Central California Coast
The central California coast, with its cliff-hugging roads, wide and mesmerizing views of the Pacific, and small seaside towns was our inspiration for Spring 2012. Our collection has the feeling of a cool, retro-chic day in Carmel, where Hollywood once spent its weekends, to the natural, vivid colors of the crashing shores of Big Sur – the ultimate road trip. Along our trip, we met some colorful and inspiring characters, from surfers and kayakers who live for the next wave, to students who spend each day passionately fighting for a healthy ocean environment. Towns blend into the landscape here, and the people are deeply connected to the incredible waters that surround them.
Stories
Dr. Wallace "J" Nichols
Dr. Wallace “J” Nichols lives amidst the redwood trees on the central coast of California with his wife, Dana, and their daughters Grayce and Julia. He wears many hats in the world of Ocean conservation, including Research Associate for the California Academy of Sciences, Conservation Science Advisor for ProPeninsula, researcher on a global bycatch study with Duke University and Blue Ocean Institute and has served as an advisor or board member of Save Our Shores, Turtle Island Restoration Network, Biosphere Foundation,Animal Alliance, Coastwalk, Drylands Institute, Oceana, and Reef Protection International. For two years “J” served as Senior Research Scientist at the Ocean Conservancy. His work saving turtles is known internationally, and he has even written a children’s book, Chelonia, Return of the Sea Turtle.
In 2011, Nautica helped to sponsor “J” Nichols’ first annual BLUEMiND Summit in San Francisco, where he brought together scientists, artists, conservationists, people from all walks of life, to start a conversation about why we love our Oceans in order to harness the results into positive action. His Blue Marbles Project is literally putting an awareness for our World waters in the palms of millions of hands. His SlowCoast project is creating a quiet stretch of California coast into a place where “we can look the farmer, fisher or rancher in the eye and talk about the food we share.” We have spent many days talking with “J” and getting to know his family and his very gentle, personal and human way of looking at Ocean conservation. And now Nautica has created an Ocean To Ocean story to highlight J’s ideas, his family, and his passion for the water. Starting this month, we are excited to begin featuring him as a Nautica guest blogger and correspondent. J signs every email “Live like you love the Ocean,” and after you see his story, you will feel inspired to take up his call to action.
The Oregon Coast
We are inspired this season by the people and places of the Oregon coast, from the rocky surf of Cannon Beach to Hood River, one of our country’s biggest windsurfing and kiteboarding waterways. A family of surfboard shapers, a sport photographer who captures images from a unique point of view, and a life coach who uses the ocean to help students discover their inner power. People who embody the Nautica spirit, who celebrate water in their everyday lives
Chesapeake Bay
The Annapolis, Chesapeake Bay area of the Maryland coast is our inspiration for the quintessential American summer. A sailing icon shares his incredible life story, an artist pays homage to the local working Waterman, and a family lives out their dreams on an 18-acre organic coastal farm.
Florida Coast
We are inspired by the people and lifestyles of the colorful Florida coast, from the surfers of Flagler Beach to the sailors and filmmakers of the Florida Keys. Men, women and children who are deeply and passionately connected to the water in their everyday lives.