reef restoration in The Bahamas. They are regenerating reef systems with innovative methods that expedite the growth rate of corals, and allow for self-selection of the most resilient species to warming and acidifying conditions. Gator Halpern co-founded Coral Vita as a way to take practical steps toward protecting the otherworldly underwater-scapes he experienced as a young diver. His team recently won the Earthshot Prize, a new global prize for the environment funded by The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Five recipients are awarded the £1 Million prize each year, over the course of the next ten years,providing at least 50 solutions to the world’s greatest environmental problems by 2030. .....Presented by Patagonia Listen with Lauren L. Hill & Dave RastovichSound Engineer & Music by: Shannon Sol Carroll Join the conversation: Waterpeoplepodcast.com@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 ... Thanks to our generous sponsors this season: Patagonia Australia Alkaway The Sunglass Fix ... 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.


