DORTE & SOLVEIG
Dorte and Solveig, or @supsisters_cph, two SUP beginners, tell us about their growing connection to the ocean, and their positive attitude towards ageing and maintaining a healthy lifestyle - mentally and physically!
Our October Ocean Heroes grew up in a suburban municipality of Copenhagen without any particularly strong connection to nature and the sea except beach holidays, picnics and scout activities. The two of them experienced that over the years they got more and more attached to the sea, developed a sense of respect, love and care for nature. Dorte and Solveig hike in Denmark and abroad, cycle and enjoy long walks.
“It has been a bit of a revelation to start stand-up paddling, and, even though none of us is a particularly strong swimmer and we have not grown up with water sports, we can now be close to the sea and lakes.”
Dorte and Solveig tell us that the sea gives them a sense of freedom, while it helps them be present and focused. “If you’re not, you fall!” Being on a SUP board, according to our Ocean Heroes, has a de-stressing effect that is healing. Without a possibility to think of much else while on a SUP board, they describe this sport as a pure water-therapy, where they can float around in a rocking meditative state, which gives them a lot of energy.
“The sea also invites people to play. The senses, brain and body are moved. An element we value very much because it promotes our creativity and the experience of being in flow.”
GROWING OLD AROUND THE SEA
Our Ocean Heroes want to inspire people their own age to come out and play, and inspire young people to think positively about getting older - maybe even look forward to that part of life. Dorte and Solveig’s experience is that in the past ten to twenty years there has been a paradigm shift around ageing.
“Being older today includes the opportunity to live a very active and playful life. We want to be a part of that - be inspired and inspire others. We really do not want to "be young with the young'', but be the people that we are with people of all ages.
“SMALL STREAMS MAKE A BIG RIVER”
Dorte and Solveig believe in the saying that "many small streams make a big river" (mange bække små, gør en stor å). They eat organic food, use their bikes as often as possible, save on electricity and water and sort their waste. They avoid the use of plastic bags and bottles as much as possible and rarely buy exotic fruits and avocados. They have limited their meat consumption, and very often they eat completely vegetarian. And, of course, they do their bit with beach cleanups!
“Our biggest hope is that we can help restore the environment and biodiversity locally and globally. A hope that the planet and we humans can achieve a healthy balance again. That is why sustainability is important to us, and the sea in particular connects us all and therefore means everything to us.”
INSPIRING MOMENTS, INSPIRING PEOPLE
Our Ocean Heroes have many happy ocean and nature experiences, which have become meaningful memories. Dorte remembers when she snorkeled on the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and when she climbed the volcano Villarrica in Chile. Solveig, on the other hand, finds it hard to pick one single memory Sitting by a tree and being quiet in nature and meditating are moments where she finds peace. “When I lived in southern Spain and lived close to an old olive grove. To sit here between the very old olive trees and watch the horses and goats walking around and listening to the cicadas in the afternoon heat. That feeling I will never forget”, Solveig tells us.
They are inspired by organisations like Plastic Change, Greenpeace, Nordic Ocean Watch and Dansk Naturfredningsforening.
#TAVAHA
“We want to thank the sea because it gives so much to all of us. It provides lots of nourishment and life and connects us all with each other. [Tavaha] is a good slogan. We as humans should and must take care of [the ocean]. It is a slogan we can vouch for.”
If they could give us a few #tavahatips, those would be:
Start with yourself. Clean up the chemicals shelf at home and make sure to use a sunscreen that does not contain substances that are harmful to the delicate coral reefs;
Do not throw rubbish in nature and pick up rubbish when you are on the beach;
Eat organic so that you support organic farming and thus, no pesticides are discharged into groundwater and to lakes and seas;
Eat sustainable fish that are MSC and / or ASC labeled. It helps to preserve the ecosystem and prevents overfishing
Follow Dorte and Solveig’s journey through their Instagram account @supsisters_cph