Father & Son

Shane and Nathan Oldfield trading waves on a late winter's afternoon. Nathan's blog Look & Sea is well worth frequenting.

Soak It In

Some great moving picture inspiration here.

Point Pull Out

Morning Wall

Deeply Wonderful

"Surfing is a deeply wonderful thing - anytime, anywhere and any way."

Gerry Lopez in his book Surf Is Where You Find It (2008). If you stop by here regularly you've probably realised by now the quotes I use rarely have anything to do with the surfers pictured. They're just things that I thought might be worth repeating. 

Go

Sprung

I was lucky enough to score a really fun and quiet midday session a week or two back. It was only small, but nice and clean with a steady westerly. The wind wasn't so cool and the flowers were out. Winter's on the back foot.

Speed

"The key to surfing, and everybody knows it, is that if you have speed you can do anything you want."

Donavan Frankenreiter in Surfing World 304 (2010)

Little Things

Sometimes they make an otherwise unremarkable surf, remarkable.

High Flyer

Gidgets

Eject

Yeah Right

"I found Noosa in '59 but no-one believed me until about '63" 

remembers Bob McTavish in Surfing World 295 (2009). With the crowded conditions so familiar to us these days, sounds like a "problem" anyone of us would gladly handle...

Late at Point

Cramming in some post work water time.

Water's Edge

Worm Catching

Brett's a routine before work surfer, yet again illustrating the old adage "the early bird catches the worm".

Sharing the Stoke

Winter Beachie

Cold but quiet, who needs summer?

Different

Different days and ways.

Blue Sand Castle Reef

Stall

Stall and enjoy some winter magic.

Your Own Line

"You can't be at the pole and the equator at the same time. You must choose your own line, as I hope to do, and it will probably be colour."

Vincent van Gogh

Places on a Wave

"I'm struggling to find new places I can go on a wave. On tour you're trying to find places on the wave you've visited before. You're not looking for new territory."

Dane Reynolds in Surfing World 304 (2010). Yeah that's why I don't bother with the tour...

New Music

Some friends and I made some music together, lend us your ears here.

Ladies Know How

Beginnings

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step"

Lao Tzu

Surfing Truth

When I started this Surfer Joe blog I wrote a personal photo philosophy, it's at the top right of the page. In part it says:

"I also shoot all kinds of conditions. From ankle high to way overhead, from onshore and grey to offshore and perfect. The consistently perfect waves so common in surf mags often leave us with unrealistic expectations of what good surf is. It doesn't have to be 6 feet and slabbing to have fun. Surfer Joe features everyday surfers enjoying everyday conditions. I hope it makes you feel like surfing."

But I've come to realise this is only partly true. When I trawl through my photos looking for something to post I can't help gravitating towards photos of better waves and conditions. It is true there are very few large and perfect waves, but there are also very few completely unappealing, small, onshore, grey waves either. Whatever the type of waves featured I am sure of two things; it's about everyday surfers and I hope it makes you feel like surfing.

Dodgems

WCT surfer Drew Courtney deftly negotiating his way past a stray board.

Good Numbers

Morning Moments

Beach Welcome

Backhand Baz

Beach Shack

Not for sale. Keep up to date with the No Ship developments here.

Corner

Lady In Red

Be Happy

"If we can't be happy and friendly in the water, where can we? ... Everyone has their best surfs when they're happy."

Robbie Page in The Surfer's Journal (vol 18 no.4)

Long or Light

I had a few days up north recently chasing some point surf. We missed the brunt of the swell but enjoyed the dregs. You either had to ride something longer or weigh in around 40kg.

Road Testing

Testing out one of Azza's Sea Legged single fins.

Holidays

"Be a little more tolerant of the beginners, because we were all beginners at one time too."

Gerry Lopez in The Surfer's Journal (Vol 18 No.4) It was great seeing a bunch of groms doing their thing in the recent school holidays.

Go Leashless

"Go Leashless. There's something liberating about being unattached. It raises the stakes during even the most modest session, especially if it's your buddy's board. Plus the swim in is good for you."

No. 16 of Surfer magazine's 67 Things You Must Do Before You Die (August 2006).

One Way Wall

A Winter Saturday

Different Strokes

Point Style

Sun & Moon

Arching

Zipper

Solo Grom

Old School

Check out Azza's way cool Sealegged shapes.