The Jack Johnson (a 1991 Mitsubishi L300, full LPG convert)
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| The Jack Johnson at PK |
The heart and soul of the Summer Tour, Jack has become our home, our base, our workshop, and our means of getting from brilliant break to brilliant break. His history is steeped in mystery, and all we know about him is that he takes his time getting places, and always shows up when he needs to. Despite minor mechanical and electrical issues, Jack has never let the Summer Tour down, and has made it into places that other vehicles dare not journey.
Kikila (Chris Perrin)
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| Kikila at Jack's Wheel |
A Soul Surfers (.org) ambassador (since mid-2013), Kikila (the name itself has a long-winded story) is a Canadian currently on a Pacific Tour. Having left Canada in November 2012, Kikila 'learned' to surf in Peru, and has been honing his abilities since the spring (so, for about a month now). A cultural historian by trade, Kikila has been an international volunteer and social justice activist for many years, participating in the Quebec part of the International Student's Movement, and protesting against big oil and other environmental issues in Canada. Due to head back to the frosty north (via Oahu) in mid-December, he's going to try and get back to the coast as soon as he can, and will continue to act as a Soul Surfers Foundation ambassador.
-Role in The Jack Johnson: Driver
T-Bone (Tom Ingledew-Gale)
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| T-Bone |
A former DJ and music producer from the UK, T-Bone (or just T) came to Aotearoa via Australia (where he spent a year). Having surfed his way through Europe and Oz, T-Bone joined the Summer Tour when the snowboarding season (his new riding passion) came to an end, and all the fields in the South Island closed down. While surfing is no longer his main focus (T is a fully converted snowboarder, but we won't hold that against him), T-Bone has been interested in social activism, particularly across digital media, for quite a while, and hopes to continue the Ride Aware Aotearoa project when Kikila leaves the country.
-Role in The Jack Johnson: Navigator
Sam (Sam Glandorff)
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| Sam the Man |
A Level 1 Surfing Instructor, Sam left the Netherlands in 2012 and surfed many awesome breaks in South Africa on his way to Aotearoa (having cut his teeth in Europe), and has been surfing ever since (with a small snowboarding break in the middle). While living with Kikila, T-Bone, and Deezie [see below] in Wanaka, Sam learned about the Soul Surfer Foundation's mission and aim and, given his background as a teacher, special care worker, and surfing instructor, fell in love with the educational aspect. Hopeful that some form of safari would materialize at winter's end, Sam jumped at the chance to visit nearly all of the South Island's breaks while also educating people on social justice, and activism, through youth empowerment and education.
-Role in The Jack Johnson: Break Watch & Beach Researcher
Deezie (Dee Kinsella)
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| Deezie and The Ron Burgundy |
An Irish teacher, also on a wonderful working-holiday VISA in Aotearoa, Deezie is the body-boarder of the bunch, and our moral compass. Having finished a contract in support work in the Wanaka region (yup, she lived there with the rest of us), Deezie joined us in Kaikoura for the remainder of the Tour. As an educator, Deezie was also impressed with the focus on youth empowerment the Soul Surfers Foundation promotes, and happily joined our little gaggle when she was able.
-Role in The Jack Johnson: None - Deezie is the pilot/navigator of The Ron Burgundy
The Ron Burgundy (1996 Toyota Corona)
Having arrived with Deezie, The Ron Burgundy remains untested as a safari machine. However, Ron has not only survived a Wanaka winter, performing admirably as a means to get up the mountain in search of endless gnar, blue-bird days, and faceshots, and served Sam well when he was surfing the hell out of the North Island before winter rolled in.
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