Editor’s Note: These pieces are intended to offer a deeper look into each episode of surfer Fergal Smith‘s Line9 series, Growing, a new clip published every two weeks. The series is a year in the life of Smith and his brother. With a new clip published every two weeks, the series follows them as they take a step back from the rat race while spending days tending to a sustainable garden and surfing the readily available Irish slab.
Author’s Note: My main reason for doing this series is for showing the what else I’m passionate about — aside from surfing — and to try to promote all the good, positive things that people are doing.
This all kind of happened out of nowhere. My friend Alan rang me the night before he was coming down to tell me they were going to project a big mustache onto the cliffs the next morning at 6! I have known Alan for ages and I don’t see him often, but when I do he’s always up to something cool. This time it was to promote Movember, an international initiative all about men’s health.
I was really tired from a few long days in the field, but I happily dragged myself out of bed to support the boys. And it’s always a joy to go to the cliffs for the sunrise. The lads did the mustache in the evening as well, but I was in the garden having our Friday cookout at the time.
Nice going to the guys at Movember for increasing awareness and encouraging men to get themselves checked regularly. It’d be even better if we went a step further and took more preventative measures in the way of diets. That’s where most of the problems come from, so if we are going to get serious about our health, let’s dig deeper and look at the stuff that matters. Our health is at own fingertips — I firmly believe in the motto: “you are what you eat.” I have been living purely off vegetables we have grown together in the community garden and I have never felt as well and as full of energy as I do now.
Your health is your wealth!
Look for local organic produce and, if you can go the extra step, stick a few seeds in the ground. Also, consider food in the hedgerows — wild food is the most organic and locally grown food you can ever eat. There are loads of great books out there to educate yourself. And go on a wild food walk, there are some great people out there; seek them out, they are amazing sources of knowledge.
Lastly, the session included in the edit was with Mikey Brennan and is actually from a little while back, but it felt right to include with this Movember installment. He scored an amazing run of swell — we had loads of really fun days under the cliffs. Mikey is such a good guy and one hell of a surfer; he fit right in over here. I think the first wave in the clip is the first wave he ever caught at the cliffs. It usually takes guys a few good surfs to figure the place out, but he just clicked with the place and loved it. I have not spoke to him in a long while, but I hope he’s doing well and look forward to sharing some good waves with him again.
