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Salt Water in the Blood Cover

Saltwater in the Blood

Powerful feminist nature writing by the pioneer of women’s big-wave surfing in Ireland. Easkey Britton provides a rare female perspective on surfing, exploring the mental skills it fosters, and the need to recognize the value of the ocean and of nature’s cycles in our lives. This is an incredibly inspiring exploration of the sea’s role in the wellness of people and the planet, beautifully written by Easkey.

Published by Watkins on 14th September 2021

Ireland
UK
USA

And from all good booksellers worldwide.

And now on audio...

Advance Praise for Saltwater in the Blood

“Timely, beautiful & important, this book is a labour of love and a gift to the ocean – anyone who cares for the blue space should read it & pass it on.” 

Tamsin Calidas
Photographer, Cold Water Swimmer & International Bestselling Author of I AM AN ISLAND

“Saltwater in the Blood is an antidote to disconnection and hypercompetitive sport narratives.  Pioneering waterwoman Easkey Britton offers her own story of belonging and accessible tools for deeper personal and planetary sensitivity to our own cycles and the sea.“

Lauren Hill
Surfer, author of The Rise of Female Surfing and co-host of the Water People podcast

“Easkey Britton’s story is uniquely, authentically, wholly, powerfully and untouchably her own. She tells us how to bring water – in all its forms – into our own lives as mother, muse, coach, confidant, healer, lover, sparring- partner and best friend. I hope everyone listens.“

Dr Wallace J Nichols
New York Times bestselling author of Blue Mind

“A fantastic read – beautifully written and brimming with wisdom, wildness and stories that enlighten and inspire. Easkey’s passion for life bounces off the page, inviting the reader into the realm of adventure and possibility. She reminds us that our true nature lies in our connection with the natural world that sustains us while encouraging us to immerse ourselves in the wonders of the sea. Saltwater in the Blood is a book for these times from a soulful surfer, scholar and artist who offers us a compelling and hopeful vision for how things can be.”

Ruairí McKiernan
Bestselling author of Hitching for Hope

“Saltwater in the Blood is one of the most profoundly moving books I’ve had the pleasure to sit down with… Rarely is a book so insightful, honest, poetic and powerful in equal measure. It will give those of us who already have a deep connection to the ocean the understanding to verbalize the profound effect we instinctively know water has on our lives, and it will inspire those who are just dipping their toes into the blue world to continue exploring and evolving their relationship with it… Easkey writes beautifully and her vulnerability brings strength to all the topics she brings out through her stories and journeys. Now please excuse me while I go and read it from cover to cover once more!“

Cal Major
Ocean advocate, BVM&S MRCVS MSc, and founder of Seaful charity

Press Coverage

Irish Examiner - Easkey Britton: There was always a sense that I had to overcome my female body
'At a time when so many of us turned to the water and the sea during the pandemic, surfer Easkey Britton’s new memoir Saltwater in the Blood focuses on the power of the ocean. [Read More...]'
Magicseaweed - Easkey Britton Interview: Saltwater in the Blood
'Dr Easkey Britton is not only a multiple championship-winning big wave surfer (and the first female big wave surfer in Ireland), she’s also a marine social scientist, a writer, an artist, an advocate for social change and a blue health expert. Her life-long fascination with our connections to nature and water began at just four-years-old, when she learned to surf at at home. Since then, her skills, passions and infinite wisdom have taken her all over the world, exploring the way that us humans view and interact with the sea. [Read More...]'
Irish Times: Surfing allows Easkey Britton satisfy a lifelong love for the ocean
'Chasing big waves made sense and much of her story is rooted in her upbringing. In the winter of 2014, Easkey Britton persuaded her father to join her in surfing the "barrens", the remote and forbidding stretches between the small fishing villages of Newfoundland. [Read More...]'