Watch: Lost Track // Atlantic - Episode 1
The latest instalment of Ishka Folwell and Torren Martyn's 'Lost Track' series has dropped and it's a doozy.
'Lost Track Atlantic' sees Ishka and Torren travel from the northern reaches of Europe, south through the Moroccan desert to emerge in the verdant tropics of West Africa. So surf-rich and eventful was their trip they decided to split this one into episodes - "Trust me, there's no filler," Torren told Swellnet.
Rather than a rapid fire clip, the duo wanted to match the feeling of being on the road, and also do justice to the great places they visited. It's 45 minutes long, if you can't carve that out of your work day then save it for evening viewing. It's worth your while.
So here's Episode 1, with the fellas doing something no Australian surfer has been able to do for the last twelve months: wing it to a distant land, grab transport, and score on a foreign coast.
As always, the crew at Needessentials go all in on quality with an original soundtrack from Headland, including a song by Gurrumul.
Comments
The Aus section had me welling up. Some of the scenery shots are amazing. Fantastic movie.
"Wives? Women??" Haha
I reckon this is great. Despite the A-grade surfing, this is so much more relatable. Freezing cold, van issues, a few floggings and even the Irish rally, pure gold. That right-hander at the end could be the most fun looking wave I've seen in a long time.
10 points.
they make it look like an uncrowded wave huh. good effort to do so!
Ha yep, though I'm not sure it's the same one. At any rate, it looked bloody marvellous wherever it was.
Well bugger me these guys sure do know how to make a brilliant sur travel movie. Can't wait for Episode 2!!! Great work lads and so so envious of your travels. Just a question......was this all pre-COVID?
Interview with Torren to be posted very shortly. Covers all that.
This is the content I want to see. These guys seriously know how to make a quality surf movie. Everything about it works, capped off by a quality soundtrack that matches the vibe of the film perfectly. 10 outta 10.
thats it.
I fucking give up the fight.
getting a mid-length twin.
What’s your definition of a mid length?
Hey Free have you seen the Japanese Youtuber Yoichi (Spirit Kooks) blowing up your local? He's based on the Goldy but pretty much puts content out every day including over the border. Sounds like a nice guy but...
Get ready for an influx of Japanese frothers.
That guy might be nice but what a kook. He posted a 15 min vid 'This is what I say to locals" but its all Japanese so no idea what he was trying to say. Plus another where he got punched out at Burlz. Sounds like some of the core Japanese crew might need to have quiet chat with him....
His channel is aimed at Japan. He talks mostly about life in Australia and living on the Goldy.
Sadly, he seems quite polite in the water just seems there's a bit of prejudice when having an Asian face in an Australian lineup.
I don't think his English is pretty flash. Probably survival level.
If you see him, why don't you say G'day?
This bloke probably made as many twins as M.R.
Reckon he could do a ripper long twin
to ride that at that slab is nuts. we have surfed it quite a lot and I was like no way. normally you want short and sharp to get under that lip. and even then the average joe would eat shit 90% of the time and slap the reef cause you do if you fall. guaranteed. getting in behind the peak is scary. further behind him is another slab that destroyed ben player. and the left nearly killed ben skinner, albeit with more size. there is a gully/cave that you get swept into at the end section and damned if you can get out until it lets you. mind you that longer right is custom made for his style of board. that wind was gnarlier than they show, i bet. heavy board wanted! looking forward to getting back up there lol
That wind looked like bloody hard work, which, really, just shows how good the bastard is.
I thought the wave in the film might have actually been that Ben Player wave just with more tide on it. Has anyone else given it a go, perhaps sans body armour?
Hardly see any Japanese surfers these days. Used to be way more in the 80’s/90’s
You will.
Fuk it i give in to ...Maurice send me a reverse v twin pin will ya ..
Wow, these guys keep on delivering! That was so bloody enjoyable
wasn't it.
that second last session in Scotland.
assuming it was Thurso East , Scotlands premier wave.
6-8ft and pumping and no one out?
??????
Was it Thurso? It looked a bit slow and playful for it, I thought Thurso was a quicker wave at that size?
Yeah last wave to me didn't look like Thurso, usually way longer and drawn out down the line as well eh. Also the background is wrong. Insane wave but and the shape on some of them is quite similar to one of my favourite waves in the world. Albeit less windy.
looks like thurso to me. the shape alters with swell direction. dead north shortens the wave and slows it up. but deffo looks like thurso east. there's only one other place around there it could be and it doesn't look like that and unlikely he would know about it. but, i've been wrong before :-)
Let me clarify not the last last wave but the big windy one where he surfed solo. That can't be Thurso, background looks too different? But In any case it's good to keep people guessing.
Last wave was thurso east freeride. Not many out - pumping but looked windy af, there are better days and places nearby would be clean. It does get a crowd but nothing compared to premier waves in other countries. Crew will make the trip north but the density of surfers isn't there.
Also where in some places world class waves define the area and 'surf culture' is inescapable, groms with a taste for adventure in that part of the world are as likely to head for the mountains and take that into adulthood. Mountain biking, climbing, bothies in the summer, snowboarding etc in the winter. Outdoor and mtb shops well outnumber surf shops.
cheers Upnorth.
not once watching that did I feel like paddling out and that was from the safety of sub-tropical NSW.
I take my hat off to those crew, way more hardcore than I'll ever be in my wildest dreams.
impressive vid and even though those last waves in scotland looked incredible or incredibly cold compared to the opening of the movie with Australia it failed to gee me up like that opening bit did.....how good is Australia....great vid and Torren must be the most tubed man in the world....
That’s at least the equal of any surf movie I’ve ever seen.
Perfect? Maybe.
Thanks Ishka and Torren for broadening my horizons.
If they needed any justification for making a longer series, not having to cut that rally car moment is it.
Fuggen gold.
Great watch, had me laughing as well at stages. Waking up taped off, haha, we can all relate to that thinking your in a quiet spot when pulling up in the dark.
These long-form videos with all the adventure, mishaps and the hit/miss nature of searching for pumping waves are the winners.
Speaking off quiet spot in the dark stories...
Mid 90's I'm living in the UK saving pounds for travel and head off to a proper English doof in the countryside with a carload of my loosest mates...after it ended we head off to find said quiet place to hang out and slowly come down from the excessive night. Long story short...I wake up to find our quiet out of the way spot is actually the main thoroughfare to a popular park filled with families on a Bank holiday. There's 5 of us passed out on rugs, one mate and the stray he pulled butt naked with a single towel draped across them, a central rug strewn with empty bottles, a block of hash and rolling paraphernalia, a plate with coke residue and rolled up note and a steady procession of mortified English families clutching their children close to them as they pass widely around us on their way to their summery picnic.
...and your aussie flag on the back window......
good one crg
Loved that, had a bit of everything. Would've been good to see the lads explore between thurso and north africa but the swell sounds a one off. Maybe something to do with the temp as well, sleeping in that tranny in winter night after night and getting into freezing wetties would lose its appeal pretty quick no matter how good the waves are. Late winter early spring would be an idea, catch the puffins then as well. And a word to the wise - be sparing with the word pikey when in Ireland, particularly when surrounded by vans in remote areas.
yeah. i cringed too at that! I mean, I don't think he knows that it is pejorative and racist. i'd say never ever use that word. I learned that 'traveller' is accurate.
they needed a better van. something with a good stove woulda made life better haha
Got a soft spot for a tranny van, got one now just with more rust. They did ok given the time they had to fit it out but must've been freezing. For the price they paid for it and to fix it up - £4k+ a one way campervan hire with all the bells and whistles to Morocco would've been doable. Not as good an adventure though.
Yeah pikey is racist and pretty offensive, like driving around Australia talking to camera about abo's. Surprising they didn't know as they seem reasonably cultured but dare say that vid won't go down to well in Ireland.
I loved the vid- the waves, music, spirit of adventure, the setbacks, that's what makes a good trip and something that sadly I won't be doing in the forseeable future.
Thanks for the heads-up, I didn't know Pikey was a perjorative term. I always thought it was 'Parkey' just said with an accent when I watched Snatch.
How good is that movie!
Yalikemedags?
Dogs? Oh yeah, I like dags.
When are you making the Nihon version, Zen? Surf version of the Car Danchi snow series
I'd never heard of this Clivus but cheers, gonna watch a couple of these, they look interesting.
As for my series, I wouldn't be holding my breath for that.
Doitashimaste. Good viewing
That was unreal!
Was just getting into that they were just getting to Ireland and the vid just disappeared off you tube ? Can't find it anywhere
Tech issue. It'll be back up shortly.
Tech issue? Editing out the word pikey?
Ha ha! Maybe you're right Sprout.
Ha you were right! It's back up now with the pikey comment gone:
Great film, looking forward to part 2.
Credit to them, you mightn't know unless you've lived there. Like Paki, it just sounds like another Aussie nickname.
I'm getting told its a private video and NEEDS to be shared.
C'mon I bought one your wetties last month
yeah, I just tried to watch it via their website
got this message:
This episode is currently offline due to a minor technical issue. It will will be available later today.
Epic!!
Epic!!
I'm pretty sure they were told to be careful of the "Pikeys" by the locals they met on the way and knew no better. That was all I heard them being called when I lived there many many years ago. The term Pikey was usually heard after the word Fucken....
Why is it racist or derogatory? What is the etymology of the word?
The term is strongly associated with itinerant life and constant travel: pikey is directly derived from pike which, circa 1520, meant to "go away from, to go on" and related to the words turnpike (toll-road) and pike-man (toll-collector). It later come to mean "a turnpike traveller; a vagabond; and so generally a low fellow". The connotation and linkage of gypsies, Irish travellers, and Roma - who pikey came to refer to - was to petty theft, crime and general low socioeconomic activities became well-entrenched over the years. More recently, pikey was applied to Irish Traveller. It came to be used to describe a lower-class person, regarded as coarse or disreputable. It is now a catch-all pejorative phrase to refer to these peoples and used to exclude them by connoting that they have association with crime, violence, low education levels, lack of intelligence, and more.
these people it is used to discriminate against say don't use it. That is enough for me.
Awesome Clif, many thanks for the reply.
As an aside, is there any correlation with the modern term used in Oz such as 'piker' or to 'pike out' on something? Both of which are not something you'd want to be labelled with.
Thanks for that Clif
A 10/10 for me.
Absolutely stunning scenery, no hyped up insta, high five bullshit just a real surf/adventure trip meeting genuine people, discovering amazing places and waves, not on the insta-map and going through the not-so-easy-times-but-still-memory-making experiences that are all a part of travelling (and the things you often remember most).
I love his commentary at the end of the film. 'If you don't get too rattled by the small things, and be kind and respectful to the people on the way then the whole experience will be so much more enriched'.
So looking forward to the next episode!
Couldn't agree more
Reckon it would be great if Torren and Laurie Towner teamed up for a trip. Would be unreal to see the different styles in the same waves with Torren's twins versus the more traditional thruster. Both are such great surfers!
I second that
.
They did one andy Mac - it’s another need essentials video to Iceland or Greenland (no joke) or something - I reckon if u scan the need website u would find it
Thanks!
Found it Nordurland.
andy - Nordurland
Thanks, will be watching tonight!
Gee these blokes can make a film.
Seem like quality fellas too.
Loved it, a step up from the NZ movie which probably focussed a bit much on the bikes and maybe because they didn't get as much quality waves / footage.
What a surfer Torren is, new admiration. I need 3 or 4 fins but happy to watch Torren (and Josh) show how it is done.
And watching after dozing through a stupid football match really makes you think about what it important in life.
Can't wait for ep2.
Amazing photography - the drone has transformed film making in such a short period of time that it's almost taken for granted these days. Agree with those above who are stunned by the beauty of the trip/surf but have bugger-all desire to do one (espec in sub-zero temps)!
That was as good as a surf film gets for me. Great surfing and incredible waves. Beautiful music throughout. Great camera work and editing. Makes me reappraise my quiver now after seeing how well those boards worked in pretty demanding waves and conditions. Got to give credit to Torren's skill and timing. Keep em coming!
Despite the cold, that warmed my soul.
Yeah... flat bottom twin in howling freezing breezes, pitching raw lips, how good is Torren and 1/2 the time it doesn't look like he's trying.
Great scenes and the frames are nicely cut / mixed.
Well done boys that held me all the way really was good.
Does Ishka surf on these trips too or is he just filming?
Loved the clip. Looking forward to the next instalment.