SB-issue59_digital

The Road to Patagonia
“Surfing in Alaska was unique because I was
alone, surrounded by huge mountain ranges
capped with glaciers and snow. The best waves
we had on the trip were probably the hissing
tubes of the Baja peninsula, the perfect point
breaks of El Salvador, and the endless lefts of
Chile.
“I was scared at Mavericks beforehand, and
pretty nervous at Todos Santos too. I was
even spooked out of the water a few times in
Alaska and Oregon by the wildlife, but generally
speaking, I enjoyed the different characteristics
of each break. It made surfing even more
interesting.”
The terrifyingly beautiful is something you get
used to seeing in The Road to Patagonia. As
soon as the film fades onto screen with a kombi
van crash on a scenic highway deep in the
Alaskan tundra, it’s clear that Matty’s ambitious
journey is going to be one stunning, chaotic
ordeal.
From torrential weather, dead ends, and a
stolen motorbike to the looming threat of
predators, the doco certainly keeps you on
the edge of your seat. But it also does what
it sets out to do – capture the greater sense
of freedom, spirituality, and happiness that
comes with living on the land, while still showing
how hard it is to remain off the beaten path,
especially in such a modern age.
#59 // smorgasboarder //
44
“I was scared at
Mavericks beforehand,
and pretty nervous
at Todos Santos too.
I was even spooked
out of the water
a few times in
Alaska and Oregon
by the wildlife,
but generally
speaking, I enjoyed
the different
characteristics of
each break.”