1 Online Proceedings of Sustaining Culture ;2008Ϳ Annual Conference of the Cultural Studies Association of Australia (CSAA) UniSA, Adelaide December 6-8, 2007 http://unisa.edu.au/com/csaa/onlineproceedings.htm Shacked: The ecology of surfing and the surfing of ecology Kim Satchell Southern Cross University A work of creativity glides and planes along a fluid roller; and writes on the wave, as its perilous roarings transform themselves into music, and the breaking of its wave will become volume uncoiled. (Serres 1995, p. 35) Stormy Weather Salt is their precious mineral. And seashells are held to the ear during births and funerals. The base of all inks and pigments is seawater. (Heaney 1998, p. 300) WalkiŶg aloŶg the ǁateƌs edge, afteƌ seǀeƌal stoƌŵy days with high seas, it is not unusual to find puffer-fish beached. These sea creatures are also called porcupine fish for obvious reasons, covered in spikes for protection, which compensates somewhat for the small fins and pedestrian swimming capabilities. They puff-up by swallowing water to ward off predators when they sense danger: a mistaken strategy for turbulent conditions. One such fish I photograph early one morning, appears to have died with a smile on its face, perhaps belying a last-ditch struggle for life, caught in the rising tide and beached forlornly upon its ebb, the converse of drowning. Could it have been an ecstatic embrace of death? Nevertheless, this wry grin strikes in sum as a life well-lived. The fully-grown fish in such health, from the vigour and the support, offered from a stimulating and dynamic environment. Offers comfort from more maudlin thoughts of death generated by