Ocean Festival: Hold your breath

28 November 2014 - 02:01 By Andrew Donaldson
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DEEP DOWN: A recreation of an early aquatic hunter-gatherer for the Sea-Change photographic exhibition
DEEP DOWN: A recreation of an early aquatic hunter-gatherer for the Sea-Change photographic exhibition
Image: CRAIG FOSTER

The south-easter, says Steve Pike, is always a possibility. "Look," he says, "if there's no wind we get about 4000 people, and if it does come up, we get maybe 2000. It's still a jol."

Pike is talking about next Saturday, the first night of Wavescape's film festival, which is traditionally held free of charge on Clifton's Fourth Beach.

"It's still our showcase evening," he says.

"People pack a picnic and we present a programme of shorter movies that's pretty much representative of the festival's longer films. A bit of something for everybody."

The festival begins with today's Wavescape Fish Fry, at the Bluebird Garage in Muizenberg, the spiritual and historical home of South African surfing.

It is here, the organisers say, that a window is opened to reveal a glimpse into an "underground surf culture" where board shapers, artists, environmentalists and surfers "share ideas, and barter or buy surfboards from one another".

The rest of us, though, will just enjoy the party. A big part of the evening is to raise awareness about consumption of sustainable fish, and to raise funds for the Waves for Change development programme.

To this end, celebrity chef Justin Bonello will be hosting a fish braai challenge with teams from the popular Ultimate Braaimaster TV series he hosts. There's craft beer and dancing too.

From December 7 to 10, the festival's selection of movies will be screened at the Brass Bell in Kalk Bay, and from December 11 to 14 at the Labia in Orange Street, Gardens.

The films are all surf movies - a combination of wave action, adventure and under-water footage, travelogue and nature doccies. New developments in film-making and the use of drones have brought so much more to a genre often derided as "wave porn", Pike says, and the films are flat-out, hair-raisingly amazing and must-see entertainment for everyone, not just surfers.

Now in its 11th year and a holiday season highlight, the Wavescape Festival was created by Pike and Ross Frylink, journalists who wanted to share their passion for surf culture with a wider audience.

Conservation issues will be promoted at Sea-Change, an outdoor photographic exhibition on the Sea Point Promenade, which opens on Monday and runs until April . In addition, there's Slide Night at the Centre for the Book on Wednesday . This is a sort of "TED talks of the deep": 10 experts on the ocean - scientists, adventurers, conservationists, sportsmen and photographers - will each give a 10-minute presentation.

  • For details and bookings, see wavescapefestival.com
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