Surfer's Sailing Journey Explores Technology, Skill, and Connection to the Sea

Professional surfer Dave Rastovich has voiced concern that modern technology may be eroding essential human skills, drawing a parallel in the surfing world between the use of jet skis and traditional paddling. This reflection comes as he prepares to tour a new film documenting a sensory-rich sailing voyage along Australia's east coast.

The Voyage and Its Inspiration

The journey, which forms the core of Patagonia's film 'Sensing Home,' began as a response to environmental concerns. Rastovich explained that the project was inspired by water quality issues following Cyclone Alfred, which led to health problems including his own hospitalization with a staph infection.

He and fellow surfer Chris Miyashiro sailed from Yamba to the Great Barrier Reef on a 32-foot Wharram catamaran. Rastovich described the vessel as costing less than a utility vehicle and being ideal for slow, deliberate travel. The trip included surfing at various remote locations along the coastline.

"There's a big conversation to be had about whether we have handed our skills over to the convenience of technology."

Navigating by Sense Over Screen

A central theme of the expedition was reducing reliance on digital tools. Rastovich stated that while they used weather forecasts at the start of the trip, they eventually switched off their instruments and relied on their senses for navigation. He contrasted this experience with modern, engine-powered travel.

He described sailing as providing "no sounds, no engine, just your steering and knowledge," calling it "the most amazing form of travel that people have come up with." Rastovich also cited surfer John John Florence's sailing explorations as a personal inspiration for undertaking the journey.

Film Tour and Future Plans

'Sensing Home' will soon begin an East Coast tour. At screenings, Rastovich will participate in Q&A sessions alongside showings of Miyashiro's film 'A'a,' which documents a sailing journey from San Diego to Hawaii.

Rastovich said he hopes the film encourages viewers to "wonder where the adventure is in their own life" and to seek a deeper, more sensory understanding of their home environment. Looking ahead, he plans another voyage to Hervey Bay later this year to observe the annual whale migrations.