+ 2007 Readers' Poll results + Going stellar with Cosmic Oscillations + Mark McCarthy world tour Diaries + Wedge photo essay by Cracker + Johann Nortje creates + Comfortably numb in Canada + Mark Harrison boogie + Behind the lens with DCMike + The Kei
The “backwater � Issue
January / February / March 2008 :: R20 incl vat (south africa only)
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bodyboarding // travel // photography // lifestyle
“This photo was taken in Mainland Mexico in July of 2007. A big thank you goes out to Pete Moore from Movement for putting the trip together and swimming the flash for me early this morning. Pete was in the water with a flash that had a radio receiver attached, which is triggered by a radio transmitter on the top of my camera. When I push the shutter to take the image it sends a signal to pop the flash. I really dig the effect that having the flash in the water gives off, but it is difficult because you get one chance to nail the shot, due to slow recycle times of the flash. Luckily on this shot everything came together!” Tod Glaser talking about the cover shot.
...on the cover Our first international rider on
the cover. Matt Lackey rips in the dark. Tod Glaser photo ©
The Backwater Issue Issue 4 is in full effect. This time we take you on a journey. A trip around the world with our very own Mark McCarthy and his meteoric rise to fame on the IBA World Tour where he finished 4th overall in his rookie year. We explore our own backyard to find paradise within reach, get the low-down on some unlikely surf destinations around our planet and then we let the imagination run wild with our vision of the future. Just a little different but we can all dream, can't we? We round the issue out with a selection of the country's best images. And the reference to Backwater? Well, sitting at the tip of Africa we hope you aren't reading this by candle light in one of the previously lit areas and sliding off the map as load shedding becomes an everyday occurrence! Enjoy - Ian Kruger (Ed)
This page: Empty Philippine perfection AVG photo Š
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Science
Apology Managing Editor & Publisher Ian Kruger ian@sixty40.co.za
We credited the shot (above) of Warren Canepa smacking a lip to Mark Clark in the Issue 3 when the shot was actually taken by prolific PE photographer Luc Hosten. Sorry Luc!
As you know Science team rider Mark McCarthy has been excelling overseas with a number of good results in the IBA world tour contests. This has led to him finishing 4th overall on the ratings for 2007! Future world champ…oh yes! Mark McCarthy’s Signature Science bodyboard will be available by the end of 2008! Joining Mark in the top 10 IBA ratings are fellow Science team riders, Magno Olivera and the legend himself, Mike Stewart. Other team rider news is that Adam Morley won the Onrus Classic with Henk Esterhuysen winning the expression session. Ian Thurtell has left his day job so expect to see more of him boosting on his Thomas Robinson model. Science welcomes EP’s Mark Jucker to the team. Mark will be riding the MS3. Congratulations to the Science riders in the 2007 Readers’ Poll. Mark McCarthy, Ian Thurtell, Daniel Worsley, Vaughn Harris and Adam Morley all placed in the top 10! Congrats! Ian Thurtell, off the beaten track; Royals virgin territory. DCmike photo ©
Associate Editor / Senior Photographer Mike Dei-Cont dcmike@sixty40.co.za Art Director / Designer Samuel Sampi Kamffer (one2love) sampi@sixty40.co.za Online Editor / Senior Contributor Gareth White gareth@sixty40.co.za Web Support Kelly Footit kelly@sixty40.co.za Contributors Kade, Dcmike, Gareth White, Tod Glaser, Migraine Boy, Mark McCarthy, Porcelain, Greg Voster, Matthew Kieser, Bernadine Rodgers, Allan Horsfield Photographers DCmike, Tod Glaser, Sean Tickner, AVG, Luc Hosten, Shaun Timoney, Marcel Habets, Clark Little, Phil Gallagher, Cracker, Jon Reid, Heather Van Gysen, Cestari/Covered Images, Rod Owen Sales Ian Kruger ian@sixty40.co.za Mike Dei-Cont dcmike@sixty40.co.za Advertising Ian Kruger ian@sixty40.co.za Mariana Murchio Kamffer mariana@sixty40.co.za Distribution Countrywide Stockists All good surf stores, CNA’s, PNA’s and Exclusive Books Sixty40 Magazine Contact Tel +27 (0) 82 594 3082 Fax +27 (0) 21 939 2246 Po Box 15107, Panorama, 7506 Cape Town, South Africa
Published by Panacea Publishing Printed by Intabatu Printing & VRP Print, Cape Town
© Copyright subsists in all work published in this magazine. Any reproduction or adaptation, in whole or part without written permission of the publishers is strictly prohibited and is an act of copyright infringement which may in certain circumstances constitutes a criminal offence.
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iBodyboard launches on Facebook
For the Facebook addict out there, we've pulled an all-nighter and released iBodyboard - the must have Facebook Application for any bodyboarder on Facebook. Just browse to http://apps. facebook.com/ibodyboard, add the app and if you're a member of the sixty40 website then you can link your two profiles and we'll deliver some info and photos direct from your sixty40 account to your Facebook profile. The aim in developing the application is to promote bodyboarding to the non-bodyboarding public by providing users with a useful tool to share their bodyboarding photos and info with their friends on Facebook. Our first release includes a mix of sixty40/ Facebook functionality but stayed tuned as we add new features and get to grips with the Facebook development platform.
Subscriber HB Hamper Winners:
The following winners will be buffed out by the wonderful guys at HB with a His and Hers travel pack consisting of Backpacks and caps. As you can see, it pays to be a subscriber. Clinton Cambell: Rosebank Ian Metcalf: Aspen, Colorado Karl van der Schyff: East London Stephan Becker: Richards Bay Michael Ostler: Westville, KZN
ROAM... a Nomad F.S.D. project
The powerhouse combination of producing partners Nomad Bodyboards and Digital Children, film maker and director Bryce Thurston, film editor Todd Barnes, and collaborators Riptide Bodyboard Magazine and Agent 18 wetsuits, have delivered this years most anticipated bodyboard film project, “ROAM”. ROAM features the riding talent of the Nomad F.S.D.’s Chris James, Glen Thurston, and Matt Lackey, along with good friends Jake Stone, Michael Novy, Ryan Hardy, Ben Player, Dave Winchester, Mitch Rawlins, Simon and Nick Ormerod, Adam Luehman, Alex Bunting, Dallas Singer, Piere Louis-Costes, Toby Player, Max Arent-Highfield, Sean Pyne, and Cade Sharp. Filmed in High Definition Widescreen Format for optimum image quality and with exclusive angles from helicopter, jetski and board cameras, the production values of ROAM will make it stand out from the masses.
Congrats
On Friday the 4th of January 2008, Pierre and Michelle Marqua welcomed the arrival of their latest addition to their family. Her name is Kiara Danaé Marqua, She weighed in at a healthy 3.97kg and sports the same bright blue eyes as her daddy. Mom and daughter are both well and healthy and Pierre just cant stop smiling.
MISCELLANEOUS
Voice your opinion, go to www.sixty40.co.za and let us know what you think. say hi, send us stuff... Basically, you can travel across the globe, free surfing at over 55 renowned as well as remote waves such as, Pipeline, Teahupoo, The Box and G-Land. Compete in one of the many online contests constantly taking place or create your own for you and your friends. Users acquire career points that enable you to better your characters wave riding skills.
Sixty40 joins forces with youRiding.com
Those of you who have visited our website recently might have noticed the advertising for online surfing and bodyboarding videogame, youRiding. com
“We are really happy to work with sixty40. South Africa is a great surfing country and we are proud to strengthen our bond with the bodyboarding community of SA thanks to sixty40” commented youRiding. com co-founder, Thomas Casamayou. If you haven’t seen the ads, or don’t know much about YouRiding.com, here is the low down on the best bodyboarding game I have ever played.
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The partnership officially began on the 1st March 2008, to coincide with the release of youRiding V2, which promises to be even better than the original. With V2 the developers have done away with the annoying pre-load, introduced more user friendly controls, improved the game graphics and in V2 you will be able to add a personal element to your profile by creating your very own customisable virtual “Me”. “The data feeds were key to our partnership proposal and we are quite excited about the prospect – if we get it right, we can add some pretty useful functionality and build up a bit of competition between our members. Additional to this, our news feeds will feature in a news section which is a new feature to youRiding’s V2 along with a video section where you’ll be able to watch our video adverts for each new issue of sixty40 magazine. It is an exciting partnership with Thomas and Mike Jegat
of IntellySurf who pretty simply have developed the best bit of bodyboarding gaming to date and we look forward to each new release”, added Kelly Footit, founder of sixty40.co.za. Be warned, youRiding is incredibly addictive, just ask Mark McCarthy, currently ranked 4th on the IBA ratings! “I have played the game loads and at one stage I was hooked. The waves are really realistic and not too far fetched like other surfing games. It’s a really sick game and is great for the Sport”. With V2 users will now have the opportunity to compete online in the 2008 IBA Virtual World Bodyboarding Tour, in partnership with the IBA, based on the real 2008 Mens World Bodyboarding Tour, with prizes to be won! To get hooked, log onto www.youriding. com and prepare to become rooted to your seat!
Geoff Brink photo ©
Beach Cleaners Sweep Coastline
For the third consecutive year, the Vodacom Beach Clean Up campaign will sweep the South African coastline from December 15, 2007 to January 7, 2008. Nineteen different beaches nationally will benefit from the project in the Eastern Cape, Western Cape and Kwa Zulu Natal over a period of twenty-three days. “Vodacom is proud to announce that the Vodacom Beach Clean Up campaign will take place again this year to ensure a spotless and safe playground for the thousands of holidaymakers who will flock to the coast over the festive season. The clean ups will provide work for 209 previously unemployed individuals at a crucial time of the year as well as,” commented Palesa Chabula Vodacom’s Executive Head of Corporate Communications. The Vodacom Beach Clean Up campaign will also educate members of the public about the negative impact of littering - how it endangers aquatic wildlife as well as human life and encourage them to take measures to reduce or prevent litter all year round. The 2006/2007 Vodacom Beach Clean Up
campaign proved to be a huge success surpassing all expectations by clearing a grand total of 43, 914 bags of marine litter. Vodacom’s involvement with the clean up efforts is in recognition that the future depends on the preservation of our natural resources and sustainable use thereof. Ten previously unemployed individuals and a supervisor, sourced by relevant NGO’s, will be paid to clean each of the beaches. The Vodacom Beach Clean Ups will take place from 08h00 to 17h00 daily and clean up staff will be easily identifiable in Vodacom branded T-shirts and caps. In Kwa Zulu Natal the following beaches will be cleaned – Margate, Scottburgh, Amanzimtoti, the Umgeni River Mouth, Umdloti and Westbrook. The Eastern Cape beaches that will benefit from the project are Hartenbos, Santos, De Bakke, Vleesbaai, Boggoms Baai, Plettenberg Bay, Orient Beach, Jeffrey’s Bay and Well’s Estate. Camps Bay Beach, Clifton 3rd and 4th Beach, Muizenberg, Hout Bay, Strand and Mnandi will be cleaned in the Western Cape. The third annual Vodacom Beach Clean Up forms part of Vodacom’s Yebo Feva “Live Large” summer campaign.
VSC MISS TIGER Dow Core Slick Skin Leash with every board purchase
VSC POWER Dow Core Slick Skin
Leash with every board purchase
Vodacom is one of the few GSM cellular operators worldwide to receive ISO 14001 environmental management certification. The company’s world-class environmental policy includes erecting environmentally-friendly and aesthetically pleasing base station masts which are in the form of mock lighthouses, windmills and several kinds of man-made trees. The Vodacom Foundation also works with partners on a variety of projects to minimise adverse impacts on the environment. A major project at present is the Blue Swallow Working Group of the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWTBSWG), in partnership with Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, KZN’s mandated provincial nature conservation agency. Vodacom’s contribution is utilised towards a genetics study of the Blue Swallow, an ambassador for a vital South African ecosystem - the grasslands – and the wetlands they contain. As a globally threatened species, the Blue Swallow, as a component of the grassland habitat, acts as an ambassador for the conservation of all other fauna and floral communities and processes in this unique grassland ecosystem. Conserving the Blue Swallow will therefore result in the protection of other grassland species (and ultimately our water resources). Other projects that the Vodacom Foundation has supported includes the Wildlife Breeding Resources Centre, Southern Africa’s only dedicated banking service of biomaterials for conservation, research and management purpose, Back to Africa which relocates rare and endangered African species from zoological institutions worldwide back to their natural habitat in Africa, the World Wide Fund for Nature’s Coastcare Programme which seeks to improve management of the Table Mountain National Park MPA and the South African Wildlife College.
NUKLEAR Dow Core Slick Skin Crescent Tail Leash with every board purchase
Mail order available Cape Town - 62 Long Street: 021 422 3050 Jeffrey’s Bay - Da Gama Road: 042 293 4128 Salt Rock - Salt Rock Centre: 032 525 4848 Sodwana Bay - Main Road: 035 571 0161 Larmont Surf - 98 West Street, Dbn: 031 368 2421 www.sixty40.co.za | 5
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MISCELLANEOUS
Voice your opinion, go to www.sixty40.co.za and let us know what you think. say hi, send us stuff... The contest officially kicked off on the 1st of June 2007 and concluded on the 29th of February 2008, with final submissions being accepted until the 8th of March 2008. To begin with, there wasn’t much to report and I have to say that it was painful waiting for the first submissions. Thankfully they arrived after the running of the Extreme Big Wave Bodyboarding event at Bay View near Hermanus on the 24th of July. Marcel Habets, a big wave rider himself, was the first to submit stunning shots of riders testing themselves in the daunting conditions. The swells were huge, estimated at being fifteen to twenty foot, and to think these brave souls paddled into and onto these beasts.
James Moolenschot - Sunsets Shaun Timoney photo ©
Reef and Science Biggest Wave Contest A few years ago I stumbled across a well written editorial about the relativity of big wave riding. Those words struck home and have had me thinking ever since.
How does your Joe Soap (me), compare his big with that of the big wave chargers and does my “big” even count anymore? What really gets my blood pumping and my heart skipping beats? It’s all about personal thresholds and that the size of the wave is all down to the perspective of the rider. Whether your threshold rests at eight to ten foot, or you need twenty foot monsters to get you going, the feeling is similar for all of us. Your heart is beating so hard it feels as though it’s gonna burst through your chest at any moment and your nought is clinched tighter than a duck’s as you scramble over the sets. You know it’s big, irrespective of what anyone else thinks! It’s that feeling of uncertainty, that feeling of going beyond your personal limits and living to tell the tale. It’s the feeling that got us hooked on bodyboarding in the first place and it’s that feeling for which we endlessly search.
"Keep searching!" In South Africa, to the best of my knowledge, big wave riding on a bodyboard is somewhat of a new venture, with very few riders actively participating in the search for waves that would make most of us go weak in the knees. Granted that riders have been pursuing monster swells for many years, who can forget Gordon Cockwell gunning Dungeons in 2001, but it isn’t until recently that the
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public has sat up and begun to take note of their efforts. Reef Wetsuits and Science Bodyboards came up with the idea of running a paddle-in big wave contest here in SA and put forward some amazing prizes in order to acknowledge these riders for their life threatening stunts. This is what Reef Wetsuits and Science Bodyboards Sales Manager, Len Bradford, had to say about their involvement in the contest. “I believe that trying harder and going bigger is what Reef and Science is about. Mike Stewart was the person that showed the world that bodyboarders can ride the more intense, bigger waves. Reef and Science do support the noncompetitive riders who prefer to chase the bigger monsters and therefore we decided it was time to get this contest up and running.” As some of you know, the contest was supposed to be getting a rather substantial prize donation from an associate sponsor, who decided to pull out at the last minute due to conflicting interests and what they call - lack of exposure. For such a big company to pull something like this, given that they have already received plenty of web coverage, is a low blow - thanks guys! As it stands, prizes on offer to the rider who rides the biggest wave within the borders of South Africa is a handsome R4000 cash prize. Not forgetting the man-behind-the-lens the sponsors kindly put up a R4000 cash prize for the photographer who captured the ride. That’s right, a total prize value to the total of R8000, generously donated by Reef Wetsuits and Science Bodyboards, for riding one wave!
About a month passed and we received more photos from the Bay View event, this time from photographer Graeme Cox, who submitted over 100 shots for the judges to sift through. Included were solid rides by Paul Morkel, Jared Houston and Ishmael Grant, and a spectacular image of Peter Lambert duck diving one of the sets. Both sets of shots gave the contest plenty to feed off and kept those viewing the event entertained, but a lull was looming. As if a silence had fallen over South Africa the Reef/Science Biggest Wave Contest hit a plateau and received no contestable submission for four months. Behind the scenes we were actively perusing images of James Moolenschot riding solid Sunset Reef in Cape Town. We were first made aware of the super-sized images in early October 2007, but were unable to get hold of them until the photographer, Shaun Timoney, returned to South Africa from abroad. James really does deserve recognition for his skills and sheer madness over this past year. On the day that the photos were taken, James surfed for over four hours in the cranking swell and on another occasions he chooses to chill in the impact zone and wait for a beast to paddle onto, while others opted to tow. Respect! Photographer, Michel Dei-Cont (DCmike) decided to grant us a “new years” gift when he submitted 6 images into the contest. Two of the shots were not contestable because the rider, Peter Lambert, didn’t make them. We included them merely as eye-candy as we felt that they deserved a mention. The contestable images showcase some of the mountainous waves ridden by Peter this past year - he has been a man on a mission.“The riders were really amped to charge the biggest wave and search for the perfect monster last year. This pushes up the level of riding in general and makes the sport even more exciting. I respect the riders for what they have achieved. It takes guts and discipline
by Gareth White //
without being wreckless and for that I salute you!” concluded Bradford. Graeme Cox and Shaun Timoney also submitted entries into the Biggest Wipe Out award section of the contest, the winner of which will receive a nice big bag of carrots for their efforts. Cox’s shots include Chris Sparks, who lost his board after the bail and had to swim back to shore from Sunsets, which is a considerable distance out to sea. According to Graeme, Sparks looked like a tasty snack for the lurking Johnnies as he made the paddle. Mark Clark is up next, but he didn’t get it too bad, not as bad as Chris Dowe - a newcomer to surfing
swells of size. Both Cox and Timoney snapped shots of Dowe going head over heels inside the barrel and getting burnt by a stand-up to add insult to injury! Apparently he was held under for ages and took such a savage beating, that as soon as he had stitched himself together he called it a day and headed straight for the beach. I have to admit that there is nothing better than watching someone else eat it! With time running out and the winter swells long since past it seems an inevitable conclusion that we might have seen the last of the entrants into the Reef/ Science Biggest Wave Contest for 2007.
The Contest officially closes on the 29th of February 2008, but submissions of waves ridden either on or before this date can be made until the 7th of March 2008. Unfortunately at the time the magazine went to print the winner had not been picked, but I can tell you that it’s going to be a close call between Ishmael Grant, Paul Morkel, Peter Lambert, James Moolenschot and Jared Houston. The winner will be announced at the Cape Classic event briefing, which should be held on Thursday the 20th of March at a yet to be disclosed venue.
Peter Lambert - Sunsets DCmike photo ©
EBWBB 07 – RESULTS
Results for the Extreme Big Wave Bodyboarding contest for 2007, which was held in July 2007, were released on 24 January 2008 when the riders themselves chose the winner. Contest Director, Riaan du Preez - “Thanks must go to Len Bradford (Science/Reef SA), Dino and Tinus (Corner Bar), SMC Constructions, Wildekrans Cellers, Gateway fitness studio, Pionier Custom Made Furniture and CSI Solutions, without them the planning and event would have been so much harder to get where it is today.” Winning the contest was none other than Ishmael Grant, who has been lurking below the radar these past couple of years and raised a few eyebrows with his hell man antics during his heat. Coming in second was his brother, Aadam Grant, third went to Jared Houston, in fourth was Paul Morkel and coming in fifth place was Peter Lambert. I am stoked to have won, all the guys came 1st in my eyes. Thanks again to all the guys that made it happen and hopefully this year we can get more guys involved”, commented a jovial Ishmael on his victory. Beast wipe-out went to Dino, from Corner Bar, who creased a brand new 44 inch and snapped his leash taking a beating from some of the bigger sets that come through. "A big congrats to all the riders and an even bigger thanks to all the sponsors and partners that made this event possible", concluded du Preez.
Ishmael Grant - Bayview bommie. Marcel Habets photo ©
www.sixty40.co.za | 7
MISCELLANEOUS
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Fischer model sells like hotcakes
Spex keeping his eye on the "money shot". Tungsten photo ©
News out of HB headquarters is that the Wes Fischer signature model has become the second most popular signature board ever produced by Hot Buttered Bodyboards. Rivalled only by the Sean Virtue models, Fischer’s board is the biggest selling HB signature board outside of Australia! Wes is currently in Hawaii where his solid skills are likely to strengthen his international reputation even further and could boost his sales enough to claim the title of best selling HB Bodyboard. Good luck Wes!
Ten things you can do to get into the Mag (By Spex) 1. Find out who is a surf or sport photographer in your area. 2. Get in contact with them and tell them about and show them the mag, to see if they are interested in getting their shots published. 3. Let the photographer know when and where the waves are going to be good, keeping in mind that the sun should ideally be behind the photographer. (the photographer should know this) 4. 'Colours make Covers'. Use/wear bright/funky colours. i.e. yellow and red board with a pair of yellow boardshorts and yellow dot vipers. Get creative! The readers want to see different and interesting stuff and it makes it easier to identify you in the lineup. 5. When you see a photographer shooting at your local break, briefly introduce yourself, so he/she knows who they are taking photos of. 6. Speak to the photographer after your session to find out if he/she got any shots of you. Give them your e-mail address and get him/her to send you low resolution copies of the shots and discuss which ones you both like. This will help you build a relationship with the photographer and get the 'money-shot' next time. 7. If there are any 'magazine quality' shots, give the photographer the contact details for the creative department of Sixty/40 (sampi@sixty40.co.za) and encourage them to submit all the worthy images. 8. Any opportunity you get to look at a photographer’s work, help them identify the riders, to make sure that the guy/girl that did get the shot on the day, gets the credit in the mag. 9. When you know that someone is shooting, don't hold back! Go big and launch big clean moves and pull into the biggest pits. Push the limits of the sport, that’s the stuff we all want to see on covers and posters. 10. Most importantly don't be a 'Pig'! Have respect for others in the water. Just because someone is shooting your session, does not mean that the rules of the lineup don't apply to you. Ed’s note: 1. Remember, if the shots are circulating on the internet the likelyhood of them being included in the mag are nil. 2. The images that the photographer gives you (even low resolution) belong to him/her and you need to agree on how, where and what you may use them for.
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Reef
Towards the end of 2007 Reef South Africa added three new products to their substantial range and unleashed them onto the market. Firstly, Reef has released the next in their line of super warm wetsuits, the 4.3mm Air Fusion. The suit comes in Men’s and Ladies styles and includes liquid seam seal, super flex feather light neoprene, batwing zip, durable knee pads and should retail for R2200. The Fireskin polar tech fleece is the next of Reef’s new creations and is a must for any one surfing in colder waters. The vest comes in long and short sleeve variations to give riders maximum warmth and comfort in even the harshest of seas and should retail for R240. Finally Reef has released their 6mm Bicep Leash complete with a double swivel and extra large arm strap it should retail for R140. Improvements have also been made to the 3.2mm tri-flex shorty to give it extra flexibility. More news is that Reef team member, Jared Houston, came third in the Extreme Big Wave Bodyboarding event held at Bay View last July and the winner of the Reef/ Science Biggest Wave contest will be announced at the briefing for the 2008 Cape Classic.
ATD
The 2nd generation of ATD Bodyboards PXL series is now available. These boards now feature beaded polypropylene cores, which in our opinion offer even better performance than the extruded polypro found on most bodyboards. These cores are 100% dent/crush proof, as well as offering 100% recoil after unlimited flexing. They are also much lighter than our previous boards. Furthermore, we have developed a unique stringer for the boards that has ridiculous response to flex, adding even more projection in turns than the PP on its own. The FRD rail has also been generating amazingly positive feedback, so appears to be here to stay. Lastly, as a limited time offer, all boards purchased direct from ATD will also receive a free one year subscription to SA’s premier bodyboarding publication, sixty40 – so a little extra boost for the support of our local companies.
Rossi Board Co.
Rossi Board Co. celebrates Ten years on the South African and International markets this year and would like to thank all the guys and girls that have shown their support. Thousands of custom and stock boards later, shaper Marc"rossi"Rossouw is deep in the shaping bay producing the latest in template and board design, pooling all his years of experience to bring "the best to the table". Rossi Board Co. has also had an outstanding response to the Rossi Reunion Trip. Looks like we will be travelling with around eight guys, Rossi and a photographer, along with some sample Rossi Boards for testing. Although the new website is still not up and running the team are working around the clock to get it up. So far it looks to take the company to the next level, with a very fresh approach. Keep an eye out at www.rossiboards.co.za The new Surlyn coloured slicks are on there way so make your inquires to rossimarc@webmail.co.za or 083 678 4444 for your custom board!
Apply now for a career in bodyboarding The Thekwini Sports Academy launched this year in Durban and in consultation with Wayne du Preez, Chairman of CKZNBA, the TSA aims to include bodyboarding to their programme in 2009, that currently focuses on rugby, golf, swimming and soccer. The TSA is a recognized sports academy and is looking for an individual to head the Bodyboarding programme next year. The perfect candidate must be skilled in bodyboarding training and must have teaching skills as well as the ability to draw up a curriculum for the students. They would be in charge of teaching, recruiting and training of students at the sports academy. For further information on this opportunity please contact Wayne du Preez at wayne.dupreez@liblink.co.za
www.nomadbodyboards.co.za
sean. tickner.
here. now.
dealer enquiries - derek@nomadbodyboards.co.za
flavour Cd’s // Book // DVD
RADIOHEAD
In Rainbows After an absence of 4 years, Radiohead are back, and with that a fresh return to guitar-based songs. Goodbye random electronic blimps irritating the faithful, hello sweeping melodies, clever fretwork and a fragile sense of optimism. Making history by being the first album available for download at whatever cost the buyer was willing to pay, the songs are now allowed to stand alone from all the hype with this CD release. First song 15 Steps is as experimental as the album gets, before the grinding riff & crashing drums of Bodysnatchers bring the album into gear, thereafter settling into a wash of cool rhythms and understated elegance.
DCmike (Sixty40 Staff) has some shots in Spikes new book... This shot, Durbanite; Jake Rosenburg whacking a Koeel Bay Wedge. DCmike photo ©
EDITORS
An End Has A Start It seems unfair when an American band such as Interpol steal their sound from the Brits, and then make it their own. That’s where Editors came calling with 2005’s The Back Room, reclaiming what was inherently theirs and bringing it back home. They made their point and the album was huge. Its successor seems less so. Opener Smokers Outside The Hospital Doors is epic, while the title song that follows is just as potent. The remainder however is lost in a same-sounding merge of what can only be described as “filler” material. End this album at the start, and listen to Interpol instead.
TIGER ARMY
Music From Regions Beyond Metal is really at the heart of this Californian band’s fourth album as they prelude with an Iron Maiden style heads-down instrumental, before slamming into Hotprowl without skipping a beat. But there are surprises here: Nick 13’s sweet vocal melodies (sometimes sung in Spanish), big hearty choruses and Pulp Fiction-style twang guitar lend Tiger Army strong pop sensibilities with a generous serving of Tex-Mex. Anthems of despair such as Pain and Forever Fades Away were designed for stadiums, which they’ve recently shared with AFI, Social Distortion and Rancid, whereas the sensitive Joy Divisionlike As The Cold Rain Falls is simply beautiful.
TAXI VIOLENCE
Untie Yourself One word review: “Rocks!” Two word review: “Rocks HARD!” That’s what Taxi Violence set out to do, and that’s what they achieve. Paying homage to hard rock bands of yester-year, these Capetonians have raised the bar for all SA bands. George van der Spuy’s predatory vocals and Rian Zietsman’s retro guitars sound a bit too close to The Dutsuns at times, but who can fault such dedication to authenticity. Kickstarter Unholy sets out their stall perfectly before syncing into the excellent Rock Out . The weird but wonderful Music For My Teeth is pure Floyd, and Jimi’s Revenge owes more to riffmeisters Budgie than Hendrix. Hellevator Action not only shows that they have the blues, but a sense of humour as well. 10 | www.sixty40.co.za
Surfing In South Africa
by Spike (Steven Pike) Published by Double Story Books When I moved back to the coast and got into bodyboarding some 10 years ago I remember getting my salty paws on a wad of stapled printouts which had been passed from hand to hand and contained what I perceived as pure gold. A list of surf spots from the Namibia border all the way along our coast up to Mozambique. A few years later and 'Spike' published his first edition of Surfing in South Africa which I bought as it hit the shelves. I have since bought the same book about half a dozen times such is the demand. Some of them were begged off me by visiting surfers and others simply 'disappeared'. For the last 2 years I have held onto the last copy I could find in some backwater bookshop in Wilderness. It's a reject copy with some pages upside down and pages missing or stuck together but it was all that could be found until finally..! The Second Edition. Now in a larger format and twice as thick, the second edition is as much entertaining as it is informative. If you've ever wondered how waves are generated, what those squiggly lines on a synoptic chart are, how to read the swell charts off the internet or just plain simple want to know what conditions are best for your new favourite break, this is it. It's laced with cartoons, top notch photos, travel anecdotes, history, oceanography, and a hilarious Surfrican slang glossary. Available at Exclusive Books, www.factory7.co.za and www.wavescape.co.za Cd review by Marcus Bester // Book by DCmike // DVD crew by Sean Tickner
a fair bit of footage of the riders from the Cape Town area.
The Scene Behind the Screen - the crew of “PULL THE PLUG 2”
It’s amazing how so many good things come in threes, The Three Musketeers, The Three Tenors, the three fine ladies from “Girls of The Playboy Mansion” and now the Three crazy minds behind Pull the Plug 2. We rounded them up, sat them down and got an insight into what makes their team just that extra bit special.
The PTP Crew & The Gear The Jared Schafer – Producer Equipment: Sony VX2100 for land and a Panasonic GS200 for my waterhousing. Dane Forman – Cameraman Equipment: Sony HDR-FX1 HD Cam and a little Sony HD Cam for the housing. Dylan Forman – Editor Equipment: Adobe’s stuff is cool. Premiere, After Effects, Illustrator, Photoshop. Jared Schafer Bodyboarding since 1989 So what goes into producing a succesful bodyboarding dvd? A spoonful of sugar and a shitload of time and petrol. Ample amounts of patience is also recommended as time behind the camera can go really slowly if the waves aren’t firing. Fortunately the riders I’ve been filming for this video are the top professionals in our sport, so its been entertaining, both in and out the water. Tell us something about the other guys in your team that we don’t already know? Dane is the most excitable person on the planet who can go from 0-100 in under a second, plus his big toe looks like the ace of spades. You’d think that would’ve given him a mean poker hand, but alas, nothing! I also heard he was dropped as a child, but so was I, hence our friendship. Dylan on the other hand, has the most cynical/ sarcastic sense of humour ever. His comments make me want to wee my pants. It’s a hell of a lot of fun working with these guys! Has your approach to film making changed since you first started and how does your latest offering compare? It’s going to be a completely different experience from the first film. I basically did the first film in 8 months, from filming to editing to premiering it. So for the second film I’ve made sure to give myself ample time to get the best footage and tweak the edit to perfection. I’ve also got a wider spread of riders. The last film was mainly the Durban crew but for the second one there’s a host of international riders, the global who’s who of the bodyboarding industry. I’ve also sourced
One of the main reasons I made the first film was to give the local riders, who’s skill levels are at an international level, some decent exposure. I’ve tried to do this to an even greater extent with PTP2. When is it due for release? We’re aiming for mid-March 2008. Closer to the time we will release the official date as well as premiere venue, times etc. The premiere is going be crazy, not something you want to miss! Any sneak peeks? Well, we can’t give to much away at this stage but what we have got that was really different, was some awesome footage of the big swell in March this year that pillaged KZN’s coastline. Biggest swell in like 20 years or something. The immense power of those waves and the damage they did to the coast was awe-inspiring. So look out for some of that footage in the film. Tell us about your recent Hawaii trip? The raw power of the waves there are phenomenal. It’s absolutely mind blowing. What also surprised me was the old school rustic feel that the north shore of Oahu still had to it. I was expecting 5 star bed and breakfasts dotted about the area with fancy restaurant’s and shopping malls. Instead I found lush vegetation, old abandoned cars in the bushes and seedy crack houses everywhere. I’ve said it before and I’m strongly emphasising it again, if you have even a mild inclination to go over there to surf the famous breaks, just freaking do it! It’s honestly the only time I’d say: “stuff responsibility”. Save a bit of cash, get on a plane and go. My biggest regret was not having done the Hawaii trip earlier in my life. Which riders are standouts? Well there’s the international riders who absolutely kill it with their abilities in the water. Actually there’s too many to name, let’s just say that pretty much all the international bigwigs are in the movie, and they’re all standouts. But (emo drumroll) the real stars in my eyes are the local crew. Alistair Taylor, Rylin Richardson, Oros, Wes Fischer, Sean Tickner, the South Coast groms, the North Beach crew, Cape Town members, man everyone just kills it!
from there and taught myself really. What is the dodgiest thing that happened to you when filming PTP2? Ballito. Winter ’06. Getting buzzed by a proper sized johnnie whilst filming from the water. That was emotional to say the least. Other than that, sharing a room with Jared on one of our South Coast missions. Anyone who has had this luxury knows what a mildly traumatic experience that can be. Best part about being involved in bodyboarding dvds? Just getting involved in the industry and doing something to promote bodyboarding. The people I’ve met and friends I’ve made has been super cool. We’ve definitely got the craziest bunch of guys in our sport than any other. What advice can you give up and coming videographers? Don’t limit yourself to 1 type of medium. There are so many crazy things out there to film. Diversity really boosts your creativity so just get out there and do it. Now that’s motivational speaking right there. Thank you ladies and gentlemen. Credit cards and groupies are accepted. I’ll be here ‘til Thursday….Out Dylan Forman Bodyboarding since ??? What the best part of being an editor? The money. I’m only in it for the money. Haha. No, it’s really cool putting a video together bit by bit and watching it evolve into something awesome. There’s a huge sense of satisfaction when you can look at something and say: “Damn, did D really do that?!” PC or Mac? Hmmmm….I’m going to have to go with PC hey. I work on a Mac all day and don’t get me wrong, they both have their strong points but I’m a born and bred PC fan. Last words? Make sure you get yourself to the premiere and get yourself a copy of the film. Its going to be off the chain. Also if you’re on facebook, join the “pull the plug 2” group if you haven’t already. All the latest news on the film will be up there.
Last words? I wanna give a major thanks to Factory7.co.za as well as Derek and Kelly Footit. The support and encouragement they give to not only me as a film maker but to the whole bodyboarding community in general is tremendous. They’ve done so much for this sport. And of course Sixty40 mag, you guys are a huge driving force behind this industry. Dane Forman Bodyboarding since 2000 Tell us how you got into filming. It was back in ’01. Shooting home made mpeg videos on my mom’s digital camera. I knew it was the start of something great. I just progressed www.sixty40.co.za | 11
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presence felt State side having notched up a win on the US Bodyboarding Association Tour at Imperial Beach before heading to Hawaii where he placed 4th in the final event, the Ledges Pro. With best 3 events counting, Sacha was one event short and finished 7th overall. “First I would like to thank every single person who voted for me and Kelly for making this whole thing happen through sixty40. I am always stoked to win, although this one was due to everyone who voted. I am super grateful and stoked at the same time. A big thank you to my sponsors: Custom-X, Digicape Apple Store, Viper and Sport 'n Surf. Thanks for the ongoing support over the years”, commented a stoked Specker. Wesley Fischer and Ian Thurtell claiming third and fourth.
The votes are in, the polling station has closed and winners have been declared in the annual sixty40 Readers Poll for 2007. Sixty40 is proud to announce that last year’s poll was the biggest yet, all thanks to you, and with your efforts we pulled in over 1500 votes from almost 250 members! This sets a new personal record for us so thank you very much. What can I say about South African Bodyboarding other than it seems to be on the way up? Our riders are doing exceptionally well overseas; while back home the guy’s and girls are setting the benchmark ever higher. Last year saw the riding of bigger swells, busting of bigger moves and riders ripping the hearts out of some rather daunting waves. All in a days work for South African bodyboarders. Many will agree when I say that Mark McCarthy had a cracker of a year in 2007. Mark surprised many on the international scene when he claimed second place at Shark Island, having battled his way through from the qualifying stages. Most of you know that he then went on to claim 4th place overall during his rookie year on the International Bodyboarding Association World Tour and in doing so gained the respect of many, got the votes and has been crowned as the Top Male Rider in the poll. “A big thanks for all the votes! Thanks to all the people that believed in me and I hope I did them proud in 2007 and will do even better in 2008! It is great to win the peer poll it was one my goals for 2007. Being voted the no1 rider in SA means a lot as there are so many skilled riders! Well done to all the other riders on the poll”, commented McCarthy.
Another rider who had a killer 2007 is current Ladies Division SA Champ, Pamela Bowren. Pamela took numerous national and provincial titles during the year, topping-it-off at Champs with a spectacular performance. The public duly noted her abilities and voted her in as the Top Female Rider for 2007. “I was really happy when I was told about being voted Top Female Rider in SA, as I have never been near or in the top. Wow, I’m so very happy and excited! I would like to thank Rossi for sponsoring me my awesome boards, my parents for all their support and encouragement (in many ways), and my brothers who also encourage and surf with me, as well as all the other bodyboarders who encourage me. Lastly God, for being my light”, said a delighted Bowren.
Brandon Foster finished in second place, with Vaughn Harris and Derek Footit claiming third and fourth. Ok he did it again! Jared “Jerry” Houston claimed the Top Grommet award for the third year running, which is remarkable, bearing in mind that this is a peer poll. “I really didn’t think I had won it this year. So it came as a bit of a surprise. Shot to the people who pulled through at the end for me. I am really stoked! I would like to thank Jesus, for giving me this rad, fun talent that I give him glory through. I’d like to thank my beautiful girlfriend Nicole for always supporting me no matter what. I would dig to thank my ballies - my number one fans, my sponsors Reef Wetsuits and ATD bodyboards - legends! Thanks to my competitors - Ratt, Jones, Adam, Emile and all the other cats. Thick love for you ous”, commented Jared of his win.
Lyndall Pells placed second, Robyn Sorenson claimed third and last years winner, Liza-Mari Ras, finished in fourth.
Roger Pardoe, Aden Kleve and Andrew Raath finished in second, third and fourth respectively.
Another SA Champ to claim top honours in the poll is current Drop Knee Champ, Sacha “Spex” Specker, who claimed the Top DK Rider title. Spex is an incredibly talented rider, who has been at thetop-of-his-game for many years. Always busting, a domineering force in both prone and DK, Spex has been making his
Voting in the sixty40 Readers Poll for 2008 has already begun and runs until midnight on the 31st of December, so why not visit our website, click on the Readers Poll icon and cast your vote? Please visit www.sixty40.co.za for the full write up and a complete list of winners.
The Winners > > > > > > > > > >
Top Male Rider: Mark McCarthy Top Female Rider: Pamela Bowren Top DK Rider: Sacha Specker Top Big Wave Rider: Peter Lambert Old School Legend: Gordon Cockwell Most Underrated Rider: Byron Loubser Top Grommet: Jared Houston Top Photographer: Mike Dei-Cont Top Videographer: Peter Lambert Service to the Sport: Kelly Footit
Sacha Specker took second place, with 14 | www.sixty40.co.za
by Gareth White //
15 | www.sixty40.co.za
2007 Readers Poll winner - Mark McCarthy - soaring at Koeel Bay. DCmike photo Š
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by Migraine Boy
Frazzle was sitting bolt upright in his bunk. Frakkit he thought... When's the darn ship going to arrive?! Three months in suspenders wasn't exactly the way he had imagined the whole deal to explore the outer reaches of the XlongDong Nebulae looking for the ultimate juice. Not that it mattered anyway, how long he would be out cold for that is... It sure beat hanging out in the bowels of the dredge tanker swilling cheap liquor, and anyway, by the time he returned to earth he would be 15 days younger - actually. He knew it had something to do with Einstein's theory of relativity and the speed of light and all that but what does a solar-surfer care for technicalities?
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As with all solar surfers, Frazzle was suffering from a mild case of insomnia, arc eyes, radiation exposure and the skin on his nose was dangerously close to falling into his beer every time he took another swig. The rest of the crew were still twitching away and he could see by the flickering eyelids and occasional muscle spasms that it would be a while before Crusty and Hammer woke from their surf fantasy. "Ah well, nothing for it then 'ey!" and flipped out of his bunk, hit the talcum showers and idled off to the bridge. "So how much further?" he whined as he stalked his way across the deck. "What the f#ck Frazzle! You startled me" bleated Leelee. She was always game for a mission and this cruise was no exception, logging some good hours for her Ăœbergraxiturbotwin conversion
but definitely in need of working on her conversation skills.
boards like a limpet! Some serious advantage!
"Well, we picked up a serious EMP about 4 lightyears from here in quad X640. I'm just reprogramming our jump co-ordinates and we should be there before happy hour".
"Okay Frazzle, drop those shades and here's to X640!" - with the clang of the beer bottle still rattling in his head, the insideoutconsciousmotion tabs kicked in. LeeLee hit the big red button emblazoned with "DO NOT PRESS THIS!" and they were careening through outer space at some mindbogglingly stupid negative inside out speed. As the galactic charts and gumpf left unattended on the deck slowly slid down the back wall in a nail screetching mass the horizon filled with the most spectacular sight ever. No, it wasn't MandyMelons from the plasma gallery they had managed to decode off the ships navigational computer but rather the orgasmic pulses of raw energy flowing across the infrashade. "46
"Now we're talking!" X640, the home of the most vicious backwater beach rum and of course, venue of the legendary vacuum belly chargers. The galactic sports council still hadn't figured out a way to get around the fact that these guys had the serious advantage of being able to suction themselves to their antigrav boards by creating a vacuum using their belly button which was strangely directly connected to their butts. All they had to do was rip one fart and they were glued to their
seconds at about 120 feet!" LeeLee whistled. "Better get the rest of the boys up here" she chirped, flicking the firedrill alarm with a wide grin. Stepping out of the payload doors Hammer was the first to throw himself into the dirt: "Land sand land!" he cackled rolling around in the microdust with a plethora a vacuum bellies watching him from the observation decks all kitted out in their garish muscle shirts, sipping fizzy black rum cocktails (which helped with the farting...) It looked a bit like Aspen in the bad old days, except there was no snow, no ski slopes, it was blisteringly hot and they were on the other side of the universe. While LeeLee went about fraternising with the VBs, which Crusty and Hammer were sure had to do with some other odd anatomical advantages, Frazzle and Hammer offloaded the two GT sleds and the soliplex antishrivel suits and boards. It was just typical, locals bitchin about
out-of-towners stealing waves but in the meantime they were getting tanked and all to eager to get their hands on the giggling LeeLee. "Aw fukkit 'ey Hammer, let's just get the puppy prepped and we'll hit it for a quick sesh before the radiation gets too high." A swift kick to the rear end and the GT roared to life and Frazzle and Hammer took to the sky. But not before buzzing the drunk and drooling crowd of VBs. Off course half of them shat themselves as the GT sled almost wacked them off their chairs which resulted in the hilarious sight of VB's frantically stuck to their tables and desperately trying to stop their BlackRum jugs from getting sucked through their navels!
the eleven X640 moons. It couldn't get better. With the pulse being focussed between the two moons it was creating a perfect double wammy wedge. Fortunately the inside section was kicking off the smaller and lighter of the two moons making the pulse barrel across the blackness of outer space like a runaway freight train. "Perfect timing dewd! Check how the gravity of X640 is sucking at the floor of that pulse, oh my gawd it's going to be brutal my man - It's so sucking hollow I think I'm gonna wet myself!" Frazzle was screeching from the pillion seat. "Me first! as he bailed off the side of the GT sled leaving Hammer to do the pickups.
As Frazzle and Hammer reached the outer rim of the solar tide, the onboard pulse ranger started twittering furiously. They flipped down their infrashades and could see the solar pulses. All bathed in glorious evening colour and at a whopping 120 foot! Perfection funnelling between two of
Frazzle had managed to score a prototype photosynth core board at the last supply stop from some dodge stellar gun runner but hey, it was the bomb and when you're tackling a 120 foot solar orgasm you don't give a toss how you got it, just that it kicks butt! He slid effortlessly across the
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the first of the outer banks gaining momentum and all the while keeping an eye on the sets. Besides avoiding the jetsam floating around from the orbital mining operations, this was going to be a walk in the park. With a few seconds to spare he was positioned behind the outer moon surveying the rapidly approaching pulse. He could feel his board vibrating as the power built with each second. Under that soliplex antishrivel suit he was sweating like a demon. A 120 foot wave viewed from the other side of the bank looked makeable but this close... man, you either had to have rocks in your head of rocks in your balls, preferably both and at this stage Frazzle had nothing but jelly in his veins and a huge crap onboard! The first pulse swung a little wide raising a spew of surface debris, sucking it along like a rampant tornado, funnelling between the 2 moons before detonating in a wash of radiation and charred space junk. "Shit, this is going to be tougher than I thought!". He looked quickly across at the inside bank and saw the second one had swung a bit short. Another slight pitch forward and Frazzle was gunning across the backline solar chop. It was hard to tell precisely where the crest would begin to pitch. A wave at 120 plus feet doesn't exactly have a finite boundary. "What the hell" he thought and bumped the photosynth a few notches up.
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Frazzle shat himself wishing he had some VB anatomy right now. 10, 20, 30, 50, 70 feet and he still hadn't hit the trough. As he was about to bail he saw the the bottom. He hit the deck hard but managed to hold on, set the rail and started cranking the turn. He had to get into this beast or he'd be spewed out the back like a discarded shuttle afterburner. The bottom began unfolding into a dazzling spectrum of colour as the screeching blowout became a deafening roar. A hundred feet overhead he could see the stars blacken out as the lip started to fold over. Skipping over some more chop and tweaking it a bit further up the face Frazzle could see Hammer racing alongside with a manic grin. And in slow motion his whole existence turned inside out as the solar reflections echoed across the cavernous walls. Now enveloped entirely, Frazzle could do nothing but keep his line and aim for what he thought was the exit. The back of his soliplex suit was roasting and the sweat was stinging his eyes but his butt was clenching so tight he could feel the hammering of his heart in his teeth! With his knuckles tearing against the strain, Frazzle aimed the board up the face looking for the brightest section of cosmic flare and burst through the wall of radiation, exploding across the pristine wall. Cranking it off the top, he gunned down across the bowl, skipping across the
shocky and winding it into the second bottom turn, specing for the section. In a halo of light he could see it, now towering 60 feet overhead and with the last squizzle of strength in his toasted body he gunned for the lip. Hips firmly planted on the board he switched to a double handed nose grab and launched into a slo-mo backflip taking him well over 200 feet above the whistling cosmic detonation. From up there he could see the jetsam getting crisped as the wave of energy engulfed everything in its path. As he came out of the rotation, he started a slow reverse spin, gradually desending like a gyrocopter and there was Hammer. The man of men when it came to 120 foot solar pickups as he guided the GT sled into Frazzle's path. With a thud he was straddeling pillion and they were tearing ahead of the secondary shock of microwaves. "Wanna crisp a double cheese burger and fill up your guts while we're here?!" Hammer cackled as he carved his way over to the inside bank and headed for the rum bar.
Ă—
Mark McCarthy * 20 | www.sixty40.co.za
M
y story all starts when I arrived in Sydney on the 19th of May and had Nic Kruger pick me up from the airport and take me to the backpackers in Cronulla where I stayed my first week. I got to meet some strange people at the backpackers and had lots of sleepless nights so I moved out of there and into a friend’s place that was so much better and peaceful! The good thing about the backpackers is that you can find work really easily through them so I ended up working for the first week to cover most of my expenses. I had one week of training in OZ before the Shark Island Trials which I took full advantage of. I spent most of my days training with Mike Stewart, taking in all the advice I could for me to take on the Shark Island Challenge. There were 106 entries in the trials and some really tough opposition. Only 12 riders made the main event of the world’s top 16. I made it to the quarterfinals in the trials and placed 3rd which meant that I ended up in 10th place, which was good enough to make the cut for the main event. Yes …I was really so stoked! I was so stoked to be able to surf one of the best waves in the world with only 3 other guys out! “Damn, I am in the Shark Island Challenge, this is a dream come true!” I decided to stop working to train and focus on the SIC. Every night I would watch and study the 2001 SIC footage before passing out… I learnt a lot in the first two weeks of the waiting period which really helped. I realised that I had worked my ass off just to get to Australia and now being in the SIC was really rewarding. So there was no backing down for me…
Travel Diaries 2007 “I am going all in!"
DCmike photo ©
My first heat was a hard one as I was up against the world’s best. I was lucky to come from behind and get two good waves in the last seven minutes and progress with Damian King and advance over Mitch Rawlins. That put me in the quarterfinals with Damian King, John Showell and Nik Ormrod. After a long three weeks of waiting, I got a call from Mark Fordham, the contest director, on the 5th July saying that they might run following day. It was not confirmed but the conditions were looking good for the for the morning… I was really excited and so keen to do well. I knew that I needed to make two more heats to be in the final. Being the real underdog for the heat was great for me as there was no pressure. I just told myself to just go out there and surf the heat like a free surf but still be aggressive… It really did work for me in that heat as Kingy and Ormrod were paddling for every wave which worked against them. John Showell and myself were getting the nuggets and progressed to the semi-finals with Jeff and Dave
Hubbard. Both the brothers have been in super form so I had to up the game if I wanted to be in the final. Jeff owned the heat while Dave battled to find his feet so the battle for 2nd was between Showell and myself… It was pretty even for most of the heat until the last two minutes. I got an eight pointer and then with just five seconds before the buzzer, Showell did a really sick back flip but just was not able to pull it off… EISH…I was happy! Yes, I’m in the final! I ran up and down the walkway as I was so pumped while waiting for semi-final two to finish. In the last minute of semi-final two, there was an interference call on Dave Ballard which put him in 3rd and Ben Player into 2nd. Yes, I got to surf the Shark Island final with the three times world champ! It was a remarkable final with Ben Player getting a 10 and 9.8, while I had a 10 and 9.5. It was a great final to be in and surfing it with the best of the best was the prefect ending for my Australian adventure… and I also got hooked up with Factory 7 who have really been helping me out.
Ola Chile! Arriving here after a crazy 18 hour flight from Sydney, I caught a taxi from Arica airport to Tomate's house (the Science distributor in Chile and contest director) where I was staying. Waking up at sparrow’s fart I was able to catch a ride down to Flopos or what the locals call El Gringo to score clean, uncrowned 4 to 6 feet nuggets. The water was a chilly 16˚C and dark green in color, kind of similar to the water up the West coast of Cape Town. The weather was really strange there as it is overcast for almost 70% of the day and the sun only breaks thought the clouds from two to four in the afternoon. El Gringo breaks really hard in super shallow water with a left and right peak but generally breaks left. The razor sharp reef, infested with sea urchins and barnacles, is pretty intimidating but it all made for the perfect characteristic for bodyboarding and the second stop on the IBA world tour. After surfing the first few days with some of the locals who are really
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* Mark McCarthy
friendly and always hospitable, I met up with Mike Stewart and was fortunate to get in some really good practice sessions with him. We were only able to surf until about 1pm every day before the onshore winds pulled in so we spent most of the afternoon cruising into the amazing deserts and doing some sight seeing. The locals would always invite us over to their house where we would be overwhelmed with fresh seafood and divine Chilean wines. Being super focused and training every day I wanted to be mentally ready for the contest. Surfing my first heat in round three, I was able to do enough to get a 2nd place and advance to round four where I would go up against the top 16. I knew if I wanted to advance through round four, I would have to up my game. The conditions for the fourth round where not that great but they decided to run it anyway. I was in the first heat with Mike Stewart (Hawaii), Dallas Singer (Australia) and Ivan Hernandez (Canary Island). I had a good start when Mike and I split the peak on one of the bigger sets of the heat and got a 7.5 on the buzzer.
I struggled to find a good second scoring wave and made a mistake by letting a good left go which Ivan went on and got a good barrel which was enough for him to to move from 3rd to 1st, which moved me down to 3rd. I knew I needed a good scoring wave if I wanted to advance and in the dying seconds went on a good looking right which had a fat ramp. I bottom turned and went for an ARS and landed in the flats but caught a rail! It was really devastating and ended up 3rd and out of the Arica Chilean Challenge 2007. Just like that, one mistake and it was all over… I was so frustrated and angry with myself for making such a vital mistake. I take nothing away from Ivan who surfed really well and was able to take out Mike in round five which were man on man heats. Ben Player surfed really well through all of his heats and ended up winning back to back contests, a huge advantage on the IBA rankings. It was a great experience and I will be looking forward to next year’s Arica Challenge.
Moving on to the warm beach breaks of Spain in a really cool town called Bilbo and a beach called Sopalana. It was a really well run contest but there was not much to speak of in the way of waves. It was only one foot due to the gale force onshore winds. They did have a really big setup with huge scaffoldings, which stretched along the whole beach. I was seeded to round four and was in the first heat of day four. The conditions were really bad and I was in 3rd place for most of the heat and needed a 5.5 to advance but just could not find anything as the sea went flat for the last 15 minutes of my heat. The first thing that went though my head is that I will have to do well in Portugal if I wanted to still be in contention for the world title. No one likes losing but you have to treat your losses like wins if you want to stayed focus. With the next contest coming up in three days I put the Spain contest behind me and focused on Sintra. I figured if I wanted my dream for a world title to say alive I would have to do well in Portugal to catch up to Ben Player and hope that he does not make another final.
I was stoked to see the forecast for the contest period which showed a small cyclone which would push swell into the bay. Over the last few years the contest at Sintra has had really small waves so I was glad that we got waves and the banks were really good too. My first heat went well which put me into the quarter-finals with Andrew Lester, Magno Oliveira and John Showell. It was one of the most competitive heats that I have ever surfed. I moved from 1st to 4th then 3rd and then back to 4th and with one minute left I needed a 6.7 and a got a 7 which pushed John Showell into 3rd and me into 2nd. All he needed was a 5.78 and in the dying seconds he got a 5.5. It was a really insane heat but I was super stoked to be in the semis which were surfed later that afternoon. The swell was dying so it was a good call for them to run the semi-finals. Ben was in the first semi and was looking in really good form to making the finals. Unlucky for him he was out surfed by Uri Velodoa and
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Luis Vaala who were really busting. I had a good semi-final and was able to find some of the better waves to advance through to the final. The last day was super small with not much swell around. I was feeling really good about the final, stoked to make my third one of the year and I really needed to win this one!! With the dying swell I was not able to find any rhythm and got to an average score whish was not good enough and ended up 4th. I am still happy with the result and will hope to next year in Sintra.
It was a really awesome competition with over 250 entries. Making the final pushed me up to 2nd on the IBA rankings and 760 points behind Ben Player. Now with only two more events left on the tour will mean that I will have to make two more finals and hope to win one this time…but the last few months have been a dream come true for me, seeing the world, traveling and having the best time ever. Cruising with Mike Stewart has been too good, as he knows so many people all over the world and where ever he goes, doors open for him. I got to meet and make good friends for life whilst doing it all. CANARY ISLAND 2007 After the Venezuelan event I spent most of my time training for the last event on the IBA tour which would be in Confital, Canary Island! My hopes for a world title have run short after the VZ so I had decided to take on this last event differently, I still wanted to win an event this year and was hoping Canary Island would be that event and the win I needed. I was currently lying in 5th place so if I wanted to move to 2nd I needed to place 2 nd or better. I hopped on a plane in Jo'burg and flew 10hrs to Madrid where I had a stop over for a few hours before catching a 2 hour flight to the Canary Island. Madrid is a massive airport as far as airports go, and I had to catch two tubes!! One from arrivals to pick up my bags and then another tube to departures, so after doing all of this I ended up missing my flight but I was lucky to pick up the next out going flight which left 2 hours later. Would be a great idea to just check my baggage through to final destination next time, but they have managed to lose my bags sooo many times before in Spain, I was actually quite surprised and happy to find them on the other
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Phil Gallagher photo Š
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side. One thing I have learnt over the past few months is that being in transit can become really expensive!! I relished every crumb of my 20€ sandwich, (it's a killer paying 200 rand for a 2 bite sandwich.) So now you might rather find me munching on some nuts and dried fruit I have learnt to keep in my hand luggage. Arriving 15 days prior to the event I had some time to surf all the really good waves that Grand Canarie had to offer. We stayed in a small town called Playa los dos Roques which was kind of central. So we were between the crazy city of Las Palmas that has a population of 380 000 people and Fronton! There are 2 downers about the Canarys and that is that you will have to rent a car to get around as the surf spots are 20 mins away and the other is that it blows onshore most of the days so you have to be on it early. But it is really worth getting a car as you get to do all the touristy things too. There are some amazing mountains and caves to explore, one town definitely worth seeing is Gáldar, which is situated in the mountains and surrounded by valleys. The farmlands are in from the coastline and are infested with banana plantations! This island was built for bodyboarding with so many sick reef breaks, I got to surf every day and got some really good waves at Fronton and a few others. I was also able to get some good training sessions in at Confital with Magno who is the new Science international rider from Brazil. We had a really good build-up for the last event as we where the first guys there so we got to surf uncrowded waves and become familiar with the breaks. The event organisers did a great job on their setup on the beach with live scoring and web casts! It was a great way to end the tour with a well run contest! They say timing is everything? Well our timing was perfect as there was a great swell and wind prediction for the whole event. The organisers also decided to run man on man heats from round 5 so my first heat was a 4 man heat with John Showell, Jaime Rafael Jesus and Luis Perez Bentio. It was definitely the hardest heat of my life as I was leading for most of the heat but then with 5 mins to go I needed an
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DCmike photo ©
DCmike photo ©
* Mark McCarthy 8.4pt to move from 4th to 2nd . I was telling myself "I can't believe that I am going to get knocked out in the first round after all I have done to get where I am". I waited forever for a set and was also getting hassled off the peak, with 20 seconds to go I saw a set rolling in, I kept telling myself it's not over till the buzzer goes off and paddled deep to catch it before the buzzer, 5 secs left I took off on the 3rd wave of the set and smashed an invert off the end bowl and got an 8.7… yes it was good enough and moved from 4th to 1st. Damn I was so happy, it was the greatest feeling to make it to the next round which would be man on man.
It would be the first time that I get to surf a man on man heat! I always wanted to have a man on man, and was up against Amaury Lavernhe next .There was a lot of pressure on AL as he needed to make this heat to keep his hope of winning a world title alive, AL started off with a 7.2 and I was able to get a 7.5. The tide was getting low and the waves were every inconstent. Only 1 wave came through and I was able to get it and pick up a 7pt and advanced to the
Q Finals where I would take on an in-form Jaime Rafael Jesus.
All went according to plan in the Q finals and I was able to get two good waves in the first 10 minutes and Jamie was not able to find the good connecting waves so I then moved on to the semi finals with Uri Valadao. The tide was getting lower and the waves were not connecting to the inside any more but they decided to run the semis, this time it was me that could not find the connecting waves and found myself with 5 mins to go needing a 7.5 …it was the shortest 5 mins of my life as there was no show of sets, as the buzzer went off I knew my run was over, it was the end of competing on the world tour for 2007 and placing a 3rd over all for the last event was not good enough to move me to 2nd but rather 4th. Spending the next few days on Canaries I was able to get a few great sessions in before flying back home… Flying back home I think of the year that has passed and where it all started, I can remember flying to Hawaii last year with the goal
of living my dream and that was to do the world tour and making a difference to SA bodyboarding and putting SA back on the Map! Looking at all the guys that decided to live their dream and succeeded, a legend like AT that dominated in all conditions and still does! I hope I have changed a few minds for the girls and guys that want to chase their dreams! Nothing is impossible, live as if you will die tomorrow and dream as if you will live forever. So I hope that the world title can come back to SA soil soon, 2008 is going to be better year for SA bodyboarding than ever! Thanks to all the support over 2007, Science Bodyboards, Factory 7, Sixty40, Viper Fins, Reef Wetsuits.
“A special thanks to Laureth, my amazing family, and friends that all believed in me."
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(kj)
(c)
the wedge a photo essay by Cracker Janssens Blow-in Crew: Cracker (c), Stephen Janssens (sj), Tim Sing (ts) Local Crew: Sampi (s), Keegan Jordaan (kj)
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The Wedge, Plettenberg Bay, late 2007
(ts)
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(kj)
(kj)
(ts)
(s)
(kj)
(sj)
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Pictures speak louder than words... 01
Rory Lancellas - UK Unknown photo Š
Pictures speak louder than words... 02
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Adam Morley - North Shore Š Cestari / CoveredImages
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Pictures speak louder than words... 03
Spex - Waimea Shorebreak Sean Tickner photo Š
Pictures speak louder than words... 04
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Warren Canepa - Pipe, PE Luc Hosten photo Š
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Pictures speak louder than words... 05
Oros - Keiki Clark Little Š
create
Johann Nortje
“Rise of the Phoenix ” by Johann Nortje
Nestled between the beats and streets of Cape Town, on a typical summer’s day in December, among the faces and paces of Long Street’s busy cosmopolitan side paths, on lend from his tin roof studio and away from the confines of a 9- 5 job, Johann speaks to us about the depth of his art, design and personal style, over the joys of a hot Pickwick’s coffee.
Porcelain productions photo ©
“I definitely see bodyboarding as a good thing because it engages kids in healthy activities, which breeds a level headedness.” And as far as the growth of the sport through the development clinics and undertakings like the Road Warriors, Johann acknowledges that “It’s basically building bridges where there previously weren’t any and providing more freedom where there wasn’t any. Bridging the gap between the white and black community”. Johann’s art is stewed in social and private matters often using metaphysical voices to transcend his message through the vibrant colours. “My art, in a roundabout way, all comes back to personal experience. Predominantly what I feel, I do. Everybody has good days and does good stuff and everybody has bad days and does darker work. I like the challenge of combining 3-dimensional media in a 2-dimensional form, with a little bit of design thrown in and lots and lots of lively colour to bring across the mood of the piece, colour is mood.” “I’ve never studied art so everything I do is a product of severe experimentation, like in bodyboarding, you don’t have to be a pro to enjoy yourself.”
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Johann brings a unique and authentic sense of style to the literal table in front of him, a style others have yet to try plagiarise making his works as original as his signature. How did this style come about? “I grew up in a house full of art which basically inspired me to do art but in my own version. So I always strove to create my own interpretation of things I see around me. From what I saw (as an outsider to bodyboarding) I always wondered why everyone looked the same and why kids weren’t creating a more personal feel in the way they approach their style ...but I’m just a beach observer so what do I know?”
To view more of Johann’s work you can tap into: www.johannnortje.com
surf in canada!
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COMFORTABLY NUMB st answers in le p m si e th w o h e g It’s stran t in the face! h g ri u o y g n ri a st n life are ofte
I
grew up along the warm waters of the Zululand Coastline, surfing a little known spot called Alkandstrand. A blue collar harbour town with a relatively small yet tight surfing community. For anyone who has not surfed the North Coast before, do yourself a favour and take a drive. The winters are great, water temperatures are still in the 20’s and air temperatures are the warmest in the country. Like clockwork you will have an offshore almost everyday until about 10:30 11:00. Woah, I should probably stop myself right there!! Reason being as I’m writing this I look outside and see snow on the ground, that’s because I’m in Canada.
"The Great White North as I have learned to call it." I moved here seven years ago to a city named Calgary, Alberta. Little problem, if you were to take a look at a map of Canada, Calgary is pretty much smack in the middle. To the west you have the Rocky Mountains and the east are wheat fields that go on for three straight days of driving! Not exactly a bodyboarder’s dream. It really fascinates me that it took four long years to get back in the water, the North American plains can cripple a mind if you’ve grown up along the coast! Hours were spent checking places to go surfing. Mexico, Hawaii etc. Eventually seeing as I had been away from home for so long, I settled on South Africa for a six month surf trip. Once I returned all I could think about was getting back in the water again! About a year passed and one day while working in the Northern forests of British Columbia a co-worker told me some tales of surf on the Western Coast of Canada, being from Zululand I know a lot of people who would share my same reluctance at this idea. Snow, wind, ice how could that be fun?? I had to try! I arrived in the summer months, beautiful weather, magical scenery, endless rocky coastline but not a wave in sight! I soon found a job and my girlfriend and I settled down in the small surf town of Tofino. Day after day, after day of
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Interesting trivial fact: The name Canada comes from a St. Lawrence Iroquoian word kanata, meaning "village" or "settlement."
reg vorster
b // by g comfortably num nothing, no waves anywhere! I had never seen an ocean so calm? I even took up surfing the huge Malibu boards because it was the only thing you could catch the waves with. What was keeping me here? Tales of ledgy reef breaks, no crowds and ground swells that lasted for weeks. It was really all starting to seem like a fairytale. Funny thing is I had pretty much given up on ever scoring waves in Canada. It was October and out of the blue as if someone had flipped a switch the clouds rolled in, the winds began to pick up and the once calm lake like ocean turned into slow moving mountains. The Pacific Ocean was alive! Swell after swell after swell began making its journey from Alaska, South from Oregon, Washington, straight west towards Hawaii, everywhere! It really was an incredible first experience. I had spent so much time trying to leave this place and find empty barrels to myself and meanwhile Canada is one of the best kept secrets! It was right in front of my nose the whole time. Every rumour was true as well. There are sick ledgy reef breaks, the groundswells do last for weeks and the crowds are non-existent, during the winters at least. Although this is all sounding very appealing and wonderful I am still in Canada. Not as cold as the rest of Canada the coast hovers around the single digits, the water between 4ºC and 8ºC. So on the days when you have a perfect swell direction, straight offshores and slabbing barrels, you walk to your car knowing that its 2ºC outside and the water is 4ºC, you really have to pump yourself up to put your damp wetsuit on. Your fingers and toes are often numb before you even jump in the water! Standard gear for a session here is a hooded 6.4 mm wetsuit, gloves and booties and it doesn’t hurt to have a fire on the beach waiting to warm you up afterwards! I guess I could mention the other bit of a downer -
"I’m the ONLY BODYBOARDER here! Blue Crush brainwasher I guess? SPUNJA REPRESENT!"
Stoked to share this story with all the SAFFA boogers out there, to the landlocked heroes! Hope you get your empty barrels soon! Rheinard, Zac and Roid... jas you o’s made me lag on my last trip,shot! Mark MACDADDY McCarthy congrats on your finish!! and to any boogers that want to check out Canada... I got a sweet fold out couch! ×
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iboogie Interview by Matthew Kieser
Age: 21 Hometown: Westville North Sponsors: Mom and Dad, Eskom haha Travel: Round the world but on surf trips just Indo twice and then touched a bit of South Africa Top riders: Roach, Lakey, Dub, Hubb, Spencer, Virtue Best vid: Washing Machines and the No Friends 1 2 3... Biggest move: Air reverse or dk air Best session: One day at north (shallow banks and spitting barrels) Worst wipe out: Has to be Cave Rock where I landed on a rock... struggled to paddle after the incident Music: Thrice, Underoath, He Is Legend, From Autumn to Ashes, to name a few Food: Pizza is good Wheels: Citi Golf Q: Ok Mark, before we get into the nitty gritty, please run us through these photos bru!! Where, when and how?? A:These photos were shot by an ozzie professional photographer on a boat with a monster zoom at Lackey Pipe... The day was great, not that big but mad barrels. I bought them off the guy for like 100 bucks. Q:This was from your second trip to Indo, has the bug bit and are you gonna keep on going back for more? A:Definitely amped to go back, thinking about going back next year or somewhere else. Q:Back at home now... How was it growing up as a bodyboarder at North
Beach? Who did you look up to? A:It was cool growing up as a bodyboarder at North Beach, except for the surfers who think they own the spots... but on the big days bodyboarders run the scene... haha! I looked up to the older guys... like Sean Tickner and Sascha (Taljaard), Damon, Oros and Stu Bradford.... Q:We all know you like the dropknee position? Do you consider yourself solid Dk only guy? I seem to remember a fairly large prone reverse air at North Beach. A:No, I dabble in the prone... I used to ride contests prone but i guess, I prefer the knee... haha (air revo) I try ! hahaha Q:How much of an impact has the relocation of North Beach Surf Shop had on the infamous 'North Beach Crew' now, is it the same vibe down there? A:It has destroyed the North Beach vibe... No more chilling at the shop or in front and playing one bounce. OVER!! Q:What is Mark Harrison doing when he's not in the water?? A:Mostly studying like a madman, playing soccer with the members, or chilling. Q:We don't see you at any of the big comps. The truth is you would probably dominate a lot of them. Are you just over the contest scene? A:Yeah I love free riding. It is much better... but i might pop into some
Interesting trivial fact: Indonesia consists of 17,508 islands, about 6,000 of which are inhabited.
contests here and there. Q:Who's been ripping of late? A:The younger ous have been ripping like Ratt and Ian Campbell. Boy Champ and Wes are owning it... Q:Usual surfing crew? And where do you usually surf? A:Usually surf with Moresby or Roo and Magpie... haha. I don't hit town all that often, North coast is producing (Umhlanga, Umhloti, and other spots). I use to ride Cave Rock but it hasn't been good for ages. Q:What else would you like to achieve in your bodyboarding? Keen to be world champion, or content to just surf good waves with good friends here at home? A:Nah, I'm not amped to compete on that level. I'm amped for the potential of South Africa, even in KZN... and the mad waves overseas. Road trips/ overseas trips are the best part of bodyboarding! Last words... A: Thanks to my parents for supporting me (boards and fins), Jesus for getting me where I am today, and my mates for pushing me to surf better like Matt Kay! And thanks to Mat Kieser and Sixty40 for the interview!! - Shot..
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The Transkei
is a former homeland area of South Africa. This area was officially politically and economically independent from the rest of South Africa during apartheid times. To many, the Transkei is a feared strip of the N2 between East London and Kokstad. To others it is a place of serene beauty and boasts an almost untouched coastline known as the Wild Coast. I first visited the Transkei when I was ten years old. I spent a week at Kob Inn, fishing and hiking with family and friends. I remember traveling in a light aircraft, flying low over the coast and seeing white beaches punctuated by brown rivers that meandered there way through rolling green hills. I remember how struck I was by the beauty of the place and the friendliness of the local people.
When I moved to Grahamstown to study at Rhodes, I made a pact with myself to visit the Transkei at least once a year. Eight years down the line, this has lead to visits to a variety of resorts and backpackers in the region. The Transkei is the easiest place in South Africa to relax. To take off ones shoes, leave them in the car and walk barefoot while you are there (I have never stood on a thorn in the Transkei). Âť
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Words Allan Horsfield // all photos Jon Reid unless otherwise stated
The Transkei // 6040 World
Unknown booger getting shacked at an unknown ledge somewhere in The Kei. AVG photo ©
How to
get there The easiest way to get to the Transkei is to get onto the N2 and head towards Mthatha. When leaving Cape Town travel towards PE. Then onto East London via the R72. From there it’s back onto the N2 and down towards the Kei River Pass. Once you cross the Kei River you are officially in the Transkei. Don’t forget the resorts between East London and Kei Mouth; there is plenty to see on the Jikaleza meander. Coming
from Durban you cruise down the N2 to Port Shepston and then head in towards Kokstad. Once you’ve passed through Kokstad, you travel towards Mount Frere and you’ll cross the border into the Transkei. This is where the fun begins. It is a well-known fact that the roads in the Transkei are poor to say the least. Efforts are being made to improve the roads in the region though. One can safely make it to most coastal resorts in a car with high clearance. Unfortunately, if it rains then you are going to be stuck
until the roads dry up again. Beware of the car-sized potholes. Many a car has met its end in a Transkei pothole. The evidence is scattered all over the countryside. If you have access to a 4x4 or bakkie with a Diff Lock I suggest you take that. Plus, a 4x4 will help you explore hard to reach areas that often require a hike to get to. Just remember this is Africa and livestock roam the area at will. So, it is best to drive during the day and expect to slam on brakes for a goat or cow at least once. In terms of public transport,
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most major bus companies stop at East London and Mthatha. From there one can catch Shuttles to Port St. Johns or Bulungula. The Baz bus being the most reliable service and has connections to most Backpackers in the region. Phone ahead though and make arrangements to get to your destination without any hassles.
Where
to start
Above: Shane Reilly ...clean left.
Right: Best left unridden?
Backpackers are my choice of destination when missioning in the Transkei. They offer a friendly vibe and one often runs into fellow surfers/ bodyboarders that are more than willing to take you to a secret spot to add numbers in the water. My personal favorite backpackers is the Mdumbe backpackers because of the rustic accommodation and the friendly local community that is involved in the up keep and running of the backpackers. Also, there are loads of quality waves in the area.
The easiest places to visit in the Transkei are undoubtedly Coffee Bay and Port St. Johns. There are tarred roads from the N2 to the coast. Access is easy to these roads from Mthatha. Both places are firmly established with many hotels, Backpackers and resorts in the close vicinity. They also boast shops where one can stock up on various goodies. From these towns one can enquire about other nearby resorts, waves and places of interest. Once you get to the Transkei, people are always happy to help out and point you in the right direction. There are many out of the way little backpackers and resorts. If you ask the right people they will help you out.
Where
to stay
Firstly, there are many hotels that litter the coast from Cinsta area in the south to Port Edward in the North. Most of these hotels have been established for many years and have the support of the local communities. The hotels offer reasonable prices and if they are in your price range make for an excellent holiday. They also offer Seafood evenings that must be experienced by any visitors to the area. These seafood “extravaganzas” are truly a sight to behold, with fish, crayfish, mussels and oysters as far as the eye can see.
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Underneath: Bruce Herselman shack time
The other accommodation option is to find someone who owns a house. The houses in the Transkei are generally run-down, old fishing shacks. These are often left like this to dissuade break-ins, but when you are missioning to find waves all one needs is a bed and pillow. These houses are situated in the fishing areas of Transkei, what most fishermen don’t realize is their houses are situated near some pretty fine waves. The final option is to take one of the hiking options up and down the coast. These hikes have huts that you can rest a wary head and porters that will carry your gear for a fee. The best thing about these hikes is that you cover vast areas of the coastline and you can spot potential breaks along the way. Once you have marked your spot on a map, you can return with mates to potentially surf a virgin spot.
What
to expect
This is not called the wild coast for nothing! The seas in the area can become furious and the sinking of the Oceanos in 1991 is a prime example of this. There are so many waves on this coast waiting to be surfed. One just has to watch the old Rip Curl Search videos to catch a glimpse of what is on offer. Whatever type of wave you desire the Transkei can offer! From slabbing reefs to grinding point breaks to hollow beach breaks. It is all there. There are several points that offer serious quality. Mdumbe, Lwandile, Mpande and Breezy’s just a few to mention. Beach breaks are a dime a dozen, you just have to wait for the right conditions. Slabbing reefs? Well those are out there waiting to be discovered or for someone to point you in the right direction.
Last year I received an SMS for Marc Jucker saying “Going to surf a box type right in the Transkei. Are keen to mission?” We hooked up with Shane Rieley and his crew in East London and set off. What we arrive to find can’t be explained. 3-4 ft mutant exploding onto a slab off a famed shark fishing spot. It took us a couple of hours to warm up to the idea of paddling out into brown water and waves being cut up by an increasing north-easterly wind. But
Words Allan Horsfield // all photos Jon Reid unless otherwise stated
The Transkei // 6040 World
it was so worth it! Most of us on that trip caught the heaviest waves of our lives. There are waves to be had, you just have to get together a few mates and be prepared to struggle a bit. In the end it will be worth it.
Other
Activities If there are no waves be sure to take a walk along the coast. It is not uncommon to find cows wondering on the beach. Whales and dolphins can be easily spotted from any incline. Plus, you get to scout for potential breaks. Try finding your closest river and taking a paddle up into the mangroves. Most rivers have community based canoe hire or guided trips upstream. This is always worthwhile to see all fiddler crabs scattering for their holes and watching the wading bird feeding on the mud flats. When in doubt take a fishing rod because the fishing in the area is world class and fish can easily be caught of the rocks or in the rivers. Finally, a mask and snorkel is a must, the diving in the gullies is spectacular. One can see dozens of tropical fish busying themselves in the shallows.
A word
of advice To enjoy the Transkei, one must expect nothing because there is nothing. The infrastructure of the place is minimal to say the least. Although as the region develops, more and more places find themselves with electricity, there is still precious little. Bring enough food to cover your trip because it better to take it home than to end up struggling to find food at a local corner store. If you drink anything else besides quarts of beer it is advisable to bring that your self. If you enjoy quarts, there is high probability that there is a nearby shabeen stocking SAB brands. The locals will approach you selling various types of seafood and other goods. These can always be bartered for and locals are particularly fond of surf brands especially Billabong. Whatever you do, do not try rip off the locals because you’ll find yourself eating a crayfish that has been in a long drop for three days without you even realizing it. If you are not sure what the customs are, ask the
people in charge of the place you are staying. They aren’t fools and you won’t be their first customer searching for some of Transkei’s finest produce. They will set you straight and you won’t agitate any locals in the process. Whatever you do, leave all seafood and other goodies behind because police roadblocks are common and you don’t want to be in a Transkei jail. When surfing, be sure to have at least one other person with you. The Transkei is notoriously sharking and you must be aware of what is going on around you. When the sardine run passes through this area, one must be especially aware of diving birds and movement in the water. Be sure to have your own first aid on hand because you are generally very far from medical facilities. If any injuries occur, you are going to have to sort yourself out first before rushing to the closest hospital or clinic. This vast area of land still remains tribal land. So respect the rights and the customs of the local people and they will respect and help you. This will lead to one fine holiday and you wanting to return again. Enjoy.
Allan Horsfield pre-scoop on a beefy ledge
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Q - I see your farmer's tan seems to be coming on nicely, so I assume that you’ve been shooting quite a bit recently. What have you been up to? Actually the farmer’s tan is a pretty good excuse to show your bod to the ladies! Yes, the last few weeks have been pretty cool on the shooting side. We’ve had decent waves pretty much every week since the end of January so plenty of wave chasing and quite a few dawnies thrown in there and plenty of driving around finding the cooking spots. Q - These shots are awesome, but how do you do it? I mean those backlit shots are incredibly difficult to master. What pointers do you have for a happysnapper like myself who wants to get all arty? Phew Gareth, that’s not a short answer. In a nutshell I would say practice, practice, practice. You know what it’s like, getting good waves I mean. There are many factors that need to come together for an epic session. Swell, wind, tide, class riders or some good mates, your equipment and when shooting you need to consider the light as well. You know the old adage that luck is where preparation meets opportunity? Well, there’s a lot of ‘luck’ involved. I grew up old school, a manual camera which didn’t even need a battery for the light meter, it used the sun’s light to generate the current for
by Gareth White all images © Dcmike
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over exposure // Through the lens with DC Mike
the meter to work! Shutter speed and aperture control was all it had and these are the basic elements of a creating a technically good shot. Read your manual back to front and then learn it inside and out. If you know how your equipment works you can master pretty much anything and read the section on backlighting again. There are so many cameras out there and there are several options for each to take control of the situation which are impossible to elaborate on in this space. Really, RTFM (read the fking manual). The sections on manual exposure and backlighting...
Jared Houston
Take for example this session from Llans. The sun is pretty much directly behind the rider which for any auto function is a bit of a mind bender to interpret. You’ve got the sun reflecting directly off the sea creating highlights that force you to wear your darkest sunnies and a cap so you can see what’s happening on the waves. At the same time, as the wave builds, the face and ultimately the barrel, gets thrown into deep shadow. The camera designers have gone through enormous effort to create metering systems that can cope with all these variables but at the end of the day most auto functions cater for your average person photographing their kids in the garden or tourists snapping off the landscape
and local attractions. So considering that the light in SA is pretty harsh compared to our Japanese or European counterparts and you understand that these type of conditions are pretty much as extreme as you can get and you need to understand how to cater for that. You want to shoot your mate on the face of the wave and you want to see that wave so you have to expose for the shadow areas. What happens to the spray and the open ocean behind the wave is not really of consequence. What I find really useful is to aim at one of the beach strollers walking in line with myself and the break I’m focusing on and to measure the exposure off them and take a few shots. I’m measuring the shadow areas of their body to approximate what I will get off a rider. After that I shoot a few empties just to make sure I have the water texture and detail covered. This is the point where I whip out this super useful photo accessory called a towel! Chuck it over my head and camera and review the pic on screen – Ah yeah, the joys of digital! If you try reviewing your images just by cupping your hands over the screen you’re going to be misled. All this applies when your buddy boosts 6 feet into the air off the end of the bowl too cos at this point you have set
As excitable as a caffeine fuelled Easter bunny and as talented with a camera as Tiger Woods with a club, Michel Dei-Cont knows what he’s on about when it comes to shooting great shots. And that’s not all he’s good at - apparently he is an award winning graphic designer in his spare time! We felt it was high time to tie him down so we could pick his noggin and share some of his secrets with the sixty40 reader.
over exposure Through the lens with DC Mike
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over exposure // Through the lens with DC Mike
Marcus Phitides
up your exposure so you can see the guy on his board. If he’s 5 feet up and against the open ocean, hell, you don’t care what the sea looks like, you just get this dramatic boost against a bright background and you still have detail in the shadow areas of the rider. There are other factors of course like what angle you choose to shoot from. I like to get as low down to the ocean surface as possible. That lower perspective is closer to the experience of riding, it gives you those lekker out of focus foreground foamies for a bit of depth and if you’re lucky and the waves are cranking, they break the horizon line and appear even more dramatic. Most importantly though, you have to make the effort. If you know it’s going to be cranking – you have to make the calls, forgo the pizza and sundowners, get your stuff and be there when it’s firing! Q - I heard a rumour that you are a top-notch designer. How does this assist you with your photography and do you feel that it has helped you have a better understanding of what is and what isn’t visually appealing and do you have any touch up tips for us? I’ve not thought about that consciously but you're probably right. Graphic design is about communicating a message in a very short time.
They say if it takes more than 3 seconds you’ve lost your reader… I guess I apply this to photos too. Simplicity is key and also framing the wave so you only have what’s important. Touch ups are a controversial issue. Photography has 2 sides. Taking the photo and printing it. Digital photography has put the darkroom at your fingertips so you can, just like in the darkroom, interpret your captured images to reflect the events of the day. I’m in no way advocating all those plug-ins and filters but if you look at your images and you feel they’re a bit too dark or light, slight adjustment to the levels will make all the difference. We all get shots that are disappointing though and you can polish them up all you like and they will still be weak.You should rather spend that time figuring out what you could improve on so you nail it next time. Q - Lets just say I had a couple of grand lying around, which I don’t, what kind of advise would you have for me, the beginner, when it comes to buying a decent setup that isn’t going to break my piggy bank? Break the bank! Really! If you’re serious about it, buy the best you can get and then some. I made a similar mistake with my first bodyboard purchase. I bought this brick for 400 bucks, paddled out at Llans, slid out on every bottom turn, got mashed,
got bummed and bought a decent board the next day. I wasted 400 bucks. Cameras are a huge investment and if you’re unsure, do like I did. I borrowed my old man's camera on the weekends and only once I was truly hooked did I buy my own gear. Just remember if you’re going for a digital SLR, that’s those with the interchangeable lenses, split your budget in two. Half is for the body. The other half is for the lens. There’s no point in having the greatest camera on the planet if you can’t get close to the action. Q - Lets talk about income. If I fork-out a small fortune on a rig am I going to be able to pay it off shooting bodyboarding alone? NO. We simply don’t have a big enough outlet for images or companies that are prepared to pay for them. I think the potential to change this situation is there but at the moment I shoot bodyboarding because I love it, not for the coin. So now you’ve forked out for a rig, so what’s stopping you from taking shots other than bodyboarding? Not everyone wants to shoot weddings but there’s money to be made. I shoot products. You know, hammers and wheelbarrows and jewellery to pay for my passion, besides the graphic design day job that is... Q - What drives you to spend hours under the baking sun shooting other people - Where do you draw your inspiration from and do you have any sunstroke remedies for us? I shoot way better than I ride! There are those days when it’s chunky and mean and I know I would probably blow it out there so I appreciate the commitment and the stoke the guys charge with. I also sit at home for hours at night drooling over perfect waves so there’s no shortage of inspiration. As for sunstroke… Don’t get burnt cos then it’s too late! Okes look at me
weird cos I rock up at the beach in closed shoes, long sleeves and jeans… don’t be fooled, burning your feet is hell! And then there’s that wonderful photographic accessory, the towel..! It’s good for keeping the sun off your neck too! And all the okes know I have a stash of ice water close by! Q - Where is your favourite location to shoot? Where ever the waves are cranking. There are so many spots I’ve checked in mags that I want to visit. Ask me again in 10 years! Q - What has been your most memorable moment as a photographer? Every mission, even the failed ones, have their highlights but I really enjoyed the vibe at SA’s in 2007, meeting so many people and so many days of waves. Of course when I’m old and grey I will still be recounting my first Sunsets mission with Peter and JMO and trying to outrun 30 foots sets on a misfiring rubber duck! I've shot war on the northern border of Namibia and lawyers in their libraries and each have their own challenges but bodyboarders are genuinely the most awesome bunch of people I know. I don't think I will look back and remember one moment or person or session in isolation, the whole experience just melts into one epic ride! Q - Where would you like to see your photography taking you in the future - what would you like to achieve? In an ideal world? Well, just shoot surf exclusively and travel to all these wild and wonderful locations. I want to achieve the same as all the committed photographers, videographers and writers – give our guys and girls the exposure and credit they deserve, get new kids amped and show the world what a kick ass sport this is. ×
over exposure
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