Inspirational Women Surfers

Inspirational Women Surfers

by | Oct 2, 2020 | Lifestyle, Outdoor Sports, Surf

INSPIRATIONAL WOMEN SURFERS

In a surfing scenario still quite dominated by men, year after year I see more girls in the line-up and the surfing level of women, in general, is getting really high!

Having girls in the water is a game-changer. It changes the whole session mood: more smiles and more respect for everyone!

Many times I have found myself as the only girl in the line-up with a bunch of guys (the majority of whom ripping) fighting to catch a few waves, doubting about my level or asking myself why I was the only girl there.

Well, as soon as I see another female face in the water, smiling at me and cheering me up, the whole session becomes funnier, I gain more confidence and catch more waves!

And of course, I love to watch videos of women surfing and get inspired by them! Here are my personal favourites: each of them has something special and inspire me in different ways.

Stephanie Gilmore – pure style

The way she flows is unique. Stephanie is probably the most elegant surfer you are gonna see out there. No matter if she is charging a big barrel or playing with her twin fin on a knee-high wave, her flow is incredibly clean, her style is supreme and she is the real shred queen. 

Watching her surfing just make you wanna grab the board and have fun in the water. She is always smiling and enjoying the ride as much as she can. 

7x World Surfing Champion, these achievements are just the demonstration of her undiscussed talent.

Laura Enever – the charger

Laura is a badass chick. With a great sense of humour and love for life, her surfing is all about adventures and challenges. She pushes her limits where many guys do not and she is truly inspiring.

Famous for her fearless big waves surfing, her latest documentary Undone shows the ride of some of the gnarliest and most dangerous waves in remote Australia.

She is definitely not a faint of heart and she is really empowering women to push their limits and boundaries for thrill and adrenaline.

Carissa Moore – perfect technique

When someone says there are still differences in surfing between men and women I just bring Carissa as a perfect example that it’s not like that.

Last October I was in the water with her at Honolua Bay (she probably won’t remember hahaha). She was charging at the Cave, always with a smile on her face and she really looks like a super nice kind-hearted person. Pure positive vibes!

Her surfing technique is absolute perfection. If you pay attention to the details of her manoeuvres performance you barely find flaws, her style is smooth and her wave reading impeccable. 

Bethany Hamilton – the warrior

Survivor of a shark attack at the young age of 13 yr, Bethany made her dream of becoming a pro surfer come true no matter what.

Even without her left arm, her surfing is amazing, she charges big waves and she is one of the strongest person and athlete ever. She knows what she is doing out there and she even surfed Pipeline while pregnant!

Nothing could limit her on her goals and purposes and she has become a true inspiration for many people and an example of resilience, strength of will and mental power. 

Sally Fitzgibbons – health and fitness queen

Altruistic and energetic, Sally reminds everyone of the importance of effective training behind great performances. She is strong, fit and powerful in the water.

Sporty since early ages, she ran to gold medals in the 800m and 1500m at the Youth Olympics in 2007 and then became a professional surfer in the WSL.

She is an inspiration not only between the surfing community but also all the whole Australian people. She shares her knowledge about health through targeted fitness programs, cooking recipes and healthy lifestyle tips.

Would you like to join us on a girls-only surf trip?

Bali playing cards to Fight the plastic problem

Bali playing cards to Fight the plastic problem

by | Feb 24, 2020 | Lifestyle

Bali Playing cards to fight the plastic problem

As most people know, Indonesia still has a huge problem with plastic pollution. Almost half of Indonesia’s trash ends up in the ocean. While first world countries send their garbage to Indonesia. ⁠
This is not a problem of surfers or tourists only, nor is it a problem of Indonesia. It’s a massive disaster that impacts all of us and that needs awareness and immediate action!

In order to support the “Bye Bye Plastic Bags” campaign, which is an established NGO that is already deeply involved into the topic for years, German illustrator Claudie Linke has decided to create and sell playing cards based around the theme of Bali (Surf, People, Culture, Lifestyle, Music etc). The key idea is to multiply the donation into much more in the long run – by creating something of more value, facilitated through the transformative magic of arts. The sales of these playing cards will turn into an easy, steady, long term support for “Bye Bye Plastic Bags”. 

GET INVOLVED

How can you support the project?

Once Claudie can afford production, she would sell those decks via her online shop. She can ship to 63 countries worldwide. Plus, she already has some of the best local surf shops onboard (gonna be a nice, timeless Bali souvenir)! Each sale supports the “Bye Bye Plastic Bags” Campaign directly.

Your benefit?

Most importantly, you back up an amazing organization – Bye Bye Plastic Bags. And even more, everyone who supports this campaign with an amount >50 EUR, will be sent a playing card deck (worldwide shipping). In case, this campaign is not gonna be successful, your funds will be forwarded straight to the NGO. No risk!

Documentation:

Claudie just started drawing that deck, so she will document the ongoing creation progress on her website and her Instagram page.

 

So please stay tuned &  join her on the ride!

Every little donation counts to kick off this idea.

SUPPORT THE PROJECT

Bye Bye Plastic Campaign

The two sisters, Melati (17) and Isabel (15) Wijsen started Bye Bye Plastic Bags at the ages of 10 and 12, after being inspired by a lesson in school about significant people, like Nelson Mandela, Lady Diana, and Mahatma Ghandi. The sisters returned home that day and asked themselves, ‘What can we do as children living in Bali, NOW, to make a difference?’ Bye Bye Plastic Bags was born in 2013 and has now grown into a well known international movement of inspiration, youth empowerment, and of course, saying NO to plastic bags. Their vision is a world free of plastic bags. Their mission is to empower people to do what is right through education, campaigns, and political meetings.

These two sisters are awesome – they just do and then they think further: For example, they now also teach kids on Bali how to fish trash out of the rivers with recycled tools in order to prevent ocean pollution (imagine – surf is a truly gnarly adventure in rainy season in Bali, it literally makes you sick). They also look into how to reduce waste in general. I really admire them, they did already proof big time that it is possible to spark a big change around here. Inspiring, so let’s fund them!

Fundraise

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Why say NO to single-use plastic

Why say NO to single-use plastic

by | Aug 29, 2019 | Lifestyle

Why say NO to single-use plastic

Too many times I have heard “It’s just one straw”. If each of the 7.7 Billion persons living on our planet would think like this we would end up surrounded by plastic. It’s time to make a change before it gets too late!

With islands made entirely of plastic and other trash, we are going towards massive planet devastation. The eco-disaster that we face day after day has brought many people to change their habits towards a more eco-conscious living. This requires a bit of effort and small changes in our daily routines, but the reward would be so high that each of us should feel a superhero!

And as a friend of mine told me when I start my first moves toward zero waste living, it’s not about being perfect, but about making small steps day by day and try to improve what is within in our power. I am still a long way away from being completely sustainable, I still have bad habits which need to be changed, but I ask people for tips, suggestions and help and I start feeling the change!

 

Avoid single-use plastic!

A good start towards change can be made avoiding single-use plastic. Some countries have already banned them but I think that a personal choice can be even more powerful.

Are you heading to the supermarket for the weekly shopping? Bring with you a reusable bag!

Many cafes and bars have started to serve drinks with a paper straw or a bamboo or steel one! But not always and not everywhere is like that. Why not bringing along your personal straw?

 

Bottles, bottles, bottles!

 

How many plastic bottles got consumed every day! Having your own bottle would make you save money (you can refill wherever you want) and save our planet at the same time!

Zero Waste Shops

Every day we are making choices when it comes to purchasing new products. Buy stuff from companies that recycle is always a good idea when it comes to new items!

Alternatively, my recommendation is going shopping in Zero Waste shops which are getting more and more popular and offer plastic-free living solutions and eco-friendly alternatives for food and non-food products!

The products they sell are earth and ocean-friendly, all-natural, sustainably sourced, palm oil-free, cruelty-free, and of course zero waste!

You can bring your own containers and refill them with the products you like. Often in these shops, you can find also the ingredients to make your own products, like shampoo, body lotion, toothpaste, detergent and more!

A plastic wave

While doing some online researches I came across this documentary on plastic pollution. This short film aims to raise awareness around the issues of ocean plastic pollution and encourage people to think differently about their usage of single-use plastics.

A surf photographer, business owner and father of two is seeing more and more plastic wash ashore his beloved home beach. In a bid to discover the route of this problem he embarks on a journey of discovery to educate himself and understand more about the problem. Along the way, he discovers some alarming issues.

Plastic Pollution is a very real threat to the future of our planet, the animals that inhabit our oceans and ultimately the human race. The problem is far worse than it seems on the surface and we need to act now to ensure we protect the future for ourselves and our planet.

Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints, kill nothing but time.

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Save the reef and enjoy the ride

Save the reef and enjoy the ride

by | Mar 18, 2019 | Lifestyle, Outdoor Sports, Surf

SAVE THE REEF and ENJOY the RIDE

We love surfing, don’t we? But I think I can talk for the majority of surfers when I say that one of the reasons why we love surfing so much is the gorgeous environment that surrounds us!

The clarity of the water, the colourful fish swimming around, the beautiful coral heads where we have left that slice of skin.

Sometimes we forget that some products that we use to go surfing can actually arm this amazing eco-system.

So, is it possible to enjoy our rides without arming the ocean? Our society is continuous development and fortunately, there are some beautiful souls thinking about making us be eco-friendly surfers.

Reef-friendly sunscreens are the first step to stay green practising what we love!

 

It’s essential to protect your skin from damaging sun-rays, but we need to be aware of how toxic chemicals from many sunscreens are a contributing factor to the demise of our oceans coral ecosystem!

In July of 2018, Hawaii became the first U.S. state to ban the sale of sunscreens containing two common chemicals, oxybenzone (benzophenone-3) and octinoxate (octyl methoxycinnamate), which many researchers worldwide have deemed potentially harmful to aquatic life.

Some studies have also raised concerns that mineral (zinc and titanium-based) sunscreens containing nanoparticles which have the capability to damage reefs because they are so small they can damage the reproduction capabilities of some fish and be harmful to phytoplankton.

Personally, I have chosen CocoAloha for my surf sessions!

CocoAloha is passionate about raising awareness around this vital global issue. It was created by Gita a passionate surfer girl who suffered from a skin condition due to a hormonal imbalance and intense sun exposure known as Melasma. This condition made her understand how important it was to protect her skin on a daily basis and eventually inspired the creation of CocoAloha.

CocoAloha protects and nourishes your skin with a unique blend of wild- harvested Annatto Seeds from Hawaii & Thanaka Powder from Southeast Asia. Lovingly crafted with organic ingredients, CocoAloha provides amazing sun-care for all ages during active water-sports, beach activities or just as daily sun protection.

Stays on for hours and doesn’t sting your eyes. CocoAloha is a chemical free product, making it safe for your skin and Mother Ocean!

CocoAloha is packed in aluminium and paper tube containers to reduce plastic use on our planet!

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Behind the scene: Layla Verbeek

Behind the scene: Layla Verbeek

by | Jan 20, 2019 | Lifestyle

Behind the scene: Layla VerBeek

Layla has been my roomie in Bali. I’ll be honest with you, I have never seen anyone eating so much pasta as she does, neither Italians do so. And yes I am pretty jealous that she is still thin and fit, no matters all the carbs.

One day Layla looked at me and asked: “Why don’t you have a website?”.  And then all started. Nights of planning, discussing, drinking wine, laughing, brainstorming. And so, we gave birth to Sliding Chronicles.

Biographic data

I am an 80’s girl! Ripped jeans, hairspray, mixtapes, neon colours, Madonna, and a very young River Phoenix in Stand by Me… it all gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling!

 

When you are not behind the computer, how do you like to spend your free time?

You can find me either swimming, watching a movie on the big screen, or checking out new countries and places; the best part is I can do more of all this now that I am able to work remotely and being in control of my office hours!

How did you start web designing?

After working for more than a decade in cinema, it was time to explore new horizons. Besides movies, I’ve always had a big interest in websites. I’ve had a bit of a geeky boyfriend who studied digital media at my university, and I loved to hear him talk about everything website related; from coding to Search Engine Optimization. I just never thought about doing that kind of work myself. This changed after a ten month trip to South Italy and Portugal where I met friends working remotely; some of them building websites and doing UX/UI. Back home I started thinking about working online myself. Building a personal website made me realise how much I enjoyed this work. Eager to become better at it I took several online courses; I am very much a DIY developer. 

 

What’s your specialisation?

I am a Divi specialist and I create my WordPress websites using this framework. I love Divi because I can fully customise websites with it and my clients love it because it’s very intuitive and easy to use; which is handy if you want to update the content of the site yourself.
When I start a new project I always talk with the client about the strategic part of the site and take the time to find out about their business. And I love to help them finding the right visuals; whether it is images, video, or cinemagraphs. It’s always great to work with clients who are passionate about what they are doing and who want their site to have a unique touch. 

Why do you eat so much Pasta? (I am sure everyone wants to know that!)

I think I am secretly Italiana or I might have been in a past life. It’s just.. so damn tasty! I can eat pasta for breakfast, lunch and dinner; “Aglio e Olio” is my favourite. I especially love to eat it before a long distance swim or a surf session. 

 

What are your future projects and dreams?

I worked on some great projects for people that I build real connections with. In future I would love to reconnect with the film industry. Helping actors and film distributors with their online presence. Or collaborate with festivals, cinemas, and film students…

Thanks for the awesome job, Layla! All this wouldn’t have happened without your inspiration!

If anyone needs a web designer, contact her, she is the best!

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Homemade Recipe for healthy hair after all day at the beach

Homemade Recipe for healthy hair after all day at the beach

by | Sep 23, 2018 | Lifestyle

Homemade Recipe for healthy hair after all day at the beach

Sun-damaged hair after spending the whole day at the beach? It can be hard for surfer girls and beach lovers to maintain the hair healthy and shining due to sunlight and salt water.

I spend quite a long time living in the tropics and, over there, the sun is really strong. Result: my hair got damaged really quickly.

The majority of my time has always been in the water, catching waves and not caring too much about my hair. Hence they became visibly weak and started to break. Real Hay! Heaps of chemical beauty products weren’t helping me neither. So, what about try natural treatments instead? 

 

My top pick product: Coconut Oil. Among all benefits of coconut oil, the one that interests us in this specific case is its property as sunscreen, blocking about the 20% of the ultraviolet rays.

If you plan to stay all day under the sun, you can use it as a leave-in conditioner for all day protection.
Coconut oil is rich in antioxidants and has antibacterial properties. When used on hair, it improves scalp health, fights infections, adds shine and reduces protein loss.
Twice a week I do a hair treatment with the oil: I put the oil on my hair from roots until tips, I brush my hair to remove all the knots, I leave it on for an hour, then I rinse and I wash my hair with a normal shampoo and conditioner.
The results are immediate: my hair become much softer, healthier and they really shine!

Another way to helps your hair is to take care of your scalp with a homemade scrub, that you can do once a week.

Recipe:

  • 1 spoon of coconut oil
  • 1 spoon of olive oil
  • 1 1/2 spoon of brown sugar
  • 1 spoon of honey
  • few drops of tea tree oil
  • 1 spoon of conditioner

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl until you get a soft cream.
Wet your hair with cold water and then apply the mixture on the roots, doing a little massage.
Leave it on for twenty minutes.
Rinse with warm water and wash your hair as you normally do.

This treatment will remove dead skin cells, combat dandruff and bacterias, relieve irritate and itchy scalp and help your hair to grow stronger and healthier!

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