Extremehorizon surf blog providing: regular surfing news, updates, stories, surf pictures, product reviews, surfer interviews and anything from the world of actions sports which is begging to be blogged!
Its the end of 2008 and the time of year may be making me a little reflective but added to the fact that I've not been able to surf now for almost 2 months has provoked a few thoughts.
A back problem has kept me out of the water since late Oct, which is the longest for me without a surf in recent memory and I'm amazed at how its affected my world view. I knew that I wouldn't be able to surf for a while so I cut myself off from surfing, cold turkey: no checking the surf reports, no daily scanning of the pressure charts, limited contact with surfing mates, no trips to the beach, no surf talk...all of which were designed to take my mind off waves, because the thought of clean, lined up northerly groundswells peeling across our local sandbars without me sat amongst them was and is too difficult to contemplate.
I thought I'd be able to handle the injury imposed surf sabbatical with a positive view that it wont be forever, but my protective withdrawal from all things surf has taken its toll. Theres the obvious "lack of surf blues", but the way I live has also been affected.
Surfing fitted into my pattern of work, family and friends and effortlessly dictated an understanding of changing weather systems, a healthy diet, fitness, outdoor living and more, but all of that has gradually eroded. Worst of all, the act of riding a wave, with the timeless glide across a glassy face is only a memory for now. Part of my life is missing
There is perhaps a danger of spouting cliches here but it is so true that its only until something is gone that you begin to truely appreciate it. Each wave we surf is a gift and the benefits surfing brings to our lifes is a blessing. I will surf again and I hopefully wont have to wait too long, but I do know that I'll never take a wave for granted again and will savour every fleeting second.
So heres to all of our blog readers, wishing you a very Happy, healthy 2009 and may the Surf God Huey bring us an abundance of waves!
Santa has been spotted recently surfing at Pismo Pier California... the video footage below is actual proof. Or is it?... although I do of course believe in Santa (Who couldnt after watching Miracle on 34th Street!) I might have my doubts that this clip is of the real Santa. I mean, Mr Clause does need a little R&R, but so close to Christmas eve...its a little hard to believe! So that may be the fatal flaw in what is either an amazing piece of video evidence or a very clever hoax- you decide :)
We noticed and was intrigued by the story below which relates to a conman using big wave surfer Alec "Ace Cool" Cooke as a front for a scam. It makes a change from receiving emails from Nigerian "Generals" and Ghanain "Ministers" asking for help retrieving $25m from a US bank account! This one is a lot less ambitious and is targeting a most unlikely group (surfers) using a most unlikely surfer. Ace's most notable acheivement was paddling into a reputed 35footer at Outside Log cabins in 1985
Surfers Village: BE WARNED - Ace Cool (Alec Cooke) is alive and well on the North Shore this very day and is nowhere near London UK. This is confirmed to Surfersvillage today by reliable North Shore sources.
Below is the email message circulationg;-
From: Ace Cool [mailto:acecool45@hotmail.com] Sent: 15 December 2008 11:59 To: Ace Cool Subject: I NEED YOUR HELP URGENTLY
Sorry I didn't inform you about my traveling to UK for a program, am presently in London i am stranded here because i lost my wallet on my way to the hotel where my money,and other valuable things were kept.I will like you to assist me with a soft loan urgently with the sum of 1,200 GB Pounds to sort-out my hotel bills and get myself back home. I will appreciate whatever you can afford, I'll pay you back as soon as i return, Please send the money to me through Western Union money transfer by the details below.
Ace Cool Address, 199 Marylebone High Street, London W1U 4RY
After making the payment kindly back to me with payment receipt details needed to collect the money here.
Regards, Ace
Should you receive this email, it is recommended you ignore it.
First off thankyou to everyone who submitted their pics...there were some really nice shots, but there can only be one winner and that is Pete Furness of Aberdeen who took this shot of a wild looking Scottish North Sea. His win was based on the most views, highest votes and judges final decision
Congratulations to Pete who won a Surf goody bag which included Northcore Boardriders accessories, Matunas wax and Surfers Path mag in time for christmas... watch this space for future comps.
To avoid injury, stay safe and to be able to perform at your best in the water its essential to keep up your fitness levels especially at this time of year when Northern Hemisphere seas are cold.
Also during winter you might not be logging as much surf time but when you do paddle out the swells often have more size so fitness is a must. So we'd recommend buying or borrowing a copy of "Surf Stronger" which is a workout regime designed just for surfers. The equipment required is minimal, you can train at home and you'll be a stronger surfer if you regularly follow the exercises.
" Surf Stronger, The Surfer's Workout" is a total body, surf-specific workout. The 45-minute training session includes a dynamic warm up, the main workout, and a cool-down stretch. The video will teach you athletic movements that look and feel like surfing while focusing on building power, flexibility, and core strength."
The official opening ceremony for The Quiksilver in Memory of Eddie Aikau "The Eddie", at Waimea Bay, big wave contest, on the North Shore of Oahu kicked off yesterday. This year’s invited surfers, including Kelly Slater, Bruce Irons, Andy Irons, Mark Healy, Takayuki Wakita, Brian Keaulana, along with the Aikau Family and special guests, will be on hand to celebrate the 24th anniversary of this unique big-wave riding event.
Though the swell was predicted to be sub-Eddie standards on the day, it was still expected to reach 15-18 feet Hawaiian scale, which translates into 25-30 foot wave faces, provided a valuable warm-up opportunity for big-wave riders invited to this prestigious event.
Scheduled to take place at the hallowed grounds of Waimea Bay, on the North Shore of Oahu, between November 30, 2008, and February 28, 2009, the event, otherwise known as "The Eddie", requires one day with a minimum of 20-foot surf (Hawaiian scale) in order to run.
It is the world's most prestigious big-wave surfing event and is the only big-wave surf contest sanctioned by the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP), the governing body of professional surfing. The opening ceremonies, which have been described as a cultural new year, include a group paddle and intimate session in the water.
To follow the event visit: http://live.quiksilver.com/2008/bigwave/
To an outsider, the world of a surfer must appear a strange one, we have our own language, we sometimes risk losing life, limb, relationships, jobs and more just to ride a wave that is gone in the blink of an eye. So its no wonder non-surfers or those trying to join the tribe, have difficulty understanding what it is to surf or how to communicate with surfers...thats where "The Bluffers Guide to Surfing" book comes in.
This title is a fun little booked filled with surf information basics, presented with a premise that it will offer the reader the essentials to understanding the world of surfing. The book is light hearted, it covers a lot of info and is up to date. Bluffers Guide provides an insight into our world and would be an ideal gift or buy for a curious non-surfer or beginner.
Check out the latest Northcore Boardriders blog entry below on their trip to the Orkney Islands:
"Big waves, unsurfed/undiscovered locations, huge swell windows, vast ocean fetch, endless variety of set ups, constant waves....its like a mini-Hawaii, so who wouldn't want to go to the Orkney Islands?!
For those who dont know, the Orkneys are a group of islands situated north of Scotland and the fabled reefs at Thurso. They lay on the same latitudes as Northern Canada and Greenland but although the islands do get bitterly cold in winter, the gulf stream tempers the climate and the ocean enough to mean that icebergs and polar bears arent local hazards!
We were lucky enough to visit one of the outer islands recently, partly to visit friends and partly to check it out for a possible future Northcore team trip and after days of looking at maps and swell charts I was dreaming of the seemingly limitless surf possibilities.The main drawback other than the aforementioned cold, is the length of the journey there, for us it meant a 450 mile road trip, a flight, a cross island drive, a ferry and a long walk, which meant that we could have flown to the other side of the world in a similar amount of time. The journey is worth it though as the huge skys, vast seas and remoteness of the Orkneys is stunning.
The drive around the whole island we were staying on is only about 45mins and a few potential surf spots can be seen from the road but most are well hidden and all involve long walks across steep fields, stone walls, dead sheep and streams. Winter swells regularly reach 20ft+ (it was only a 12-14ft swell when we were there) and all of the spots we saw were rock reef set ups, some only accessible by boat or PWC. This place is hardcore!I'm not going to give away anymore for now but watch this space for a possible trip in 2009..... "
Now this is a tricky question .....would the population of the USA or the world for matter prefer a partially literate, wholly inarticulate, self-serving, greedy US President who'd rather shoot squirrels, play golf and invade foreign nations with bigger oil resereves than his, or have an articulate, open minded fair President that loves to body surf?
Mmmm lets ponder that for a moment....
A US President who loves waves and Hawaii...this video and still were shot during Barack Obama's August holiday at Sandy Beach Honolulu, where he was seen chatting with boogie boarders (we can forgive him that ;) and body surfing a few waves. Good man
Not all of us have surfed monster waves...but all of us are fascinated by them. This fun little poll is to find out which wave extremehorizon.blog readers rate as the gnarliest, bad-ass, mother wave on the planet. Just click on your wave to register your vote below...
Criteria includes wave size, wave thickness, hold down potential, shark factor, water temperature, remoteness and any other random voodoo scariness. We have a webpage on the worlds biggest waves here, which might help the decision making process:
If we have missed any spots out you feel should be included, send us a comment or even any brave souls who have first hand experience of any of these waves email us your stories and I'll be glad to post them up here to share with the world
Its almost inevitable that living the life of a surfer will lead to a search; whether its a search for the perfect wave or sometimes its a search to validate, understand or explain the act of surfing itself. The latter is the intangible goal which author Jaimal Yogis has, in part, set out to attain in his nonfiction saga, Saltwater Buddha.
Many surfers who write (or even writers who surf!) have tried to capture the feeling of riding a wave in the written word and some have even likened surfing to a religion, but none that I know of have used religon as a metaphor or comparison, to imbibe a sense of meaning into what it feels like to surf a wave or be a surfer. Yogis has done just that by drawing parallels with his journey to surf and travel, with his study of Buddhism and quest for Zen.
Yogis story draws heavily on his buddhist influences which is conveyed in a genuine, self-effacing narrative style which explores a personal voyage of both physical and spiritual discovery. Its an engaging tale of a restless young man looking for direction in life through study, travel and a desire to surf, which sees the author living and surfing in Hawaii, France, Santa Cruz, New York and more.
Saltwater Buddha's Zen/surfing analogy gives a fresh perspective to the joy of riding a wave, set within an intelligent, thought provoking story which expertly captures emotions and situations which all surfers will relate to.
The quality of Yogis writing is up there with, amongst others, Daniel Duane, Allan Weisbecker, Kem Nunn, Tim Winton etc. Surfers and searchers alike will love it. Out in May 2009....reserve a copy! www.jaimalyogis.com.
Surfers Path, the distributors of a new surf film "One California Day" have kindly supplied a DVD copy to Extremehorizon HQ to review on our blog and I'm pleased they did.
One California day is a grounded surf film which immerses the viewer into the vivid, rich colours of the Californian landscape and its ever evolving surf culture. The makers acheive this by featuring surfers like the Malloys, Tom and Jimmy Curren, Joel Tudor, Dane Perlee, Jimmy Gamboa and more who all embrace the west coast's vast natural beauty and influential surf history and use this to form the face of modern day Californian surfing.
The film explores how the diversity of California's reef, point and beach breaks have given birth over the years to a huge range of surfboard shapes and designs which in turn have lead to developments in unique surfing styles. The film is part documentary and part travelogue woven together with stunning 16mm cinematography both on land and in the ocean.
One California day is an evocotive, rootsy and soulful film which has captured the essence of one of the worlds most influential surfing regions. Its a DVD to buy, keep and watch again and again.
Announcing the Extremehorizon Surf photo competition
To all budding surf photographers out there, we are running a competition up until Christmas 2008 to find the very best surfing pictures, with the chance to win some great surf prizes and the opportunity to have you work seen by visitors across the world.
Photographers and images can be from any location on the planet as long as they are surf related.
All you need to do to enter is register on the Extremehorizon image gallery and start uploading your pictures. Please note that images cant be any larger than 1024KB each (if you need to resize your pictures try some free software like PIXresizer via download.com). Once registered drop us an email and we'll track your uploads
The winner will receive and Extremehorizon Surf goody bag which will include: Northcore hardware, Matunas wax, a copy of Surfers Path magazine, stickers and more.
Winners will be chosen based upon a combination of the number of public views and ratings images receive via the gallery. However judges reserve the right for their decision to be final. The closing date is 20th Dec with winners being notified via email before 24th Dec 08
The Association of Professional Tow surfers (APT) has announced the green light for the 2008 Punta de Lobos, Pichilemu Chile World Cup Tow-In Surfing Championship to begin this Saturday, October 25th, and just in time before the holding period comes to a final close at the end of the month. Event officials are stating that the surf forecast should be in the 30'-35' face height range with the possibility of a larger swell around the 27th Oct.
Tim Davies, British surf film maker kindly provided an interview for Extremehorizon, telling us about his latest film release "Seven Stops"
"When your a British surfer there is nothing more enjoyable and invigorating than travelling around the world with a camera in your hand and a surfboard under your arm. From 6 lane freeways in California, hopping over coral reefs in Lombok, bbq’s in Australia or maybe just the people you meet and the cultures you can experience. This is an insight to surfing the world! " -Tim Davies
Q- So Seven Stops in now on sale, how long did the production take to create and which counties are involved? The film took about 14 months to film and edit and incorporates 7 surf destinations. California, Central America, Hawaii, Fiji, New Zealand, Australia and Indonesia
Q- Where was the most impressive surfing?
Hawaii is a fantastic place to film and just observe. We stayed on the North shore right by pipeline so all sorts of surfers would walk past our house like Occy, Andy irons, Jack Johnson and many more. Hawaii during the Winter/pipe masters time is a beacon for all pro surfers which enabled me to hook up and get good sections with Joel Parkinson, Jordy Smith and AI plus many more of the worlds elite. The waves here are so heavy and its amazing to see the top guys pushing the limits!
Q- Which country did you spend the longest filming?
Central America was a 3 month duration and with the like of Alan Stokes staying the same amount of time meant I could work a lot with him and get a British surfer a solid section in the movie. It was a fantastic place to visit because as soon as we would finish filming and step off the beach it felt like you were deep in the jungle! A large abundance of insects, snakes, cats and monkeys would turn up on a regular basis which left me with a great tropical/jungle feel to the section.
Q- Which were your favourite destinations? Fiji has some of the friendliest people you can find and also some of the best waves in the world. Speeding out on boats to the coral reefs at 6am with a long range swell and glassy conditions is enough to make you explode! Also Indonesia as the waves are so perfect, the people are friendly and its cheap living. There is always a high standard of surfing out at the main spots in Bali with the local crew like Betet and Garut surfing really technical.
Q-Your previous surf film was ‘Step into the realm’ which features all the top brits and was really successful, how does this film compare? My previous film was a surf amp film for Britain which was great but this film has a far higher standard of surfing as all the surfers involved are of an international standard and are performing in the worlds best waves! This film is more informative with interviews with top surfers discussing the pro’s and cons of each surfing area. It’s a travel surf film and I hope you enjoy!
Layne Beachly officially announced her retirement from competitive surfing effective at the end of the year. Beachley is iconic in womens surfing, as well as having won 7 world titles she's been involved in pushing the boundries of womens big wave and tow surfing, inspiring the next generation and in no small part has played an integral role in raising the profile of and legitimising surfing for women.
Beachley announced “I feel like now is a really good time, even though I am in my career best form, because I am an all-or-nothing kind of girl and to achieve the goals I set for myself in surfing, I have to give it my all and I’m not,” Beachley said. “I have to be honest with myself – I’m not commiting 100% time and energy and effort and focus into winning world titles."
As part of my involvement in an ongoing film project devilcountyfilms.com, I was fortunate to meet with Layne in Cornwall and interview her (check out the short film below).
Whilst our local North Sea breaks were stirred into Autumnal life on Sat 04th Oct with a solid 6ft groundswell, hours later and across the other side of the world, Mavicks Fall season was also kicking into action. A 15-18ft swell with 12 second period crashed into Northern California the same day-not a classic by Mavericks standards but a big day for most mere mortals!
Kelly Slater has just won his heat at around 11.30am local time this morning, in Mundaka Spain, which means that he has secured an incredible 9th World title!
Given the talent on the WCT at present it makes it an even more remarkable acheivement for a man who won his first title way back in 1992. After 17years on the tour Kelly was non-commital in his post heat interview as to his return to the tour next year to go for number ten, but he did say he was interested if someone was to put up the $10m prize for 10 titles which has been rumoured ( a fairly strong incentive!)
In the not so distant past the landscape of surfing was unrecognisable compared to today. Surfing is a multi-billion dollar industry which has been exported to almost every country on the planet. Exploration of new surf locations can still be a challenge but the potential for new surf spots is dwindling with each year that passes and surf brand investment in these trips takes the edge of what we'd see as true exploration.
This wasnt the case for Australian Peter Troy who explored the planets surf spots during the 1960's when surfing in many places was unheard of and travel wasn't the easy pastime it is today. Peter Troy was a true adventurer who's discoveries and travels were made all the more remarkable for the carrying of his 10ft log everywhere he went. Troy surfed in both southern and northern hemisphere extremes and across all the continents.
"Australian surf adventurer Peter Troy has died from a bloodclot. Troy is best known for his discoveries in Bali and Java. In 1975 he was one of the first to surf Nias He is also known for his part in Paul Witzig's 1971 classic 'Sea of Joy' where he and Wayne Lynch surfed newly discovered Tamarin Bay on Mauritius. A true adventurer, he claimed to have visited 140 countries, many in Africa. He surfed Jeffreys Bay in 1966. In Australia Troy ran a Sydney surf-movie-only theatre as well as a Noosa Heads motel. Peter was born in 1938 in Torquay Australia."*
Much hyped and long awaited the artificial reef at Boscombe, Southern England is now under construction. Lets hope it works as well as anticipated. Heres what Bournemouthsurfreef.co.uk says:
The Bournemouth Surf Reef in Boscombe will be one of four artificial reefs worldwide: Narrowneck, Queensland; Opunaki, New Zealand and Mt.Maunganui, New Zealand.
The reef will be located to the east of Boscombe Pier (about 2.5 kilometres from Bournemouth Pier) and the submerged reef will take up approximately one hectare (the size of a football pitch) which will be 225 metres from the shoreline. The reef mimics the effects of a natural reef and will be built from large geo-textile bags pumped hard with sand. The sandbags weigh up to 2,500 tonnes and biggest are up to 70m long, 2m high and 6m wide, so once they are in place nothing will move them
What conditions will the Surf Reef provide? The reef acts as a ramp which changes the way the waves break. The reef has been designed to provide mainly a right-hand breaking wave of approximately 75m. The left-hand break of the reef is designed to roll down the reef and 'clean up' the short period chop that the dominant cross-shore wind creates. This will make the wave-face on the right-hander cleaner for surfing.
During clean swell conditions with light winds, the left-hander will also provide a 20m fast ride, which will likely be most favourable to body boarders. This is similar to the Narrowneck Reef on the Gold Coast in Australia, and the Mount Reef in New Zealand. It is expected that inshore of the reef, better surfing conditions will also occur due to the changes in wave-height gradients caused by the presence of the reef offshore, which result in sand banks with peeling and surfable waves. During clean, long period swell, the reef and the inshore banks would all be surfable.
The reef at Boscombe is designed to provide a grade-5 wave on a day with good swell which is in the challenging range (Hawaii Pipeline is a grade-8).
In calm weather, such as July or August, the reef will create a ‘lagoon’ along the shoreline offering safe, flat conditions for families and beach users.
Heres an article we read in the Guardian newspaper a few days ago which amazed me. OK, water safety of all beach users is important but when local authorities start to threaten police intervention on where you can or can not surf its not a good sign. Its bad enough having lifeguards bark orders to surfers, but getting an anti social behaviour order slapped on by the police for surfing in an area that they say you shouldnt be in, would be ridiculous:
Here is the article from guardian.co.uk
Surfers who ride waves through areas reserved for swimmers off a UK Cornish beach could be taken to court and issued with antisocial behaviour orders, it emerged yesterday.
Lifeguards at Sennen beach, near Land's End, are so fed up with rogue surfers who refuse to follow the rules that they have turned to the police for help.
Police are now considering sending a community support officer to patrol the beach and perhaps even the use of asbos to control the surfers.
The beach at Sennen is popular with surfers but has a no-go area which is reserved for people, including many families, who use it for swimming. Lifeguards employed by the Royal National Lifeboat Institution patrol the beach but have no powers to enforce the rules. They have asked the police to help them next summer after a series of incidents in which surfers cut through the bathing zone and almost injured swimmers.
Devon and Cornwall police have a project called Beach Beat at St Ives, Newquay and Perranporth in Cornwall, where they have worked with the RNLI to try to cut drinking and antisocial behaviour.
There are no current plans to formally extend Beach Beat to Sennen, but an officer could be drafted in to patrol the beach next summer if the problems persist.
Local constable Andrew Tonkin said: "The RNLI lifeguards have logged quite a few problems with surfers recently. There have been particular problems with longboarders whose refusal to use leashes could cause injury to swimmers." A leash connects the surfer's ankle to the board and stops it zipping off in a fall.
Tonkin said an officer on the beach could monitor surfers' behaviour and, if necessary, intervene.
A police spokesman said the Beach Beat project was intended to make the environment safer for all users. He said: "The idea is to provide a high-visibility uniform presence on the beach."
The RNLI said it had a problem with a few surfers at Sennen. A spokeswoman said: "Our lifeguards cannot enforce the bylaws. Their remit is to advise."
Surfer Sam Bleakly said: "The idea is narrow-minded. It is unsustainable to pay police to patrol the beach when we already have very qualified RNLI lifeguards.
"Surfers are famous for being rebels. It is part of the identity of the sport and the extra bureaucracy will only create strife."
As surfers we are often asked to explain our surfing lifes, whether its to friends, family and in some cases the media: why do you surf, what does it feel like to be in a barrel, whats your worst ever wipeout or biggest wave?
I dont think that anyone has ever been able to adequately use the written or the verbal word to capture the essence of riding a wave, however some have come close and along the way there have also been some classic quotes to descibe what we do. Some are profound, some funny, but all of them we can relate to. Here are a few of my favourites:
Doc Paskowitz on surfing: "Its not a sport, its not even a way of life...its like an eskimo with snow, a farmer with the fields"
Buzzy Trent on Big waves:"Waves are not measured in feet and inches, they are measured in increments of fear"
Greg Noll on Makaha:" I remember being out there on a huge day and just going into mental freeze up. A haze settled over my brain like I was in a dream. No place put the fear of god in me like big Makaha"
Darryl " Flea" Virostko on surfacing from a Mavericks hold down:"Its like trying to do a sit up with a fat chick on my face"
Greg Noll on his nickname DA BULL: " I dont know. Better than shithead I guess"
Mark Foo's prophetic interview quote: "Its not tragic to die doing something you love"
Jeff Clarke: " Mavericks appeals to the dark side of a surfers psyche"
Ken Bradshaw on surfing:" Its created junkies out of most of us. Surfing junkies right? Our whole lives we drop everything to go surfing and we always will"
Kilgore in Apocalypse Now: "Charlie dont surf"
More to follow and feel free to comment and add your own favourites...
and finally heres a great moment of an unknown surfer winding up a TV interviewer!
As a result of our poll "Who is the most influential surfer of all time" , we promised to provide profiles on the top 3 surfers as voted by you. Not surprisingly Duke Kahanamoku received the most votes so our first installment on Dukes life was published 2 weeks ago. Heres the second and final installment in this mans fascinating life:
The young Duke grew up and surfed in a time before modern plastics, resins and fibre glass were a reality and he preferred to ride traditional boards based on ancient Hawaiian finless "olo" board designs. His board was made of Koa tree wood and was sixteen feet long and weighed in at 114 pounds. Not the easiest of boards to handle but paddling the heavy log clearly assisted with his swimming strength because in 1911, Duke beat the 100 yard freestyle swimming world record by a huge 4.6seconds in Honolulu harbour
From here it was an smooth transition for Duke to qualify for the U.S. Olympic swimming team in 1912. He went onto compete in three games, breaking world records and winning numerous gold and silver medals in the process. It was during this time that Duke went on to tour the world, swimming in exhibitions in the US mainland, Europe and Australia. Whilst travelling he also gave surfing demonstrations which drew huge crowds. George Freeth was credited with introducing surfing to the USA and California in 1907 but it was Duke who fanned the flames to create a blaze of interest in waveriding. Also in 1914 Duke visited Sydney and gave a surfing exhibition at Freshwater beach- surfing in Australia was born!
Inbetween winning Olympic medals and introducing surfing to the world, Duke had a sideline as a Hollywood film extra even appearing alongside John Wayne in one of his movies. Duke was also a member of the Los Angeles Athletic Club and was involved in the swimming, waterpolo teams and lifeguarding. In 1925 he made a daring rescue of 8 men at Newport beach harbour in heavy seas after a fishing vessel capsized. 17 men lost their lives that day but it would have been more if it wasnt for Duke and 2 other surfers saving lives using their boards to assist the rescues. Since that day surfboards have become a common tool of a lifeguards trade.
After spreading the spirit of Aloha throughout his time, Duke Kahanamoku was welcomed home as an ambassador of the Hawaiian way of life. He was recognised as a true waterman and honoured with the position of Sheriff of Honolulu and later as the official greeter for the Islands. Shortly before Duke died in 1968, the Sunset beach Duke Kahanamoku surf competition became an International event and the worlds premier big wave event.
Dukes influence on modern surfing was unparalleled and is unlikely to ever be surpassed.
Over the years Northcore products have regularly featured in magazine and website reviews with glowing write ups and the most recent additions to the range have been no exception. The most recent is the independent testing of the Northcore C-mat and Surfers Travel pack in the Devon based online surf mag Corduroy Lines.
Check out the write up on the right or click here to read this months "Corduroy Lines" a free online Longboard magazine
John Morgan, 51, surfing yesterday afternoon between Clarks Beach and the Pass in Byron Bay NSW, was dragged through the water for about 50 metres by a shark. The shark became caught in his leash, however he managed to take the rope off and swim back to shore.
"There was a big swirl under the board and I knew it was a big shark underneath me and it sort of freaked me out a bit and then it hit my leg rope and the worst thing was it got tangled in my leg rope and started towing me out to sea really, really quickly ... I was on my board lying on it but slipping off the back because we were going so fast," he said.
He was having his daily surf at lunch time, on a stand-up paddle board, when he felt the sudden violent pull on his leg rope.
"I had just come off a wave when I saw a large swirl of water, I was then suddenly hauled backwards. It felt like I was riding behind a powerful jet ski. The water was dirty so I couldn't make out what type of shark it was but I knew from the splashing white water that it was roughly eight to ten foot (3m)," Mr Morgan said.
"All I could think about was holding on and hoping the shark would untangle itself," he said. "It totally freaked me out; I'm just glad it didn't turn around and bite me." Despite the fright, Mr Morgan will not be kept from the water. As manager of Maddog surf shop in Byron Bay he enjoys his midday surf and tomorrow you'll see him back in the water
Theres a great surf comp running this Sept at the world famous Fistral beach, organised by Newquay's Jack Clinton; surfer, entrepreneur and brother of Northcore Europe team rider Lewis Clinton.
Press release
On the 27th & 28th Sept, Fistral Beach will be hosting the 5th successful Oakley XPY Pro Junior Presented by Globe and this year is looking to be bigger and better than ever before!
The event is stop two on the UKPST Pro junior circuit, and with this event being another 2 star rated event, there is top points up for grabs along with a £500 prize purse for finalists! The Pro junior category will stage all the top under 20 surfers from across the kingdom. Other categories included in this years event are under 16’s, under 16’s girls and under 12’s OPEN. All categories will be supplied with cash prizes for finalists along with tons of other goodies to go with it! With the event being blessed every year with waves, it has grown a reputation amongst the surfers as one of the best stops on the tour! Sponsors this year include Oakley headlining the event, along with presenting sponsor Globe shoes. Other sponsors this year include new sponsors on the scene, monster energy drinks, and carveboard skateboards. Also thanks to Eurobeach & Fistral Blu. For details on entering the event, contact the UKPST office on 01637854854 or www.bpsauktour.com . Check out the contest website at www.x-pressyourself.co.uk .
Heres a brand new surf product to the market and its one with an eco-conscience. Dewaxit is an organic based, non-toxic surf wax remover which limits the negative environmental impact which can be caused by some solvents.
In Dewaxit's own words:
“Surfers have always been passionate about protecting their environment – Bluewater Dewax.it surf wax remover assists in the cause by offering the world’s cleanest wax remover, with a formula which includes natural ingredients, designed to limit negative environmental impact.
The special formula in Bluewater Dewax.it will safely remove:
Bluewater Dewax.it is easy to use and takes the hard work out of surfboard prep, whether for applying new wax, decals or pads or just keeping your surfboard in pristine condition.
Thanks to everyone who voted in our "Who is the most influential surfer of all time?" Poll. We are going to keep it running for while to see who comes in second and third (Its Laird and Gerry in the running for now), but the book for winner is closed with Duke Kahanamoku taking the top spot with 36% of the vote.
Voting Duke as being the most influential surfer of all time is no real surprise as the man is the father of modern surfing. He laid the foundation stones that lead to the phenomenal expansion of global surfing and "beach boy" lifestyle aspirations we embrace today. So as promised we are going to run a biog on the winner of the poll and follow this up at a later date with Bio's on the second and third placed surfers. Duke Kahanamoku's story is a fascinating one, so to do it justice we are going to break it down into sections:
Duke Kahanamoku: The early years
"Duke", who was born Aug 24th 1890, inheriting his name from his father, Halapu Kahanamoku, who was christened "Duke" by Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop in honour of Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh, who was visiting Hawaii at the time of his fathers birth in 1869. Duke Grew up on the outskirts of Waikiki spending his formative years as one of the original beach boys. Waikiki Beach was the perfect environment to nuture and develop his surfing and swimming skills, which would influence his life and so many others around him.
OK, so this poll is just for a bit of fun and the list of surfers here is by no means exhaustive as there are hundreds of people out there that have had a big impact on the surfing world. However the names listed here are of surfers who have formed, influenced and pushed the boundries of modern surfing. As we find out which riders are getting the most votes we'll look at producing profiles on each.
I've heard gossip for years about surfing becoming an Olympic sport but that was before decent wave pools, without which surfing as an Olympic event would be a non-starter. However the question as to surfing's inclusion in the games is now becoming more relevant. The piece below was was written by Fernando Aguerra, President of the International Surfing Association (ISA) and the video clip is of the Ocean Dome in Japan (not sure if longboarding could be included though):
"The IOC and contemporary sports
In the past few years the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has dramatically evolved in its view of the so-called extreme or contemporary sports and their place in the Olympic Movement.
The very positive effect of the inclusion of snowboarding in the Winter Games has also been a great wake up call for many. Another example of this positive evolution is the inclusion of BMX in the Beijing Games.
Presently diverse stakeholders around the world are friendly to the possibility of surfing’s inclusion in the Summer Games. This is in part because surfing has a well functioning and structured IOC-Recognized International Federation (the ISA) and National Federations, but most importantly it has to do with the realization that without “pruning the Olympic Games tree” by adding relevant new sports, and excluding no longer relevant sports, the tree itself will become less relevant and vital.
What are the hurdles for inclusion in the IOC GAMES?
The biggest obstacles facing new sports hoping to be included in the Olympic Games Program are the strict requirements for inclusion and the length of time the process requires. A new sport should start its campaign at least nine years before a particular Olympic Games, because the final line-up of sports is decided by the IOC seven years before any given Olympic Games.
Surfing’s chance for inclusion will most likely involve the development of wave parks with suitable manmade waves. Several such parks have been in operation for years, but recent technological improvements have raised the bar, and we now have an unprecedented ability for producing high-quality performance waves.
Consistent with current IOC rules, the decision on the Sports Program for the 2016 Games will be made in 2009 in Copenhagen. The IOC will also announce the host for those Games (finalists are Rio de Janeiro, Madrid, Tokyo and Chicago). The selection for the following Summer Games (2020) will be made in 2013.
The five sports on the “short list” for inclusion in the 2016 Games are rugby, karate, roller sports, racquetball, and golf. Currently there is only room for two additional sports for those Games. The IOC could also decide not to include any new sport at all for 2016."
And my view.... Surfing is being dragged into the mainstream whether we like it or not and inclusion in the Olympics will only accelerate that process not trigger it. Surfing as an Olympic sport wouldn't be a bad thing as it would only shine a positive light on our lifestyle. No doubt it would prompt more people to try surfing and perhaps increase the crowd factor but wave parks will eventually become the norm allowing millions of inland surfers to stay inland. I can see wave park surfing becoming an entity in its own right developing separately from ocean surfing.
Whatever happens, surfing an ocean wave will never change and no amount of wave pool experience or medals will ever replace getting up at dawn on a freezing winter morning, to catch the pulse that you know will show for only a few hours on the right tide, at the right spot before the wind picks up- just gliding on pure energy with a few good friends.
Grant ‘Twiggy’ Baker rode what he says was the biggest wave he has ever ridden in Cape Town on Saturday when he and fellow Billabong team rider Greg Long towed each other into waves estimated to be over 70 foot (22 metres) in height.
The 35 year-old from Umhlanga, near Durban, and Long, 25, from San Clemente, California, started the day towing into waves at Dungeons, the notorious open ocean reef outside Hout Bay where Baker won the 10th anniversary edition of the Red Bull Big Wave Africa paddle-in event two weeks ago.
After three hours of epic rides and as the low tide approached the duo rode their PWC out to the indicator reef known a Tafelberg, a kilometre outside of Dungeons, where the huge waves usually just peak and crumble as the reef is eight metres below the surface.
However, the 16 second swell period and Southerly direction of the massive swell on Saturday, combined with the low tide and glassy conditions, was creating enormous waves that were breaking top to bottom in an awesome display of ocean power.
“The waves were definitely the biggest I’ve ever seen in South Africa and possibly the biggest anywhere,” Baker said. “Greg towed me into one giant wave that was so big I was terrified and started hyper-ventilating.”
“Later, when we saw the photos taken by Craig Kolesky with a large lens from Chapman’s Peak, we realised that those were possibly the biggest waves ever recorded, on a par with the rides we had a Cortes Bank in January which were measured at well over 70 feet.”
“We will definitely be keeping our eye on Tafelberg for future sessions,” Baker said. “That wave can get a lot bigger"
As surfers we have a tendency to travel around a lot in search of waves and more often than not we find ourselves staying under canvas on a camping site. Spending time outdoors close to a new surf spot can be great but if you choose the wrong place to stay it can spoil the experience. This unfortunately happened on my last trip a few days ago to Croyde in North Devon.
We decided to stay at "Surfers Paradise" campsite...obviously lured by the name and location close to the beach but the reality didn't live up to the promise. The site is little more than a field and the "facilities" consist of some temporary porta-cabins, which were very poor. The service at reception was awful and altogether unwelcoming and the security on site was non-existant. If the campsite's fees had reflected the standards then OK, but the fees were high and in line with larger sites with real facilities like showers, bars, etc. So the site was set up to take as much money as possible and give as little as possible in return, just exploiting the continuing UK surf boom. "Surfers Paradise" Croyde.....campers you have been warned!
On the flip side we usually stay at Lobb Fields camp site just down the road in Saunton. The facilities are simple but the owners are always welcoming and its a well maintained site, so we often recommend it.
So we'd like to hear of your experiences....can you recommend a great site to stay at or warn us of campsites from hell? Feel free to comment and share your thoughts
*image above is an example of a poor camping choice!
The Rip Curl Boardmasters witnessed some of the best waves of the year yesterday at Fistral Beach, Round 2 of the ASP World Qualifying Series (WQS) 5-Star coming to an end in fantastic five foot (1.5 meter) clean waves. Twenty-four heats were completed and all top seeded surfers started their 2008 Boardmasters campaign in what will be remembered as one of the greatest days of surfing in Europe.
There are a number of surfable tidal bore waves in the world and we have mentioned a few in the past on this blog and they never fail to amaze. This is the latest footage from a surf trip to surf the Pororoca bore on the Amazon, one of the longest waves in the world and judging by this session one of the biggest and cleanest. On the video below these guys really scored. For the science of tidal bores check out the explanation below:
Tidal bores form on rivers and estuaries near a coast where there is a large tidal range and the incoming tide is confined to a narrow channel. They consist of a surge of water moving swiftly upstream headed by a wave or series of waves.
When a tidal bore forms in a river, the direction of flow of the water changes abruptly as the bore passes. Before it arrives, the water may be still or, more usually, a small freshwater current flows outward toward the sea. The tide comes in as a “wall of water” that passes up the river. Behind the bore, the current flows upriver. At the division between the moving water behind the bore and the still water in front, there is a wave, the water surface behind being higher than it is in front. This wave must travel more quickly than the water particles behind it, because, as the advancing water travels upriver, it collects the still water in front and sets it in motion. Upriver, the advancing tide will consist not of salt water from the sea but rather of fresh water that has passed farther down and been collected and returned in front of the incoming tide. It is therefore necessary to distinguish between the velocity of the advancing wave and that of the water particles just behind it.
When skating on our little plastic skateboards in the seventies, to have achieved a couple of 360's or a handstand would have been the pinnacle of skill and style. Back then the moves and airs that pro-skaters pull these days was beyond our comprehension. This recent clip is of Danny Way on the mega ramp, showing just how far skating has come but also how the potential dangers have increased as boundries have been pushed....this one hurts!
I don't think that there's much argument when I say that being a successful pro-surfer has to be one of the best careers available to mankind....surfing the worlds greatest locations, travelling the world and getting paid for it! However for anyone thinking that the ability to rip will automatically lead to millionaire status, think again.
So far there have only been 4 pro-surfers to have cracked the $million barrier in contest earnings. It's no surprise that Kelly Slater with total contest earnings of $1.7m leads the way, followed closely by Andy Irons, Sunny Garcia and Occy. In line for the number 5 spot is Oz surfer Taj Burrow who is a mere $5,000 away from breaking the million mark. It's not a bad wage by most peoples standards but compared to other sports like football, who's stars earn in a single season, the equivalent of surfers lifetime's contest winnings, it doesn't look so impressive.
So if your goal is to earn enough cash to buy mansion and own 10 sports cars, the advice is pick up a ball. If you want to live a life of health, fun and stoke pick up a board (but you know that part already :)
Red Bulls Big wave Africa 10th Anniversary, kicked off at Dungeons, Hout Bay, near Cape Town South Africa over the weekend. The waiting period for 24 of the worlds premier big wave surfers is 5 weeks but only a few days in and a perfect 18-20 ft swell rolled in allowing the contest organisers to wrap things up by Saturday with Twiggy Baker from SA winning the event
Surfers don't need much to chase waves but the accessories that we do use have a habit of disappearing, but not anymore with the introduction of the Northcore Surfers Travel pack. Most of the gear you'll ever use for surfing like, wax, fins, sunblock, board locks, binoculars, sunglasses, fin screws and bolts etc can all be conveniently stored away in this specially designed surf travel pack:
Featuring:
- A large tarp lined pocket which can store numerous bars of wax and greasy tubes of sun block
- A fleece lined pocket for holding more delicate items like sunglasses, binoculars etc
- There's an elastic holder for lipbalm
- There's a small clear pocket for storing fins screws and fin keys
- A large netted storage pocket which can hold fins, including some longboard fins and surfboard locks, keysafes etc.
All this is packaged into a super tough material carrying case that can be loaded up and thrown in the car or backpack with no more worries about where all the kit has disappeared to!
It's the latest buzz word in surfing-SUP or stand up paddle boarding. It's a style of surfing recently resurrected and propelled into the spot light by Laird Hamilton (who else!) and if its good enough for Laird.....
SUP has hit the UK in a big way, everyone is talking about it. It's great for flat days, it's great for fitness and cross training and it's great for waves. The only down side is the cost of the boards, which ain't cheap. Check out this video clip...it takes a lot of hours dedicated practice to become this competant in waves this size but it adds a whole new dimension to the surfing experience.
The Grimsby Fishing Heritage Centre are holding a free open day and beach party on Aug 04th 08 (10.00-17.00). The day will include free entry to the museum, which is hosting the British surfing museum's, surf exhibition. The day will also include an outdoor, beach party themed event, with stalls, punch and judy show, surf simulator, a BBQ, a stand up paddle board demo etc. Extremehorizon and the Lincs surf club will also be there. For more info call: 01472 323345
In this blog piece we aren't talking about surf spots with the usual dangers like shallow reefs, big nasty sharks or monster waves. We're looking at places where the likelihood of getting shot, kidnapped, imprisoned or blown up is a possibility (nice)
As with all travel, a little bit of common sense and caution will see most trips end without incident, but there are some surf locations that require a lot more caution than others.
This list isn't claiming to be exhaustive or be accurate forever as situations change, but it will give you an idea on where the hot spots are:
Sri Lanka: The LTTE, “Tamil Tiger” Liberation movement are still fighting the established Sri Lankan authorities and the troubles have increased this year with 167 civilians being killed in 2008 so far. The main trouble areas are in Colombo and the north and east of the country, which is away from the main surf zones, but travel with care is advised.
Colombia: A no brainer this one. Although Colombia isn't at the top of most surfers must surf locations, it does have waves on its Caribbean and Pacific coastlines, many of which lay undiscovered. The reason: kidnapping of tourists, murder, drug cartels, robberies etc, etc. Other than that, a nice place to visit!
South Africa: Some areas of SA are badly affected by crime although the authorities are keen to protect tourist destinations, so the worst of the problems go unseen by visitors. J'burg is mugging and car jacking central so if arriving into the city, transit quickly to the coast!
Indonesia: Of course Bali suffered the horrific bombing in Kuta, perpetrated by local Muslim terrorists. This was an atrocious act targeting innocents holidaying on a super chilled out island, which is home to some of the planets friendliest people. Bali is no less dangerous than it was before the attack but vigilence is advised. Outside of Bali many areas of Indo have suffered security problems which are still in effect in the Aceh region which is caught up in an internal struggle. Travel the islands with respect and care
Fiji- Oct 07 saw the State of Emergency lifted after a military coup and widespread civil unrest. The main area of trouble was in the capital Suva. The biggest danger here however is that possession of any amount of weed equals a mandatory 3 month prison sentence. If in doubt stick with the Fiji rum!
Nicaragua: Street crime is a problem here with armed muggings and “Express kidnappings” (victims taken on short taxi rides where money is extorted before release) being the main problems especially in larger towns.
Spain: OK, so not an obvious one but the Basque terrorist movement ETA, ended a 14 month ceasefire last year and occasional, indiscriminate bomb attacks do occur. However its a big old country so the risk factor is v.low. However if you are visiting the Basque region of NW spain, you may fancy trying your luck running with the bulls in July in Pamplona.... and if the chance of being gored by a nasty bull isn't dangerous I don't know what is!
Brazil: Big cities can be crime hot spots, especially Rio. Gun and drug culture play a major part in city life and tourists can fall foul to car jackings and mugging. Leave the bling at home!
Philippines: Surf here can be fickle but class when it's on, however poverty levels in the Philippines result in high levels of crime and fatal terrorist bombings are all too frequent. Foreign tourists have been targets for kidnappings with two separate cases recorded last year involving visitors
Sources for the above info are varied but for greater detail on each region visit the British Foreign and Commonwealth or US Dept of State websites.
On wednesday this week, Newquay's infamous big wave, the Cribbar, fired up. Some elements of the media were trying to sensationalise the day by saying it was 25ft, but our v.reliable eyeball source who knows the wave well, pegged it at more like 8ft-10ft.
Still it was big enough for some of the local crew to tow into it along with a young lad Josh Hughes who at only 17 yrs, claims to be the youngest to have ever ridden the wave. A similar feat by a 17yr Jay Moriaty at Mavericks in the 90's propelled Jay into the global surf spotlight after a cover shot on Surfer Mag. I don't think Josh is going to be thrust into the limelight in quite the same way but it was a ballsy go-out for someone of his age nonetheless.
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