TransParentSea

Environmental campaigners Chris Del Moro (San Diego, USA) and pro surfer Dave Rastovich (Brunswick Heads, AUS) are dwarfed by the bulk of the Sea Shepherd’s “Steve Irwin” during their rendezvous near Northern NSW on the weekend.

The pair are among a group participating in the Transparentsea voyage by sea from Byron Bay to Sydney.
Credit: Billabong/Dawe.

Surfer, artist and activist Chris Del Moro (San Diego, USA) negotiating the elements as he pilots his trimaran to the Sea Shepherd’s Steve Irwin.
Credit: Billabong/Dawe.

www.transparentseavoyage.com

(Thursday, October 1st, Byron Bay, Australia): A large crowd of well-wishers gathered on Byron Bay’s Main Beach this morning to show their support for five daring environmental campaigners who have begun a 36 day voyage by sea to Sydney to highlight the plight of migrating humpback whales and to draw awareness to coastal pollution issues.

Dubbed “Transparentsea”, the odyssey is an initiative of professional surfer Dave Rastovich, an environmental crusader who is joined on his quest by Californian surfer and artist Chris Del Moro (San Diego, CA, USA), Musician Will Conner (AUS), Photographer Hilton Dawe (Byron Bay, NSW, AUS) and Surfrider Foundation’s Kristy Theissling (Coolangatta, QLD, AUS).

Paddling single-seat “trimaran” sea kayaks, the participants will use only the wind and the waves to assist them on their journey, as they trace the migration paths of the whales destined for the Southern Ocean.

During their frequent stops along the East Coast, the team will also engage local communities to assist in beach clean-ups, as well as highlighting and recording other areas of environmental concern including the effects of the commercial fishing industry on marine mammals and fish stocks; run-off issues to do with agricultural, domestic and industrial human activities; and the state of rivers and estuaries.
“It’s a great honour to be here from California representing such a great cause and the organisation Surfers for Cetaceans,” said Del Moro.

“I’m just stoked to see Australians have such an incredible support for environmental issues, especially water and ocean related issues and the fight against whaling and dolphin hunts. In the States we have a lot of people who are really fired up, but here it seems like whole communities are coming out. Everyone’s really given us their support; it feels like a lot of people are really backing it (Transparentsea). It excites me to think we’ll be at sea with these amazing creatures, it’s going to be life changing,” he added.

A fresh northerly wind and swell provided the paddlers with the perfect start, and by the end of day one, they hope to have reached Evans Head, some 60 kilometers south, before a planned rendezvous with Captain Paul Watson of the Sea Shepherd and his ship, the “Steve Irwin” in the vicinity of Yamba this weekend.

Before setting off, Rastovich appealed to all those present to unite and help to support the causes in whatever way they could.

“Our goal is to get information and the message out to the public and everyone who has an interest. We need to get out the message to Kevin Rudd (PM. Australia) and Peter Garrett (Minister for Environment) so they can step up, and do the job they said they were going to do and that is go down and fight sanctuary laws in Antarctica,” said Rastovich.

“Right now, the only ship going to Antarctica is Sea Shepherd. This whole trip is about escorting the whales down the coast. When we get to Sydney, November 5th, we’re going to be joining with the Steve Irwin (ship) and the Sea Shepherd crew and launching their campaign as they head off to protect these whales passing us right now. So if anyone has anything they can give to help the Sea Shepherd, please do so.”

Migaloo, the only recorded all-white humpback whale in the world, created a stir earlier this week when he was spotted near Cape Byron traveling south with a pod of five other whales.

This morning, a pod of six whales was spotted as the paddlers made their way around the Cape for what will surely be a great test of endurance and possibly the surf trip of a lifetime.

For more info, please see the links below, or contact:
Transparentsea : www.transparentseavoyage.com
Media contact: jj@premiummedia.com.au
Mobile: +61 (0) 421 384 431

About Transparentsea:

The primary intention of the Transparentsea journey is to draw attention to the plight of the migrating whales that ultimately are destined for the chilly waters of the Southern Ocean and the inevitable visits by Japanese whaling fleets.

In addition, the Transparentsea team will record and highlight other areas of environmental concern including the effects of the commercial fishing industry on marine mammals and fish stocks; run-off issues to do with agricultural, domestic and industrial human activities; the state of rivers and estuaries; and where necessary they will also initiate beach clean-ups.

An additional kayak is available for media and special guests. Please contact JJ@premiummedia.com.au

Transparentsea is possible thanks the support of Surfrider Foundation, Surfers for Cetaceans, Billabong, Coastal Watch, Go Pro Water Proof Cameras and Surfing World magazine.

Friends of:

www.SurfersForCetaceans.com, www.seashepherd.org, www.surfrider.org.au, www.oceancare.org.au. www.RemoveSharkNets.com , www.SaveJapanDolphins.org, www.TheCoveMovie.com,

Dave Rastovich:

Dave Rastovich is a former World Junior surfing champion and world-renowned free-surfer. In 2006 “Rasta” co-founded the “Surfers for Cetaceans” movement. In July this year Rasta was granted one of just 200 invitations to attend former US Vice President Al Gore’s The Climate Project – Asia-Pacific Summit. http://www.billabong.com/au/team-rider/surf/17/rasta

Chris Del Moro:

Chris has “an excited butterfly-type feeling” about forthcoming test of endurance and surf trip of a lifetime! The Californian artist and free-surfer is also co-director of the Surfers for Cetaceans organisation and traveled with Rasta to Chile (2008) and Portugal (2009) to attend the IWC (International Whaling Convention). www.collecticlife.com

Will Conner:

Will has just finished his 3rd album “You Make Me Sing” due to release early 2010 featuring guests JJ Grey from MOFRO and G. Love. Having accepting Rasta’s invitation, Will states: “I am offering help in the form of musical entertainment, and I am now the proud owner of a yellow Ukulele and plan on annoying everyone including the whales for 36 days straight!” www.willconner.com

Kristy Theissling:

Kristy has traded a promising career as a journalist and role as online editor for Australia’s largest surf-related website, coastalwatch.com to accept a role as General Manager of Surfrider Foundation, Australia. Based in Queensland, Kristy has a history of environmental based campaigning. www.surfrider.org

For further media information, please visit www.transparentseavoyage.com or contact:

jj@premiummedia.com.au / +61 (0) 421 384 431

“TRANSPARENTSEA”

… A MODERN JOURNEY WITH ANCIENT CREATURES …

www.transparentseavoyage.com

Media Invitation

- Official Launch -

Main Beach, Byron Bay

(East side of Surf Life Saving Club, Bay St)

Thursday, Oct 1^st

8:30am

(Tuesday, 29^th September, Byron Bay, Australia): An invitation is extended to media and well-wishers to attend the official launch of “Transparentsea”, an environmental awareness campaign initiated by professional surfer and activist David Rastovich, which begins this Thursday (October 1^st), from 8:30am at Main Beach, Byron Bay.

Twenty-nine year-old Rastovich (Brunswick Heads, AUS) will be accompanied by Californian-based surfer, artist and environmental activist Chris Del Moro (San Diego, USA), world-renowned water photographer Hilton Dawe (Byron Bay, AUS), musician Will Conner (AUS) and the Surfrider Foundation’s General Manager, Kristy Theissling (Coolangatta, AUS) as he begins an epic 700 kilometer ocean paddle to Sydney aimed at drawing attention to the plight of the migrating humpback whales and various coastal pollution issues.

Assisted only by the wind and waves, the team aims to each paddle single-seat Hobie trimaran sea-kayaks the entire distance, with the goal of reaching Sydney 36 days later on November 5^th.

Dozens of supporters have already pledged to join the group on Thursday morning, paddling the first few hundred meters from the sands of Main Beach and out towards The Pass, Wategos and Cape Byron.

Media are invited to participate, with interviews and press opportunities available from 8:30am.

A press release, rights free-images for media and a television news feed will also be made available on Thursday afternoon, featuring helicopter footage of the paddlers, Cape Byron and surrounds.

Transparentsea Launch Schedule:

Participants ready, media – 8:30am

Farewell ceremony by local Aboriginal Bandjalung tribe – 9:00am

Paddle commences – 9:30am

The weather forecast is excellent, with northerly winds of up to 20 knots predicted during the first 48 hours. Under such conditions, Rastovich says it is possible for the team to at least reach Ballina, or even as far as Evans Head on day one, a distance of some 60 kilometers south.

“Our preparation has been epic. We’ve had the crafts for over a month and literally done half-a-dozen 16-kilometer runs south from Brunswick Heads to the Cape at Byron. We’ve had no real hiccups so far,” explained Rastovich.

“We’ve done some serious gear testing – broken things, snapped things, forgotten things. We’ve uncovered all the weak points on the equipment, which gives us the confidence of knowing where our limits lie. We’ve also experienced heaps of whale encounters, sharks, manta rays, dolphins – there has been plenty of activity out at sea,” said Rastovich.

It is expected that the “Steve Irwin”, the ship captained by Paul Watson of the Sea Shepherd, will pass the paddlers in the vicinity of Yamba sometime in the afternoon on Saturday, 3^rd October and a rendezvous at sea has already been arranged.

The Surfrider Foundation Australia and Tangaroa Blue are proud to support and partake in the Transparentsea project.

Each day on arrival at the beaches, the Transparentsea crew and members of the community will partake in beach cleanups. The rubbish collected will be counted and the data added to the National marine debris database.

The National Marine Debris Initiative is a project aimed at empowering local communities and individuals to take ownership of their local beaches by regularly removing the rubbish, in particular plastics that arrive or is dropped or dumped on their shores.

For links, contacts and more info, please see below.

A press release, including images for media and TV newsfeed will be available following Thursday’s launch. Media contact: jj@premiummedia.com.au +61(0)421 384 431

About Transparentsea:

The primary intention of the Transparentsea journey is to draw attention to the plight of the migrating whales that ultimately are destined for the chilly waters of the Southern Ocean and the inevitable visits by Japanese whaling fleets.

In addition, the Transparentsea team will record and highlight other areas of environmental concern including the effects of the commercial fishing industry on marine mammals and fish stocks; run-off issues to do with agricultural, domestic and industrial human activities; the state of rivers and estuaries; and where necessary they will also initiate beach clean-ups.

An additional kayak is available for media and special guests. Please contact JJ@premiummedia.com.au

Transparentsea is possible thanks the support of Surfrider Foundation, Surfers for Cetaceans, Billabong, Coastal Watch, Go Pro Water Proof Cameras and Surfing World magazine.

Friends of:

www.SurfersForCetaceans.com, www.seashepherd.org, www.surfrider.org.au, www.oceancare.org.au.  www.RemoveSharkNets.com , www.SaveJapanDolphins.org, www.TheCoveMovie.com,

Dave Rastovich:

Dave Rastovich is a former World Junior surfing champion and world-renowned free-surfer. In 2006 “Rasta” co-founded the “Surfers for Cetaceans” movement. In July this year Rasta was granted one of just 200 invitations to attend former US Vice President Al Gore’s The Climate Project – Asia-Pacific Summit. http://www.billabong.com/au/team-rider/surf/17/rasta

Chris Del Moro:

Chris has “an excited butterfly-type feeling” about forthcoming test of endurance and surf trip of a lifetime! The Californian artist and free-surfer is also co-director of the Surfers for Cetaceans organisation and traveled with Rasta to Chile (2008) and Portugal (2009) to attend the IWC (International Whaling Convention). www.collecticlife.com

Will Conner:

Will has just finished his 3rd album “You Make Me Sing” due to release early 2010 featuring guests JJ Grey from MOFRO and G. Love. Having accepting Rasta’s invitation, Will states: “I am offering help in the form of musical entertainment, and I am now the proud owner of a yellow Ukulele and plan on annoying everyone including the whales for 36 days straight!” www.willconner.com

Kristy Theissling:

Kristy has traded a promising career as a journalist and role as online editor for Australia’s largest surf-related website, coastalwatch.com to accept a role as General Manager of Surfrider Foundation, Australia. Based in Queensland, Kristy has a history of environmental based campaigning. www.surfrider.org

For further media information, please visit www.transparentseavoyage.com or contact:

jj@premiummedia.com.au / +61 (0) 421 384 431

Each day on arrival at the beaches, the Transparentsea crew and members of the community will partake in beach cleanups. The rubbish collected will be counted and the data added to the National marine debris database.

The National Marine Debris Initiative is a project aimed at empowering local communities and individuals to take ownership of their local beaches by regularly removing the rubbish, in particular plastics, that arrive or is dropped or dumped on their shores.

100,000 marine animals and 1 million sea birds die every year from ingesting or becoming entangled in marine debris. In every square mile of ocean is an estimated 46,000 pieces of marine debris.

Members of the community are invited to come along to the cleanups. Visit surfrider.org.au/transparentsea for information on how you can be involved.

Surfriders’ Kristy Theissling will be departing with Dave and crew from Byron Bay and participating in the journey.

You can watch Kristy’s progress on the surfrider.org.au website, so stay tuned!

A 20 knot North East wind rose with the sun and I jumped out of my bed excited like I am when the waves are huge and clean. It was only two foot high and onshore this morning.  Through the messed up, crossed up chaotically beautiful textured waves my small canoe cleared the lineup.  I never feel like I push my way through the waves and enforce myself upon the ocean when I paddle out.  It has always felt like she, the mother, the vibrant wild embracive sea, lets me out, pulls me out, and into her.  I have no control over the situation, it is her decision to let me past the breaking row of waves that travel infinitely through the worlds of form and formlessness.

The sail is up and unfurled only three quarters. Wind grabs a hold of me and all of a sudden we synchronise, Kilometres go by, but I don’t sense travel because I am moving with the movement that is all around me. Nothing is fixed, including my mind. An albatross with a yellow neck swoops in curiously and that is my first moment of observing what I am a part of.  I have nearly gotten to Byron Bay, and Julian Rocks sit upon the surface like sentinels on watch.  Thats when I sense movement as I fly past the rocky islands.   I start whistling and hooting like a child on a bike, smiling from ear to ear.  Surfing down swells, laughing at nothing, but at the same time everything…  I feel empty yet full.  It is said that the paradox is the closest we can come to describing God, the divine, holy spirit.  I feel tiny, but connected to the entirety of creation and therefore vast in my sense of self.  I feel like the wind and spirit, the waves that lift and roll and the sky that embraces all………  the sense of  ’ I ‘ is no longer limited to this human body. The church of the open sky is in full swing.

At this point of bliss I turn my gaze to the cape.  Exploding from the depths of the sea one hundred yards beyond The Pass comes a humpback whale.   Angelic white belly glowing in the sunlight, huge white wings opened out wide as he rolls to the side in mid air before somehow seeming suspended for a second of clock time……….   then crack! Gravity returns and he sinks back down into the crackle of white water all around his body.  I realise, just as humans love to feel weightless and float in the sea, whales must love to feel the immensity of their form when they break weightlessness for a moment and pierce the surface.   Perhaps that is why they beach themselves a lot when they are about to die…   as a human I think I Will take myself down to the sea when I am old and on my death bed, let mother ocean pull me out one  last time,  and relax into an eternal embrace within her quiet depths.  Maybe the whale wishes to feel its form within gravity, to feel the stars and sun shine down upon it’s sensitive skin without the watery filter, perhaps it wishes to be out of the noisy ocean where it’s senses are constantly listening to sonic frequencies booming back information.  Water transmits sound greater than air.  Maybe they wish to listen to the winds which they have only glimpsed when breaching the oceans surface.. and feel it upon their skin….   all this floods my imagination as I watch the biggest brained animal on this planet play with it’s form and surroundings.     Transparentsea has BEGUN!!

PROFESSIONAL SURFER DAVE RASTOVICH INITIATES A BOLD

ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS CAMPAIGN

(Monday, 14^th September, Australia): Professional free-surfer and environmental campaigner David Rastovich will attempt an epic 700km ocean paddle from Byron Bay to Bondi Beach this October.

The journey aims to follow the annual migration south of humpback whales and their calves while raising awareness of the need to protect the majestic mammals and the world’s ocean environments.

Twenty nine year-old Rastovich (Brunswick Heads, AUS) is using the paddle to extend his personal environmental journey which in 2006 saw him co-found the “Surfers for Cetaceans” movement and in July this year saw him granted one of just 200 invitations to attend former US Vice President Al Gore’s The Climate Project – Asia-Pacific Summit.

On October 1st “Rasta”, accompanied by world-class water photographer Hilton Dawe (Byron Bay, AUS) and a videographer who will help chronicle the event, will step from the sands of Main Beach, Byron Bay and begin the journey in single-seat sea kayaks.

Joining them will be Chris Del Moro (Los Angeles, USA) a respected free surfer, activist, artist and co-director of Surfers for Cetaceans.

Assisted only by the wind and waves, Rasta and his cohorts will paddle the entire distance aiming to reach Bondi by November 5th. Each afternoon they will paddle to the nearest beach, rest overnight, engage with local communities and – conditions permitting – take advantage of the local surf.

The primary intention of the journey is to draw attention to the plight of the migrating whales that ultimately are destined for the chilly waters of the Southern Ocean and the inevitable visits by Japanese whaling fleets.

In addition, the team will record and highlight other areas of environmental concern including the effects of the commercial fishing industry on marine mammals and fish stocks; run-off issues to do with agricultural, domestic and industrial human activities; the state of rivers and estuaries; and where necessary they will also initiate beach clean-ups.

It is a well-intentioned odyssey that, at worst, is certain to be an incredible test of endurance but will also, quite possibly, double as the surf-trip-of-a-lifetime.

“What excites me the most is being able to combine the high-risk elements of surfing and sailing and the notion of endurance and pushing your body,” said Rastovich.  “I’m eager to bring those elements together with environmental awareness initiatives.

“Our intentions are that, after 36 days and 700 kilometers, we’ll have helped educate a lot of people on the beauty and majesty of the whales, plus the impact we all have on what is such an amazing stretch of coastline and in what ways we might all implement positive change.”

An additional kayak will be made available to a small roster of like-minded invited guests – individuals who share the mission’s sense of purpose and who are able to help bolster public awareness.

Participants already scheduled to take part include eight-time Molokai-to-Oahu paddling champion Jamie Mitchell, former world #5, pro surfer Matt Hoy, and professional surf commentator, editor and musician Adam ‘Vaughan’ Blakey.

“Our intentions are to reach Bondi and celebrate the completion of our voyage with Captain Paul Watson of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society,” said Rastovich.

“We expect to be crossing paths with the Sea Shepherd crew on the journey as they take their ship, the Steve Irwin, to Perth where they will launch their next campaign to save our whales in Antarctica. The same whales we will be paddling alongside.”

The official Transparentsea launch will take place on Thursday, October 1^st at Main Beach, Byron Bay. Here, members of the Aboriginal Bundjalung tribe will don traditional dress and perform a farewell ceremony. Following the ceremony, the kayakers will paddle out to meet the whales and begin their long voyage south to Sydney.

The iconic sights of Byron Bay’s lighthouse and lush surrounds of Cape Bryon will provide the ideal backdrop for media on hand to capture the start of this epic adventure. More information will be distributed closer to the launch date.

For media or special guests interested in participating in one or more legs of the journey, please contact

jj@premiummedia.com.au

A website will be set-up outlining the mission, including information on equipment, intended routes, photos and video for media, and a daily blog. More details to follow.

“Transparentsea” a Modern Voyage with Ancient Creatures, is being made possible with the support of Billabong, Coastal Watch, Surfing World Magazine, the Surfrider Foundation and Surfers for Cetaceans.

For further information, please contact:

“JJ” – Media Manager

jj@premiummedia.com.au

+61(0) 421 384 431