1 00:00:00,400 --> 00:00:03,240 Speaker 1: Jersey and Amanda jam Nation. 2 00:00:03,560 --> 00:00:06,480 Speaker 2: My next guest is a former Paralympian competing in both 3 00:00:06,519 --> 00:00:11,280 Speaker 2: cycling and and surfing despite having only three percent vision. 4 00:00:11,360 --> 00:00:13,720 Speaker 2: Matt Formston has never backed down from a challenge, but 5 00:00:13,760 --> 00:00:16,639 Speaker 2: this latest one terrifies the hell out of me. Tackling 6 00:00:16,680 --> 00:00:21,759 Speaker 2: fifty foot monster waves of Nazaree in Portugal. This would 7 00:00:21,800 --> 00:00:24,040 Speaker 2: be the most dangerous thing I can possibly imagine. And 8 00:00:24,079 --> 00:00:26,080 Speaker 2: all of this has been captured in a new documentary 9 00:00:26,120 --> 00:00:27,200 Speaker 2: called The Blind Sea. 10 00:00:27,800 --> 00:00:30,560 Speaker 1: Matt, Hello, Hello, good morning. 11 00:00:30,800 --> 00:00:32,120 Speaker 3: Wow Are you crazy? 12 00:00:32,200 --> 00:00:33,800 Speaker 2: Are you crazy? At question number one? 13 00:00:35,320 --> 00:00:38,240 Speaker 1: No question, that's my perspective for you. 14 00:00:39,080 --> 00:00:42,800 Speaker 2: Yes, question number two? Three percent vision? What does that mean? 15 00:00:42,880 --> 00:00:45,160 Speaker 2: What can you see? And what can't you see? 16 00:00:45,159 --> 00:00:48,400 Speaker 1: I guess so I've got no central vision, so it's 17 00:00:48,479 --> 00:00:51,279 Speaker 1: just I suppose just empty business, nothing there. And then 18 00:00:51,320 --> 00:00:53,360 Speaker 1: I've got on the peripheral for the outside. So if 19 00:00:53,360 --> 00:00:55,560 Speaker 1: you're driving in your car this morning and there's a 20 00:00:55,720 --> 00:00:57,440 Speaker 1: you can see nothing in the middle and just on 21 00:00:57,440 --> 00:00:59,880 Speaker 1: the edges. If someone took sandpaper and blurred like ninety 22 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:02,960 Speaker 1: ninety seven percent of the clarity out, that's all I 23 00:01:02,960 --> 00:01:04,319 Speaker 1: can see this On the there's a little bit of 24 00:01:04,360 --> 00:01:05,640 Speaker 1: shapes and lines, and a bit of color. 25 00:01:05,920 --> 00:01:09,319 Speaker 2: Wow, And so tackling the ocean. Forget we'll get to 26 00:01:09,640 --> 00:01:12,559 Speaker 2: Nazaree in a moment, the world's biggest waves. But even 27 00:01:12,640 --> 00:01:15,840 Speaker 2: just being in the ocean, it's all feel for you. 28 00:01:17,440 --> 00:01:19,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, it is, Yeah, I subject you know. I grew 29 00:01:19,280 --> 00:01:21,800 Speaker 1: up in Narrabeen, the non beast of the Sydney Everyone's 30 00:01:21,800 --> 00:01:24,160 Speaker 1: surf so he just wanted to feel and hear the 31 00:01:24,160 --> 00:01:26,640 Speaker 1: sounds of the ocean. So obviously the whitewash makes noise, 32 00:01:26,640 --> 00:01:28,679 Speaker 1: and the waves make noise on the hit rocks, and 33 00:01:28,800 --> 00:01:30,680 Speaker 1: then the waves as they're traveling through the ocean may 34 00:01:31,319 --> 00:01:33,200 Speaker 1: and there's a order feel involved because you know that 35 00:01:33,240 --> 00:01:35,840 Speaker 1: the water is just energy, the waves of energy moving 36 00:01:35,880 --> 00:01:37,800 Speaker 1: through the water. It's not the same water that breaks 37 00:01:37,840 --> 00:01:39,200 Speaker 1: out the back to hits the shore. So you can 38 00:01:39,240 --> 00:01:41,320 Speaker 1: just learn to feel the way the energy is going 39 00:01:41,360 --> 00:01:42,960 Speaker 1: and use that to navigate the ocean. 40 00:01:43,120 --> 00:01:44,680 Speaker 3: How did you lose your sight. 41 00:01:46,240 --> 00:01:50,080 Speaker 1: To just a congenital a genetic disorder called macular dystrophe. 42 00:01:51,040 --> 00:01:53,600 Speaker 2: So how old were you when when you like the 43 00:01:53,640 --> 00:01:55,480 Speaker 2: way your vision is now? How long has it been 44 00:01:55,560 --> 00:01:55,760 Speaker 2: like that? 45 00:01:56,920 --> 00:01:59,720 Speaker 1: Well, I've had about five percent vision until at the 46 00:01:59,800 --> 00:02:01,760 Speaker 1: last couple of years, but I lost ninety five percent 47 00:02:01,800 --> 00:02:03,800 Speaker 1: of it when I was five, So I basically at 48 00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:06,640 Speaker 1: the age five, I went from poor vision to apologize 49 00:02:06,640 --> 00:02:08,040 Speaker 1: to back then annoys them at the airport about to 50 00:02:08,040 --> 00:02:11,520 Speaker 1: fly out. But yeah, so it was about five and 51 00:02:11,520 --> 00:02:13,320 Speaker 1: I lost my vision and then so I have never 52 00:02:13,360 --> 00:02:16,320 Speaker 1: known the poor sight. I've got one memory of seeing stars, 53 00:02:16,400 --> 00:02:20,760 Speaker 1: and it was Christmas Eve and we obviously the dads 54 00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:22,440 Speaker 1: went outside and said, I was a center in the 55 00:02:22,440 --> 00:02:24,720 Speaker 1: sky and we looked up and just at the same 56 00:02:24,720 --> 00:02:26,440 Speaker 1: time there was a shooting star. It might have been center, 57 00:02:26,520 --> 00:02:29,000 Speaker 1: but I just remember that clear vision of all the 58 00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:31,120 Speaker 1: dots and things like real cularity. And then from there 59 00:02:31,160 --> 00:02:33,959 Speaker 1: on it's just saw like like a muddy soup. And yeah, 60 00:02:34,040 --> 00:02:35,200 Speaker 1: not no clarity of anything. 61 00:02:35,400 --> 00:02:37,600 Speaker 3: I surf a little bit and I was catching a 62 00:02:37,600 --> 00:02:39,680 Speaker 3: wave and I closed my eyes just to think about 63 00:02:39,720 --> 00:02:43,200 Speaker 3: what you would go through, and I just it's you know, 64 00:02:43,560 --> 00:02:45,520 Speaker 3: and I reckon. I closed it for a nanosecond. 65 00:02:45,720 --> 00:02:46,560 Speaker 2: It was scary. 66 00:02:46,800 --> 00:02:48,880 Speaker 3: It was it was just so and it wasn't even 67 00:02:48,919 --> 00:02:49,600 Speaker 3: on a big wave. 68 00:02:51,320 --> 00:02:54,239 Speaker 1: But in the in the film the bi see the documentary, 69 00:02:54,320 --> 00:02:57,240 Speaker 1: there's a fit number of surfaces Alain and Beasley, John Parkinson. 70 00:02:58,400 --> 00:03:01,160 Speaker 1: You know who will become friends of mine. They all 71 00:03:01,240 --> 00:03:04,440 Speaker 1: twice surfing. I've got goggles to simulate my vision, and 72 00:03:04,480 --> 00:03:06,720 Speaker 1: I can guarantee you they are the worst blind surfers 73 00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:12,239 Speaker 1: in the world. The most sides. People get fixated on 74 00:03:12,320 --> 00:03:13,399 Speaker 1: site and they get stuff for that. 75 00:03:13,480 --> 00:03:15,480 Speaker 3: Would you look at Nazaree that that used to be 76 00:03:16,240 --> 00:03:19,160 Speaker 3: called unservable and now everyone seems to be having a 77 00:03:19,160 --> 00:03:21,680 Speaker 3: crack at it, But yeah, you would be the first 78 00:03:21,680 --> 00:03:23,680 Speaker 3: blind surfer to have a crack at it, surely. 79 00:03:25,120 --> 00:03:29,880 Speaker 1: Yeah. Look there's another at the Brazilian guy who had 80 00:03:29,880 --> 00:03:31,680 Speaker 1: a crack, but not at the size, like, not the 81 00:03:31,720 --> 00:03:35,120 Speaker 1: size we were doing, and like in the xcel range. 82 00:03:35,320 --> 00:03:37,280 Speaker 1: I'm definitely the only, I think, the only para surfer 83 00:03:37,320 --> 00:03:39,680 Speaker 1: that's to crack at that size with any disability. 84 00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:42,200 Speaker 2: And do you can you sense how big that wave 85 00:03:42,360 --> 00:03:44,440 Speaker 2: is when you're in the bottom of it? Can you tell? 86 00:03:45,520 --> 00:03:47,080 Speaker 1: Yeah, once it's to the bottom, But when I'm at 87 00:03:47,120 --> 00:03:49,400 Speaker 1: the top of the yea on that big you know, 88 00:03:49,440 --> 00:03:52,080 Speaker 1: fifty foot range, you'reetting you can't paddle in your code 89 00:03:52,080 --> 00:03:56,000 Speaker 1: in I am yes, I can't see the bottom of 90 00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:57,080 Speaker 1: the way when I let go of the rape. So 91 00:03:57,120 --> 00:03:59,240 Speaker 1: the guys, blow a whistle. This is all stuff we're 92 00:03:59,240 --> 00:04:01,400 Speaker 1: documented in the film, so they blother wish. I'm got 93 00:04:01,440 --> 00:04:02,720 Speaker 1: to trust that that's the right time to go. Just 94 00:04:02,720 --> 00:04:04,520 Speaker 1: pull the rope and let go. And then I find 95 00:04:04,520 --> 00:04:05,960 Speaker 1: out how big, how big the wave is when I 96 00:04:05,960 --> 00:04:07,160 Speaker 1: get to the bottom of it. And at that point 97 00:04:07,200 --> 00:04:08,320 Speaker 1: it's a bit late to say I don't want to 98 00:04:08,360 --> 00:04:08,520 Speaker 1: do this. 99 00:04:08,840 --> 00:04:11,320 Speaker 2: Oh wow. And you said also you can sense by 100 00:04:11,440 --> 00:04:14,400 Speaker 2: sound or you near the rocks, I mean that you 101 00:04:14,440 --> 00:04:16,680 Speaker 2: can only sense it when you're really close to danger. 102 00:04:16,680 --> 00:04:20,240 Speaker 1: I'm imagining, well, by the time you like, when you're 103 00:04:20,360 --> 00:04:23,480 Speaker 1: close to danger, it's too late. Like in the environment 104 00:04:23,520 --> 00:04:25,160 Speaker 1: where I'm surfing, I know where the rocks are. Like 105 00:04:25,160 --> 00:04:27,200 Speaker 1: if I'm surfing a point break, it's similarly breaking in 106 00:04:27,200 --> 00:04:28,760 Speaker 1: a certain direction away from the rock, so I know 107 00:04:28,800 --> 00:04:31,880 Speaker 1: I just have to paddle away. But what I use 108 00:04:31,960 --> 00:04:35,080 Speaker 1: the sound to any surfers, I use the sound like 109 00:04:35,120 --> 00:04:36,920 Speaker 1: when you surfing point break, Normally the waves will hit 110 00:04:36,960 --> 00:04:39,120 Speaker 1: the point before they hit where you're taking off, So 111 00:04:39,160 --> 00:04:41,119 Speaker 1: I can use the sound of that wave smashing against 112 00:04:41,120 --> 00:04:44,040 Speaker 1: the headland to know when to take off, because it's 113 00:04:44,080 --> 00:04:46,480 Speaker 1: sort of timing and the sound of all right. 114 00:04:46,360 --> 00:04:49,000 Speaker 3: And you like, Is it like Daredevil in a way? 115 00:04:49,000 --> 00:04:51,599 Speaker 3: All your other sensors are incredibly heightened, so you can 116 00:04:51,760 --> 00:04:54,720 Speaker 3: you can sort of almost visualize it through your your hearing. 117 00:04:57,800 --> 00:04:59,279 Speaker 1: Yeah, everyone says that, but that's not what it is. 118 00:04:59,279 --> 00:05:01,080 Speaker 1: I just use that better. Everyone's got the same sensors. 119 00:05:01,279 --> 00:05:03,120 Speaker 1: This is what I believe. We all have the same sensors, 120 00:05:03,120 --> 00:05:05,240 Speaker 1: we all just use them in different ways. So I've 121 00:05:05,279 --> 00:05:08,560 Speaker 1: learned to use my sensors to a higher level. I 122 00:05:09,080 --> 00:05:12,240 Speaker 1: suppose what Da Devil does too. But yeah, yeah, yeah, 123 00:05:12,320 --> 00:05:15,680 Speaker 1: but yeah, I use sound, feel or do lots of 124 00:05:15,720 --> 00:05:17,880 Speaker 1: things like cooking a barbecue because you can kill the 125 00:05:17,920 --> 00:05:21,440 Speaker 1: residents in the meat of the steak or sausages, and 126 00:05:21,520 --> 00:05:23,039 Speaker 1: just there's lots of other things in the world to 127 00:05:23,040 --> 00:05:26,520 Speaker 1: give you information rather than just the seeing of the world. Yeah. 128 00:05:26,720 --> 00:05:29,239 Speaker 3: And he dresses up in alycrous suit as well. 129 00:05:29,520 --> 00:05:34,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, and I don't suppose you doing it. Oh well, you. 130 00:05:34,040 --> 00:05:36,080 Speaker 1: Know, I was a world champion cyclist and I wear 131 00:05:36,080 --> 00:05:38,599 Speaker 1: a wet sob things in that round. 132 00:05:38,680 --> 00:05:40,680 Speaker 3: Yeah, so what we're taking from this mat you do 133 00:05:40,760 --> 00:05:42,880 Speaker 3: dress up in alycrasuit. I think that's great. You are 134 00:05:42,920 --> 00:05:46,040 Speaker 3: a superhero in my eyes. Made it's a great story. 135 00:05:46,080 --> 00:05:49,600 Speaker 3: Watch The Blind Seed. It's an inspirational, breathtaking documentary about 136 00:05:49,640 --> 00:05:53,240 Speaker 3: Australian World champion blind server matforms. It's in cinemas now. 137 00:05:53,279 --> 00:05:56,200 Speaker 1: Thank you for joining us, Thanks so much for having me. 138 00:05:56,240 --> 00:05:57,840 Speaker 3: Guys look after fly safely.