TYPE 2: Episode 002 - Belinda Baggs

Type 2 is a podcast from Looking Sideways in association with Patagonia that explores the intersection between the outdoors, action sports and activism. My guest for this episode of Type 2 is longboarder Belinda Baggs. Bindi is a surfer from Newcastle in Australia who is renowned as one of surfing’s foremost longboarding stylists. In the water, her milestones are numerous. She initially made her name on the Australian competitive circuit but is really renowned for the elegance of her approach to wave-riding, which has been showcased in films such as Sprout, Come Hell or High Water. She also has the distinction of being the first female surfer featured on the cover of Surfers Journal. Today she is an ambassador for Patagonia, and works extensively with the brand on a variety of different projects, Like a lot of surfers, Belinda’s relationship to the ocean is much more than the simple act of wave-riding - as she said in a recent interview, it encompasses care for the environment, respect for the power of nature, the ultimate playground, a place to be challenged and a place to relax. The ocean is my lifeblood and the true meaning of home. This viewpoint helps to explain her passionate, forthright involvement in the Fight for the Bight, the grassroots campaign that aims to stop Norwegian oil giants Equinor from drilling for oil in the Great Australian Bight. As a resident of Victoria, this is issue is particularly close to home for Belinda, who has been tirelessly using her platform to draw attention to the issue, and lead the conversation on what has rapidly become a symbolic frontline issue for surfers around the world I met up with Bindi in Ventura in April 2019, where we sat down to discuss her life in surfing, the Fight for the Bight and the ways in which activism has gradually evolved to become more of an important element of her life. It was a really thoughtful, reflective conversation with one of my favourite surfers. Hope you enjoy it. New episodes of Type 2 will be released every four weeks through my Looking Sideways channel. Hear it by subscribing to Looking Sideways via ApplePodcasts, Spotify, Podbean, OvercastFM or any of the usual other podcast providers. Thanks to Ewan Wallace for the theme tune, and to my editor Fina Charleson.