Excerpts from articles published by Tracks with permission. Read the originals by Jake Stolte here and here.
About as inviting a place to rest as you can ask for.
Torren Martyn’s latest offering is Southern Edge, a film charting his journey sailing and surfing his way around Tasmania with his partner in crime Ishka Folkwell. It’s no small undertaking, and comfortably wears the guise of adventure documentary or environmental film as it does a surf movie. The genres blend and morph into a captivating tale. Fans of his work will no doubt be pleased by this latest addition. As Tracks notes,
He always chooses the path of most resistance, the road less travelled and the option which disconnects him from society.
As a recent transplant to Tasmania, it did not take long for the idea to germinate.
“You don’t need the million-dollar boats and souped-up UTEs to get out there. The less you have, the more exciting it becomes and the more likely you are to lean into other people along the way.”
Tasmania is not short of good surf, but it can be fickle. Torren surfs a wide variety of conditions through out the film.
“Being an island sitting in the Southern Ocean, it’s the most challenging place I’ve been in terms of surfing consistently,” he said. “There are so many great setups but they might only break once or twice a year and being there when they’re on is hard to get right.
On boat or board, the ocean delivered, and Torren accepted
The he people he meets are as intriguing as the surfing. They share a deep commitment to the land they inhabit, and a strong desire to protect it. From scientists to elders and authors, glimpses into the fascinating history and ecology of this raw wilderness are revealed through different filters.
The supporting roles in the film go to the sailing kayaks; they look incredulously flimsy yet hardily handle everything the circumstances throw at them.
“Yeah, it’s pretty mad,” Torren laughed. “Being in this tiny vessel looking back at this wonderland of nature, it makes you feel so small. They’re genius by design. It’s a single sailing mast, a set of pedals and some simple stowage. They’re quite stable. We probably sailed 80 to 90 percent of the trip and pedalled the rest."
Like most things, the adventure is improved by the inclusion of a friend
Torren’s already feeling the urge to plan his next project.
“The most important thing for me is that I want it to inspire people to get out and do something for themselves, no matter how big or small,” he said. “Life is precious. Get outside, travel slowly, listen deeply and move with respect.
Watch Southern Edge here: