Ex Pro Surfer Jack Johnson's Time-out To Save Coastline

JACK JOHNSON TAKES A BREAK TO SAVE COASTLINE

Pro-surfer-turned-soft rocker JACK JOHNSON is planning to take the next two years off so he can concentrate his efforts on saving his native Hawaii's coastline.

The TAYLOR singer/songwriter has teamed up with surfer pal KELLY SLATER and Oahu, Hawaii officials to create a new corporation dedicated to buying back chunks of beachfront land from Japanese developers.

And he's determined to spend the next two years returning a 1,129 acre stretch of land, known as the Pupukea-Paumalu (corr) bluff to its natural glory.

The land overlooks one of Hawaii's main surfing paradises, Sunset Beach.

Boosted by federal funding, Johnson and his fellow environmentalists have raised $7 million (£3.9 million) of the $8 million (£4.4 million) needed to buy back the land, which is currently earmarked for development.

Johnson says, "These waves have pretty magical curves to them and development has been proven to affect the water quality.

"Our goal is to protect the waves, the natural wonders... It's a big place in my heart, I'm just trying to hold on to it."