FRIDAY TUNES WITH CLARE SULLIVAN

Good Gosh it’s Friday again and we are feeling frruuuuity. Now, Atmosea’s got a few things to celebrate at the moment ~ one being, the refusal of the development application to a heinous 387 lot suburb to be built at West Byron. This denial is bound up in people power through the local’s absolute fight in preventing this development from going forth. It’s not over yet, so we carers and believers must keep fighting. Another celebratory reason is that our queen highness majesty, Maria, is going to birth a wee human oh so very soon, it’s gonna’ be beautiful! But ~ until then, we have our favourite surf superstar cowgirl, Clare Sullivan on the decks today folks, and boy does she have some bangers.

Clare sadeso Sullivan is one helluva gal, with a heart so big and a face so shiny you might just do nothing but ooze gratitude to ever be in her company. Clare is a very naughty grommet sometimes, though the wisest and smartest woman in the land, she cooks delightful food, has an inspiring care and knowledge for the environment, and laughs like an overactive drunk owl. Her strength in life is mesmerising, as she faces each challenge with a greater sense of who she is each time. Now here’s an ode to the loveliest witch of the west, with a surf style so spellbinding, and an energy to woo, let us dial into Clareo’s song choices for a delicious heartfelt Friday and read a little more about why she sometimes feels like a decrepit old sock. *insert applauding here*

Describe the pivotal moment you realised that some things just aren’t necessary in support of your development as a person?

Everything happens for a reason, it's cliché, but it's true and I believe it, even the hard stuff. Some of it makes you squirm in discomfort but on the other side there usually lays something super amazing that you appreciate more or have gained a different perspective on. So, I guess my pivotal moment was facing some things I didn’t like and didn’t think were meant for me and then realising that it is all actually necessary and just adds layers to our growth as a person

What is your morning routine like?

The birds wake me early and then I think of coffee. I do some stuff first like going to the gym and checking the surf, then get ready for the first sip of the day that never seems to disappoint. Work days are a mix of banana smoothies and a prayer that the waves aren’t pumping. The sacred day, Sunday, is my favourite ritual, it usually means a soft yet crisp baked good dipped in the magic bean juice and a morning of fun with friends.

What comes to mind when daydreaming about how to make the world a better place?

More smiles, less pressure, more reusing, less using, more saying yes to the right things and no to the wrong things, removing judgment, embracing positive change.

Describe your healthy staple meal to us?

A delicious bowl of greens with scrambled eggs, sprouts, tahini, nutritional yeast, kraut and coconut amino, maybe some turmeric/coconut brown rice if time permits... it's the bees knees.

What issues or topics do you want to read more about from the Atmosea team?

Atmosea is such a multifaceted brand, it highlights so many social issues that are relevant to our generation and is a lot more than just a surf label. It inspires women to be women, just as they are. I always love reading about brands/groups/organisations with their finger on the dial of environmental issues, this is always my default desire. the ocean is our greatest asset and the more chat that can be created surrounding it's protection, the better. Without being too heavy, everything we do in the ocean has consequence, from what sun cream we wear to the wax that we use, our insane reliance on plastic; on the mass level, all of these things are affecting the ocean, every conversation helps as change starts with the individual. There are a lot of positive actions taking place too and a platform to celebrate these is beneficial. I am grateful to Atmosea for all that they do to already spark interest in this topic and the actions they are taking to decrease their own environmental impact.

Tell us your favourite surf memory? Or surf fantasy?

Java a few years ago with my best friends, the waves pumped every day for two weeks, we were so happy and wondered what paradise we had landed ourselves in. We ate the naughtiest gado gado’s every day and dolloped naughty coco cream into our long blacks every morning. On days a little flatter than others, we’d jump on the scooters and go for a hoot around town, counting our lucky stars at the opportunity we got to make life that fun.

It’s also pretty hard to beat days at home when the water is turquoise, the crowds have dissipated (slightly) and you roll into a wave at the rocks that seems like it goes on forever. There's definitely one day that comes to mind, I think I surfed for 9 hours straight, it was perfect all-day long... I was bent and decrepit as an old sock by the time night rolled in.

another hard one to top was a time in New Zealand, my friend Mischa took me to her home break- a wave on the north east of the north island. We went wave for wave for hours with pretty much just the two of us, not a soul around, in a majestic location, times like that are magic.  

What are your strengths you are most proud of?

I guess strength and resilience in the face of adversity, things have been tough to navigate at times but here I am happy, alive and incredibly grateful.

What are your pet peeves, like people leaving food scraps in the sink hole after washing up, or maybe it’s seeing people wear odd socks?

if you drop your ciggie butt, you're dead to me.

How do you measure personal strength?

I read this beautiful quote by Maya Angelou, she said:

I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

I think we all have our stories to tell of where our journey has taken us, what triumphs and tribulations we've faced, but if you can leave a lasting impression of goodness and kindness, then it shines as a measure of your inner strength.

Are you more an introvert or extrovert, or bane the existence of these attributes and try to channel both, selectively?

I am a Gemini and I sit mildly in the middle of all things, I can’t decide, on anything, even this question, So, maybe I am both, depending on my company and my context.