Chicks with Sticks

WINTER TRAVELS: The destination is the journey...

2011-06-13T15:32:00.000-07:00

How time does fly… especially when you’re flying around the world with a hot pink fish and living out of a bag.

We love lists so here’s my (Natty) top five events that occurred in the last 7 months:

Car breaking down in Portugal

Mother and Father weren’t keen on me hijacking their car and driving South of France till I hit the ocean. I made it, hooked up with friends, surfed lots, protested on Japan Dolphin Day and then it broke down. I was stuck in a campsite in Peniche, and it was flat. Then I had to get a bus down to the Algarve for my Animal Healing and Communication Course – and then a bus back. Then the car broke down again in the Pyrenees mountains on the way home, it was fixed by a man in a garage called Jesus. He was, indeed.

Yoginis in bikinis

I knew ditching the waves for my yoga mat would be tough. But thank the Buddha I found the only longboard in Goa so during my 6 weeks of non surfing confinement in yoga training camp I managed a couple of little sessions to keep me sane. Thank you Ray Winstone lookalike Lee! And thank you to all the yoginis in bikinis, Bhakti the dog, Christmas day curries, flesh eating mosquitoes, Dr. John, cake at yummy place, the resident dolphins and Laguna Vista for such a memorable experience.

Whales in Sri Lanka

It was pretty lucky I ended up in Sri Lanka in the first place, and to top off my time there with a whale watching trip with Philip Hoare (author of The Leviathan) spotting hundreds of dolphins followed by 6 blue whales was a dream come true. To then meet my surrogate sista Shone for a crazy night out and bump into the dashing Quincy Jones all before jumping onto a plane at 6am… well, things couldn’t really get any better and that last day left me on a high, which thankfully helped me get through Belgium and back home to the South of France in the deep, dark depths of winter.

Massive full moon in Morocco

Who knows why they have me back, but luckily they do…My latest stint at Surf Maroc felt like going home. The family included new additions and kindred souls. The largest full moon for 19 years meant a big party was in store. We partied, we ping ponged, we didn’t manage to make it night surfing. A couple of days later Gamy the kitten came into my life and the world of the Surf Maroc staff house was changed forever.

Climbing the volcano in Bali

Sic lefts, barrels, slabs, yes,yes, the waves in Bali are awesome but the highlight for me this time was actually climbing Mount Batur during a meteor shower and watching the sun come up. Truly amazing.

Right then, enough reminiscing - it’s about time we started getting fancy dressed up and selling off men for charity. We’re back in the Yuke, getting our act together, or trying to at least.

Stay tuned

Nat xxx

In the summer we went to Hossegor...

2010-09-29T10:38:00.000-07:00

and ended up in dicks sands bar

Obviously the chicks with sticks in dicks was brought up... with Dick himself and the possiblity of a fundraiser there in future!

So watch this space!

Dicks Sand Bar

a small act

2010-09-26T11:42:00.000-07:00

I went to see a screening of A Small Act the other day .. its an inspiring tale that makes you think about the importance of education and the difference you can make however big or small a contribution you can make.. if the trailer inspires you then you can find out more about the Hilde Back Education Fund here: www.hildebackeducationfund.com/

Biarritz to Lacanu à velo et surf!

2010-09-19T00:03:00.000-07:00

Cycling through the forest… camping under the stars…. Surfing the shorebreaks of South West France….

Big Friday’s Cycle Surfari had all the elements of a great adventure. A solid team of people up for anything; which was lucky as covering 300km on a bike whilst catching a daily surf in pumping conditions in one action-packed week would need a lot of energy!

And of course there’s the point where the adventure gets interesting – when things go wrong!

But injuries, punctures and wrong turnings aside we had a brilliant time and the weather, waves and environment proved just how special the French coastline is; reinforcing our love for the area, the outdoors and the ocean.

Secret Sea Shepherd mission... chicks with sticks, surfers 4 cetaceans and an eco adventure to save the pilots of the faroes

2010-08-26T06:32:00.000-07:00

I am writing this aboard an unmarked Sea Shepherd vessel, patrolling around the Faroe Islands. Our mission began as a secret operation but since then the locals, customs, police and navy have all been involved so Captain Paul Watson has ousted us from covert to overt and we are now flying the “jolly roger” flag proud. Whether we have been in the news back in the UK, is unbeknownst to me!

I joined the Sea Shepherd campaign in the Shetlands, with Howie Cooke of non profit org. Surfers 4 Cetaceans. A lone surfer representing Chicks with Sticks; together we are a mismatched duo standing up for Surfers 4 Cetaceans everywhere. I received the invitation in my electronic mailbox –

“Was I up for a secret mission to save cetaceans in the North Sea?”

“Hell yeah!” Was my response. A month later I was travelling to the most Northern islands of Scotland to meet up with the Golfo Azzurro who had already had a week sailing around the Faroes on her way from Holland.

The Faroes are a group of remote islands in the North Sea, owned by Denmark; a self governing nation who have a sadistic secret pastime. Each year they kill hundreds of beautiful pilot whales in a twisted, testosterone fuelled “rite of passage”. The kills are called “Grinds”, and are spontaneous massacres of whales who come into shallower waters to give birth to their calves. Once a pod of whales are spotted out to sea, they are herded by fishing boats and unnerving sound devices into fjords so they are beached on the beaches of the fishing villages. Traditionally the men prove their masculinity by using hooks through the blowholes of the defenceless whales and cutting off their heads. The corpses are then collected and discarded back into the ocean.

We have found dead bodies, bones and whale graveyards; but there has been no sighting of any live pilots whales. There are meant to be approximately 800,000 pilot whales in these waters. We are worried they have killed them all. Although without whales, no Grind can take place, so for that at least we are thankful. We patrol the inlets and pray that if whales are seen we can get there first, herding them back out to sea and making sure we intervene before it’s too late.

We have been all over the Faroese news; every fishing port we pull into posts our coordinates on a website, and car headlights and twitching curtains keep track of our every move. We have been boarded by police, searched by customs and followed by the navy… we are definitely not welcome here!

I’m not sure I like this place, the landscape is dramatic, beautiful waterfalls cascade into the sea from volcanic, jade cliffs; caverns, and caves protrude in and out of jagged rock faces. It is majestic, yet cold, hard, prehistoric; a forgotten land devoid of soul.

I’m pretty sure I will arrive on shore unrecognisable. I’m eating the best vegan food, thanks to Laura the amazing cook and with no action and no whales, eating is the most popular past time aboard.

There a dozens of beautiful seabirds following our journey in the hope of some fish being up for grabs. But the absence of sea mammals is chilling, for centuries these islands and their inhabitants have raped the ocean of abundant life, whilst claiming their practices are sustainable. Are we too late to save the pilot whale?

Photographic delights of our Surf Boy Auction 2010

2010-08-08T07:41:00.000-07:00

THE MAN OFF!!

2010-08-06T02:59:00.000-07:00

Chicks with Sticks Surf Off was held on Saturday 31st July! It was a celebration with fancy dress and girlie treats; and we spent the day raising awareness and money for charity; with the funds going to Surfers Against Sewage this year.

Due to unforeseen circumstances it went from a Surf Off to a Man Off, but as the weather and waves were drizzle and dribble, it meant total energy went into raising some serious cash at the Chicks with Sticks Evening Event.

In the morning Nat and the Oakley Surf Sistas were joined by charities PANTS and Animal Aid, who are currently raising money towards Sea Shepherd.

Nat said “It was an honour to offer a free taster to people who work incredibly hard for charities, and who live in Cornwall, but have never had the chance or opportunity to experience the beach, let alone a surf lesson. I think they thoroughly enjoyed themselves, and they certainly deserved it”

The beach bar was home to the evening event; and we’ll let the pictures speak for themselves! We had killer DJs from Wales, who turned the tiny dancefloor into a mass of writhing bodies!

As always, something went wrong – the microphone had gone missing – but luckily music guru October was quick to offer a slightly renegade solution. That’ll be headphones. As a microphone. And they worked like a dream!

Once the “Man Pen” was in place Nat did her thang in a daring, swimsuit-leggings combo, assisted by “keeper” Swanson, “herder” Shone and “transporter” Nikki. Czuczy was on hand with her photog. skills to capture all the man action!

Congratulations to Virginia Taylor; winner of the coveted Surf Maroc Roxy holiday! And the winner of the Paulo Award for Outstanding Effort was Lisa Jones, who’ll be joining Surf Sistas with Oakley in Hossegor this September for a boutique surf and pilates holiday.

The Paulo Award was created in honour of our friend Paul Brewer; a shining star who always put 100% into everything he did! We will always remember his winning smile.

Now for the thanks you’s.

Firstly the CWS team who are now “Team Man”; we couldn’t have done it without you girls (and guys!)

The Fistral beach bar; Paulie and co. for keeping the drink flowing and being genuinely supportive of the man auction concept.

The DJ’s; Colin Francies, you are a legend! A massive "diolch yn fawr" to team "bag" for coming all the way to Kernow and blowing our minds with your vibe.

Of course we are eternally grateful for all the men who put their dignity and pride on the line and offered themselves to a mob of frenzied females in the name of charity. Especially the Sportsvision boys who were unfortunately bought by men. You did us proud and we salute you!

A huge thank you to all the prize donators;

Surf Sistas with Oakley for a boutique surf & pilates holiday to Hossegor and coaching weekend in Newquay; Surf Maroc for a Roxy Girls week; Lusty Glaze for a Surf Fitness weekend; Sportsvision for 4 VIP Relentless Boardmasters passes; Ripcurl’s ESF Surf School; Quiksilver Surf School; The Harbour Hotel & Restaurant; Lusty Glaze Restaurant; Peeler.com; Surf Girl Magazine; Fire Fly Tonics; Yoshimi Spa; Celissimo hair and beauty; Sands Resort spa; The Central; Café Irie; The Lanherne; The beach bar; PANTS charity shop; Sunset Surf and Oakley for raffle goodies and finally Pot Tea Training Café (also for the amazing Paulo award made there!)

Thanks and well done to SAS for doing what they do so we can surf cleaner, greener waves.

Finally thank you so much all who came along to the event and supported us. We will be back next year – again, bigger, brighter and with more prizes!

Get your groovy selves to the internet art auction page on www.chickswithsticks.org.uk to score some amazing surf art, where all proceeds are going towards Surfers 4 Cetaceans and Ticket to Ride’s Foundation Project in Cape Town.

The Chicks with Sticks 80's Surf Off - whats that all about then?

2010-07-24T15:01:00.000-07:00

Here's a quick guide through the medium of very bright pictures ..

Its a contest with very soft boards and fancy dress from 2-5pm at Fistral Beach

Its good times at the beach ..

its an 80's surf prom in the Fistral beach bar from 8pm where we will award amazing prizes to contest winners (holidays and such like .. we did say amazing!) .. get your 80's gear on and come on down ..

and finally yes the rumours are true .. the Surf boy auction returns .. we will be selling men for charity ... roll up ladies our man pen is already filling up nicely ..

Oh and importantly its on Saturday the 31st July 2010 at North Fistral, Newquay.

The Chicks with Sticks Art Rumble!

2010-07-12T02:51:00.001-07:00

A huge thank you to everyone that was involved with Chicks with Sticks Art Rumble; who came along, had a stall, donated art work, supplied prizes, or simply put energy into helping out (big props to the quiksilver boys for setting up the surf screen) or attending a day dedicated to art, crafts and raising money for two great causes; Surfers 4 Cetaceans and Ticket to Ride’s Foundation project in Musaphelele township, Cape Town.

***

It was a gathering of lovely people, with a vintage inspired theme and we enjoyed the chance to get creative with the kids, eat some yummie food and absorb the free art, films and music on offer throughout the day.

What was amazing was the amount of work donated by local, and international artists. To do it all justice, we have decided to construct an online art auction, with a bidding system through ebay, so that people don’t even have to leave to comfort of their own homes to score some awesome surf-art.

We aim to generate more awareness and publicity throughout the summer’s events and begin the auction in August. All the profits will go to our two charities, check out the website and blog for more details.

The next event is the Surf Off on 31^st July. We are raising money for grassroots NGO Surfers Against Sewage who campaign and fight for cleaner beaches and safer seas for surfers. As environmental enthusiasts, Chicks with Sticks feel its important to support their cause and continually raise awareness for oceanic issues, especially with the current crisis regarding the BP oil spill. Even though that is far away, there is a global message that our oceans need to be respected and protected, and as surfers, we should be the enforcers of this mantra.

AM; Free surf lessons through Ripcurl’s ESF surf school and Oakley Surf Sistas for cancers charities; PANTS and The Lavender Trust.

PM; Surf Off fun comp; Chicks with Sticks vs. Newquay Boardriders

Categories;

Expression session (fancy dress & radical manoeuvres)

The Ultimate Stick

Foamie tag team

Prizes for winners, all entrants as well as a special Paulo award(in honour of our friend Paul Brewer) for outstanding effort.

The evening is being held at the beach bar, with electro DJ’s bangin out the choons for a 1980’s surfer prom theme. There’ll be prizes, raffle, awards and of course, the return of the infamous man auction (for updates on the men available check out the facebook page). There’ll also be a collection for old surf equipment to help Mr. Brights surf school in Ghana pass on boards and wetties to the kids of Africa.

CWS’s Nat will be celebrating her 28^th birthday, and as well as being a warm up to boardmasters, we’ll be celebrating the Sousek’s becoming Mr and Mrs!

We hope to see you there!!!

Barrel by Suzanne Crawford

2010-07-01T03:43:00.000-07:00

The artwork is rolling in for our auction on Saturday, we are just oohing and ahhing about a beautiful original painting 'Barrel' by Suzanne Crawford.. Check out more of Suzanne's work on her website www.liquid-colours.co.uk

If you can't make the event but would like to bid for this piece it is possible to make a blind bid by email to natalievfox@hotmail.com or by phone to 07779099770 ..

Screening of The Cove at the Art Rumble

2010-06-29T13:47:00.000-07:00

Come along to the surf art rumble and watch a screening of the Cove, free entry with collections for charity .. the screening is expected to start at 6.30pm and there will be homemade food served all day.

The Surf Art Rumble is at St Merryn Village Hall, Saturday 3rd July 2010.

aloha

Win Nat's Chicks with Sticks Protest T-shirt!

2010-06-29T13:41:00.000-07:00

At the Surf art rumble we will be auctioning Nat's protest T'shirt that she wore in Agadir last weekend to protest outside the IWC meeting .. thats a piece of history that is!

Mustn’t grumble, it’s the art rumble in association with the surf jumble…

2010-06-29T12:53:00.000-07:00

As far as we know this is the schedule for the day…..

Doors open 1pm and the Art Rumble commences!

There will be….

Surf Jumble

Surf Girl Magazine clothes swap shop

(Open for donations from 1pm, trading at 2.30pm)

Craft stalls;

Original Surf Boards

Lazy Waves

Eden at Tribe

Little Miss Boutique

Rosie & Gem’s Novelty Cakes

Body art

Ladies pampering massage

Creative workshops;

Badge & bunting making

Mural & cloth bag painting

Quilt making

Ding repair/glass your own fin

Special workshop with Neon’s Elsie Pinniger at 4pm

Make your own board sock/door stop/towel changer

If you want to sign up for this please contact natalievfox@hotmail.com

Food is being served courtesy of L’Aude Cuisine (Nat’s mum is coming especially from France!) and providing homemade, exiting veggie dishes. On the menu is;

Fresh veggie burger in a wholemeal bap, with salad and chilli aioli or tomato salsa

Falafel in a pitta pocket with crunchy salad and tahini cream

Oven baked wedges with spicy tomato sauce

Selection of teas

Surfers soda

Banana cake & flapjack

Food will be served until 7.30pm

From 5pm, there is a break to quickly set the hall up for….

Movies, music and more….!

5.30pm Sliding Liberia

6.30pm The Cove (with introduction from Howie Cooke)

8.00pm Charity Art Auction

8.30pm Live music with October Rocks!

9.00pm Surf bingo with prizes galore!

9.30pm More music! More fun!

Remember… all profits go to Surfers 4 Cetaceans and Ticket to Ride Foundation’s township project in South Africa… there’ll be more info about these on the day!

standing up is overrated

2010-06-23T14:16:00.000-07:00

On the May Bank holidays a very nice chap lent us some wooden bellyboards at high tide sunset fistral and we were immediately hooked .. So we are VERY happy that the lovely Sally from Original Surfboards is going to have a stand at our surf art rumble in St Merryn on the 3rd July. Come along and pick up one of her retro bellyboards, she has all kinds of designs .. or paint/illustrate your own, she will bring some blanks along too .. seriously if you haven't tried this since you were a young'un you have forgotten HOW much fun it is ..

Sally's online shop is here: www.originalsurfboards.co.uk/originalshop.php - if you are coming and you know you would like a particular style board let Sally know and she will make sure she brings it:

For more bellyboarding inspiration check out the world belly boarding championships, held every year at Chapel Porth .. www.bellyboarding.co.uk or this fruity blog http://pronetobelly.blogspot.com/

and lets not forget our favourite ..Dot ..

News from the IWC front line!!!

2010-06-23T06:55:00.001-07:00

Victory for whales! Yet we still have a long way to go to protect their wellbeing for the future.

My latest journey has taken me from the UK to Holland to Morocco via Germany! It was a journey well worth the amount of public transport and the destination has eliminated all doubt from my mind about taking that first step.

I arrived back in Morocco last night, and after a quick surf met up with Nori Neumman, a fellow Cetacean lover and activist who had come all the way from Portugal. We finished off the amazing banners she had started and prepared for the day ahead, not really knowing what it would bring.

The next morning we headed into Agadir early, and as we approached the conference hall plastered in posters of (ironically) beautiful, free whales I could feel a lump of emotion in my throat. I suddenly knew I was completely in the right place and time for once.

Around 11am one of the anti-whaling NGO members informed us that the deal was indeed off, and as no arrangement could be reached in fact, nothing would change. For those that opposed the proposal to lift the ban on commercial whaling; our mission was successful and the moratorium is still firmly in place.

Tonight I meet with Howie and co. to celebrate and discuss more action whilst we’re here, in prime striking distance of the IWC. I will be putting together more information and will get it out very soon! But for now, for those of you that signed the petitions, know that this was a victory in standing united against whaling, and hopefully the stepping stone towards many more victories.

Peace and love
Natalie

prizes prizes prizes

2010-06-21T10:10:00.000-07:00

lovely people are giving us lovely things to give away to you lovely people at the surf art rumble .. first up we would like to thank Fire Fly Tonics for giving us a 2 month supply of their great natural energising drinks.

Check out their website, we designed our own chicks with sticks firefly tonic .. www.fireflytonics.com/design_the_next_firefly/view/465/ our influences were the village fete gingham vibe and fancy dress surfing ..

If you come down to the Surf Art Rumble at St Merryn Village Hall on the 3rd July you could be in with the chance of winning a 2 months supply of Firefly Tonics!

dreamy bali video we love

2010-06-16T06:57:00.000-07:00

Protesting, paddling and pros

2010-06-14T15:16:00.000-07:00

One half of Chicks with Sticks is off on a mission...

First stop is Soul Surfer Foundation's annual fundraising event Paddle Round The Buoy. As an ambassador for the charity Nat is heading there to take part in the paddle again the Oxbow team and other brave entrants! Being held on International Surfing Day at Svengingan, there’s lots going on from parties to photography workshops!

"I have never surfed in the North Sea so I imagine it’s going to be an experience, but I hear the waves are pretty decent! If anyone would like to sponsor me then please… get in touch - it’d be great to get some more support behind me!"

To check out what good work Soul Surfers do, and what they will be putting the money towards visit their website

After Svengingen, She will be travelling via Gremany to Agadir, to join the demonstrations at the International Whaling Committee meeting. Nat says;

I’m currently writing an article for Surf Girl on the future of whaling, and have discovered I have very strong feelings on the subject – like a lot of people I have spoken to about it.

Japan, Iceland and Norway have put forward a proposal to lift the ban on whaling, that has currently been in place for 10 years. The decision will be made at the IWC's annual meeting where there will be conservation activists present like Greenpeace, Avaaz, Sea Shepherd and our Chicks with Sticks Art Rumble charity; Surfers4Cetaceans.

Japan has been continue to whale and fuel the industry under the banner of "scientific research", still capturing and killing thousands of minke whales each year. There are currently 84 committee members, made of countries that strongly oppose whaling like Australia and New Zealand, and others that are looking to lift the ban...

"Since the moratorium was adopted, the support for it has dropped from a 75% majority to a 50-50 split, with many of the countries initially recruited by the anti-whaling side now voting with the pro-whaling block. (A 75% majority is needed to overturn the moratorium.) Anti-whaling campaign groups and some governments claim that the Japanese Fisheries Agency has carried out a programme of "vote-buying" - i.e. offering aid to poorer countries in return for them joining the IWC and supporting Japanese positions on whaling. Japan claims, however, that this accusation itself is politically motivated because Japan's oversea aids are not only given to pro-whaling countries. Japan has given US$320 million in overseas aid to Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Guinea, Morocco, Panama, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St Kitts and Nevis and the Solomon Islands." (Wikipedia)

Another controversial aspect of the voting is that if all the members of the EU (which includes the United Kingdom) cannot reach an agreement, then it will be exempt from voting.

Learning more about the possible outcome and concequences if the ban is lifted - which would last for 10 YEARS - has lead me to the conclusion I want to do something to help support the whales, and make a stand for them.

I visited Newquay’s Aquarium with my God-daughter Nancy at the weekend, and it really hit home how it’s up to our generation to protect and preserve our precious sea mammals in order for them to be around for the next generation to learn about.

In the same weekend, I also learn that whale meat is actually available on the black market in Hackney, East London, so it's a very real issue!

Whales are prehistoric and they are huge, it’s impossible to breed or maintain a captivity programme like an aquarium for them. Although the The human race has brought whales to the brink of extinction, thanks to the moratorium whale numbers have started to increase. Cetacean intellegance is a phenomenon, and with research techniques developing all the time we might one day find a way to live in harmony with these creatures, rather than abusing them and the oceans they reside in. The only way is to study them, and learn about them in their natural habitat. And this means an end to whaling once and for good.

Stay tuned for the news from Morocco.

Oh and guess who's coming with me? The hot pink fish, of course!

I'm aiming to get a last minute whale campaign going at the Gul night surf, if anyone's keen to join in, then drop me a line!

The Surf Art Rumble is raising money for ...

2010-06-10T05:49:00.000-07:00

..the Ticket to Ride Foundation's work with children (particularly girls) in the township of Masiphumelele, Cape Town.

The Ticket to Ride Foundation works in the township of Masiphumelele, in the southern suburbs of Cape Town. The township is home to 30,000 people and the Foundation works providing youth upliftment programmes for the young boys and girls of the township. Focused around sports and education, the foundation arranges football, netball, arts and crafts, clean-up projects and surfing projects to occupy the downtime after the school day, when the kids would otherwise be on the street.

The Foundation cares for 70 girls. Traditionally in the Xosha culture, girls do not have the same opportunities as boys and are often called on to leave school early to focus on the household chores. The Ticket to Ride Foundation allows the girls space to breath and the freedom to express themselves and sponsors three netball teams, a bead making programme and a surfing programme.

Our Chicks with Sticks mantra is 'be free to surf'. We can see that the work of the Ticket to Ride Foundation in Masiphumelele Township is all about providing the girls with new opportunities and the money raised at the art rumble will help to provide equipment for the various projects, such as netballs and kits for the teams, paint for the ad-hoc pitch in the car park on Kolobe St, beads for the bead making scheme and transport to get the girls to the beach and surfing once a week.

The girls have sent us some of their hand made necklaces for our art auction, they are winging their way to us now and we can't wait to see them ..

can someone please invent....

2010-06-08T05:31:00.000-07:00

...environmentally friendly, biodegradable glitter!

Island inspiration

2010-06-07T15:41:00.000-07:00

Craft pitches are available at the Surf Art Rumble on 3rd July, St Merryn Village Hall, St Merryn, Cornwall. Just £10 per pitch which all goes to charity.. we will feature everyone that signs up here on the blog .. first up the positively dreamy jewellery and hair slides by Eden at Tribe .. http://www.edenattribe.com/

Email greenwavesproject@gmail.com to find out how you can have a pitch

Sliding Liberia

2010-06-07T10:46:00.000-07:00

we are really stoked that we have permission to screen Sliding Liberia at the Surf Art Rumble www.slidingliberia.com

Surf Art Rumble and Jumble

2010-06-07T10:32:00.001-07:00

The Surf Art Rumble is Coming

art in bali

2010-06-02T13:49:00.000-07:00

some stuff that caught my eye...

The story so far...

2010-05-31T13:41:00.000-07:00

If you're new to Chicks with Sticks then there's some catching up to do; here's the lowdown:

Rewind to Morocco, Nov 09. We got together to don fancy dress, rubber gloves and lashings of glitter, in an impromtu photoshoot whilst Anchor's left was firing in the background. We wanted to make a statement about litter in the area, and how surfers should take the initiative to help clean the beaches. The photos were incredible (even if we do say so ourselves!) and even made it onto the cover of Surf Girl Magazine.

The next step was combining our message of preserving the environment with the things that make up happy - surfing, friends, getting creative and boys!
We organised the first Chicks with Sticks event in Newquay; an independant fundraiser, raising money for our favourite charities PANTS, ESF girls UK team and Soul Surfers Foundation. There was body painting, bunting making, cupcake tasting, a film screening, live music and the
highly successful "surfer boy auction"!

We knew we were onto a winner but summer was closing in, so to get our creative juices flowing once more we took to the road in Bob (the burgundy old banger) armed with a tent, boards, bikes and shedloads of camera equipment. After numerous jumpstarts, we finally made it to South West France and enjoyed some sunshine, baguettes, red wine and lovely waves....

After France our bond was forged, our mission was clear and our mantra born; be free to surf. And enjoy the things that surfing also brings ... liberation, travelling, inspiration, friendship, the ultimate challenge and a profound respect for mother nature....

Stay tuned for updates on our journey, who knows where we'll end up...