Alison Teal Surfing The Catacombs
I was invited to France to speak at the Environmental World Forum and while in Paris we filmed a yet to be released Alison’s Adventures episode - “Surfing Paris” where I paddle near iconic places in the city to make a environmental statement that if we do not protect our oceans we will end up surfing in fountains, dirty rivers, or in the depths of places like the Catacombs.
This clip is part of a larger film with an important message - human beings depend upon fresh water for survival AND the sea creatures depend upon a healthy ocean for survival - not to mention if the oceans die, we die.
When I was invited to paddle through the Catacombs, coming upon the bones while we were in the old mining chamber was very unexpected and shocking to me and I did my best to keep my composure, not freak out, and follow those who did not speak my same language out of the claustrophobic maze. True survival. I meant no disrespect, and the last thing I wanted to do was climb over them to get out.
It's wild to think that all these bones were dumped there and I hope this film brings awareness to this mind-blowing situation and that they are given a proper burial and resting place. The Catacombs is a mine, not a grave, however, a portion of it became the "largest grave on earth" when a series of cave-ins starting in 1774 by extracting the rock for buildings, and overflowing cemeteries, caused the city take the bones from their original resting place and pile them in the tunnels - and thus many refer to the entire maze as a grave.
I had no intention of surfing a grave.
It is also wild to see what the media has done with my story for Halloween - but that I can't control, and I promise to use the virility of the story to once again change the world!
This clip is part of a larger film with an important message - human beings depend upon fresh water for survival AND the sea creatures depend upon a healthy ocean for survival - not to mention if the oceans die, we die.
When I was invited to paddle through the Catacombs, coming upon the bones while we were in the old mining chamber was very unexpected and shocking to me and I did my best to keep my composure, not freak out, and follow those who did not speak my same language out of the claustrophobic maze. True survival. I meant no disrespect, and the last thing I wanted to do was climb over them to get out.
It's wild to think that all these bones were dumped there and I hope this film brings awareness to this mind-blowing situation and that they are given a proper burial and resting place. The Catacombs is a mine, not a grave, however, a portion of it became the "largest grave on earth" when a series of cave-ins starting in 1774 by extracting the rock for buildings, and overflowing cemeteries, caused the city take the bones from their original resting place and pile them in the tunnels - and thus many refer to the entire maze as a grave.
I had no intention of surfing a grave.
It is also wild to see what the media has done with my story for Halloween - but that I can't control, and I promise to use the virility of the story to once again change the world!
