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Blackburn’s Water Cycle Chapter 2: Ocean
While OCEAN isn’t technically a bikepacking film, it portrays the simple and unique joys that life on a bike can bring. And if this doesn’t spark some stoke for a Baja Divide trip in you, we’re not sure what will…
Inspired by the 71% of the planet that’s covered by water, Blackburn Design has created WATER CYCLE, an ongoing documentary film project. Chapter one featured bike-fisherman Brian Ohlen in RIVER. The second chapter, OCEAN, follows Ashley Lloyd Thompson, a surfboard shaper from Santa Cruz, California. Ashley took time away from her shaping studio to travel with her husband and son to Mexico in search of quiet surf breaks. Many of the best breaks are tough to access and aren’t on any map, and fat bikes made the most sense for accessing and enjoying those secret places. Along the way, she found some beautiful, tranquil moments with the ocean and her family.
Ashley has been an avid surfer since she was a child, eventually turning her passion into a career shaping surfboards and teaching new riders. As she became closer to her craft and the ocean around her, she adopted an emphasis on sustainable building practices that respected both her ability to ride huge waves and her desire to do as little harm as possible to the planet.
Our fragile oceans sustain life on our planet, but increasingly, they are polluted with plastic waste. This waste can range from single use plastic products like cup lids, and take out bags, to microscopic particulates that kill fish and foul beaches. Blackburn partnered with Sustainable Surf to bring attention to the continued need to be stewards of our oceans. If this is something that resonates with you, consider becoming involved with one of Sustainable Surfs initiatives at SustainableSurf.org.
About The Film
Ocean was directed by Nicole Mackinlay Hahn. Mackinlay Hahn grew up in New York, where she worked at for the family business on Fire Island National Seashore. Curious, adventurous, and with a drive for honesty, she began making films in 8th grade using her brother’s pixelvision camera. Since then, she has collaborated on projects throughout the US, Africa, and the UK.
Brian Vernor, a noted filmmaker and photographer, provided art direction for the film. Brian has long been a Blackburn collaborator and will be making certain that each story in the project has a distinct point of view, while still holding close to the overall theme and vision.
Ocean was produced by Robin Sansom, a long time Blackburn collaborator and a principal of Offsite Studios, a brand and content agency.
Chris McNally returned for the second chapter of Water Cycle by providing the amazing illustrations.
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blackburn-Ocean
Please keep the conversation civil, constructive, and inclusive, or your comment will be removed.
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