The ocean is an unstoppable force. It’s why so many of us feel drawn to its energy: unyielding, wild, and free. For Othandwayo, water was always there. But it’s through surfing that she learned water’s lessons beyond the waves. By embracing the ebb and flow of the ocean, she finds her power, her perseverance, and her people. And even when life gets difficult, she knows that moving with the currents will guide her through almost anything.

Othandwayo was introduced to surfing through the Sentinel Ocean Alliance, an NGO working in Hout Bay, offering ocean-based opportunities and education for at-risk youth in South Africa’s coastal communities. With a mission to provide transformative ocean-based education and experiences within safe, inclusive spaces, Sentinel Ocean Alliance connects young people with the ocean, nurturing wellbeing and cultivating conscious guardians of marine ecosystems. It’s this work that introduces young people like Othandwayo to the water, and to a sense of belonging in it.

“Before I went to Ocean School, the ocean was just an ordinary thing for me.” says Othandwayo. “Once I got into the ocean, that’s when I realised it held so much more. You can’t control the ocean, you have to learn to move with it. Each wave teaches me something. It teaches me to keep trying.”

Frank Solomon, Patagonia surf ambassador and founder of Sentinel Ocean Alliance started the organization so that the South Africa’s next generation can have the same access and opportunities that he had growing up. “An opportunity to fall in love with the ocean”, Frank says. “I never could have imagined that it would become what it is today and I’m so proud of the team and everyone who has helped us get to this point.”

Sentinel Ocean Alliance was founded in 2018 and now includes 25 coaches and staff and offers programs for hundreds of children each week.

Director & Cinematographer: Arthur Neumeier