She's Back

I'm making the assumption that sand banks are feminine forms. There's a bank around here that made for some great waves last year and right on cue, just before Autumn, she's back. This afternoon, although onshore and fairly crowded there were plenty of fun ones, and like always a few that slip through unridden. 

India

Katherine & I have just returned from a few weeks in India, the blog's been on auto pilot with pics I took in January. I'll have some fresh photos up soon. The trip was really cool. Not a surf trip, but I think it's healthy to leave the surf for a while every now and again. I know I'm super stoked to be back in the water, and so appreciative of where I live and for the privilege of being able to surf. 

I managed to bodysurf 2 pieces of wind chop at Candolim Beach pictured above in Goa, a state previously occupied by the Portuguese with really cool architecture. My favourite part of the trip was a place called Hampi, actually out in the middle of the country, nowhere near the coast. But after a while I was starting to see things that weren't really there...

Style

Joni nose riding with style. Avoca in summer.

January

More grabs of our short lived but definite respite from the January flatness we endured on the east coast.

Shelter

Sand bottom peelers in a quiet southern corner.

Retro Ripping

Boardies, no leash, fun waves and speed to burn.

Paul's Barrel

Close to ten years ago now... It was the height of summer and really crowded for the morning session with a light offshore. But once the wind came up out of the NE pretty much everyone got out. The tide got lower and these really makeable fun barrels started grinding along this bank. Classic day, one for the memory bank. This is my good friend and great source of surfing inspiration Paul Joske from Valla.

Gold

"the pure dance of it, the sensual pay-off, the feel of the water, the shapes of waves and the colours of the sky and reef and the water itself; all these things are like money in the bank mentally for me"

Tim Winton in High Surf by Tim Baker

That really resonated with me when I first read it. Local grom banking some early morning gold.

King

There's this funky song by The Meters "Feel like a King". Katherine and I had it played at our wedding. Anyway I reckon this kid's feeling like a King as he glides along. On top of the world.

Joni

I briefly met Joni out in the surf recently. He's a young guy who surfs around here usually on a longboard. From what I've seen he's a genuine individual, a rare thing these days. I'll try and do a profile on him one of these days.

Keen

I saw this guy out on this really, really small morning and thought "Gee he's keen!"

But why not? The water's warm, sky's blue and he has it all to himself. Better than being on the couch.

True

I reckon one characteristic that defines a true surfer is someone prepared to surf alone. Not for sport, not to be with the crowd or socialize, just because you love being out there. 

Retro Rocket

This was a rare really enjoyable day in January. Fun size swell and an all day offshore. 

Azza

Every now and again I'm going to feature a ‘surfer Joe’ I know or meet on the beach. Starting out with my good mate Azza, seen here trying out a new longboard he just shaped himself.

 

Aaron Frost
Surfing since: 1980.
Likes riding: Pretty much anything. At the moment especially keel fin fishes and logs.
Likes to surf: Long fast point breaks. Sandon Point and The Boneyard were favourites growing up on the South Coast.
One day: I’ll head out to Nias in Sumatra and ride some almond-eyed barrels.
Along the way: I’ve learned to be stoked riding whatever I feel like without worrying what anyone else is doing.

School Zone

Ready for action in the surf school. The best way to really understand something is to teach it. Teach someone how to surf - you'll be stoked and learn heaps. Incidentally "real" school is back - the streets are busier but the lineups quieter. 

Building

A few more grabs from the January swell. It was still on it's way up here.