Sam Bleakley - surfEXPLORE©

surfEXPLORE is an international team led by John Callahan, Erwan Simon, Emiliano Cataldi and Sam Bleakley (with regular guest surfers such as Holly Beck, Randy Rarick, Tristan Jenkin, Phil Goodrich and Baybay Niu). We specialise in researching and producing groundbreaking exploration projects to create the highest level of surf travel photography, writing and film, and convey important environmental and social messages. The team speaks English, French, Italian and Spanish, and we maintain contributor relationships with more than fifty surf and travel publications worldwide in English, Español, Français, Italiano, Deutsch, Português, Japanese, Chinese, Russian and Bahasa Indonesian, ensuring worldwide awareness and multiple international publication of each surfEXPLORE expedition.

With the enduring appeal of surfing, the number of surfers worldwide has been growing each year. Yet none of the established surfing companies have been proactive in making more surfing destinations accessible to the growing number of surfers. The result is serious over crowding at major surfing spots, a revival of localism, and a deterioration of the surfing experience.

surfEXPLORE use new and traditional media to encourage others to travel to alternative and exciting areas, surf fresh waves and engage with local people in a positive and beneficial manner. Following extensive and intensive research of surf potential often in places of conflict or post-colonial recovery, such as Liberia and Haiti, we emphasise being in the right place at the right time to maximise local conditions. We document oceanographic, coastal and cultural issues, and participate in local community work where possible. The intention is to highlight the wealth of unsurfed waves in the world, to spotlight environmental concerns and fragile areas and cultures, and to communicate a philosophy of discovery, freedom of movement, tolerance of cultural, ethnic and religious differences, and embrace of change.