Back in early 2014, I spent two weeks traveling the north coast of Peru working on some travel stories, and Harold Koechlin was my surf guide. A master in eco tourism and the best surf guide in Peru, we surfed the north coast waves like teenagers on their first overseas surf trip, filled with endless lefts and deep-belly laughter. When we were in Lobitos, Harold and I shared our concerns for the area–the oil rigs are so close to the waves, old buildings destroyed in the war have never been restored, and there are a string of environmental issues as well as threats of unmanaged development that could destroy the town…we were like-minded in not wanting this to happen. I experienced the Tohoku and Fukushima disasters in Japan, and it really concerned me that with Peru sitting on the Ring of Fire, earthquakes and tsunamis could completely devastate the region dotted in oil rigs and refineries.
Harold told me his dream of putting a dollar value on the waves while at the same time ensuring the town is developed sustainably, and The Lobitos Project idea of turning the town into an eco surf village was born. As well as the environmental side of the project, Harold is extremely passionate about Lobitos not falling to the hands of rich investors and developers–we don’t want to see such a raw beauty with world class waves fall victim to capitalization like other areas of north Peru and the world.
I was then introduced to some local NGOs who are just beginning in Lobitos; great locally-led projects that have amazing potential to really set Lobitos up as a sustainable village. I knew I had to do something, and I’ve always believed that if you can offer your professional skills in some way that enables you to give back to communities on your travels then the world is going to end up a better place. I love this quote by Margaret Mead:
I figured I could use my journo skills to get the word out–to educate and inspire–and make a film that could be used to help drive international awareness to The Lobitos Project and funding for the local community to adapt a more sustainable future. I wrote the film script on the plane on the way home. I actually intended it to be directed by my good friend and mentor, Taylor Steele. But the legend that he is, he encouraged me to embark on my first film as a director, and so the film concept was officially born. I raised $13,000 on kickstarter to shoot the trailer with cinematographer Tim Wreyford (Mick Fanning’s Missing), and now we’re trying to rally major sponsors to help us get back to complete the film.
Without moving forward more sustainably, the waves, and the community of Lobitos, could be completely lost in just one generation.
Please contact angie@switchboardmedia.com.au for all sponsorship inquiries, or donate to your funding page.
DOUBLE BARREL TEASER from Switchboard Media on Vimeo.
