MAGAZINE
BLADE
ISSUE 3: September 2013
. t a e p e R . e e s e s n u i o R magic y . f r u he S t d . n p i Sleheinnaigans beh The s
Managing editor: Matt Burgess Contributors: Matt Brugess, Steve Williams Photographers: Matt Burgess, Steve Williams Cover Shot: Kai Bates getting some air between the lip and his board - Photo: Matt Burgess Inside Shot: A precious peak somewhere in Australia - Photo: Nigel Eberhardt Back Cover Shot: Steve Williams creating some gold - Photo: Matt Burgess Contact: info@blademagazine.net
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Words: Steve Williams Photos: Matt Burgess and Steve Williams
9pm Wednesday night, I’ve just got off a long haul flight from Europe after being gone for 6 weeks. Still in zombie jetlag-ville, my phone rings. It’s Adam from Fanatic. “Maaaaate, 5am tomorrow morning south coast photo shoot with the Fanatic crew, you keen?” “Yep I’m in” (No hesitation).
On the road with Fanatic is something special. Most certainly unique to say the least. To get a group of frothers together, amped, ready to surf no matter what is thrown at them is some you don’t get on your normal trip. From a photographer’s standpoint, to have surfers be able to re-create the exact same turn on every wave un 5am next morning, I load my truck full of til you get the shot is unique in itself, and greatly camera gear, wetsuits and underwater hous- appreciated. While Fanatic’s go to photographers ings. Matt Burgess turns up at my place with a are some of the best in Australia, sometimes car full of camera gear too; between us I think things happen that mess it up. I’ve been lucky we have all the angles covered for any even- enough to be involved with Fanatic over the past tuality. We head south. Just south of Syd- few years shooting the formal and informal trips. ney some psychos in a van are flashing their Both Matty and I would like to thank Fanatic’s lights, blasting their horn, and hanging out director of development Adam Quinn, as without the window screaming. Not surprised, it’s Ky- his creative direction, we would be lost. ron Rathbone and Adam Bennett from Fanatic amped up for some south coast wave action. 4 || BLADE Magazine || Issue 3
Morning surf check with Kai Bates and Kyron Rathbone - Photo: Steve Williams
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Top: Kyron commiting - Photo: Steve Williams Left: Kai smashing an open section - Photo: Matt Burgess Middle: Adam Quinn, a personified version of Fanatic - Photo: Steve Williams Right: Jacko hitting the lip - Photo: Steve Williams
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In convoy headed South, the CB radio was alive with the banter of how good the waves were going to be and every opportunity to take the piss out of each other to kill the time. No one should ever let Kyron near a radio again. After a few hours of road tripping we linked up with Kai Bates and went to stomp his training grounds. The search began as Kai lead us to local unknown breaks in the area to see what had the best potential for the mornings waves. After choosing a spot with a dropping tide and rising swell the lads got geared up. “Yeeewwww”, “Woooop”, ” Its gonna be Sick”, whilst walking down the path through the bush and emerging to crystal clear water peeling waves with only 2 other surfers out.
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Kai, itching for some waves, was first out and snagging the first peelers of the day, followed soon after by Kyron, frothing at the mouth. Positioning myself down the beach with the Telephoto Lens I could capture the best images of Kai and Kyron smacking the lip and getting some airtime. Matty was tucked into the sand dunes at a higher angle to catch the action. Some great 4-5 ft waves were ridden with some great bottom turns and off the lip action to be had. The beauty of travelling with the fearless, we managed to check any spot where we thought there was a wave. After a couple hours surfing and a feed, we drove another hour or so south to a beachie we knew would be working. Frustrated with just shooting on land and running out of battery in the video cam, Matty donned the wetsuit and went water shooting and managed to captures some magic just before the sun fell out.
The last session of the day ended with the most telling look on a surfers face. We’ve all seen it, we’ve all given it. Yep, Adam Bennett gave the look of ‘I need a beer and a feed’. The crew headed back to Kai’s place where we were greeted by Cheryl and Jason Cater, Kai’s parents, with the most delicious dinner and coldest brew. Thankyou so much guys, you have no idea how much it meant to us all! After looking through the images and video, we all knew we had to step up. Checking the forecast, Kai with the local knowledge made the call. We were going to some unknown peaky, sucky, disgusting monster that is an hour’s walk through national park, and we wont know if it’s good until we get there.
This isn’t the first time we’ve all had to do it. Those photos that set Fanatic apart in brochures and sales books compared other manufactures come from riders and photographers putting themselves on the line. Last year, which you saw on the back cover of BLADE’s second issue, Kyron jumped off a 12m cliff not knowing how deep it was below (KIDS DO NOT TRY THIS!!! INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS!!). In this year’s brochure shoot, there wasn’t a day where Matty didn’t come in with blood running down his face from being hit by boards, getting smacked into rocks or just gasping for air after going over the falls and held down trying to get the shot after swimming constantly against a rip to stay in the right spot. It’s just what we have to do. Lets not forget the riders though, they get punished! Kai, The next morning a stunning sun- training for the up coming Huntington stop on the rise greeted us as we hit the road. There was Standup World Tour, managed to slam himself tension amongst us all, knowing what was into a shallow sand bank and damage eye. He’s about to happen, what we had to do and the fine now, but that dedication is certainly someknowledge bodies will be on the line . thing to be admired. Kai Bates showing the wave who’s boss on a sucky inside section - Photo: Matt Burgess
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Left: Kyron cchasing kangaroos - Photo: Steve Williams Middle: Team Fanatic making sure their stuff is on par - Photo: Steve Williams Right: Kai, Adam and Jacko checking the peaks for the next morning - Photo: Matt Burgess Bottom: Paul and Ange Jackson sharing a wave - Photo: Steve Williams
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We pull down a winding dirt road and travel through a forest until we reach the end. Anticipation is growing. Nervous butterflies multiplying. We load up with lenses, cameras, tripods, housings, fins and double check everything. Kai leads us up a hiking trail into the bush where we stumble across 30 or so Kangaroos. Kyron, being Kyron, decides to try to feed them. I grab my camera hoping for some sort of boxing match between Kyron and a 6ft Roo. Unfortunately no action... Pressing on we head further down the bush track. After 30mins or so of hiking we ask Kai where the hell are we going? “not even half way yet” he replies.” F#%K”, “ S@%T”, “Who’s bloody idea was this?” Did anyone bring food and water?” Discussions were had weather Kai was trying to kill and bury us in the bush. 40 mins or so more hiking brought us to a rock shelf with a right hander with just the right swell direction for it to work with no one else round. It was pumping! Good call! Just as we climb down to 12 || BLADE Magazine || Issue 3
the rock shelf to gear up, a boat turns up and drops off a surfer. Kyron flipped his lid and was hurling abuse, stones, sticks and whatever else he could find in protest of this lazy drop off after our trek in effort. Kai and Kyron suited up, Matty got the water housing out and jumped in. I headed for the next rock shelf for a better angle of the wave. Bennett was scared, so he sat watching the action eating some chips. Some great waves peeled with a few barrels to get everyone amped. Dolphins and whales popped in to say hi as they travelled up the coast. A few hours of bottom turns, lip smacks, tucking into barrels and epic stacks had every one pretty happy. Matty almost got washed up onto some oyster covered rocks but managed to get out of trouble, but not before Kai decided to aim for his head on a smoker.
Left: Kai Bates aiming for Matt Burgess’ head - Photo: Steve Williams Middle: Kai and JB Chilling in the carpark with Adam Quinn - Photo: Matt Burgess Right: Kyron not ammused after a long walk through bush -Photo: Steve WIlliams Bottom: Adam Bennett chilling watching the lads surf - Photo: Steve Williams
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Left: Kai Bates throwing buckets on a closeout section - Photo: Matt Burgess Top Right: Kyron Rathbone hitting the lip - Photo: Matt Burgess Bottom Right: Kai hitting a backhand re-entry on a closeout - Photo: Matt Burgess
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As the sun was starting to set and the veil being pulled on this adventure, we packed up our gear and began the trek back to the vans. Standing around in a circle, birds chirping away, we looked at each other. Not a word said, just the silent look to everyone of camaraderie. We had accomplished the mission. We’d been through some torture, but as a group of mates, a team, a family, we ate the crap to get to the magic. Nothing beats a coast trip wave hunting with Fanatic.
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Kai Bates producing some sunset magic - Photo: Matt Burgess
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Wish to contribute? At BLADE, we’re always frothing for the next epic adventure. If you wish to showcase your work, feel free to send us an email! info@blademagazine.net