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| OCEAN WARRIOR:David Rastovich |
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By Deborah Bassett As surfers, our time spent in the water offers us not only the chance to catch waves, but it also provides the time and space to explore our most intimate thoughts and feelings and give thanks for the life-giving force to whom we so humbly refer to as Mother Ocean. In these moments of solitude and reflection we may sometimes feel as though our intentions are on a fast track to being realized, as anyone who has ever gone over the falls and had to climb their leash to the surface can most certainly relate. However, unlike those feelings that emerge in fleeting desperation of spin-cycle chaos, there are other sentiments that surface in quiet times of deep and mindful contemplation. Regardless of how we refer to these instances or of our spiritual backgrounds and affiliations, most surfers will agree that the ocean is indeed one of nature’s greatest teachers and that it is an honor and privilege to share this liquid arena with all the native residents of the sea. Therefore, as the 11th hour approaches for our ocean kin, it is due time that we combine our hopes with action in order to preserve and protect this vital planetary treasure for future generations. Australian professional free surfer and style-master, David “Rasta” Rastovich has dedicated his energy to not only ripping perfect waves across the globe, but pursuing controversial environmental endeavors. His mission is to raise awareness and ultimately put an end to atrocities such as illegal whaling, mass dolphin kills, and long-line fishing. Rasta has stepped up to the plate to take on the crucial role of spokesperson and activist in the fight to protect our beloved ancestral homeland and all of the precious life that resides within her fragile womb. Recipe for Change The numbers speak indiscriminately of the atrocities: as many as thirty thousand whales have been killed in international waters and sanctuaries since the supposed 1986 ban on commercial whaling and the annual Japanese dolphin slaughter claims over 25,000 innocent lives every year. In 2004, Rasta and fellow lifelong ocean defender Howie Cooke decided to form the organization Surfers for Cetaceans. With support from the living legend and champion of ocean conservation, Captain Paul Watson and the former Flipper-trainer-turned-dolphin-savior, Ric O’Berry, Rasta dropped into a new wave that would soon find him defending the very turf that had once been just a playground. “I just couldn’t believe that a water person like myself, who travels the world surfing and interacting with coastal people, had no idea that this archaic and barbaric practice of killing innocent and harmless whales was still happening,” said the charismatic Rasta. “Then I saw the footage of the dolphin kills and I just lost it. I had to make sure that I wasn’t the only surfer who knew about this.” Call to ACTION: TAIJI, JAPAN In late November 2007, Dave led an international group of over 30 surfers, celebrities, and musicians on a peaceful paddle-out ceremony to honor the more than 25,000 dolphins violently slain each year in the coastal waters of Japan. In keeping with traditional surfing ceremony, the crew paddled out, joined hands in a circle formation and, one by one, offered flowers and words of remembrance for all of the dolphins that had fallen victim to the senseless blood spilled in past years. These sentient and intelligent beings, to which Rasta referred as, “the original surfers, our ocean kin who deserve the same respect that we allot all of our fellow surfers.” Although no arrests were made, the Japanese authorities, promptly awaiting the surfer’s water exit, were clearly concerned about their visible presence in this sleepy coastal village that had all but fallen under the radar until then. While Australian, U.S. and European passports were being checked in the most polite etiquette of Japanese custom, Rasta clarified that their endeavor was not a protest, but rather an opportunity to open up the line of communication between the Japanese government and local fisherman to find a viable solutions to this unnecessary and brutal practice. Not only a champion surfer, Rasta lent his hand as a master of diplomatic relations as well. According to professional Australian surfer James Triglone, who flew in from Italy to participate in the ceremony, “My admiration and respect goes to Rasta who demonstrated honor, respect, communication, leadership, and above all, provided education about this important issue.” The very day after the ceremony, in what appeared as a direct retaliation against the momentous event, the fisherman in the tiny village of Taiji resumed the slaughter of 30 pilot whales that had been delayed by the increased worldwide media attention received from the intervention. In response, the surfers decided to send a small group on a pre-dawn return mission to the notorious “killing cove” to recreate the emotional ceremony. The six paddlers, including Rastovich, his wife and mermaid model Hannah Fraser, TV star Hayden Panettiere, Australian actress Isabel Lucas, author Peter Heller and professional surfer Karina Petroni, bravely situated themselves between the whales and the determined and highly agitated fisherman. While the water continued to run red with blood, the fishermen harassed the paddlers, yelling threats, advancing on them with whirling propellers and prodding them with heavy metal poles. The surfers, left with no other choice but to paddle in for their own safety, watched in horror as the fate of the 30 pilot whales was left to the merciless hands of profit and greed. According to Pantierre, whose involvement would inevitably add a critical component of public attention back in Hollywood in conjunction with an arrest warrant from Japanese authorities, “We all crossed our fingers that those whales didn’t die in vain.” Consider This While critics may argue the point of cultural preservation, the fact of the matter is that consumption of dolphin proves dangerous to everyone involved. Under the national school lunch program initiative, Japanese school children are the main recipients of this highly toxic meat. Tests have been carried out by international and local scientists proving that dolphin and whale meat in these particular waters contain higher levels of mercury than the seafood that has poisoned thousands of people with Minamata Disease. WHAT YOU CAN DO Join the Visual Petition, http:://visualpetition.com. Here you can join Rasta and thousands of concerned citizens from around the world by creating and uploading your own photo petition that will be presented to the International Whaling Commission this June in Santiago Chile. Write letters and let the Japanese government know that concerned citizens are watching closely and deeply opposed to their current practices of illegal whaling and dolphin kills. Let them know that there are viable economical solutions to this issue such as transforming this killing industry into one that promotes eco-tourism and celebrates the lives of these gentle beings. Australia is a leading example of a former whaling nation that has successfully adopted this model. Don’t stop there; continue to educate yourself. The following organizations offer valuable information and provide a variety of ways that you may become directly involved in this and other important ocean preservation issues: www.surfersforcetaceans.com www.mindsinthewater.com www.seashepherd.org www.savejapandolphins.org http://www.opsociety.org www.channelg.tv www.whaleman.org “Traveling through a multitude of cultures and seascapes, experiencing waves with whales and dolphins has lead me to an awareness of the interconnected nature of all life, and the delicate systems that allow this network of life to exist. It is this divine play of forces that has inspired me to co-create Surfers for Cetaceans in the hope of maintaining the balance within the oceans of this planet.” David Rastovich, Co-founder, Surfers for Cetaceans
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