afternoon glass

Got a little arvo glass yesterday, really nice little waves. Started at “the gap” and ended up paddling all the way down to guvo’s, surfed a few banks along the way and got a few little gems. The right at govo’s was working pretty well as the tide dropped, a little shifty but that could be attributed to the lump in the swell. A nice little glass off session, with a little bit of fitness coming back and ending with the numb fingers that tell you it’s time to get out of the water – mid winter.

Tyler Warren – All Yew

Serious talent, questions the modern surfboard design completely, or maybe Tyler would rip just as hard on a coffee table?

new board en route

My new board is complete, should be on it’s way this week; should have it next week. I’m like a kid on Christmas eve!

anywhere else

If I could be anywhere else right now, this would probably hit the nail on the head – via http://theswallowtailsociety.tumblr.com

Greener pastures

The wave I would have been better off surfing today, than the one I actually did…

Mind surfing

When a surfer looks at a wave, they mind surf, “bottom turn, off the top, hook in the pocket – would I make that section? Floater through the close-out”. It’s the gauge of how good the session might be, the deciding factor in paddling out, or driving further down the coast, or even calling it a day. The optimist is often drawn out when conditions are less than favourable, and we’ll often talk ourselves into a surf that on first inspection, was maybe not worth the effort…

I did a quick surf check this arvo while I was out and about, and if I had time I probably would have talked myself into this micro left bank that was reeling off. I have always thought it was good for your surfing to surf small waves, it makes you work for everything and be in the right place at the right time, to extract what minimal power is available.

Whats wrong with surfing?

I started writing this more than 12 months ago and never got to the point of publishing it. I think I have mellowed even more than what the below text reflects, or maybe it’s winter in Victoria and 99% of the character types mentioned are taking their winter break from surfing so I don’t have to deal with them at the moment…

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A good question, inspired in part by an article I noticed in the latest Waves magazine, I am yet to read it, so it will be interesting to see if I draw a similar line.

Often it is travel that brings perspective, this is one such time, or maybe it is because I actually have a little time to stop and think? We are on the mid north coast of NSW for a 2 week break, we are lucky to get away once a year so we really savor these opportunities.

Staying in the small coastal village of Crescent Head, surrounded by national parks and endless beaches, we are blessed with a small consistent swell that is enough to get the point going. We were here 2 years ago and not a lot has changed in that time.

So what is with the deep and meaningful question you ask? Well, sitting in the line up of a long point break you see a few things happening and they always have to a degree.

Guys on shortboards that are wanna-be pro suffers, but all they have is the ego, the right wetsuit and stickers on the board, enough ability to punt an air but never really make a landing. Every wave is theirs, and everyone else in just wasting their time. They won’t be pro suffers, only when you see someone that totally blows your mind, and I mean a total freak, do they have chance of going anywhere with surfing, other than becoming a sales rep for a surf-wear company (who earn every penny I might add). Get over it boys, being RAD in small ville doesn’t mean squat in the real world, it is ridiculously tight at the top level of surfing, only a handful of people can make a living surfing, even less do well out of it.

“Welcome back” surfers, guys that never really surfed “properly” when they were young and free, but can walk in and buy a 10′ wave magnet, paddle around everyone, take off really early and stand stiff and tall all the way to the beach, often with a grimace on their face as if the deck of the board wave covered in razor blades! Happy to mow down small children if they happen to be in the set flight path…

The rough old local, these guys come in a couple of flavours. They can be old rippers that never stopped surfing (usually highly financially impaired in connection with this fact) or guys that never really got that well in tune with the ocean but have always been there on and off enough not to fall into the “welcome back” cat. These 2 versions of the old local can fall either side of the tree. There are the guys that resent anyone that shows up at “their beach” (I hope they never travel) and will relentlessly paddle to the inside every single time, they will burn their mates, they burn everyone! The flip side is the other guy that gets great waves through local knowledge with out getting in anyone’s way all day.

The tourist (insert Wicked camper here) often a gem in the line up, not always in the right place at the right time but as a traveler has the advantage of great perspective, understanding and even a hint of respect for others in the water. Often accompanied by “learn to surf girlfriend” who he drags out to the heaviest, most aggressive and competitive break he can find, then calls her into a set wave, dropping in on the grumpiest old local prick in the water. This may be the travelers only, or greatest downfall.

The soul-man, the retro board revolution or revival (not sure which to call it) has produced a few guys that are riding these boards well, maybe the boards have improved as the marketing suggests? In any case, there is some soul knocking around. Unfortunately, they can also fall into the “young gun” cat as well, having a massive chip on the old shoulder because they feel that they are throwing down some crazy retro action for all to be amazed by.

I’ve been one or two of these people in my time, I am not immune to ever being a knob. Everybody is young and dumb at some point, it just lasts a little longer for some. I do feel that I have more perspective now with a young family, less time and greater commitments, I really value my time in the water. And that is where I sit, taking it in. There is nothing like having a chat to someone new in the water and sharing a few waves. Letting a wave go and having one handed right back to you is great, and sure beats the hassling shit fight that goes on most days at popular breaks around the world.

Sounds like a bit of a whinge? Well there is more to come (hopefully not more whinging), how did we get here? We need to look at surf culture and how it helped produce these personalities.

The surf industry has a lot to answer for, some good, some not so, they probably didn’t intend for things to turn out the way they have and they probably never would have thought their companies share price would be the biggest driving force as these surf industry moguls move towards retirement. I bet they wish they were more worried about the surf report than the GFC.

Surfing is for everyone, unfortunately not everyone should surf… Modern society doesn’t seem to translate into the line-up as well as it used to – maybe I’m just getting old and respect is a silly ideology lost to time? One things for sure, I’ll keep giving waves away and enjoy the good karma in return, that’s the way I’d like it to be.

Crisp mid winter glass

Nothing better than getting a few waves on the Monday after the end of the school holidays, it confirms we have our  beaches back to ourselves for a little while again. I think my form is improving a little too, not as frustrated as I was a couple of weeks back anyway. Fitness, better I think, still not good but a slight improvement from where I started.

5.15pm Eastern View

Winter is cold but I must say that wetsuits have come a very long way over the last handful of years.

The late dash

Friday arvo, a quick splash before dark. Mid size swell, easterly lumps in it, strong sweep down the beach – lets call it a fitness session shall we?

What are you looking for?

What are you looking for in surfing? Have you found it? Has what you are looking for changed over the years, I bet it has, and it will probably continue to as well…