Event information reads: 7-9th November 2024, Riverside Studios, London, Surf / Film / Art / Culture

COLD WATER SOULS

We’re stoked to be able to offer evening pass holder a complimentary copy of Chris Nelson’s  highly acclaimed ‘Cold Water Souls: In Search of Surfing’s Cold Water Pioneers’ courtesy of our friends at Footprint Books.

Cold Water Souls: In Search of Surfing’s Cold Water Pioneers by Chris Nelson

ColdWaterSoulscoverwebConnected to the project from his earliest experiences of surfing the frigid North Sea of the 1980′s, Cold Water Souls has taken author Chris Nelson on a personal journey from Nova Scotia, Vancouver Island, and Hokkaido to Iceland, Scotland and beyond in search of those pioneering souls who call the world’s most challenging line ups ‘home’. He has journeyed into the heart of surf culture to tell the story of each destination through its surf community, exploring how the landscape and harsh environments shape their lifestyles and surfing experiences. The resulting book is part anthropological study, part social commentary and part exploration and celebration of surfing’s final frontiers told thorough fresh perspectives and stunning photography contributed by the world’s leading lensmen.

Published by Footprint Books

Excerpt below:

WHAT THEY’VE  SAID ABOUT COLD WATER SOULS

“Having been fortunate enough to surf in Nova Scotia, Chile, New Zealand and Norway in the past few years, I’ve developed a deep love for riding icy uncrowded waves. Chris Nelson’s Cold Water Souls arrived in my mailbox a few weeks ago and I’ve been captivated by his untold stories of weathered pioneers amongst stunning photographs of vacant lineups. A unique mix of historical and contemporary non-fiction, I recommend this book to anybody looking for peelers on roads less traveled or just interested in taking a trip back in time to contemporary surf cultures unaffected by surfing’s current commodification.” Cyrus Sutton

“ Nelson’s book is superb – a testament to the spirit of the surfers who are out there year after year, building the world’s frigid beauty into the stuff that fires the soul.The book is a soulful tome that complements the author’s prose with plenty of gorgeous photography. Nelson’s writing is reminiscent of Barry Lopez or Alain de Botton, with a reverent attention to the natural world, showing surfing not as a cloistered pursuit but as a product of the places he studies and their longstanding relationships with the sea.” The Surfers Journal

“A rich and beautiful book…(Nelson) can rightfully claim to have unearthed a whole new subspecies in the surfing genus, the zero-degree specialists. Good reading and good looking – definitely one for the collection.” The Surfer’s Path

“If you want to be regaled with inspirational tales of those on the vanguard of surfing’s latest evolution, start reading.” SBC SURF

Pick of the Literature “Nelson has produced a beautiful read…grab a copy of Cold Water Souls. This book is too plain cool.”  ESM

“The best surfing book to ever come out of the UK, it easily stands shoulder to shoulder with the best pieces of surfing literature on a global level.” Wavelength

“Chris Nelson’s excellent book Cold Water Souls, (is) an exploration of the way the sport of surfing has spread from its warm-water genesis points to more frigid corners of the world. There’s a whole chapter devoted to the development of surfing in Scotland, and Nelson has done the Scottish surf community a huge service by filling in some of the blanks in what, up until now, has been a sparse narrative.” The Scotsman

“A genuine masterpiece of surf publishing that will whet your appetite for something different.” Drift

“A book of frozen treasures…champions the maverick spirits involved in cold water surfing and celebrates the unexpected beauty of these harsh environments.” Cooler Magazine