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The Wavescape Surf & Ocean Festival has announced the resumption of Oceans Alive, an evening of conservation, coastal community and ocean care that takes place in Cape Town next week.
Hosted by Wavescape, Sentinel Ocean Alliance, and Gone Outdoor, Oceans Alive speaks to “people of the sea” belonging to organisations that are tackling a plethora of issues facing the ocean and coastal communities around South Africa.
After two years of tough times due to the Covid-19 pandemic, coupled with a sudden avalanche of challenges that threaten community livelihood and marine biodiversity, Oceans Alive brings together the ocean community to gain inspiration from those with a passion for healing the oceans and the people of our planet.
Former CEO of the Two Oceans Aquarium Education Foundation Maryke Musson joins Steve Pike from Wavescape to MC the evening, which profiles people from Sentinel Ocean Alliance, Sea Change Project, Parley for the Oceans, Litterboom Project and Protect the West Coast.
Their work with coastal communities, ocean education and media advocacy will be featured through short films and talks, followed by a panel discussion with a wider group of scientists, small-scale fishers’ representatives, activists, and seafarers to dig deeper into issues facing us as ocean lovers. This is followed by a Q & A with the audience.
“We are so excited to share these inspiring and informative conversations and collaborations by real ocean people about real ocean impacts. This is the blue culture of actioning conservation, supporting coastal livelihoods, and growing ocean-kindness and opportunities,” said Musson.
Speakers and panelists include Kholofelo Sethebe (Parley Ocean School) and Marguerite Hofmeyr and Frank Solomon (Sentinel Ocean Alliance), Grant Cleghorn (Gone Outdoors), Thando Mazomba (marine biologist and All Atlantic Ocean Research Alliance Ambassador), Faine Loubser (Sea Change Project), Camila Budden (Protect the West Coast), Maddie Rasmussen (former Sea Shepherd activist who manages food choice organisation Oceaneers) and Hilda Adams (founder Weskusmandjie, South African Small Scale Fishers Collective).
The festival returns to its flagship events, which will be hosted in-person. Eight surfboards decorated by South African artists will be exhibited from 28 February at Jack Black’s Taproom, followed by an auction for ocean charities on 9 March with Comedian Nik Rabinowitz as the auctioneer for the night. Participating artists are artboard stalwart Brett Murray, as well as Norman O’Flynn, Richard Joshua, Bruno Morphet, Alicia McFadzean and Christiaan Conradie. Proceeds from the auction go to NSRI, The Shark Spotters, 9MilesProject and The Beach -Co-op.
Other events at The Wavescape Surf and Ocean Festival include five days of ocean and surfing films at four venues: The Labia Theatre in town, The Galileo outdoor cinema at Kirstenbosch, a screening in Kommetjie, and ending with a Vans night at The Shred skatepark in Paarden Eiland.
The Beach Co-op and divers from the Shark Spotters’ Net and Coastal Conservation units are running an underwater cleanup along the coast adjacent to Jager’s Walk in Fish Hoek on Wednesday 2 March.
Slide Night will return at the Centre for the Book for an epic evening of salty tales on Thursday 3 March.
The Board Meeting, which hosts a surfboard swap and an exhibition by sustainable ocean eco-brands and conservation organisations, with interactive activities for kids at Jack Black’s Taproom will commence on Saturday 5 March.
The theme for this year’s Wesgro Blue Ocean Master Class (Tuesday 8 March) will focus on sharing knowledge and skills on the art of filming underwater.
The festival is presented by Vans, with the Save Our Seas Foundation, The PET Recycling Company NPC (PETCO), Jack Black Beer, Wesgro, Cefas Gov Uk, Wild Oceans & Gone Outdoor. See the lineup below and check out www.wavescapefestival.com.
QUICKET for TICKETS: www.quicket.co.za
www.wavescapefestival.com
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Shredding the Gnar
Wavescape has collaborated with @_steve_shooter who is producing a bi-weekly video podcast Shredding the Gnar, which is a must-watch for all ocean loving folk who wish to stay tuned into the latest issues, innovations and intricacies of current times.
Available on YouTube + Spotify + Itunes
STG sponsors: @seasickthreads @brewkombucha @praiaeyewear @holmesbros | Videographer: @vorstervz | Animation: @headcaserules
WAVESCAPE FESTIVAL LINE UP
Mon 28 Feb: Artboards go up at Jack Black’s Taproom (auction 9 March)
Tues 1 March: Oceans Alive at the Two Oceans Aquarium
Wed 2 March: The Beach Co-op – Under Sea Cleanup at Jager’s Walk, Fish Hoek
Thurs 3 March: Slide Night at the Centre for the Book
Fri 4 March : African premiere of Girl’s Can’t Surf at the Labia Theatre
Sat 5 March: The Board Meeting at Jack Black’s Taproom
Sun 6 March: Save Our Seas Foundation Beach Reach at Dalebrook
Sun 6 March: Film screening with The Galileo open air cinema at Kirstenbosch
Mon 7 March: Screening of Our Oceans by WILDOCEANS at the Labia Theatre
Tues 8 March: Blue Oceans Master Class presented by Wesgro at InvestSA One Stop Shop
Wed 9 March: Artboard Auction at Jack Black’s Taproom with Nik Rabinowitz
Thurs 10 March: Kommetjie Film Night, Kommetjie Community Church
Fri 11 March: VANS Film screening at The Shred – (closing of festival)