I’d like to share with you a series of conversations that turned into a small book project with my friend, David Lions. It explores a group of humans working in the ocean, focusing not just on the act of riding waves but on how lives have been shaped by helping others access the ocean.
This project was funded by Slow Waves, and the final zine was brought together by two wonderful humans from Slow Press, Josh and Liam.
So jump on, have a listen, and if you like what you hear and see—and fancy having a copy in your hands—head over to get a copy of Slow Waves.
Writer:
Photographers Mike Guest & Robyn Steady
Design & illustration: Slow Press Josh & Liam
Funded by: Slow Ways UK
Show Notes
Slow Ways Route: Check out the route we took on Slowways and explore your area.
Out Of The Blue: More Info on the Young Creatives Arts project in Caithness.
Robyn Steady’s: Website
ST Vedas: Coldingham Surf shop
Surfing in South East Scotland is about as far from barrelling waves in Hawaii and sun-kissed Californians as you can get. The weather is cold, the water is colder and the waves are fickle. But nonetheless there's a community of committed (and often chilly) surfers between Dunbar and Eyemouth, which has been growing since people first rode these waves in the late-60s.
This is not a spot guide and you won't find any stories of gnarly waves and epic sessions. This isn't even really about surfing - it's a collection of stories celebrating the ways the surfing community along this coast is making a positive impact far beyond the confines of the sport itself, from supporting the mental health of young people, to campaigning against water pollution, to contributing to the towns and villages in the south east of Scotland.
Slow Waves takes its name from Slow Ways, the charity which funded the project. Slow Ways is working to create a network of walking routes that connect all of Great Britain's towns and cities as well as thousands of villages and every national park. People can use the routes to walk between neighbouring places or combine routes to travel over longer distances.
Kick-started during the first Covid lockdown, Slow Ways grew through hundreds of volunteers suggesting thousands of routes. There are now over 8,000 routes in the network that cover over 120,000km. Using the Slow Ways website and app, people are now walking the routes to make sure they are good enough to be in the network.
Tales from a Slow Way is an initiative to fund creative projects, including Slow Waves, celebrating communities along Slow Ways routes. A Slow Ways route called Duneye one runs from Dunbar to Eyemouth, connecting the only two shops where you can rent surf kit along Scotland's southeast coast: Coast to Coast Surf School in Belhaven Bay and St Vedas Surf Shop in Coldingham Bay.
We walked the 42km Duneye one route over two days, heading south east from Dunbar to Eyemouth, passing through the three main surfing beaches on this coast; Belhaven Bay, Pease Bay and Coldingham Bay. The stories in this zine are all connected to one of those beaches and we hope to present a snapshot of a thriving surf community, its history and the way it reaches beyond what on the surface can appear to be an individualistic sport.
Dave Lyons is a writer and charity communications professional who surfs regularly on beaches between Dunbar and Eyemouth. He has written about surfing in Scotland as a journalist previously, most recently for Adventure Uncovered and Scottish Island Explorer.
Mike Guest is a photographer from Edinburgh and self-confessed salt water addict. As well as working for major brands, Mike works with community initiatives, including recently facilitating a group of young creatives in Caithness to make work exploring their relationship with the ocean. Mike's focus in surf photography is less on action shots and more to do with the individual and their connection to the sea.
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