#7 Sean Doherty: Legend surf journalist and social analyst talks climate inaction and cultural cringe

EPISODE #7 is up, with the one and only Sean Doherty @seano888. This conversation is as compelling as they come. I have a lot of love and respect for this man. As many of you know, Seano is a surfing journalist legend. He’s the author and editor of a tonne of incredible books on surf culture. I grew up reading his articulate articles in Surfer & @tracksmag. He’s one of the @patagoniaaus lords, and has even now emerged to be a rogue-punk rock social analyst renegade in his commentary on the shadows of Australian politics and climate inaction. This Dead Kennedy’s listening, Akubra wearing ageless grom has somehow become one of the foremost coastal voices on the complicated and dark system of big oil and big coal.

In early 2019 I’d just played my new activism song “Can’t Take The Ocean out of Me” in Torquay at a massive #FIghtForTheBight paddle out which involved over 3000 phenomenal ocean lovers. I was nervous, and I’d gotten words wrong and even sung the song in the wrong key, but maybe the vibe was still alright! Seano ran up to me an hour later when I was leaving and told me he vibed the track and that he wanted to collaborate on a Patagonia project with me. And thus, “Can’t take the Ocean out of Me” was used for the Patagonia film “The Head of the Bight”, and we travelled up the coast together screening the film and playing the song. It was wild! I’m really thankful for this guys belief in young creatives and his desire to see art being used for purpose.

This interview was recorded in the apex heat of the bushfire season in Australia. We go raw. Seano speaks with such an earnest intent to see his country experience a deep homecoming of its indigenous culture, and a recognizing of our custodian responsibility as we strive to protect our endangered ecology. We also talk Bra Boys, The Fight For The Bight campaign, the disappearing cicada population, cultural cringe and Seano’s decision to leave the doctor path and remain in the froth and flow; living by the ocean, writing for surf mags, and chin-wagging as a world surf tour correspondent. Proud to call you a mate Sean Doherty. Thank you for this very heartfelt and insightful conversation. Bless ya cuz. B