wish i was here

WISH

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THE WORLD’S MOST EXTRAORDINARY PLACES ON AND BEYOND THE SEASHORE

WAS

HERE

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THE SEA

TOMMY CLARKE SETH WILLINGHAM

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INTERVIEW

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ID

FROM ABOVE

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INTERVIEW

Tommy Clarke grew up on the south coast of England where he spent nearly every childhood holiday by the beach. This sparked a deep interest of the interaction between water and land and how people connect with that location.

But it wasn't until he was living in Sydney that he embarked on his first aerial shoot over Bondi Beach, capturing the colorful surfboards strewn across the beach which became his first series –  Shore .

Since then Tommy has hung out of helicopters and small aircraft everywhere from San Francisco and Mexico to the Canary Islands and Utah. @ T O M M Y. C L A R K E TO M M YC L A R K E.C O.U K

THE SEA FROM ABOVE

TOMMY CLARKE

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NORTH ISLAND, SEYCHELLES

Located amongst the inner granitic islands of the Seychelles (and some 18.6 miles (30 km) from the main island of Mahé), North Island is a true paradise. Its luminous white beaches surround a tropical interior of coconut palms and takamaka trees in turn cradled between three granite outcrops, and surrounded by the azure ocean. The natural beauty of North Island will touch and inspire its visitors at the deepest level. North Island is unashamedly aimed at providing the very best in privacy, location, accommodation, services,

facilities and experience. Its eleven Villas have been built using, where possible, materials reaped from the rehabilitation process. In doing this the aim has been to capture the essence of ’barefoot luxury’. Each Presidential Villa measures 4,890 square feet (450 square metres) giving guests enough room to spread out and enjoy a unique, private, island-style experience to the full. Each was individually handcrafted

by Seychellois and African craftsmen on the island from wood, local stone, and glass.

NORTH-ISLAND

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SEASHORE ACCOMMODATIONS

NORTH ISLAND

Eternity begins and ends with the ocean's tides.

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NIHI NUSA TENGGARA TIM, INDONESIA

This is not an escape from everyday life.

It is the return to a life well lived. Where rugged luxury meets unregulated freedom. A place to connect with something larger than oneself.

A haven for the adventurer, for the wanderer.

The endlessly passionate and curious. Arrive with an open heart and leave changed forever.

This is vacation with a purpose. A destination with meaning. This is Nihi Sumba. This unique resort on the Indonesian island of Sumba —about 248 miles (400 km) east of Bali— has twenty-seven villas in a one-, two-, three-, four-, or five-bedroom layout, all with a private pool. 1.5 miles (2.5 km) is the length of the resort's private beach, surrounded by 667 acres (270 hectares) of lush, natural landscape.

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SEASHORE ACCOMMODATIONS

SUMBA

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so unbelievably warm. And number three is whale sharks. They're the biggest sharks in the world, but they're extremely docile and friendly. Being able to swim with animals that big is truly breathtaking.

Isn't this dangerous at times?

Whale sharks have really big mouths. What if you get swallowed by mistake?

UNDER WATER

S H Oh, I ended up in the mouth of one of those whale sharks once. I was filming a whale shark when another one came along, eating, not paying attention for a moment, and all of a sudden I found myself in its mouth.

Fortunately, at the end of that enormous mouth sits a small throat that I could never fit through, so he just burped and I was back outside. Quite funny, actually. By the way, I've swum among hunting orcas, sperm whales, and tiger sharks and never had anything scary happen to me. The most aggressive fish I've ever crossed paths with was a damselfish trying to protect its female. This was a fish half the size of my hand, but that didn't keep it from giving me headbutts. Much more dangerous is the combination of technical problems and quickly changing ocean conditions. When visibility suddenly drops and you haven’t calculated the remaining amount of air well, things can go wrong. Luckily, I have enough diving experience to avoid terrible incidents. (end)

RIO

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JANEIRO

BRASIL

What is the biggest difference between Rio de Janeiro and every other city in Brazil? Yes, its location near the water. The city is known for its carnival, samba, bossa nova. But especially for Copacabana and Ipanema, two of the most famous beaches in the world. And for Christ the Redeemer, the immense statue overlooking the bay of Guanabara high above the city. Every evening, having presided over the sunset, it watches as the reflection of the nearby mountains grows darker and darker.

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CITIES BY THE SEA

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What’s it like to be inside a wave?

There’s a saying: ‘only a surfer knows the feeling’.

That’s so very accurate. Putting this into words: the ocean gives me a sense of peace, of freedom; it’s indeed a type of meditation. All the noise in your life does not matter when you’re in the ocean surfing; the very-early-morning paddle out heightens all the senses. You can hear every splash, feel the water movement, and then you exit back into the real world. People find specific places in their lives where time stands still, and the ocean is it for me.

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What’s your favourite photo?

My life and work was the subject of the documentary One Shot , which was broadcast nationally in Australia and internationally through film festivals and distributors. I woke up one morning in Margaret River, looked over the photos I’d spent a large part of my life capturing, and was filled with an overpowering sense of dissatisfaction.

The shots are good and have graced the covers of surfing magazines worldwide, but deep down I knew I didn’t walk away from a secure career as a firefighter to just take ‘good’ shots. I wanted to go to bed at night knowing I’d taken that ‘one’ shot, the one I’ll remember not because of the surfer’s name or reputation, but for the position I had to be in to capture it. Just down the coast is a thick, evil, brute of a wave I know will deliver the opportunity to capture just that. The One. That photo will be my number one image just because I will know all the effort and backstory that has gone into it. I will be able to look at that image and instantly appreciate the effort that went into achieving it, not the actual moment in time.

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Do you have to be near the ocean?

I was in New Zealand for eighteen months travelling with my family. We had plans to crew a boat and go through the Pacific. However, those plans fell through.

We are all back now in Margaret River, Western Australia.

I certainly do need to be close to the ocean. If I go too long without the salt water, I can get a little stir crazy. Everyone needs that place where they can just get away, slow down, and slip into deep thought.

RO

R O I love to surf during the early morning hours at Margaret River’s main break. I enjoy the usual characters in the line-up, it’s a great way to start the day, and it’s just five minutes down the road. I will then head home and get my teeth into some work duties, and if the surf conditions are particularly good, I will make time for another one during the day. Most surf sessions are anywhere from one and a half to three hours long. (end)

THE SURF SCENE

What does a random day surfing look like for you?

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ONCE IN A LIFETIME

Waving palm trees, white beaches, clear-blue seawater, and a lush jungle. It sounds like the typical Polynesian paradise, and Samoa is one, indeed. But the magical archipelago in the Pacific is much more. This island group has its own, specific identity as well as a friendly, proud population that honours its traditions. Nature and culture go hand in hand. Samoa consists of volcanic islands bristling with tropical rain forests, waterfalls, pristine beaches, mountains, lava fields, and authentic small villages, surrounded with crystal-clear water in which the bright colours of the coral reef and its gilled inhabitants are easy to spot. “Samoa is also home to 200 types of coral, and much is done to protect the existing coral reefs, as well as

grow new ones. This means the fish have more food and nutrients to survive on, which gives divers more colourful Piscean delights to feast their eyes on”, says Samoa's tourist office. “Both Upolu and Savai'i, the two main islands, have fabulous dive spots, sporting around 900 fish species, including spinner dolphins, stingrays and whales. The protecting reefs that surround Samoa create beautiful lagoons with easy access for diving, both inside and outside the reefs.

They are perfect for all certification levels as well as dive training, and sites vary from beautiful hard coral gardens to dramatic canyons revealing swim-throughs.” Not only divers and snorkellers, but also surfers, anglers, bikers, and hikers will find plenty to do in this tropical archipelago.

ONCE IN A LIFETIME

SAMOA

DOMINICA For starters, let's clear up the most common misunderstanding: Dominica is not the Dominican Republic. Rather, it is a tiny island in the Caribbean Sea located between Guadeloupe and Martinique that is a member of the Commonwealth. Dominica's greatest disadvantage is also the adventurous tourist's greatest advantage: it has no international airport. This means that getting there may be a bit cumbersome, but once you've arrived, you've got this piece of paradise all to yourself.

Columbus discovered Dominica on a Sunday, hence the island's name. And it has been Sunday there ever since. No worries, no stress. Everybody on the Caribbean's nature island is happy. It is said that if Columbus were to return to the Caribbean today, Dominica would be the only island he would still recognise. Other islands are full of resorts, golf courses, and the expensive villas of international celebrities.

Not so Dominica. It hardly has any beaches, and there aren't all that many tourists, either. It's a mountainous, rugged island, where the sea transitions straight into the mountains. In fact, it's a relatively young volcanic island that is really still growing. The few beaches it does have, however, are often spectacular. The city of Portsmouth, in the northwest, has a pearl-white sandy beach nearby that is easily accessible. There are also deserted beaches that are nicer but take some effort to reach. Further to the north lies Batibou Beach, a magnificent stretch of beach awaiting visitors at the end of a fifteen-minute walk down an unpaved road.

Wavine Cyrique, on the eastern side of the island, is even more spectacular. Getting there also requires a descent, but not just on foot: at times you have to actually slide down a rope, abseil. As a reward for your efforts, however, you get to relax on a black volcanic beach where the rough Atlantic Ocean provides a dramatic setting and the icing on the cake comes in the form of a waterfall crashing down onto the beach from the rocks above. Your own private, little paradise.

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WISH I WAS HERE THE WORLD’S MOST EXTRAORDINARY PLACES ON AND BEYOND THE SEASHORE

What island would you like to be stranded on as a Robinson Crusoe? Wish I Was Here helps you to daydream. A selection of the best photographers, who know the finest surfing and diving hot spots, the best places to stay the night or watch the sun go down over the sea while you dine, the most stunning drone pictures of the oceans, the most enchanting cities by the water, and those unexplored places you absolutely have to go visit now . More than 200 pages of fantastic beaches, spectacular underwater images, and interviews with photographers who tell you why you should stop postponing that great trip and embark immediately.

Manna from heaven for every adventurous world traveller who loves the sea.

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