Winter Wishing

Are you over Winter already? I reckon Summer and it's mostly marginal conditions will be back before we know it. Then we'll be hanging out for Autumn and Winter again... Here's one of the better mornings back in January.

Close Outs

I reckon I've ridden a stack of close outs so far this year. The sand's been really average. I'm wondering is it because there was very little north swell to shape it? A penny for your thoughts, so to speak...

Empty

Mid North Coast. Years ago. We didn't even surf it, another beach nearby was even better.

Ladies Day

Dear & Yonder is cool surf movie featuring heaps of great female surfers. Well worth a look even for  a bloke I reckon. Check it here.

Sunset Fun

"The faster I go out there, the slower things seem to happen"

Gerry Lopez in Surfboards by Guy Motil (2007)

Central Coast Sickness

There's no place like home. 

Colours

While I'm getting a bit arty, have you seen The Present? It grew on me, the right point in Africa was totally sick.

Wishing & Waiting

Wishing, waiting and scoring.

Booger Watch

Classic Autumn beachie from Thursday May 13. Jake Foster put together a cool vid featuring a bunch of local pros negotiating some decent tubes on the same morning. Check it out here.

Surfing Would Be

"Surfing would be nothing without grommets... it'd be a stale, dying pastime. Grommets bring life to the sport."

Nick Carroll in Kurungaba (2008 Vol.1 Issue 2)

Ancient Pastime

"In Hawaii... ancient kings and queens dedicated themselves to perfecting the art of 'he'e nalu', a poetic Polynesian term roughly translated as 'wave sliding'."

Brendan McAloon in Deep Water - Travel Stories and The Search for The Perfect Wave (2009).

Dance

"Just let me do my dance. Don't put me in a box and tell me how and what I have to do. Let the artist paint the picture, be it classic or progressive."

Bill Stewart in Surfer (August 2005)

Beach Power

"The amount of energy in the waves that reach only our shores each year is equivalent to probably twice the world's current power usage" 

Dr Tom Dennis in Surfing World 292 (2008)

Far Away

Far away from the grey and wet conditions of late.

Best

The best time in your surfing life, when nearly every ride is your best wave ever.

Ouch..

Any other Tom Curren fans out there? Check his first surf at Jeffreys Bay in 1992.

Morning Surf

Early surfers in early Autumn.

Another time killer, check out my favourite surf art blog.

Distant Wave

And no surfer joes in sight.
Hey if it's wet and your killing time check this Scrapertown video.

Late Cruise

Photo Op

One for the camera.

Yes Please

I'll have what he's having.

Sailor's Warning?

Some foul wether set in not long after this early morning session. Maybe it should be 'red or yellowy orange sky in morning sailors take warning'.

Point Style

Gravity

What goes up must come down. Not always according to plan, but probably like a close out tube ride - still feels good.

The Source

Turning back to the source.

Gromette

Could be a Layne Beachley or Steph Gilmore of the future.

Lefts

Some really fun lefts from an early Autumn morning.

Dan Santangelo

Trained my camera further down beach one morning to capture this text book roundhouse. Closer inspection revealed it to be the handiwork of my near neighbour Dan Santangelo. Dan's a local custom board builder, his shapes are under the feet of plenty surfers on the coast. Check out his sleds here. 

Grom Attack

Tidy grom hack.

Cross-Step

"Go get a big old longboard and teach yourself to cross-step. Not shuffle - but actually cross one foot over the other on the way up and down the board."

Nick Carroll lauding the longboard as all round surf improver in The Complete guide to Surfing Your Best Volume 2.

Surfing Is

"Surfing is riding a wave. That's it. Doesn't matter what on. It's just riding a wave."

Matt Hoy in Surfing World 292 (2008).

Hooting

Have you ever been hooted as you take the drop on a set wave? I have. Often I've face planted moments later. Thankfully not every time. I like to think I don't surf for anyone else's approval, but it sure feels good to get a hoot every now and then. The best is when your mate's on the shoulder hooting as you get spat out of a tube. And even visa versa. 

These days I have an aversion to large multinational surf companies, but one of them had a particularly 'true' slogan 'only a surfer knows the feeling'. Seeing another surfer get a great wave often makes us stoked because we know how it feels and we end up vicariously surfing their wave. I think that's why I enjoy watching great surf movies over and over again. Anyway enough raving. Hoot freely.

The Fan

"A fan of spray off a carving turn. Usually executed at the top of the wave face or lip. Makes a nice show for the crew."

As defined by riptionary.com, just in case you were wondering...

Rewards

"The trials reap great rewards when it all comes together."

Nathan Myers in Surfing World 291 (2008). Brett being rewarded for getting out of bed early.

An Uncrowded Beach

"Surfing is the endless search for an uncrowded beach, the perfect wave."

So said Fred Wardy in 1965 (Surfer Magazine August 2005). I'm pretty sure this is Wayne who re-tiled our bathroom recently. A speed run to himself on a beach not renowned for solitude. 

Red

Not Epic

It wasn't epic just really fun. Blue sky, warm water and plenty of waves to go around. Another recent Saturday in Autumn. 

Green & Gold

Stoked to call Australia home.

Friends

Nice to spend a quiet surf with a friend. Katherine and Cindy sharing a few slides at Terrigal.

Close Outs

Mid last week. Only three guys out. It was closing but they were having fun. That is the point after all.

Ace Air

Dippin'

Early morning head dipping.

Two

Only two out on this fun little reef last month.

Saturdays

Recent Saturday morning. Weekend warriors delight. Pinch and a punch too.