Minds in the Water Tico tour

May 28, 2012 | Words By: Natalie Fox

A brand new, environmental surf documentary starring professional freesurfer Dave Rastovich, is coming to Central America in order to raise awareness of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) annual meeting that is taking place in Panama City, 2nd – 6th July.

Minds In The Water is an award winning, feature length film following one surfer’s journey to help protect dolphins, whales and their ocean environment and cofounding the non profit organisation Surfers for Cetaceans (S4C).

Witness Dave’s five-year adventure spanning the globe from Australia to the Galapagos, Tonga, California, Alaska and Japan. See first hand how his quest to help protect the ocean and it’s inhabitants, has activated the global surf community and blossomed into a movement of likeminds.

“As ocean people, it is our privelege to be the custodians of our coastlines. The film documents our attempt at fulfilling that role as we travelled to surfing locations around the world. Cetaceans are the ultimate, and original surfers. They are our ocean kin and it is our role to do what we can to protect their well being” said Dave.

Thanks to benefit screenings in selected surf meccas of Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama, surfers and locals have the chance to learn about crucial ocean issues, join current campaigns and experience Rasta’s Surfers for Cetaceans ethos, where dedicated ocean ambassadors are truly making a difference through surfing, art, film and music.

Surfers for Cetaceans will be making a stand in Panama City for their oceanic kin whilst the lobbyists and IWC (which was originally set up by whaling nations in 1946 to conserve whale “stocks”) argue whaling quotas for the coming year. Critically endangered Maui dolphins in New Zealand and the final proposal and designation of a South Atlantic Whale Sanctuary are just two of the issues high on the Surfers for Cetaceans agenda, who will be utilizing the global media spotlight to spread the message of whale freedom.

Through benefit screenings of the film, whale murals, surfers circles and personal connections, under the banner of the International Whale Celebration, S4C aim to gather momentum for worldwide ocean conservation, giving surfers a platform to embrace their responsibility of custodians of the sea.

S4C are calling all surfers and ocean-lovers to come to Panama’s IWC, standing in solidarity for the whales of the world… they need your help!! Bring your board, banners, dolphin dress-up, musical instruments and be a united voice for the people of the sea!