Episode 051: Hanli Prinsloo - The Aquatic Significance

Full episode info and Show Notes: www.wearelookingsideways.com I finally bagged a guest I’d been after for months when I welcomed Hanli Prinsloo onto the show for episode 051. Hanli is an ocean advocate, conservationist, writer and speaker who is the founder and executive director of I Am Water, an ocean conservation trust. She is also a freediver who enjoyed a decade long career at the top of the sport. That’s the thumbnail sketch anyway, although it doesn’t really do justice to the sheer depth of Hanli’s vision. For Hanli, human wellbeing is intrinsically linked to an intense and close communion with nature, and she has dedicated her career to fulfilling this vision through the work of her trust, her talks and her writing. We met up in Cornwall in July 2018 at the Ocean Plastic Solutions Day organised by Finisterre and Surfers Against Sewage, and the next day sat down with a coffee to run the rule over her life and career. Some familiar themes in this one, which regular listeners will be well used to: imposter syndrome and the corrosive power of self-imposed pressure, but there are also true moments on wonder in this as Hanli describes some of the transformative experiences she’s had in the ocean with some of our planet’s biggest creatures. Hanli is definitely one of the most skilful communicators I’ve had the privilege of speaking to for the show, and the upshot is an episode brimming with positivity, inspiration and generosity. Huge, huge thanks to Hanli and Peter for being such great sports, and to Hanli in particular for taking the time to speak to me for the podcast. Thanks as usual to Matt Ward (www.linguistine.com) for the theme tune.