EP41: International Women’s Day Round-table

29:44Easkey Britton:um yeah you know did you do you remember I remember just one thing sorry that one thing I realized becoming a mother I looked after growing up my whole life with my two brothers and my dad being the person that introduced me to like all this all the outdoors and everything and then like being really active and and I used to be like my dad's like amazing and then I had a child and I just kind of looked at my mother properly for the first time really I don't sound silly because she's my mother and obviously but I was like you you are amazing actually like Jesus what about you are amazing like and she's just been like holding the whole thing all together for that amount of time and I was like my dad's obviously awesome but I was like whatever I don't know yeah exactly what you're saying it was like that real appreciation for like what what she's done for us and what she's gone through but yeah but yeah we've got where where we are up by us now We've got a cool crew of mums that regularly go out and they have such a good vibe.

30:43Easkey Britton:Like we're talking about vibes in the water. Whenever I'm out with them lot, I'm just like, this is a good place to be. They are all so positive and have such a good laugh. And I think they're just really happy to be out there, you know, finding the time and the space together to get their fix, their medicine and their time together all by themselves.

31:06Aline Carrier:yeah and it comes circles back around to that the sort of theme we've kind of begun exploring around you know what does belonging actually feel like in the water and who gets to feel it um and ali i'd love to go to you as well i know with your work um you know well your whole story even like you were born in quebec city so pretty far from surf and then now you're you live life above and below and in on and everything to do with water as a scientist but also working with rising tide and indigenous youth surf club and so i just love to hear from you and some of your thoughts on uh on that but especially how surfing can move from i think inclusion and the idea of it and diversity in the lineup is certainly growing but how do we move from that inclusion as a buzzword to this genuine i think redistribution of access like actually making and creating

31:56Lola Bleakley:meaningful space wow what a beautiful question one thing that small one small one you might need to give me a refresher because already you said things that makes me think about different stuff and um actually sally mentioned something about all the storytelling and like from someone who grew up in quebec city like there's still a lot of water and all that relationship with the saint Lawrence a quite important river the connection between Atlantic Ocean and the Great Lakes like just this like I've I've been in like educated but I've been in like kind of like connected to that body of water but then a big thing that brought me to that kind of like sector and curiosity it's definitely like documentaries book so all that storytelling that like goes a long way how personally it was my first introduction to more ocean sciences in general but also anything that is like related to the ocean like all the type of connection that could be happening and also like the water just like going to yeah these rivers and walking along the shore and looking at these creatures and trying to understand what's happening there.

33:20And I feel like that ways of promoting the storytelling,

33:28Lola Bleakley:but from another approach to include more femininity, that word, to be more centered around a woman's point of view. I feel like it goes a long way to develop that connection. And it's definitely something that, yeah, triggered my curiosity. And after that, I won't lie. I think there's a thing about like just genetic, maybe, where I'm from because I have Senegalese background, but also Quebec background. And just through this, I realized that there was a lot of things like related to that connection to the sea, the ocean. And when I traveled to Senegal, when I discovered the culture over there, I was like, oh, that explains a lot.

34:23Like there's a big fishing ocean culture in Senegal.

34:29Lola Bleakley:And when I was over there, I was like, OK, that explains a little bit my connection. Because growing up in Quebec, I had a certain connection to the Senegalese culture, but not as much as if I grew up in Senegal. So that was very interesting to see this. But then I think like everything that has been that I've been exposed as I was growing up and all the knowledge that was available around and that was like suggested to me was always like that attraction to it. And when I moved West Coast of Canada, well, actually, I came visiting first and I was like, oh, this is an amazing place to kind of deepen that connection to the ocean.

35:13Lola Bleakley:Because the ocean is there. It's all over the place. There's a great culture related to this. And I met a lot of amazing people. So I was like, OK. So when I moved here, it was more than just the connection. It became a lifestyle. And this is where, Katie, earlier you were talking about that relationship with the ocean that is kind of alive and the ocean that is giving back. And I realized as I'm giving it different level of energy, it's definitely giving back to me. It's definitely fitting me in vibes, in care, in different things, in food. We won't lie. There's a lot of my diet that is coming from the ocean and it's very important to me.

36:02Lola Bleakley:So part of it was definitely like I did went to school to study how to care for the ocean, how to care for the resources, but kind of more from a global perspective, including like different countries, different culture, but also different levels in the ocean ecosystem, which there's a lot of levels to it. And I feel like right now I'm even deepening kind of this connection to a more spiritual level. And it's really great. And yes, there's definitely part of it being implicated with different communities that have a very good connection to the ocean and kind of like it's definitely a giving, giving, giving relationship.

36:48Lola Bleakley:So when I'm doing any activities with the youth at Muthla, also known as Rising Tide. So Muthla is a nonchanneled word to say Rising Tide. So when I'm participating to activities with them, there's like that sense of belonging that is quite strong. And often when I'm doing activities with them, it feels like it's mostly the youth and the structure, the community that is giving back to me. And even if I'm there, like helping them, learning how to surf or just having amazing surf sessions or doing different activities related to the ocean, it's mostly them and the ocean giving it back to me. So that's quite amazing.

37:32Aline Carrier:Thank you so much. yeah there's so much in what you shared Ali um yeah we don't have enough time in one podcast but I can imagine some of the rest you might want to jump in I was wondering you know Katie and obviously in your world um big wave surfing and I don't know maybe you always get fed up with that comparison about how male dominated it is and then what is it like as a woman out there but um what I wanted to kind of explore a bit was I was just curious and you've talked about a little bit already around maybe even fear and how you relate to that um and it really sounds like quite an embodied way but i was wondering you're curious how do you manage to navigate those expectations around you know quote-unquote being fearless and strong with the reality of you know injuries exhaustion hormones days when you simply don't feel it um maybe don't even feel brave um when you're in that space and you're going to being in many ways, I think the media still kind of likes to portray it as this, you know, girl boss energy.

38:41Aline Carrier:Um, the reality is much more complex, right? How do you reconcile that? I guess. Yeah. I think as first of all, like a big wave is relative,

38:55Katie McConnell:right? So every single person in the world, uh, surfs big waves, right? It's just, however, their, you know, their skill and confidence level, given the conditions of the day. Right. And it just so happens that in the like, quote unquote, sport of big wave surfing, a big wave starts at about a 20 foot face. Right. And so people tend to ask me, well, how did you get into surfing big waves? And I'm like, well, I started small. And, you know, it was mostly for me, it was something where I just loved surfing period. and at the time I was living in a place in Northern California where it was pretty stormy and heavy like all the time like I feel like our friends in the UK and Ireland and Scotland kind of know what I'm talking about and probably Canada too all of these kind of cold water heavy spots and I felt like you know I just wanted to surf every day and just get in the water because that's what I love so I figured you know what I just have to learn how to navigate and I kind of let go of actually catching a wave.

40:01Katie McConnell:And just, it was about getting in the water, getting out there. And, you know, every time, once you get out to the waves, it's a different perspective. And so sometimes, you know, you have like a new, you have a new view on the situation. And sometimes, you know, some, a set comes and it calls your name and sometimes it doesn't. And I always counted as a wind is, you know, I got in the water, you know, sometimes if the ocean didn't even let me out beyond the break and it just, you know, spits me back out on the sand, safe and smiley on the, at the end of the session is a win for me. And I'm super happy and grateful to have even had the chance to like touch saltwater for a day.

40:42Katie McConnell:And, um, but what happened though, is like, eventually I caught the biggest wave of my life. And then I was like, well, that was fun. and I survived. And so with curiosity, I was like, well, and I, a couple days later, caught one a little bit more or a little bit bigger. And so it just kind of spun wildly out of control. And I think always, here we are living in Hawaii now and surfing Jaws and competing at a pro level. And it happened very fast. So I think if you are driven by love and approach things with curiosity and try and like detach from an end goal all of the time, I think it opens up a lot of opportunity because I think in surfing, and we take this back to land with us, it's not all about our own control, right?

41:35We are humbled at the ever-changing dynamic nature

41:40Katie McConnell:of the ever-powerful sea, right? Like we're not stronger than the ocean. It's one of the few places left on earth that humans aren't fully like molding it to our will all of the times. And so I just really appreciate having the privilege to be able to experience that and to explore that aspect of things. And it's so true. Like Sally said, it can be kind of a selfish act and I don't have kids right now, so I can only imagine what it's like to try and balance that, you know, between working and motherhood. And it's true, like, and depending on where we are in the world, you know, different cultures place additional expectations and responsibilities on women that make it more difficult to even enter the water and get close to the water, you know, and I've heard it many times people say, Oh, but the ocean is free.

42:32Katie McConnell:It's open to anyone. It's like, well, yeah, everything on land, though, makes it a little bit difficult, depending on a person's social economic status. right and place in society so for that reason uh happy international women's day it's so great that finister is putting on this podcast because it is so well documented that there is um you know disproportionately less coverage of women's stories and even when it does happen it's lower quality than men's especially in the sports world and i've seen this time and time again in surfing and especially big wave surfing, where often women are almost completely erased.

43:14Katie McConnell:And so it's so important that, you know, we have these conversations and thank you to everybody who's even listening to us. And, you know, what was interesting is, uh, I started thinking about this and I had the opportunity to talk to some, uh, uh, some retired U S women's soccer team players. And these are the women who had to literally create the world that they could thrive in. And they went on to, you know, win gold, win multiple world cups. And it was just so inspiring for me to just think like, okay, maybe, maybe I need to take the initiative to tell these stories more, or maybe I need to take the initiative to make surfing less selfish and give back more and include more people in the lineup and like open up access for others.

44:06Katie McConnell:And, And, you know, surfing is such a gift. Maybe I should be sharing it more.

44:11Aline Carrier:Yeah, what a gift it is. And I think someone who really appreciates and understands that, Lola, you've grown up like immersed in surf culture. You're a third generation surfing family and a champion longboarder yourself with a whole host of titles to your name already, as well as now your journey and also with your art. And I kind of love to maybe explore both, but in particular, longboarding and your approach to surfing through longboarding and like with longboarding, it's often described as graceful and artistic, but it also demands a lot of resilience and grit. And I was wondering how you balance that softness and strength when you're competing on the international stage.

44:53Aline Carrier:And I mean, what role then I'm curious also what role would be your art and that side of you plays? and you know is there tension between the two and and perhaps the surfing itself I think is your form of artistic expression as well of course we don't see them as distinct yeah I mean I've like it's been I've been doing competitions since I was like 13 or 14 and I'm 18 and I've been doing

45:19Sally McGee:like so many and I've just experienced the like the opposite ends of the spectrum of emotions like extreme high emotions like almost winning like a European title and then in the last minute like just just getting like you know that type of oh it's almost there and then obviously very low emotions um and it's been amazing like I love competing I think that I'm definitely going through a stage in my life now I'm starting to think if competitions are ready for me and I'm definitely because I am a very I'm not a super competitive person that's my personality it's not I'm starting to realise, oh, do I have that kind of, that's really strong competitiveness to be able to get on the world tour and go and win a world title.

46:02Sally McGee:So it's definitely something that I'm starting to discover and figure out. And because I've done so many competitions very recently as well. And yeah, I think I, you know, I love surfing in all conditions and I'm so used to kind of very tiny waves at home and going away to like point breaks. It's so cool to be able to go and surf really perfect, amazing, world class waves. And I think also something else that I find really important is I think it's so cool when you see women longboarders like shredding in like massive waves. And I think it's I love surfing big waves just as much as small waves.

46:41Sally McGee:And I think there's definitely like a lot of inspiring women to look up to as well. And I think like my surfing is always interlinked really nicely into my art. And there's always been such a nice connection. And being obviously travelling and doing all the competitions, there's also so many experiences I get with people and kind of outside of the competing that I always bring back and use into my artwork. And I also, what my normal thing is to do is kind of I take photographs and then I paint from my photographs. It's always just linked so nicely together. Yeah. And also the sea is just a place where I go to get ideas.

47:23Sally McGee:I always come out of a surf and I'm like, oh, like I've got a new idea. Like, you know, it's so nice. So I think they really, and I always end up bringing surfing into my projects. It's always something that I like love to bring into it because obviously it's, they're both things that I'm so passionate about. Um, and yeah.

47:45Katie McConnell:Could I ask Lola a follow-up question? Yeah, of course. Please. Yeah. Okay. So, so I'm kind of with you where it's like, gosh, I just, I don't really feel like I'm a super competitive person, but now I've found myself in spaces where I have to be competitive. And so it's just so interesting to hear you talk about how the ocean is both a really inspiring place for your art, which I feel like kind of inherently isn't that competitive. But then at the same time, you still enter these competitive spaces. How do you navigate that? Like, and what is the, what is your experience like when you're surfing?

48:24Katie McConnell:How does it similar and different from when you're just on a free surf and you're thinking about your art or when you're in a heat or are they kind of the same thing are they all intertwined I mean I think

48:37Sally McGee:that for me personally I find it very different I think there's like that sense of like just a huge amount of pressure when you're competing and it's still like something that I'm figuring out how I cope with like the pressure and like how I can get through heats and different breathing exercises and I'm still trying so many different things to see what really works for me and what headspace and mindset I need to get into because I have found that it's really important for me to get into a specific type of mindset before I go into a heat to actually do well because if I'm like just you know I'm very like all over the place like I love talking to people I love doing so many different things at once so it's I've definitely started to realize that I really need to kind of get into a certain space before I go into heat um and you know I'm still figuring out my different ways of getting around that because in the last year I've so I've been doing the European tour and the first event I did in Portugal I did really well and I came second and it was like a bit of a shock I was like wow like how like that's I'm so proud of myself and I was like trying to think what going back to what mindset was I in before going into those heats and then the kind of following um events so there was four events five events all together and I didn't do very well in the rest um but yeah it's definitely like it's hard because it's just so different like I either do well or I do really badly and it's like that's what I find so hard And that's what I'm trying to figure out is, do I want to carry on feeling like really bad after like doing so?

50:22Sally McGee:Because I'm also, I do get quite, I do, I'm quite hard on myself after doing quite badly. I'm like, like I could have done that. And then it's like overthinking everything. And I feel like sometimes I'm not a very good loser and that's still something I'm working on as well. and yeah um but yeah and I think going out and is without we're not competing I I do it is very different but I do think that for me being out in a heat I need to find that almost that balance of just that calmness I do feel when those thoughts of my art thoughts come into my head and so I think it's definitely like just a mental thing and it's something that I'm really trying to figure

51:05Easkey Britton:out still yeah i think is that is that could you take that into like i know the competition's like obviously quite unique in what in the act that it is but like there's the the waves that we go out in where we feel super confident and it's just like that type one fun you know we're just in flow state it just feels good we're not stressed out at all we can think about everything around us and it's just like the best feeling ever and then there's other days where we're pushing ourselves whether it's in competition or it's big waves or whatever you know like big waves for for us personally or like harsher conditions or more like critical spots where it's just like there's something else going on there for us as well and it's just not quite as fun but we're just pushing ourselves um but yeah I wondered as well ask linking about so many people ask us about Billy is he going to compete you know and I just like did you because your dad obviously competed was it just something that was just so natural for you and your brother or you really both wanted to compete or was it just kind of expected like why how did that happen so I mean

52:13Sally McGee:I think I you know my dad's been like a really good inspiration throughout my whole life he's very encouraging but I've also been very lucky in kind of like my parents aren't very they're they're super encouraging but they're also like they want me to do what I want to do and I've just naturally really enjoyed doing the competitions um my brother is going through a stage of he's you know we're not putting any pressure on him whatsoever and but he's not as into it yet but he's also only 11 um so yeah it's fine but he's you know he's not as keen as I am so we're very different in that sense um I think competition is like from my dad's point of view as well is just so much more about kind of like having fun and just like the experience in terms of like doing like instead of like doing really well so I think that's what um I've also been really it's been really nice as well because if I do really bad it's like it's fine and just like looking at the positive things coming out of it um and I also think that there's so many events as well in longboarding that are just so much more about the community and I love going to those events and going to like kind of like the Mexi Log Fest it's so much more about the community than actually the competition.

53:30Easkey Britton:I was gonna say as well I bet it's a great way for you to meet other women like women who are surfing as well because yeah you're all there together and like making some good connections and good friends yeah that is definitely like the possibly the only reason I might ever like encourage Billy because mainly because we're too like to travel around the country for a competition I'm just like having been even worse as a parent you know it's like football sidelines I'm not into like I want to chase swells I don't want to chase comps yeah but like there's so few kids up here there's so few kids in the water there's like two other children I can think of at Billy's age in the water up here so I mean about like access in the water and parents and kids when you've got to put all the hoods and the boots and the gloves and all this like but I know that if he was to do that it's the way for him to meet the kids you know like him and Ruben got on like a house on fire we were down in Cornwall this summer and they were just attached at the hip just like surfing together and skating together and he thought it was the best thing ever because he's met another kid who surfs like yeah exactly doesn't happen up here so that's really nice and that was it's a good way for you to to meet the girls Yeah, and with like a lot, there's so many young girls as well who I always see surfing and there's loads of girls who always want to do like the local competitions.

54:47Sally McGee:And I think there is definitely a level of expectation that so many, like I personally think just so many young teenage girls at my age, younger, older, who say, you know, there's like a level of expectation that or like a certain level that they have to be to do the comps. and I think there's such a stigma around that and I really, I just want, so I just, we need more girls doing all the local competitions and you know, it's not about the competition, it's just about the fun and the community so I'm always trying to encourage everyone, oh like it's fine and I don't want it to just, it's so annoying when it's like, they feel like it's like a scary thing to be doing but I think it's.

55:28Easkey Britton:I love like, I know we take a lot from skateboarding in our family because my husband's big into skateboarding as is my like so nice skateboard too and like they have a more jam vibe with with comp we're not not competitions they have jams which i think a really cool idea for surfing and i wish that happened more in so i wonder if makes the log fest has got an element of that but it's just like get out there and like t-shirts are thrown for like daft kind of prizes for doing whatever and it's not you are the ultimate winner well done you failed you know like pitching people against each other and the skate culture has got such a such a beautiful scene in that that I don't see enough in surfing to be honest but yeah yeah more more jam more jam sessions yeah I definitely

56:10Sally McGee:definitely agree I think it's just makes it so much more inviting to people as well when it's just so much more it's just a bigger fun vibe around it I think it's really important yeah

56:20Aline Carrier:I agree yeah no winners uh I could yeah I could just chat with you amazing women at all day long but before we wrap up I wanted to put a question out that maybe we could all riff on before we close um kind of bringing it back around to uh what we were talking about around just power in the lineup and also what it means to be strong so I was curious what are you still unlearning about what it means to be strong so unlearning about what it means to be strong or about power? Yeah.

56:56Lola Bleakley:Katie said something earlier and it definitely resonated with me because right now I'm working on this a lot. It's okay to go out there and not to catch every wave. And sometimes the wave seems nice, but there's other people that are in the right position for that wave and they will have the great wave, which is also okay. But it's also okay sometimes that we're not in tune with the ocean or sometimes we are not we don't feel as powerful during that day and sometimes the ocean comes with a lot of challenges so between like ourselves other people in the lineup but also the ocean like sometimes it's okay to catch only one wave during a session because it's challenging and it's I feel like this um expectation of being like kind of like performing on every session I'm unlearning this and it's I think it's very important like to be just like um to to be enjoying being present out there on the ocean and some days just like paddling and yeah floating on the water seeing the kelp moving in the water seeing the fish coming by um all of this there's a lot of other things that could be creating a great succession other than the wave count and this for me it's a good way to um it's part of my process of feeling stronger i've got i've got one that's a little bit prevalent

58:30Easkey Britton:at the minute for us and um i would say unlearning and not necessarily yeah myself all of us but just just to take from the ocean. And there's real issues in England and Wales and Scotland at the minute. Northern Ireland, I don't know as much about, to be honest, but with our sewage situation, it's absolutely dire. I think we're one of two countries in the whole of the world who privatised our water and gave it to companies to just take and take and take and never reinvest in our sewage systems. And I've spent all day today actually working with Surfers Against Sewage. I know it's not going to be aired, this will be aired on International Women's Day, but on the 24th of February broadcast tonight is a film, a really powerful documentary on Channel 4, three-part documentary about the horrendous situation in the UK with regards to sewage and what's going on.

59:32Easkey Britton:And I just think as surfers, I would say from being involved in surfacing sewage for the past 20 years like I rarely see surfers and people are doing different stuff because there's different ways to do activism I completely appreciate that and just showing up is really hard sometimes but I think as a general rule I would just love to see us all unlearning that it's something to just take from and like really thinking how we can kind of really look after it and I know all like all four of you or all of us together you know feel really strongly and passionately about that but that's something really needs to change all over but especially here in in England at the minute where I am it's horrendous I was gonna just talk about

1:00:15Sally McGee:kind of like body image and um it's definitely something that I'm like being like a young teenage girl and being like kind of growing up around just all the social media and the like and I think it's definitely something that I'm unlearning that actually who cares like I'm just becoming more the sea is somewhere I feel so comfortable in my body and it's just something that I'm still like like I need to remember like oh like when do I ever look at anyone else and like judge them you know what I mean and it's like definitely something like it's okay not to be like super skinny and you know it's fine to wear a bikini and be a little bit bigger and just feel comfortable and that type of thing um and also kind of like listening to your body as well it's definitely something that I'm still learning and listening to the cycles and how it affects your performance and I just sometimes I'm a bit hard on myself I'm like oh like I've performed so badly then I'm like oh it's because you know I'm about to start my period that type of thing and it's just like definitely um just you know I'm learning the fact that our body isn't always going to be the same every day we're not going to be feeling the same every day um so yeah we need more Lola's

1:01:29Katie McConnell:advocating i think it's awesome so cool yes it's so true we get we really can i think like my strength these days is coming kind of from what lola was just saying like i just have to uh you know somebody once told me you know believe in yourself and just be the best you can be and it's like the more i think about it it's really kind of a journey you can continue um and kind of go pretty deep with it. And, uh, yeah, I think in terms of body image, for sure, like in the, cause now I'm like dabbling my toes in the professional surf world. And I realized that like, you know, I, I don't have big boobs.

1:02:09Katie McConnell:I have really, really huge shoulders and muscular arms right now, but it, maybe I don't fit a mass marketing mainstream, uh, type of calendar image. but I do align with you know the right type of support as long as I stay true to myself and don't try and force myself into some sort of thing that isn't really who I am and to just be okay with that and and I think so I did say earlier how like yeah okay as long as I touch the water it's great But right now I actually am in a phase where, especially after I just caught one of the biggest waves I've ever caught paddling, I kind of am like, all right, show me another big wave.

1:02:57Katie McConnell:Like, I want to go bigger. So in terms of being as strong as possible physically in order to have like that mental connection and the confidence to be able to send it in terms of life, you know, every passing wave is an opportunity, whether you catch it or you don't catch it or you catch it and fall or catch it and make it. Did somebody see it or not? It's like a different like bifurcation point in our life story. and to really kind of push it a little bit more and dig a little bit deeper. Like maybe I could go a little, you know, I could push it a little harder and just see what that looks like.

1:03:44Katie McConnell:And I think part of that, what really helps is to remember that I am not alone in this. As much as it can feel so individualized, um i'm so inspired by having the opportunity to speak with you know all of you women today it and it's great to meet lola and ali and great to see sally and iski again i'm so psyched that iski was the host for this so awesome thank you so much yes it's awesome that finister see value

1:04:18Easkey Britton:in all of us for our unique ways and you know that we're not like necessarily stereotypical like you're saying you know people that um are supported necessarily by i don't know i don't see it and i think that's awesome that they are providing that platform um so yeah i'm fully

1:04:35Aline Carrier:grateful yeah i think in response to that and maybe as a way of uh i mean it's hard to bring this to a close and i really feel like hopefully it's a conversation starter and it's one we can keep on having together and see where it takes us i feel like this is definitely going to spark work a lot more um I've been so inspired by just listening to you all getting to know each of you better so here's to more of that happening also in real life um but yeah I really think so much of what you shared has resonated you know that how the ocean for me is one of the few places where in it I suppose it's a paradox isn't it where I felt both exposed completely exposed and also completely myself but that that didn't happen automatically you know it took years of unlearning realizing that you know belonging isn't something you earn by uh you know being good enough tough enough grateful enough all the enoughs are not feeling enough um it's something that i've had to feel in my body like that's been the the relearning i think it's innately there as kids and i hear that's kind of across everything we've been sharing as well the importance of that embodied experience as a way to kind of reconnect um and listening to all of you i also hear it isn't just achievement it's this resilience and grit uh care how we also meet conflict and challenge the joy uh how we protect it and stoke it and uh sometimes compromise sometimes defiance um that you know all our lives have been so shipped around tides and leather systems and that you know maybe that's what um i always think what we've been talking about here is leadership in many ways it's maybe that's what it is it's like you know if we're talking about the so-called you're seeing so much of this crazy ridiculous version of strongman leadership in the world and look at the impact that's having but leadership is actually not dominance not visibility but staying in relationship with the ocean community ourselves even and especially when it's uncomfortable.

1:06:41Aline Carrier:So I think to be strong, to borrow from our friend and fellow ambassador, Hanley Prinslow, I just keep going back to what she shared once about how to be strong is to be soft like water. And there's nothing more powerful than water. And I'm also hearing, I think there's so much that needs to shift, you know, what we've been talking about in terms of access, even the economics and the funding and uh who feel safe who feel seen but i also feel like there's something really powerful quietly happening already in all of listening to all of your stories you know the way we're raising um our children the way we're mentoring um the way we're choosing also like a little collaboration over competition and and also how this you know this idea of change but it doesn't have to look dramatic um can be a real slow burner um sometimes yeah it does when it comes to yeah surfing and shit is not fun that does need to be dramatic action please um i don't know if the ocean changes because of us if we can really you know i think when we think like that that we can it's again centering humans and our power too highly but um i do know it definitely changes us and maybe that's just where we where we begin thank you that's my little riff from what i what's landing for me and yeah so i think also yeah for anyone out there listening if you want to learn more keep the conversation going check out the work um projects and what all of uh us are up to um check us out on i suppose over on Finisterre.

1:08:23Aline Carrier:And also, yeah, do take a deeper look, deeper dive into each of these amazing women's stories. So Sally, Ali, Katie, Lola, just thank you all so much for being you, showing up. Thank you, Jiki. Thank you so much. Thank you, thank you.

1:08:44Lola Bleakley:Well, I hope you enjoyed that one. Big thank you to the incredible women we are fortunate enough to call ambassadors for jumping on board and sharing their stories and experiences. Thank you Iski, Sally, Lola, Ali and Katie, a crew of incredible women of the sea who are claiming their space in the water around the world. Head on over to our website and the broadcast in particular to discover more stories from our ambassadors who are as good at penning a line together as they are surfing. Thanks to Gareth the Chatterbox Audio for stitching the show together, sound design by CJ Mirror if you are listening via the usual podcast platforms subscribe to be the first to know about future episodes until then, happy hunting