Inside a wave of stories, science, and ocean literacy

On January 22, we experienced a magical afternoon at the Centro Botín with “Inside a Wave. A meeting between surf, photography and ocean culture”, an event in which the audience filled the auditorium to immerse themselves in the essence of the sea and of the waves that give identity to a region like Cantabria and to many coastal communities around the planet. From Surf & Nature Alliance we would like to express our gratitude for the extraordinary response and the energy generated during this gathering, which strengthens our mission to bring the ocean closer to society through art, science and surfing.

During the event, surfers, photographers and people involved in research and conservation shared stories, images and reflections that highlighted the value of surf breaks as natural, cultural and emotional heritage. Through screenings and close conversations, the audience was able to see the waves as more than just a sporting resource: as living spaces that connect communities, inspire creativity and call on us to reflect on our responsibility towards the marine environment.

The dialogue between photography and ocean culture allowed us to travel from the surface to the depths, revealing the beauty of the blue heritage – and especially of the Cantabrian coastline – while also addressing the threats faced by our coasts and surf breaks. The stories shared by Juanjo González-Trueba, photographer Antonio Bretones and big-wave surfer Asier Puntiveiro helped us better understand how the ocean shapes our way of life and how our daily decisions have an impact on the health of seas and beaches.

One of the highlights of the day was the premiere presentation of a new awareness campaign by Surf & Nature Alliance, through which copies of the Cuaderno de Cultura Oceánica and the Manifesto for the Protection of Waves will be distributed to major libraries across the country. With this initiative, we aim to bring ocean literacy and the idea of waves as natural heritage to new audiences, establishing these materials as educational and inspirational tools for readers of all ages.

This campaign will be possible thanks to the support of AlohaCamp and Single Fin Surf Travel through the 1% For The Planet programme, as well as the publishing house Libros del Océano, which promotes editorial projects connected to the sea and to authors committed to its conservation. Their collaboration makes it possible for the Cuaderno de Cultura Oceánica and the Manifesto to travel far beyond coastal communities, sparking conversation, knowledge and commitment inland and in very diverse contexts.

During the gathering, Juanjo González-Trueba handed over copies of both publications to the Centro Botín itself, a symbolic gesture that reinforces the alliance between culture, science and marine conservation in Santander. In this way, the centre joins a network of spaces that, through books and manifestos, help to spread a deeper and more respectful vision of our relationship with the ocean and the waves.

People who came to Santander for the event were also able to enjoy the exhibition “The Lost Waves”, in which the collective Cooking Sections uses an artistic approach to show how human action is wiping legendary surf breaks and cultural surf landscapes off the map. And to conclude the event, surfer and songwriter Jeremías San Martín presented his new song.

“Inside a Wave” thus becomes part of the series of cultural and educational initiatives that we promote to foster marine conservation, the protection of waves and the advancement of ocean culture, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals and the 2030 Agenda. For Surf & Nature Alliance, gatherings like this show that cooperation between cultural institutions, publishers, nature-based businesses, and the surfing community is key to moving towards more environmentally respectful models of coastal development