LOVING SURFING AMAZING PEOPLE CRAFT & CRAFTSMANSHIP
SMORGASBOARDER F R E E ( Z E )
S U R F
M A G A Z I N E
ALASKAN ADVENTURE • MALDIVIAN SERENDIPITY • WETSUIT TESTS • THE FAMILY TREE
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Surfer: Marcus Aboody
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DETAILS & STUFF WHERE TO PICK SMORGASBOARDER UP Grab it FREE at quality surf stores, shapers and cool cafés on the coast of Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, Western Australia and New Zealand... And online.
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THE COVER SHOT
$21 IN AUSTRALIA OR NZ GETS YOU SIX EDITIONS.
Balmy Alaskan beach days, captured perfectly by Larry Cornett, Impactzone.smugmug.com and freezingly experienced by our very own James Ellis.... Page 24
THE SMORGASBOARDERS STUFF, THINGS & ADVERTISING Dave Swan dave@smorgasboarder.com.au 0401 345 201 NEW ZEALAND THINGS ‘Jiff’ Morris jeff@smorgasboarder.co.nz +64 (0)220 943 913 STUFF & DESIGN Mark Chapman mark@smorgasboarder.com.au 0400 875 884 SOUTH AUSTRALIAN THINGS James Ellis james@smorgasboarder.com.au 0410 175 552 STUFF, ACCOUNTS & EVERYTHING ELSE Louise Gough louise@smorgasboarder.com.au GEAR TESTS, MUSIC REVIEWS & OTHER THINGS Angus Brown gus@smorgasboarder.com.au
CONTRIBUTIONS This is YOUR mag. It’s here for you to tell your stories, show your pictures and share your thoughts - and score some free stuff on the way too, to boot. Ideas & submissions: editorial@smorgasboarder.com.au. There’s only a few of us, so if you don’t hear back right away, we’re not ignoring you, we’re just running madly or “testing equipment.” Don’t be so sensitive. Sheesh. Yes, we do pay for some content, but just like us, you’ll hardly retire off it. That said, we’re always keen to meet nice new people to share the journey with, so drop us a line.
WWW.SMORGASBOARDER.COM.AU smorgasboarder is published by Huge C Media Pty Ltd ABN 30944673055. All information is correct at time of going to press. The publishers cannot accept responsibility for errors in articles or advertisements, or unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or illustrations. The opinions and words of the authors do not necessarily represent those of the publisher. All rights reserved. Reproduction in part or whole is strictly prohibited without prior permission.
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We print with Pep Central and Craft Inprint Group, an environmentally aware and committed printer whose business is founded upon the principles of minimising waste and maximising recycling. Nice work.
5/05/13 2:52 PM
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MAY/JUN 2013 | SMORGASBOARDER
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NOTE #17:
CHILLS “Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.” André Gide, Nobel Prize winner, 1947
To undertake a voyage of discovery requires a fair bit of internal fortitude. Exploration often invites you, and even requires you step outside your comfort zone and embrace new experiences. Our good mate and intrepid surf traveller, James Ellis, certainly pushed the boundaries when he embarked on a surf trip that started in Alaska of all places. No balmy sea breezes and boardshorts to be seen. Summer in this neck of the woods involves a teeth-chattering water temp of around 6 degrees along with an abundance of marine life including orcas, and on land, grizzlies. Sound nuts? We think he is. And on our theme of adventure there are not many tales better than that of the legendary Tony Hussein Hinde, his shipwreck and the subsequent discovery of a surfing paradise in the Maldives. Tony’s story has been brought to the fore in a up-and-coming feature length film about his life called Serendipity, produced by Simon Lamb. He tells us of the story behind the story - how he came to meet Tony, and the evolution of the film.
Closer to home we travel up the road and unveil some of the characters behind the Coolum surf scene, many of whom are active members of what is fast becoming the largest boardriders’ club in the country. We chat with Jacob Lambert whose surf related injury lead him to find a new passion for photography shooting all manner of boardsports around the globe. We introduce you to a Victorian family of surfboard craftsman who are as down-to-earth and talented as they come. And if that wasn’t enough, we discover what value-for-money is in the world of wetsuits by reviewing how previously tested wetsuits have withstood regular wear and tear. Yes, the latest bells and whistles may be exciting, but a suit that can stand the test of time is all the more important to most of us.
Power Base Fins & Boxes - Completely Integrated
Now, sit back and enjoy the latest read in the comfort and warmth of your own home.
Cheers!
ers
sboard
orga the Sm
Photo by Larry Cornett Impactzone.smugmug.com More chilly shots? Go to page 24.
MORE POWER MORE CONTROL
OWEN WRIGHT
Chooses DXL CERAMIC C4 with Power Base Boxes
www.powerbasefins.com.au 02 4323 4818 May2013_Smorgas_intro.indd 9
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE
24 FREEZE FRAME Toughen up. You don’t know cold until you surf with orcas
38 SERENDIPITY
The documenting of a true surf fairytale
24
EXPLORING ALASKA
32
RANDOM TALES
TRUE ADVENTURE
47
LATEST LOCAL
50 60
Aloha Barry shows us how to make ends meet
Byrne Owen Wright
Documenting the life and times of Tony Hussein Hinde
Mark Mead shares his obsession with Hobie surfboards
MEET THE NATIVES
You know the place... Now get to meet some Coolum locals
LAND & SEA
Goodtime Surf’s Jacob Lambert shows us his photographic skills
SURF BUM BARGAINS
Discounted gear, huge sales and tight-arse money saving tips
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SAVE $$$
Incident and injury on the road delivering the magazine
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James Ellis braves bears, hypothermia and a seaplane
THE FAMILY TREE
Meet two generations of the foam-mowing Oke family
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RUBBER UP AGAIN
We re-review some of our old, trusty neoprene favourites
THE USUAL BITS THE LATEST
12 News and community 20 Letters
GEAR
84 Board profiles 98 Gear tests
CLOSEOUT 103 106 107 108 111 114
Ding repairs Columns Directories Books & Music Socials Aloha Barry
OWEN PRO
O ZONE
5’10/18.38/2.25
5’9/19/2.25
6’0/18.5/2.38
5’11/19.25/2.38
6’2/18.62/2.38
6’1/19.5/2.5
6’4/18.75/2.5
6’3/19.62/2.62
6’6/19/2.62
C O N T R O L
S Y S T E M
SURFTECH AUSTRALIA
www.surftechaustralia.com.au 02 4226 1322
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LATEST: NEWS
DORIS DAY ...could become an offical holiday for surfer Brett Archibald, to commemorate his saviour, Tony ‘Doris’ Eltherington. In cased you missed the sorry tale of a seasick South African surfer a couple of weeks back, this is how it played out.
Brett Archibald was on a surf trip with mates in the Mentawais aboard the Naga Laut. The conditions were rough so in the middle of the night he went above deck to get some fresh air, ending up tossing his cookies, blacking out during his technicolour yawn and falling overboard (talk about a bad night) in the middle of the Indian Ocean. He came to in the water, only to see his boat 100 metres ahead. It was 3.15am and he had no life-jacket. Back in the harbour at Tua Paget, having heard of a man being lost at sea, Tony Eltherington sprung into action and mounted a search for Brett aboard the Barrenjoey. He got the coordinates of where he had presumably fallen overboard, and headed out in horrible conditions. After four hours the rescue party was forced to turn back before dark. Come the next day, conditions had improved and the wind abated, so Tony and his crew once again set off at 4am in search of Brett. They found him floating at 7.15am, sunburnt and terribly dehydrated, but alive. They jumped overboard and helped him on board the Barrenjoey. During his 27-hour ordeal he had been stung by jellyfish, circled by a shark and suffered an undignified peck in the face from a seagull attack (talk about unlucky... Who gets attacked by a seagull?). Unlucky but lucky for Tony’s quick thinking, that is. What an ordeal. Tony ‘Doris’ Eltherington... You are a legend. So much so, that to squeeze this in last minute, we just had to leave out our regular - and favourite - reader photos this edition. Are we ever going to have a backlog of great shots to get in by next edition.... That said, SLIDE fins (the folding, finless fun machines) have put up a set of fins for their favourite radical move photo. You send it, we print it, you win them. www.slidefins.com 12
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Tony ‘Doris’ Eltherington at home on the water. Photo supplied by Sam Dale
Randy French
Flowmaster L:12’6 W:32” TH:5.08” V:279.9L F:Single Wood
L:12’6 W:32” TH:5.08” V:279.9L F:Single AST
L:11’6 W:30” TH:5.7” V:240L F:Single AST
SURFTECH AUSTRALIA
www.surftechaustralia.com.au MAY/JUN 2013 | SMORGASBOARDER
02 4226 1322
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NEWS THIS IS THE
WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE LOCAL SURFING COMMUNITY editorial@smorgasboarder.com.au
facebook.com/smorgasboarder
twitter.com/smorgasboarder
WORLD’S MOST PHOTOGENIC FAMILY
Photo: Brad, www.carveusa.com
Congratulations to Kristin Bower and his beautiful fiancé Cerise Taylor, along with their lovely daughter Malia on the new addition to the family, Chance Luke Bower.
CARVING THEM UP
There’s a saying that, “Nothing beats the original” and it’s for good reason. Why settle for imitations when only the best will do? The original Carveboards from the US of A are finally available in Australia again exclusively through Zak Surfboards in Thornbury, Melbourne. Original Carveboard $595, Surfstick $395. zaksurfboards.com
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Send it in. Upcoming events, charity happenings, interesting stories, email to: editorial@smorgasboarder.com.au
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Kane Landsberg. Photo supplied by the Landsberg family
A CHAMPION IN THE TRUE SENSE OF THE WORD Paul Smith was recently walking his dog with partner Carol along Currimundi Beach on the Sunshine Coast when he noticed a man in trouble at the back of the breakers. Paul recalls what unfolded next. “We saw four fellas swimming and one of them got caught in a rip and taken straight out the back. He was on a boogie board but lost that and tried to swim but you could see he started to panic. He started yelling and screaming and you could see he was in big trouble. “I decided I better make a run for the lifesaving club but feared he wasn’t going to make it that long. Then along came this young guy with a surfboard strapped to his pushbike. I ran up to him and asked him what he was like at rescues and pointed to the bloke out the back. “Without hesitation this young kid rips the surfboard off the side of his pushbike, runs down to the water and doesn’t even stop to pull the rest of his wetsuit on. He still had it half around his waist. He paddled straight out the back, got to the fella, put him on his surfboard and pushed him all the way back in. “By the time he got in, I was coming back with the lifesavers. They dragged the guy who was drowning up from the water’s edge and put him on oxygen. He was later taken away in an ambulance.” “Without any fuss the young fella headed off and you could see he was stuffed. I had to find out who he was. I asked around and found out his name was Kane Landsberg and that he actually recently won the cadet division of the Ma and Pa Surf Contest at Moffats (Beach). It is the most heroic thing I have seen.” There is no doubt Kane you are a champion in more ways than one.
DEVIL’S IN THE DECAL Check out this custom Surf Decals printed Ben Brown artwork. A custom decal is a great way to make your stick stand out. www.surfdecals.com 16
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THE PNG SPLINTER GROUP Most by now would be familiar with the critically-acclaimed surf film SPLINTERS, a feature-length documentary about the evolution of indigenous surfing in the developing nation of Papua New Guinea. Through the movie and indeed the pages of SMORGASBOARDER, many would also be aware local kids in PNG actually ride ‘splinters’ – leftover bits of dugout canoes or broken boards left by tourists to take to the waves. Keen to help those less fortunate, Australian shaper Marty Brown got in contact with Andy Abel, the president of the Surfing Association of Papua New Guinea Inc, and set up a means by which Australians could donate surfboards and surfing equipment. Well we are pleased to say the project has gained further momentum with the boys from Tree to Sea joining the cause assisting Marty with his supply of surfboards and surf accessories to PNG. Tree to Sea run wooden surfboard building workshops on the Mornington Peninsula. We spoke with one of the founders, Gary Miller.
From our perspective it is simply great to see people finding a creative means to be generous. It goes to show if we set our mind to it, we can all make the world a better place by sharing the stoke of surfing. For more details visit: www.hwsb.com.au or email Gary or Rob at Tree to Sea info@ treetosea.com.au alternatively contact Marty Brown on pngsurfdonation@hotmail.com or give him a ring on 0418 388 415. Tree to Sea acknowledges the generosity of our following suppliers who have made this project possible: Australian Fin Company and Paulownia Surfboard Supplies. We also acknowledge our participants of the workshops, they are keen to help and often give their own time after each day to assist in getting the ‘donation’ boards completed.
Participants in April workshop working on donation board
“Each workshop we build a ‘demo’ board showing each phase of the wooden surfboard construction. Participants also help build this board as time permits during the workshop. When the ‘demo’ board is complete it becomes our ‘donation’ board. We should have 6 or 8 boards ready this year to be transported to PNG for use by the kids and villagers in the surfing
areas of PNG. Andy Abel from the PNG Surfing Assoc. will assist in distribution.”
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LATEST: & GREATEST
HELP US VOTE ! DECIDE... NOW
Jake Costello
So many of you out there in readerworld are ridiculously inspired and talented. The volume and quality of entries into the SHOW US YOUR ART: WIN A BLANK CANVAS competition has been amazing! What a weight of responsibility to pick a winner... Help us out and mosey on over to www.smorgasboarder.com.au to vote for your favourite... Here are just some of the entries so far to get you excited and inspired!
Brandon Eli
Leah Enthoven
Gemma Lehmann
David Dewar Amy Alexander
Maggie Schrieber 18
Sarah Perritt
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SHOW US YOUR ART,
WIN A BLANK CANVAS! RECKON YOU HAVE A GREAT IDEA FOR ARTWORK ON A SURFBOARD? Send in your best idea of artwork YOU HAVE CREATED and you could be in line to win one fantastic prize pack... 1 x brand new, blank JOEL BECK Surfboard! 1 x set of MOLOTOW art products to get creative with! 1 x set of GASFINS carbon-base fins to drive your board! 1 x pack of HURRICANE accessories, including legrope and deck grip! Send your entry, with contact details to competitions@smorgasboarder.com.au by 14 June 2013.
Matt Davenne Mick Duck
Thanks to Joel and Shaun of CO-LAB in Wurtulla for putting up the surfing gear and thanks to Romy and Clarke of Molotow for the art materials. NOTE: This competition is not open to professional artists. For full terms and conditions, see www.smorgasboarder.com.au
MOLOTOW is a full suite of art gear to brighten up your surfboard, skateboard and just about anything else. For more information and inspiration, check out http://www.facebook. com/molotow.com.au BECK SURFBOARDS on the Sunshine Coast are manufactured by Joel Beck - high performance boards of all shapes and sizes. www.facebook.com/beckboards GAS FINS are highest quality, affordable fins, plugs and surf accessories trusted and used by shapers across the globe. www.gasfins.com.au
Kylie de Costa
Jake Heffernan
HURRICANE is a great range of surf accessories, including traction, legropes and more, available from CoLab in Wurtulla, QLD. Call 07 5493 3539 or see hurricanesurf.net
Jed Ogram
MAY/JUN 2013 | SMORGASBOARDER
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letters@smorgasboarder.com.au
LETTERS There’s polarised responses to the “Just wear a bikini” story on Page 26-27 of the last edition. Do girls in the surf get a raw deal? Let us know what you think on our Facebook page.
IN DEFENCE OF MEN “I would like to stand up for all the men I surf with in contrast to the female surfer’s story in the current issue: There is some energy behind my views: I think if you are going to participate in a currently male dominated activity then be prepared. Don’t expect to be given any right of way any more than another man would. Don’t expect any favours for bikini wearing (why would you want to anyway - every female surfer knows if they are surfing hard, bikini bottoms are out of the question - they fall down and create self consciousness.) Earn respect through your actions. As a shortboarder who occasionally rides a mal, I am conscious of other shortboarders sitting inside and never take more than my fair share. Not every mal rider shares my view of the world. If a female wants equality then her behaviourial expectations must match this: role model the behaviour you expect in return. There will always be anomalies. I love sharing waves with my male surf mates, most of whom I do not not even know by first name. If you are a regular at many beaches over the years, as I am, the support from their mateship is priceless. Lose your minds sisters and come to your senses! It’s not about thinking out there, its all about the feeling. Angela, Macmasters Beach
...AND THE LADIES “Gr8 story by Renate ‘bout men behaving badly 2wards girls in the surf! I’ve had men dropping in, snaking and blocking me too.” @climate_girl (from Twitter)
SURFING TRAFFIC HAZARDS “Hello guys, if I drove a car with no brakes and hit you, would you get angry? This new trend around Byron Bay of surfing longboards with no leg rope is getting out of control. Recently at Wategoes Beach a man had his head lacerated by a loose surfboard, requiring a trip to hospital by ambulance. My questions are: Who pays for the trip in the ambulance? Who pays for time off work to recover if need be? Who pays for plastic surgery if the scarring is permanent? Can you take the person riding a surfboard without a leg rope to court to recover costs associated with the damage caused by their action?” Ian Brown, Byron Bay (from Facebook) Tricky one Ian... Should surfers trade wetsuits for three-piece suits to settle disputes in court? Should the threat of litigation be allowed to scar the surfing experience? Let us know your thoughts on Facebook. 20
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LATEST: WINTER WEAR
Cool zip hoodie...
...or collared zip jumper. you choose!
Cool retro stripes can’t go wrong.
WINTER WARMING GOLD If there’s a medal to be handed out for unbelievable comfy cold-weather gear, the new Winter range from iconic Aussie brand GOLDEN BREED would definitely be on top of the podium. Fleecy jumpers, zip hoodies, track pants... There’s everything you need to warm up after the chilliest of surfs. With classic styling and a modern retro vibe, the new range looks as cool as it feels comfy. So, make sure you grab yourself some gear at one of the GOLDEN BREED stores: Noosa Heads, Pacific Fair on the Gold Coast, The Wharf in Mooloolaba or check out the factory outlet in Caulfied, Victoria.
Beware of miniature jumper thieves...
Don’t be silly, they’re not waterproof. For warmth in the water, see wetsuits on Page 91.
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Fossil beach. Air temp 5-15째c, water temp 6-8째c. Photo: Larry Cornett, Impactzone.smugmug.com
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TRAVEL: ADVENTURE
AK-LA PART 1
Following North America’s West Coast There’s surf trips and there’s surf trips. Chilling on a balmy beach in boardies is one thing. Boarding for a beach where the chill makes your teeth chatter is another thing entirely. South Australian James Ellis doesn’t mind a bit of cold water, and the first stop on his tour of North America delivered a whole lot more than he expected. Welcome to Alaska, it’s creatures, and the opportunity to push all of your surfing boundaries.
AK WORDS: JAMES ELLIS
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AK Denali National Park. From the air...
And from the ground. Photo: James Ellis
“AS WE DROVE PAST A GLACIER, Friends asked us why we were going to America. “We just want to swim, surf, explore, walk, train, drive, skate, sail and paddle our way from Alaska to Los Angeles,” was my response. It was the unknown in the United States and Canada that looked attractive. The west coast of the US and Canada holds some of the oldest and largest wilderness areas and national parks in the world... And some of the best conditions and setups for surfing. First stop was Alaska - AK. July is the peak of summer for everything - tourism, hospitality, trade, leisure, surf. These four months of summer are where every Alaskan needs to work as much as they can, as in the winter the main supply roads are inundated
by snow and ice. Just to get our terminology on the same page here - what Australians think is cold, isn’t by Alaskan standards. To put it in perspective, our taxi driver from the airport wore woollined gumboots. As we drove past a glacier, the temperature dropped inside the car by 15 degrees, even with the heater boosted to maximum. Yes it was summer in Alaska, but it’s no summer by our standards. That said, when you make peace with the cold, everywhere you turn in Alaska is stunning - the mountains, the Sitka forest, the lakes, the snow and the wilderness. In a strange way, the Islands of Alaska and of Indonesia share certain qualities. There are few roads to surf zones, yet plenty of
Chiniak Lake Photo: Larry Cornett, Impactzone.smugmug.com
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TRAVEL: ADVENTURE
James and Emma - explorers.
the temperature dropped inside the car by 15 degrees...” boats. And, when it’s onshore, big and messy on the exposed side of the island, the other side of the island reveals offshore and idyllic surf conditions. We used the ‘Alaska Marine Highway’ system to move west to Kodiak Island, 57.7931° N, 152.3942° W. The AMH is a government-subsidised ferry system, connecting the Aleutian Islands in the West to Prince Rupert in the South, edging all the way around the bay of Alaska, some 3,000km. Using the AMH and the VIA Rail network you can travel to most parts of Alaska, but outside of the centres, your transport gets interesting. You can drive on some Islands but to ‘get remote’ you need a sea plane (‘float plane’ to the Alaskans) or a boat.
We had several connections on Kodiak who helped us get to the surf in the right conditions. The mornings were mostly still with small, clean powerful waves, as were the evenings. The most impressive thing about surfing in the summer in Alaska is that the sun came up at 5am and didn’t set until 11pm. So if you wanted to, you could have kept surfing ‘till midnight. From memory, I don’t think I needed to turn on my head torch once. Long daylight hours, stacks of sun, clear water, clean air, clean waves and big tides... All of these factors combine to provide for an absolutely amazing surfing experience. To truly enjoy these conditions you need to factor in the cold water, so I packed heaps of neoprene:
•
1 x RG8 Recycled O’Neill 6mm hooded wetsuit (Cheers to Reef at Element Vancouver)
•
1 x custom-made 5/3mm Remote Wetsuit (Cheers to Gappy at Remote Wetsuits, from SA)
•
1 pair x 7mm Hotline Booties (Cheers to Josh from Cleanline Surf, Canon Beach, Oregon)
•
1 pair x 3mm Triple-X gloves (Cheers to Don - these gloves are 4 years old and still going strong!)
With this set, I was never freezing, and my feet or hands never went numb. Having a few wetsuits in Alaska helps, as you
never have to get into cold and damp rubber, which is certainly the smarter thing to do. Unsurprisingly, the locals on Kodiak Island are reluctant to surf during the season of the orcas. (I got an email the other day from Kodiak local Larry Cornett of Impact Zone Photography who told me that an orca swam up to the pier and took a seal pup for breakfast.) Personally, I saw and heard Orcas whilst surfing in Alaska and Canada but they never bothered me. They are so awesome to watch up close. There are several well-known places to surf on Kodiak. Hubs to check are 3mile and Pasagshak. I would compare the surf on Kodiak to Phillip Island in Vicco - way less
Fossil beach. Photo: Larry Cornett, Impactzone.smugmug.com
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AK
HEAVY LOCALS
Photo: Larry Cornett, Impactzone.smugmug.com
Keeping the food safe, and bears far away. Photo: James Ellis
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“AS THE FIRST NIGHT DREW CLOSER, CAMPING WITH BEARS WASN’T FEELING QUITE RIGHT.”
Cowabunga. Sorry, Bisonobunga.
Salmon picnic. Photo: James
Larry of Impact Zone - legend.
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roads, the coolest beach breaks like Woolamai, and with a boat you can find waves as good as the ones just east of Island Surfboards at Smith’s Beach. Locals told us, “We don’t really look for bigger waves or any conditions we need to duck dive - you don’t really want to wet your hair too many times surfing out here, especially when its snowing in Winter.” The problem was, I felt like I was living our winter during their summer. I had great wetsuits, yet I’ll admit, winter surfing when the air temp is -10° and snowing would challenge my love for surfing. And I used to think Tassie was cold... One day the air temp was 28°, so I jumped off the boat - in my boardies - into the ocean. My spine instantly felt like it was on fire, my lips went whiteand stayed that way for the next hour, and I had a thumping headache... In these ‘warmer’ summer months there are always local fishermen who charge a moderate fee to chug you over to other islands. A tip when engaging the services of an ‘old man of the sea’? Always frame any surfing expedition intentions, with fishing or shooting pictures. If you don’t, they may look at you a little strangely, and mumble comments along the lines of: “These people fly to cold Alaska, to jump in the same ocean that’s in Australia - only freezing - and miss out on the best fishing and hunting in the world... Well son, I’ll take your money, but this surfing business is not what Alaska is about, I’m talking 40-pound trophy Hallibut, Sonny Jim, and you’re playing flipper with my anchor... Holy Russian Seal Pelts, I don’t understand these kids, next thing they will be asking me to drive down the passage and harpoon a Go-Pro to the top of a whale, or some caper like that… All aboard!” We used the AMH to travel east and then south, from Kodiak Island to Sitka and Juneau. Sitka and Juneau are amazing, as they have no road access. We chartered a sea plane to drop us alone in several extremely remote locations. We did have a few safety items, such as life jackets, a can of ‘Bear Spray’ a marine radio and two small boats. Yet as the first night drew closer, camping with bears wasn’t feeling quite right. Juneau marks the peak entry point for the Atlantic Salmon run. This
date was super important to us as it would be when the brown bears (Grizzlies) would venture down from the forest, where they had been fighting over red berries, to dig into their smorgasbord of salmon. The run lasts for around one month across the west coast of North America, so we wanted to time our ‘camping with bears experience’ when the grizzlies would be the most full of food, and not in any way inclined toward us. It was a frightening and amazing experience to hunt the bears by day with our cameras, and then not want anything to do with bears once we were in our tent at night. However,
millions of North Americans camp near bears every year, and following a few golden rules can almost secure your safety. Bears like sweet things like berries, lollies, toothpaste, processed food and raw fish. If humans have these things in their tent, they can expect a scary night and bear prints around their tent. If you remove any scents like these, you’ll sleep soundly. We set up a pulley system in the trees to hang our food. We spent several days camping on Windfall Island and viewing the bears at a nearby Salmon Run on Admiralty Island – set aside for bears and nature conservation. Admiralty Island is one of the best and safest places to view bears in the wild, as they are conditioned to human presence. They’re not aggressive towards us, mainly due to the fact that no human has ever given the bears a ‘hard time’. People come to watch, not to hunt. There are about 20 permits sold each year to view the bears in this region, over a 20-day period. We were lucky enough to secure several of these, and so thankful to our pilot MAY/JUN 2013 | SMORGASBOARDER
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TRAVEL: ADVENTURE ‘Butch’ from Alaska Fly & Fish for dropping us into the middle of the bear country, and picking us up again, and to Ken Leghorn, from Pack Creek Outfitters, who supplied all our food, boats, marine radios, bear spray, safety equipment, permits and the allimportant local knowledge. As far as the surfing goes, Alaskan reefs match the land’s topography - steep. You might be surfing only 8m away from the dry shoreline, yet the sea floor is 10m deep at the take off zone, rising to 1m once the wave breaks, which makes for super-slabby take offs. The other dynamic to take into account here is the detection of set waves. Back home, you can see set waves coming a mile off. Yet here, while waves are travelling through depths of 3050m, they may have a wave length of 5m, yet a height of only a few centimetres. This means a 20cm high wave morphs into a two metre, almost endless drop. The plunging sea floor also introduced other natural elements here, revealing flashes of seals, orcas, dolphins, whales, swimming right under you, checking you out, then surfacing nearby. One of my favourite memories from surfing near Portlock Harbor, near Juneau, was turning around only to hear the loudest, thunderous exhale of a huge humpback whale, just 10m away, and watching it re-surface and feed on krill. With the help of a team of scientists on a research vessel, we estimated it must have been 20m long and weighed in at over 50 tonnes. Surfing in close proximity of this puppy makes you want to donate a little more to the Sea Shepherd cause…
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We felt like our life began again after camping with bears and as such, surfing with orcas felt like a walk in the park. There were some really cool little points reeling off waves between Portlock Harbor and Juneau - spots that you could compare to several rocky rivermouths in Tasmania. Nearby Juneau there are amazing fishing grounds, amazing waves and endless channels that swell works its way through. Portlock Harbor is the place for viewing the spotted harbour seal, and for surfing a protected wrapon-itself right slabby bowl. This wave was super-insane, bending in on itself harder than Telescopes or Macaronis in the Mentawais. To visualize how good this wave was, imagine surfing the Bower, near Manly - just easier and connecting better. Picture taking off super-easily around at Deadman’s, gliding through ten arcing turns in deep blue water, right through the Bower, and the wave bending and barrelling 180 degrees right round to Shelly Beach, holding form and finally depositing you on a 5m long beach made of only tiny volcanic rock. I can only imagine that there are hundreds of slab set-ups and refracting wave parks throughout this region. One day I’ll have to get back to discover them. Alaska... Uncrowded, dynamic, exciting. This is a destination that leaves you with memories like no other place could. What a summer holiday.
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Chiniak Lake Photo: Larry Cornett, Impactzone.smugmug.com
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MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE A HOT COFFEE? MAY/JUN 2013 Great coffee, roasted daily in Volcom Lane, Raglan New Zealand! WWW.RAGLANROAST.CO.NZ
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RANDOM TALES FROM THE ROAD A TRAVEL JOURNAL
WORDS AND PHOTOS: DAVE SWAN
PART II
Last edition we brought you the first installment of our RANDOM TALES FROM THE ROAD - a travel journal of our life and times on the road, delivering SMORGASBOARDER magazine. Following the last trip I’m now keen to change the name to THE MISADVENTURES OF AN ACCIDENT-PRONE KNOBHEAD. Read on and you’ll find out why...
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RANDOM: ROAD DIARY
Looking towards St Clair and beyond from Ocean Grove.
DAYS 1-3 FIRST PORT OF CALL – DUNEDIN. DID I MENTION I LOVE THIS PLACE? Sure it may get chilly and lies just under 5,000 kms from the South Pole but it has class. It appeals to my ancestral roots. You see ‘Dunedin’ means ‘Edinburgh’ in Old Gaelic, hence its distinct Scottish flavour. But enough chat, time to deliver the latest edition and test some gear. WHO’S FRIGGIN IDEA WAS IT TO TEST WETTIES HERE? Note the sign in the background. If Indiana Jones’ most famous quote from Raiders of the Lost Ark was, “Snakes. I hate snakes.” Well I feel the same about sharks. Whose idiotic idea was it to test wetsuits here? (Now before I get any hate mail from any shark-kissers-andhuggers out there, I don’t want to kill them. I just don’t want them to kill me. I’m just plain bloody paranoid about the men in grey suits.)
St Clair beach
GREAT LITTLE SURF felt a bit Noah’s Arky but there were some good waves. The threat is more in my head than anything else. The entire Otago coastline may be cold and rugged, but the ocean has such raw power the surf is always pumping. As always, Graham Carse’s Quarry Beach quad was a cracker, just handling perfectly on the day. A LOOK AROUND I ventured out to Allens Beach but the weather turned ugly. Allens is a cracking nearby surf spot just north of Dunedin that also happens to be home to the local seal colony and a resident great white that goes by the nickname KZ-7. Apparently he is so named due to his resemblance to the allconquering 12m Kiwi America’s
Cup yacht. Conditions weren’t the best and she was a wee bit deserted, so I didn’t get amongst it. Didn’t fancy dangling out the back. JOKES ASIDE you do have to be careful in these parts and have your wits about you, but the threat is really not that great. I actually love this city so much I could easily live here. There’s a thriving and friendly surf scene, and a real sense of history about the place. And not to mention, the city has so many funky little coffee shops, cafes and bars. It’s also home to local shaper Graham Carse one funny bugger whose wit is dry but love for beer is not.
BEHOLD THE BARRACUDA A 10’1” gun Carse made for “Jimmy”. You don’t make boards like this unless there are some serious bloody waves to ride – 15 to 25ft to be specific. I asked Carse if Jimmy was a good surfer. In his usual dry manner he replied, “We’ll soon find out.” At which point, I rolled around laughing. “He’s a good small wave surfer. Doesn’t lack enthusiasm.” Of course, I would have been only too happy to road test this baby, but I had to keep moving... That and the fact I’m a chicken. Later on, caught up with Carse and his lovely fiancé Gaby for a beer and a spot of pool. What a day.
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QUEENSTOWN I decided to make the four-hour journey to see Queenstown for a couple of reasons. Jase Johns runs a cool, independant snow/skate/surf shop in Queenstown called NZ Shred and he had implored me to check out the place, plus he’s been a good supporter of SMORGASBOARDER and I was keen to meet him in person. I must admit the thought had also crossed my mind of borrowing one of Jase’s SUPs and taking to Lake Wakatipu. I figured I could get in a paddle and maybe even a swim – you know, generally working hard to undertake further wetsuit testing.
EVERYONE SAID IT WAS STUNNING It lived up to expectations. I thought it would be beautiful but it was something else altogether. The scenery is aweinspiring. There is so much to do here you could never get bored and the town - shops, cafés and bars just make you want to get amongst the holiday-party atmosphere. I‘d struggle to live hours from the beach, but if there was one place, this is it. I wandered around for a few hours, soaked up the atmosphere (and a couple of cheeky amber nectars) and then chomped into a famous and scrumptious Fergburger.
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A SPECIAL NOTE OF THANKS To the guys from AJ Hackett Bungy who got me to the Emergency Ward and to the fabulous doctors and nurses who cared for me at Queenstown Hospital.
from Steam Café... Ahhhh. Then there are the awesome heavy metal sculptures by Steampunk that have spilled onto the streets – visit http://tvnz.co.nz/close-up/ oamaru-steampunk-festival-kicks-offvideo-4912316 to see what it’s about. MORE PAIN Worse than being cramped sleeping in a car fully loaded with SMORGASBOARDERS and a broken arm was my visit to Soul Surf and Skate. Jeremy, who owns the shop, showed me the upstairs skate bowl – damn you gods of clumsiness. I so wanted to give this sucker a run.
RANDOM: ROAD DIARY
I JUST NEED TO BE MORE MINDFUL OF SLIPPERY ROCKS Yep, disembarking from the raft that takes you back to shore I stepped forward, slipped and catapulted myself from the boat. Whilst attempting this difficult manoeuvre I managed to land half on land, half in the drink, jamming my right arm between two underwater rocks and snapping both bones near the wrist.
SPORTING SOME NEW INK Skip ahead to my return home. The kids took to my fresh plaster with gusto. I’m considering going the full sleeve next time.
DAY 6 WINGED I PLUGGED ON TO OAMARU Visiting here is like stepping back in time to the Victorian era. It’s a living, breathing slice of history the like of which I have never seen before. The old world charm is every bit as good as the friendly service and superb coffee and muffins
The Fergburger queue
TIME TO HIT THE LAKE Whether it was the cool morning air or the panoramic backdrop of the surrounding peaks of Ben Lomond and The Remarkables, I was initially short of breath. It was the most picturesque place I have taken to the water. Leaving I saw a bridge and thought, “Why not take the plunge?” What’s hiding in Jeremy’s attic... MAY/JUN 2013 | SMORGASBOARDER
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DAY 7 A FLYING VISIT Unfortunately due to being waylaid at Queenstown Hospital, my visit to Christchurch was a flying one. Fortunately the surf at Sumner and Taylors Mistake wasn’t on, so I didn’t inflict any further self-torture upon myself. This was just as well, because when I visited Jay and Hana at Sadhana Surfboards and checked out their newly refurbished shop, I saw so many beautiful boards I wanted to ride that I began to drool. I must have been a fine sight - broken right arm and dribble out of the side of my mouth. The Sadhana store has really come on since the quake with heaps of cool gear. It’s a testament to the fighting Cantabrian spirit.
GOOD BLOKE, OLD BOARD I finally got the chance to meet Tristan from Exit Surf who showed me around the operation and filled me in on a bit of history about the place along with what is known about this amazing vintage board. Apparently at one stage of its life the boys - not fully appreciating what they had - were using it as a clothes rack. When Tristan and his old man Kerry took it across to the vintage auctions in the States they were offered $8k. They were subsequently informed they would be mad to sell it so they lugged it all the way back home where it now sits as Kerry’s future retirement fund, or so he hopes.
NEXT TIME... REMEMBER! You can follow these trips on www.facebook.com/ smorgasboarder every time the new edition of the mag is released. There are also great prizes up for grabs for our Facebook friends, and those signed up to our email newsletter! See smorgasboarder.com.au. MAY/JUN 2013 | SMORGASBOARDER
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LATEST: INTERVIEW
TONY HUSSEIN HINDE (RIP 1953-2008) ...FATHER OF SURFING IN THE MALDIVES
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TRUE ADVENTURE There are some stories that beg being told. The story of Tony Hussein Hinde (RIP 1953-2008) is one of those. How many tales in our modern day and age begin with a shipwreck and become the making of a surfers dream life in paradise? Tony’s does. Inspired by the man and his amazing history, Melbourne filmmaker Simon Lamb undertook the task of telling his story through his upcoming film, Serendipity. IMAGES: COURTESY OF SIMON LAMB
THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY “This film came about through sheer fate,” Simon explains. “It was March 2008 and my girlfriend and I were planning a two week boat trip, the first week of which was to be spent in the Maldives, the latter a tour around Himmafushi Island. Shortly before we were due to leave Melbourne, I received a call from our travel agent advising that the boat tours had been cancelled due to low numbers. They suggested a trip to Chaaya Island as an alternative. Not having much choice at the time, we decided to go for it. Besides, as a keen surfer, I remembered hearing about the famous surf break - Pasta Point - just off Chaaya Island. “
Within the first few days spent surfing Pasta Point, a casual conversation about camera gear with an American gentleman started Simon on his path to the Serendipity project. “I told him I was looking for a story, to which he responded: ‘You’ve come to the right place, my friend.’ He proceeded to tell me the amazing story of a man who was shipwrecked in the area in the 1970s. In the years that followed, the man - who turned out to be Tony Hussein Hinde - went on to discover the local surf and name all the breaks. Even as the American spoke, I was thinking to myself, ‘Here’s my story!’ “Shortly afterwards, I was once again out in the surf at Pasta Point. It was six foot and clean, and the smell of freshly cooked
crayfish was travelling out to sea. I saw a large figure cutting up a mean wave. Approaching the guy on the board, I told him I was in search of some amazing waves and happened to mention that I was also in the process of finding my story. Shrugging his shoulders, he said, ‘Well, good luck my friend.’ It was only later I learned that this humble guy was the legend Tony himself.” As the story goes, in 1973 Tony was shipwrecked with fellow Aussie surfer Mark Scanlon on the North Malé atoll while sailing on the Whitewings - a ketch en route across the Indian Ocean from Sri Lanka to Réunion Island. After an extended, unplanned stay in the Maldives to make repairs to the vessel, Tony fell in love with the place and it’s people – so much so that he became a citizen,
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converted to Islam and married his Maldivian wife, Zulfa in 1983. With all this to discover, the seed was firmly planted and Simon set about making plans to talk to Tony himself.
MOJO TREES & SERENDIPITY “I approached Tony while he was sitting in front of the ‘Mojo tree’: touched by all surfers to get the wave Gods to deliver the goods! I asked him about his story and if he’d agree to an interview, but again he shrugged his shoulders and said, ‘I’m the shy type... I don’t like being filmed, I just love the surf’. Fortunately I persisted in winning Tony over.
ent crew. ABOVE: The Serendipity re-enactm the middle in son Pear Paul left, the on n Simo the right. and cameraman Andy Richards on ana. Nirv g BELOW: Tony livin
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“I asked him for an interview over dinner and this time he agreed. He gave me a few magazines with articles on himself to read and I set about learning more about his story, and how he came to be in the Maldives. I was instantly in love with his tale - the sailing trip from
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“As I was reading, I couldn’t believe the amazing part in history he’d played. After learning that his adventure started in Sri Lanka, I couldn’t help but think that it was pure serendipity that had brought Tony and me together (Sri Lanka was once known as ‘Serendip’ and is the etymology of the later coined word ‘serendipity’).
TRUTH IS STRANGER THAN FICTION Simon filmed his interview with Tony, but it only went for about ten minutes and he knew it wasn’t enough. He needed more material to work with. Walking around the island with his camera, filming various locations, he made his way back to the lookout point and the
Mojo tree, where he found Tony gazing out at the surf. With the camera rolling he began asking him more questions about the boat trip and the shipwreck. This time, with Tony relaxed and in his element, Simon ended up with what he describes as a beautiful piece of film.
perfect way for me to honour the second anniversary of my brother’s death. “
He now knew he had a story, but there were a lot of other people he needed to speak to if he was going to document the whole incredible tale and back in Australia, the first person Simon chased up was the legend of surf films, Albe Falzone.
“The first person I spoke to after the sad news broke was Ian Lyon, Tony’s business partner. I told him I had interviewed Tony and had some footage that I could give to the family. I also mentioned that this was part of a documentary I was pursuing about Tony, with his agreement, but Ian didn’t want to know about it. I know how hard it is when you lose someone close and I didn’t want to harass him, so I left it.”
“I met Albe at a secret local surf break near Coffs Harbour. As it happened, I had no idea I would be surfing that day and I didn’t have a board or any shorts with me. Albe was kind enough to offer me both. As we headed to the break and breached the crest of perfect, six foot waves, I was happy to be in the company of a living legend. It was also the
Unfortunately, it was around this time that Simon found out about Tony’s tragic death from an apparent heart attack in the surf at Pasta Point.
IAN & TONY
LATEST: INTERVIEW
Sri Lanka, Captain Bill and his monkey, the shipwreck...
As a traveller, Ian first met Tony in Arugam Bay, Sri Lanka in 1980, and over the next few years became firm friends. “One afternoon in ’83 he decided I could be trusted with the secret that there was great surf in the Maldives, despite what he had been telling everyone for years.” Ian tells. “Tony suggested that on my return from Africa the next year, I should come out and stay with him on the island where he lived - Himmafushi - but I wasn’t to let anyone at all know where I was going. Over ten years, he had only let a few surfers in on this secret, so I felt very privileged.” In early ‘84 Ian travelled from Mauritius to Bombay, overland to southern India and flew into Malé, where Tony’s wife Zulfa did her best to teach him the basics of Dhivehi, as nobody in the village spoke any English. Once a permit to stay on a village island was granted, Ian spent the next seven weeks on Himmafushi with Tony, impressed with his secret life in the Maldives, the surf and his dhoni sailing skills. “We stayed in touch over the next few years,” Ian says. “I’d returned to Victoria in ’86, doing different things including some work with a local travel agent. By that stage Tony was privately taking a small number of people surfing - mostly friends of close friends who had been referred and sworn to secrecy. “One day I received a letter saying that with the developing tourism industry and new hotels opening up, it was apparent that the word was going to get out,
“ I COULDN’T BELIEVE THE AMAZING PART IN HISTORY HE HAD PLAYED.”SIMON LAMB, ON TONY MAY/JUN 2013 | SMORGASBOARDER
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LATEST: INTERVIEW Scenes from Serendipity and the making of the film.
so he and Zulfa had registered Atoll Adventures as the Maldives first surf tour company and he wanted me to be his booking agent. So we started it through the local travel agency and after a few years established Atoll Travel.” Ian explains that Tony was someone he really admired, and their families became very close. “Tony was one of the most interesting people I’ve known. He had a serious side and was very perceptive - especially about people - but had a great sense of karma, humour and an amiable nature, which made him engaging and often hilarious company. He lived an extraordinary life since growing up in Maroubra in the late ‘60s and his surfing life spanned the full era from longboard days to epoxy. He just loved being out in the water – it didn’t matter if waves were big or small, on a longboard, mini mal, short board or boogie board... “He was always stoked to be out there just riding waves.”
RESTARTING THE ADVENTURE After a year of no contact, Simon decided to call Ian again about the film. Knowing Tony had agreed to his initial interview had given Ian some confidence in Simon and the project, so it was here that he restarted the journey that was to consume the next four years of his life. “Mark Scanlon was one of the first people I spoke to after reconnecting with Ian. I tracked him down after reading one of the articles Tony had given me in the Maldives: ‘Serendipity’ by Shawn Shamlou. Mark had been the closest person to Tony, as it was he who’d been shipwrecked alongside Tony so many years ago. We chatted for a bit at Mark’s house near Maroubra, before heading down to the beach to film the interview. “Mark proved to be an epic character, full of stories, and I wondered if I had brought enough tapes with me to capture everything! After meeting and learning so much
from Mark, I was excited to meet more of the crazy characters involved in Tony’s story. “ Some of these characters included Rabbit Bartholomew, who Simon serendipitously ran into in airport lounge and interviewed on the spot. Tom Carroll gave Simon some time while laid up with a broken ankle, touching on the subject of finding a secret wave and the importance of keeping it quiet in order to surf alone, without the crowds. With momentum building, Simon arranged more interviews with Tony’s family and other friends including Gary Mortimer, Ken McNicol and Doug Spong, formerly of Billabong and Cult Clothing.
RETRACING STEPS After filming as many people as Simon could find who had come into contact with Tony over the years, it was time to make the trek to Colombo and the Maldives; this time with a crew and actors to retrace and recreate Tony’s epic adventure. “I found our main actor in a Port Melbourne coffee shop. I looked at this guy behind the coffee machine and thought, “He looks just like Tony in the early days… I wonder if he can act?’ As fate - or serendipity - would have it, this guy, Paul (Pearson), was a legitimate actor and coffee-making was a side gig.
“HE JUST LOVED BEING OUT IN THE WATER – IT DIDN’T MATTER IF WAVES WERE BIG OR SMALL...” IAN LYON REMEMBERING TONY MAY/JUN 2013 | SMORGASBOARDER
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ABOVE: Bob McTavish chats with Simon
“Paul was inspired and more than happy to pack up shop and head overseas with me and cameraman Andy. Before we left, we decided to pay a visit to the legend that is Bob McTavish. We wanted Bob to make a replica of Tony’s board from the ‘70s. “Bob searched through his old templates and found the classic pin tail, single fin Bluebird surfboard, which would have been Tony’s best friend. We now had the right gear for the job!” The scene was set and the time was upon them. Simon and his crew set off to start re-creating this adventure of a legend’s lifetime. The starting point for the crew was Colombo, which Simon describes as amazing. Driving through untouched areas, bursting with rich colours and vibrant happy people, all smiling from ear to ear, was an eye-opening experience, he explains. “Going through mangroves and tiny towns, all the way to Gal Harbour, we retraced Tony’s steps to the point where Tony and Mark met Captain Bill. In the Maldives we did the same, taking time to enjoy the surf and immerse ourselves in the culture that had been such a big part of Tony’s life. Filming this documentary was almost as big an adventure as the story itself.”
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of being shipwrecked in the Maldives, to relive Tony’s adventure the rest of us will have to wait for the film. Serendipity is due for completion mid-year, so keep an eye out for it at film festivals over the coming months. Watch the trailer at http://vimeo.com/46610061 or for more information, visit Simon’s blog at http://simon-lamb.blogspot.com.au/. 44
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HOBIE-WAN KENOBI Like the legendary Jedi Master from Star Wars, Mark Mead is the chosen one. Together with his business partner, Shane Hornby of Carabine Surfboards, he is a man on a mission trusted with bringing Hobie Surfboards to Australia. WORDS: DAVE SWAN PHOTOS: COURTESY OF MARK MEAD
You heard right, the legendary US Hobie Surfboards are now available Downunder. We spoke with one of the men behind bringing Hobie here, Mark Mead... “I’ve always had an affinity with Hobie. The first real surf movie I ever saw was Waterlogged. It featured Phil Edwards, who was like Hobie’s team rider. The boards they rode were just amazing, triple stringers and T-Bands (boards with a thick central stringer laminated between two thinner stringers). Growing up as kids they were the boards you wanted but couldn’t afford. “Well, funnily enough we are now bringing these boards in - just a couple of those select models, not just popular but famous boards, ones with a real sense of history about them. They have been ever so slightly refined with improved rail lines and so forth, but for all intents and purposes, if you laid them alongside a vintage board, they look the same. There are only subtle differences. It gives people a chance to own a slice of history and truly capture what original longboards were like. “To ride, they’re just beautiful, they just glide. And they are class, with glassed on multi-layered timber fins, redwood and balsa tail block and redwood stringers.”
BOARD AND BIKE: Yes, Mark’s a little obsessed with Hobie you might think.
2013
Mark’s passion for surfing and its history are undeniable. I asked him when and where it all began for him.
LATEST:LOCAL
LEFT: Mark surfing in style way back in in the late ‘60s.
“I started surfing in ’61 when I was thirteen. I grew up in a beachside suburb of Wollongong called Towradgi. In those days, before we had cars we would surf anywhere between Fairy Meadow to Bellambi. Once we could drive we started travelling up and down the coast but mainly headed down south. It’s a surfer’s delight. There are so many magic spots. “My first board was a 10’ hollow ply that I paid five pound for at a neighbour’s garage sale. I used to wheel it to the beach with a set of pram wheels under it because it weighed so much. My next board was a Balsa pig. I wish I had kept those boards because they would be worth a fortune now, but back then they were like cars - if you needed a new one, you sold the existing one.” Mark became fully absorbed in the surfing lifestyle. After school he started sweeping the floors at the original Cansdell and Jackson Surfboard factory in Corrimal - a way to earn enough money to fund his next purchase. During this time he even shaped a few fins and did many ding repairs. Whilst this did not lead to a career in shaping, it did later lead to Mark setting up Legend Surf Classics and becoming a distributor for Hobie Surfboards. “Through my life I’ve been a bit of a gypsy. After growing up in the ‘Gong I lived down in Victoria and then Newcastle before I moved up to the Gold Coast for seven years.” MAY/JUN 2013 | SMORGASBOARDER
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1. MR semi-gun Mark made for me for my 50th birthday that I took to the Maldives. 2. Three-stringer 10ft Hobie. One beautiful board. 3. Gordon & Smith, which Larry Gordon made for me in San Diego. 4. Joe Larkin hollow 10ft ply. 5. Bobby Brown, believe it or not the board on the left with the purple rails was actually made by Bobby himself in 1968. I’ve had it verified. 5. 6’9” Hobie Slug with the wood grain deck on the right. 6. Soul Arch statue was made by a guy who was a keen surfer and sculpter down in Berry. The surfer is actually on a triple-stringer 7. The three surf movie posters are indeed originals. When we were growing up we’d wait for the guys to come around with the posters heralding the latest surf movie. Once they had gone we’d gently peel them from the light post. 8. Mark, 2013.
It was here that Mark formed a friendship with Mark Johnson from Hobie, through a friend and fellow catamaran sailor. “Hobie were right into all kinds of watercraft - Hobie Alter and Phil Edwards designed the first Hobie Catamaran. Mark came out with his wife and stayed with me on the Gold Coast and we just hit it off. I told him how keen I was to bring Hobie Surfboards into Australia - there was already a licensee for the cats - and it started from there. “I went over to visit the guys over in San Onofre and met Mickey Munoz and Phil Edwards. For me it was like a drug because this is where it was all happening. I got to surf Malibu with Jimmy Gambaro. I thought to myself, ‘Wow, these guys have got it.’ There was a
passion there for the history of surfing, which really struck a chord with me.” Mark now brings original Hobie boards back into the country in partnership with Shane Hornby from Carabine Surfboards. “I’m lucky to have a business partner who loves surfing as much as I do. I’ve known Shane since he was six months old. I used to go trail bike riding with his dad when I lived in the ‘Gong. We were all surfers as well. I’ve always said, ‘If you can surf it, sail it, drive it or ride it, you can count me in.” In he is. There’s nothing like pursuing something you love and we wish both Mark and Shane all the best with the new venture... ‘May the Force be with you.’
SMORGASBOARDER | MAY/JUN 2013
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MAY/JUN 2013 | SMORGASBOARDER
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LATEST LOCALS: COOLUM
AK-LA PART 1
CHARACTERS Thanks to a bit of fame - in particular, that of Julian Wilson - Coolum Beach is now a worldwide, household name around the surfing community. And so it should be. A beautiful, friendly town with consistent swell and great banks, it’s a dream spot for any surfer to live. But there’s more than just famous names here. We chat to some of the people you might not yet have met or heard of - here are some more friendly Coolum Beach locals.
Kelly. Photo: Smico
COOLUM
FOLLOWING NORTH AMERICA’S WEST COAST
KELLY NORRIS Terrigal born, Kelly Norris, now very much considers himself a Coolum local. A former competitive swimmer in both the ocean and pool, as well as a top junior lifesaver, Kelly’s turned his attention to making the World Tour in the next four years. “I love free surfing but live for that winning feeling in comps more than anything. It is what I crave.” Kelly is the face of this year’s Gas Fins Coolum Junior Classic having won the comp last year.
MAY/JUN 2013 | SMORGASBOARDER
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CHRIS KENDALL OCCUPATION: Runs Coolum Surfing School with wife Genevieve SURFS: “A shortboard is my number one but I will ride anything from a boogie board to a standup paddleboard and everything in between.” LOCAL: “Locally you can’t beat Point Perry and the bays.” LIVED HERE SINCE: “My family moved here in 1978 when I was 2.” BORN: Manly AGE: 37
Chris initially worked in the hospitality industry where he met his wife and by “luck” as he says, fell into the position of running the local surf school, which he has done so for the past twelve years and hopes to continue for the rest of his working career. Chris also works as a casual Lifeguard. A typical day starts at sun up with a surf if his schedule permits. “As I have grown older, I have more on my plate so I try to look at the forecasts and schedule my day around family life, business and when it is going to be best to go surfing. I try to go surfing at least once a day and up to three times a day if it is good.” “I have a good life but it wouldn’t be the same without my wife and kids. Surfing to me is all about having fun in the water.”
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LATEST LOCALS: COOLUM
Spot a famous local, perhaps?
GAYE WILLIAMS & DAVE POCOCK OCCUPATION: Running The Shop Foodstore Since the Shop opened in February 2004 it’s become a bit of an institution amongst the local surfing community. Open at 5.30am, it’s the first stop for any surfers that need a pre-surf block of wax, leggie replacement and the like. But it’s not just one-
sided. Proprietor Gaye Williams is actively involved in the local community, with The Shop getting behind local organisations such as such as Coolum Boardriders, Coolum SLSC nippers, other local sport and festivals. The noticeboard ofThe Shop is always full of local surfing faces, events and news, and Gaye and Dave are always up for a chat if it involves one of the local upand-comers. Gaye and Dave are truly friendly locals that help give Coolum its welcoming vibe.
PETER MCNAMARA OCCUPATION: Plumber SURFS: “A Mick Grace. One of the longest serving local shapers on the Coast.” LOCAL: “Further afield is Double Island, locally, Yaroomba.” LIVED HERE SINCE: “1962. My dad bought a house here when I was two.” BORN: Brisbane AGE: 53
Peter’s dad was a lifesaver and used to drag him right out the back at age four on a nippers board, pushing him down the biggest waves he could get him on. Luckily for Peter he could “swim like a fish.” He was into swimming from a young age, played water polo and was a member of Coolum nippers. “I had my first surf when I was around twelve. My first board was a single fin. There wasn’t many people around Coolum in them days... No one in fact. “Col Hartnell started up Coolum Boardriders out of the boot of his car in about 1985. I was in WA at the time, but got involved around the time it got serious in ‘87-’88.” Being a long-time local, Peter has many a story to tell about the early days surfing on the Sunshine Coast - way too many for here so you can be sure to hear more from him in the future.
MAY/JUN 2013 | SMORGASBOARDER
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LATEST LOCALS: COOLUM
She is one of the best female skateboarders in the country, part-time swimwear model, surfer, adrenalin junkie... NikkiRose certainly lives life to the full. She’s the ultimate outdoors, fun-loving girl.
NIKKI-ROSE QUINLAN OCCUPATION: Hive Swimwear model, skateboarder and works at Palmer Coolum Resort SURFS: Skateboard, surfboard, paddleboard, wakeboard... any board at all. LOCAL: “Yaroomba is my local favourite” FROM: Coolum AGE: 23 Photo: Chris Peel
ISABELLA NICHOLS OCCUPATION: Student at Coolum State High School SURFS: Plain unstoppably LOCAL: Coolum Beach BORN: Isabella and her twin sister were born in Denmark and moved to Australia when they were two. AGE: 15
Isabella has just made the Australian team for the ISA World Junior Championship in Nicaragua this June. This follows on from her recent second place at the Rip Curl International GromSearch final at Bells in March. Kat Hogg of Hive Swimwear, one Isabella’s main sponsors, had this to say, “Bella is one of the countries most naturally talented junior surfers... Isabella wants to be a surfer and she has the mindset and determination to do it.” And as for how Isabella got into surfing? “My love of the ocean is what first go me into surfing and I also just love hanging around the surfing scene with my friends and family. I love Coolum because everything is so close to there, the beach, skatepark, and the shops.”
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“I guess I just love pushing my body more and more. Boardsports are something you have to do everyday to get the balance perfected. They’re all different in their own way, and I love it there’s always a new trick to learn. “Mostly though I just love the people that you meet, we’re all doing it because we have a passion and a love for the sport, the culture that comes with it and it keeps us smiling! “My hometown skatepark in Coolum is one of my favourites for sure. Cruisy people there, right on the beach, what more could you ask for?!”
CHRIS ‘CRITTA’ REYNOLDS OCCUPATION: Musician, photographer, entrepreneur SURFS: “Shotgun 6’1” rounded square, thruster” LOCAL: Pitta Street LIVED HERE SINCE: “I moved here when I was five” BORN: “Summer of Love ’69. Townsville.” AGE: 44
family The Reynolds
Chris’s dad worked security for many years at the Coolum Hotel and was responsible for starting the Coast’s first Taewando school. At age eleven, Chris became the youngest black belt in Australasia. From there he got into surfing later competing on the Australian amateur circuit. Later he formed a band with Chris Barraclough and several other surfing mates called the Drowning Tourists and ended up playing gigs at various surf and snowboarding events around the country, even opening up for big name stars such as Bob Geldoff, The Radiators and Screaming Jets. Today Chris still plays solo, as a duo and with a band called Debargo. He is also a talented photographer who presently specialises in shooting ballet. In 2000 Chris patented an invention that started
out as a camping mat and subsequently won a US military contract for its use as a helicopter landing pad. This lead to his next passion, helping people to ‘get their ideas off the ground’. He now runs a website www. rideyourownwave.com and conducts motivational seminars to assist people realise their dreams. When his father was diagnosed with terminal myeloma (a form of cancer) five years ago, Chris took on care of his father’s two boys along with his own, then thirteen year old, son to a previous partner, all in the same year. “It has been a serious turn around in my life but awesome. And if things couldn’t get better, I will tie the knot this Saturday to Rachel Johnstone on the beach at Coolum where we had our first date.”
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LATEST LOCALS: COOLUM
GRAHAM BARKER OCCUPATION: Retired stone mason SURFS: “My 11’ Ross Head Hayden board is my favourite” LOCAL: “Just over the road at First Bay.” LIVED HERE SINCE: “On the coast since ’68 but moved to Coolum in ’71.” BORN: Brisbane AGE: 62
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Graham loves living at Coolum for the fact it’s “still relatively quiet compared to the rest of the (Sunshine) Coast. You can get a wave pretty much any day of the week depending on the wind. That’s why we are all here – the surf and the lifestyle.” His other great passion besides surfing through the years has been collecting. At one stage he had a couple of hundred boards but has subsequently sold most of them to “good homes here in Australia”. His collection is now down to around forty-odd. “My favourites are still the old balsa boards. They are hard to let go of because you will never see them again. They just have something about them and they surf differently.”
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Graham and an old friend
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SMORGASBOARDER | MAY/JUN 2013
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CHRIS ‘BARRA’ BARACLOUGH OCCUPATION: Accountant SURFS: “A shortboard most of the time.“ LOCAL: “Near Stumers Creek. I am not saying any more.” LIVED HERE SINCE: “At the age of 18 I escaped down to Peregian and then moved to Coolum in the mid ‘80s.” BORN: Rockhampton AGE: 47
Kai, L-R: Chris, Taj and Jade
One of the founding members of Coolum Boardriders, Chris has been described by mates as the ‘glue’ of the Club. He presently serves as the club’s treasurer. He has seen the club grow from its initial “twenty members or so” to what he believes is now possibly the highest membership base of any club in Queensland and maybe even Australia. Coolum Boardriders boasts over 160 members. “The club is about making the most of why we live here – good times surfing with friends. I particularly enjoy competing and the mateship. Watching the new generation come up is equally exciting. All the old crew that started Coolum Boardriders are now down here with their kids. “My kids are ten, eight and five and they all surf. Coolum is just an awesome place to live, particularly for the kids growing up, plus you can still get a wave by yourself every now and then.”
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MAY/JUN 2013 | SMORGASBOARDER
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Jake Colreavy. Photo: Jack Dekort
lum son Coo a e r d nd o o g ny up a There’s a m o s cing stars... is produ f r u s g comin There’s quality, consistent point and beach breaks with relatively uncrowded waves catering for surfers of all levels! Combine this with a friendly, down-to-earth surf community and a local shopping village where everything is centrally located and you have the perfect holiday destination for surfing families, couples and groups. Here are your top choices for accommodation and more. Just make sure to tell them SMORGASBOARDER sent you! NEXT EVENT: Coolum Junior Classic, August 10-11
COOLUM BEACH HOLIDAY PARK
THE SHOP FOODSTORE
COOLUM HOLIDAYS
Situated in a great patrolled surf beach location and close to shops and clubs catering for all camping options.
Open every day 5.30am (for your surf wax, combs, leg ropes!) through to 9.30pm.
EXECUTIVE ACCOMMODATION Managing over 25 executive beach homes and apartments from Twin Waters through to Coolum Beach, we have the perfect property to indulge all of your needs while on vacation. Each tastefully decorated with a high standard of facilities including pool, air conditioning, bbq and pay television. From $1300 a week, shorter stays available
There are 133 powered caravan sites each with concrete slab for your annex, 30 powered tent sites perched on top of the dunes with uninterrupted views out to the ocean, 71 unpowered tent sites and 6 modern villas in the park. Ph: 07 5446 1474 1827 David Low Way, Coolum Beach SUNSHINECOASTHOLIDAYPARKS.COM.AU
We sell all groceries, organic, gluten free, snack foods, gourmet treats, phone credit, internet access. THE SHOP has local knowledge, local products, and local staff, on the esplanade, opposite the surf club. We are the local one stop shop. PH: Ph: 0400301078 E: theshopcoolum@hotmail.com FACEBOOK.COM/THESHOPCOOLUM
PET-FRIENDLY ACCOMMODATION Enjoy a stress free holiday knowing your pet is safe with you. We have 30 holiday homes that specialise in the right accommodation for you and your pooch. $110.00 non-refundable pet fee applies. From $490 a week shorter stays available. HOLIDAY APARTMENTS Great deals on one, two and three bedroom self contained apartments. We’ill help you find the perfect apartment to relax in. From $490 a week shorter stays available. PH: 1300 303 423 WWW.COOLUMHOLIDAYS.COM.AU
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Stay in either a one, two or three bedroom holiday apartment right in the heart of Coolum and right across from Coolum Beach. Surf all day and stay in style at Element on Coolum Beach. PH: 1300 139 744 1808 David Low Way, Coolum Beach ELEMENTONCOOLUMBEACH.COM.AU
We provide something for everyone whether it be lunch, dinner or Sunday breakfast served out on the deck. We also offer members and visitors a great bar & wine list, botte shop, TAB and sports betting, Keno and 48 poker machines, raffles, bingo and live entertainment Friday and the first Sunday of every month. Our member facilities are open until midnight on Friday and Saturday night and until 10pm all other nights. We also cater for weddings, parties and conferences of all sizes and requirements.
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GOOD TIMES THE PHOTOGRAPHY OF JACOB LAMBERT
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Surf, skate, wake, windsurfing, bodyboarding... If there’s a board involved, Brisbane’s Jacob Lambert has probably taken a photo of it. Living further from the beach than so many others that get their kicks from the ocean, this Newcastle-born, Sunshine Coast-raised photographer has developed a varied body of work with amazing skating images complementing cool water-work. Jacob’s Grade 4 year saw his family leaving the coast and heading for the big smoke down the road - Brisbane - not the most likely place for a photographer who loves shooting surfing. However, having lucked a job at Goodtime Surf & Sail in Woolloongabba, he found himself smack in the centre of an icon of Queensland surf culture and history, giving him the perfect opportunity to snap the images he loves. Far from messing with his opportunities, Jacob’s distance from the ocean has rather helped him think a little differently, and explore some pretty unique takes on all boardsports. Here’s Jacob to tell his tale…
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LATEST: PHOTOGRAPHER may/JUN 2013 | SMORGASBOARDER
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“I dumped every cent of cash I had to buy a camera and since then, I’ve enjoyed nothing more.” JACOB ON GETTING INTO SHOOTING
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IT BEGINS “Growing up, I lived three minutes from the beach. My brothers surfed, so I followed suit but the presence of an epic donut bowl diverted my attention to bike riding and skating. I think it was a pretty typical coastal upbringing - surf, skate and school... I was stoked. Moving to Brisbane put a stop to all of my wave ventures, but I still went to the coast in school holidays and turned to skating to keep the stoke flowing. It was in Grade 9 that I really got stoked on the waves again - this time the ‘lying down’ option. The potential for getting shacked blew me away, and I never looked back.
LATEST: PHOTOGRAPHER
MATT K: Sampling some of the many features of a creepy Japanese wood.
“Oddly enough, it was bodyboarding that got me into photography. I was surfing this gnarly ledge up around Shelly’s (Caloundra) and got driven into it knee-first. I got pretty wrecked by the wave, and ended up with a gash and a banged up kneecap. At this stage I was full-time into surfing, working part-time at Goodtime and I remember asking myself while I was getting stitched up: ‘How I am going to keep myself from going mad?’ I hit up a pal of mine and asked him if he wanted to go for waves while I used his camera... I shot that day and was stoked - ludicrously stoked! The following day, I dumped every cent of cash I had to buy a camera and since then, I’ve enjoyed nothing more.” “Throughout my life I’ve always skated. About three years ago I remember finding out about longboards through one of our suppliers and it looked rad. I’d never thought about longboarding or bombing hills - it just all seemed a bit gnarly at that stage. I watched the sport grow very quickly and bought myself a setup for Christmas. That was a life-changer. It consumed me entirely and does to this day, so now I’ve combined my love of downhill and photography too... Stoked.”
CAM PREST: Pushing the limits of how much fun you can have in a pool. may/JUN 2013 | SMORGASBOARDER
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gabe gwynne: Floating between the hairpins on New Zealand’s Mt Ruapehu
“It’s probably obvious that every place has gnarly mountains.”
SOUTH AMERICA: A lonely goat-herd directs her flock through the Bolivian Andes.
JACOB ON TRAVEL
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EQUIPMENT
VIDEO
“I converted to Canon about 3 months ago, because of my video requirements. If I didn’t shoot video, I’d still be shooting Nikon. I was lucky enough to gain insight into camera equipment working at Brisbane Camera Hire - it allowed me to figure out what I really need and what is fluff.
“I love the capture side of creating more than I do the production side, so I guess that means I prefer stills more, but completing a video is extremely rewarding. It takes so much thought and planning, and is a tricky procedure from beginning to end. With photos - especially digital - it’s so easy to cruise around and snap whatever I think looks good. To be honest, I’d say that my preference is 85% influenced by the subject-matter.”
“The thing to remember is that good gear makes bad photos better, but good photos - in the sense of light and contrast - look good whatever you use. Getting caught up in the gear is the worst thing for your photography. Treat your equipment like a builder treats his hammer - the sooner you stop worrying about not having the best camera gear, the sooner you’ll begin taking better photos. They come from the mind, not the camera.”
PLACES “It’s been a pretty hectic year as of late, and getting more and more hectic! I’m stoked for it. I’ve grown fond of travelling, and travelling with skateboarders is extra fun - There’s a lot of rad personalities in that community. I’d not travelled much throughout my life, and last year decided that now is the most ideal time to do it, so I ended up going to South America to film a music video. “Travelling for me is all about the adventure and the documentation. 2012 saw me explore South America, Europe twice - Paris, the Czech Republic, Austria and Italy, where the are epic hills. So far this year I’ve been to California, New Zealand and Japan. It’s probably obvious that every place has gnarly mountains (laughs).
SHOOTING “When it comes to action stuff, my enjoyment is probably more dependant on the conditions. If the waves are average, sitting on the beach for four hours is tedious. I love my own company, but holding a camera and not pushing any of its buttons makes me uncomfortable. I find it easier to shoot surf because, well... Who doesn’t like the beach? “Taking photos of downhill can be equally tedious as often I’ll be waiting 20 minutes between runs, but I usually just listen to music, keep it casual and vibe the environment around. “What I love shooting most is documentary and landscape, so I try to combine those aspects with downhill. I don’t really enjoy shooting in cities very much - I love the wild and want to spend every moment in far out and beautiful places, and this generally dictates
ABOVE: Peter at home with two friends. Photo: Dave Swan BELOW: Peter’s asymmetrical design plans and final product. Photo: Peter Downes
STRADDIE: Unknown surfer. may/JUN 2013 | SMORGASBOARDER
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my movements. I’m most happy when I can sit on the side of a beautiful hill in a lovely location. 20 minutes between runs can seem like nothing.”
TRICKS “If I was to choose I would say shooting skating is more difficult. Surf can be tricky. Dealing with sunrise light on the east-coast can be pretty tough, but the biggest negative for me, when shooting surf, is trying to capture something unique. I’ve only ever shot from land and that can be very limiting, I’d love to get a housing - I think it could drastically change my perspective on surf photography. “The biggest difficulty posed by skating is you’ve got to deal with riders moving 60-100km an hour, taking differing lines, so even the most basic aspect - the composition - can be very difficult. On top of that, you’re in a constant battle against shutter speed and aperture, because
getting crisp images of riders going fast usually demands gnarly fast shutter speeds 1/8000 is not enough if I’m getting personal with the riders. This demands a low aperture, but then you’ve got to deal with trying to time the rider hitting what is usually a super-shallow depth of field.”
PLANNING “Even with a 20-minute window to try and plan your shot, you’ve got next to no time to capture it. What I’m generally thinking about is what possible lines the rider is going to hit. I negotiate many of the hills we go to, because it lets me learn the hill from the rider’s perspective. I can learn the lines and try to apply that to the photo. “The way I like to shoot skateboarding generally concentrates on the road - I like showing features and lines because without a bit of motion blur, there is no way of gauging speed. Riders will do what
they want, and I don’t want to choreograph the shot because I don’t want to put them at risk. Often they’re professionals, but who knows when a car might chop your lane...”
GOODTIME “Goodtime has been the greatest thing to happen to me. It’s moulded me into the person I am today, and I’m comfortable with that. Being able to combine work with hobbies from an early age is probably the reason I do what I do. Gail (Austen - owner of Goodtime) showed me that I could have fun and get paid for it, and I plan to do that for the rest of my life. “I’ve been there for a little over 8 years, and in that time I’ve picked up a few things. I generally work wherever I’m needed - in the office, serving customers or promotional stuff, even dusting kayaks every now and then. With the explosion of social media, I’ve been able to use my photography
to promote the business through Facebook and fine publications such as the one you’re reading right now (laughs). With my current travel schedule, I don’t get to spend as much time at Goodtime as I’d like though. “We’ve begun developing our online store, which may seem like something we should’ve done a long time ago, but if you’ve set foot in the store you’ll understand why it’s taken this long… I want to help that egg hatch into something that not only operates as a shop, but as a place for the community to engage. Goodtime applies to such a massive variety of sub-cultures, and I would love to see these communities come together and share the stoke.” “If working with Gail has taught me anything it’s that there is no time for bad times.”
MATT K: San Fran... Streets so steep that they need to use concrete.
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KELLY NORRIS
Photo by Smico
E C N A M R O F R S E E I P R H O HIG S & ACCESS . FIN SHAPERS.. CALL US! price tag. ithout the w e c n a rm o om RD ty and perf SURFBOA @gmail.c s n rself. Quali u fi o USED BY s y a LY s D g n U fi O • S R P 524 h to try GA 0417 980 Get in touc TURERS MANUFAC
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NALLY.
TERNATIO
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ALL DOWN
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ADVICE: SAVE THOSE DOLLARS!
SURF BUM BARGAINS
Aloha Barry illustrations by Curl
Got less tenners than the school choir? Constantly scrounging for schrapnel? Is ordering off the Mickey D’s $2 menu your idea of a big feed out? Here are some serious money-saving tips and incredible offers, so you can stock up with great gear, on the cheap! How good is that?
Neque dellorio doluptis es doluptaspel inulla sam quiae nostrum ilit, volor aut aut lit, eatur ad quae ium quunto bla ellaborat harcid mod quo te non et ea sequi quibus dolenda si debis autem etur mo voluptur adis eumendu ciatem facerfero enimporpos amus ea dolesse volupta tibeates venis eatur? Qui dolorep rerrum verciae cor atiundi voluptae nonecea tesciaeces idunt es secus quae dus. Erum eliti dolorem is pliqui nobisciumOnseni qui conserit voloreped qui corporro ditatur? Core eaquo conem. Ovidel ma consed quamusc iuscit ipsandenis as molupta aut quiatus eos eum, od eveliquo molorpo rrorporem con cus, consequam, con nobitia volut eveliquo et ex et quidus, et lam nectius suntios am hicipid quam nis et volorem ea voluptate doloriae prenihicia cus nume qui ut plici omni ut in etur aut illam et aperum resto volupta volor rehent eum, occus expersp icitatur aut optatur suntur, quia doluptis dolo blant unt. Verum, simi, volum siti venduci atectem solectu repelia cus que doluptincium voluptae natiur sernam Aloha Barry illustrations by Curl
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MANUFACTURERS OF GENESIS SURFCRAFT AUSTRALIA
8/200 DYSON RD, ADELAIDE SA 5160 PHONE:(08) 8384 5522 WWW.MIDCOASTSURF.COM.AU
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AU
STAY STOKED WHEN YOU’RE STONE BROKE... The GFC isn’t over and you haven’t won the lotto, but there’s always a way to squirrel a few cents and stay surfing... Here are a few rather random ideas to get you started.*
INSTANT WETSUIT FOR ONLY $1 Electrical insulation tape costs around a buck for 3m or so (or it’s free if you ‘borrow’ it from work). Starting at your ankles, wrap it up your legs... Make sure to wear undies, because it’s painful to peel off later. Keep going up and finish off on the wrists. If you’re down South, you can even strap up your head for a hooded look - again, painful. You may not be warm, but you’ll be all in black, so no-one will ever know.
100% FREE WAX
Save money - and the planet - all at once - there’s a world of wax waiting either side of your head, perfect for a super-sticky topcoat. Hey, if it’s good enough for the ex-PM to eat in Parliament, it’s good enough to bust an aerial on we say. (Note: May take some time to collect sufficient amounts, so feel free to use a friend’s.)
FREECYCLED FASHION
Can’t afford new pants? Simply cut half the legs off a pair of your girlfriend’s tightest jeans and you have a nifty pair of shorts... What’s that? There’s people doing that already? I suppose our tip about re-using old sailor caps would be wasted too then? Done?! Sorry, we just can’t keep up...
Look out for more Barry wisdom over the next few pages. *Please note: no tips given here are intended as financial advice (or any sort of advice at all). Please consider your personal circumstances before making any purchases and use this knowledge responsibly.
OR...
simply check out some of the great deals on offer in this discounts and sales section, make the most of the savings and stock up on some awesome new gear from these great surf businesses. MAY/JUN 2013 | SMORGASBOARDER
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ING OUT AT
ADVICE: SAVE THOSE DOLLARS!
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OARDS, B D N A H SECOND IES AND MORE D N A W NE CESSOR C A , S T I WETSU
Check out Dripping Wet and let their qualified staff help you get the most from your next surfboard. At Dripping Wet they have over 75 years of surfing experience with all shapes and sizes of surfboards. With one of the largest ranges of longboards, Stand Up Paddle boards and Mini Mals on the Northern Beaches you will easily find the best board. Let them help you select the appropriate shortboard template to maximise your shortboard performance. Hundreds of secondhand boards are in stock at the most competitive prices in
MANLY BEACH
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Manly plus they have all the accessories you need. From legropes, deck grips, boardcovers, wetsuits, bodyboards, softboards, fins, wax, GoPro cameras, boardshorts, girls cossies, clothing, watches, sunnies – you name it, they have it. Dripping Wet also hires everything you need to have fun in the waves. From your avid learner to experienced surfer, they rent equipment for you and your friends. Bring a credit card or passport for a deposit and you’re on your way. Secure lockers for are also available at $2 per hour.
BONDI BEACH
180-186 CAMPBELL PARADE PH (02) 9300 0055
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LEADING SURF AND STREET WEAR, SURFBOARDS, WETSUITS AND ACCESSORIES... WE ONLY SELL THE GEAR THAT WE USE IN THE WATER OURSELVES!
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GET ONE YEAR’S HOME-DELIVERY SUBSCRIPTION TO SMORGASBOARDER FOR ONLY $21. 6 editions over 12 months, delivered to your door Never risk missing out on a copy again AND you go into the draw for not one surfboard, but to:
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Drop in at our
ADVICE: SAVE THOSE DOLLARS!
Short boards, mini mals, mals, logs, fishes, alaias, whatever you have laying around in the shed or even your pride and joy sitting in the lounge room... Got some kite geear you don’t need? Got an old SUP you want to upgrade? We want it!
SUNSHINE HOW IT WORKS... COAST INTERSTATE? Mega-store!
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LEFT TO RIGHT: The Oke boys... Rory, Neil (Chok), and Dan 78
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GEAR: SHAPERS
YOU JOIN your
brother in his surfboard business at age sixteen only to lose him through the most tragic of circumstances. Despite this you deal with the grief, pick up the pieces and soldier on with the business. Forty-five years later the business is still going strong and you are flanked by your sons who now drive the operation. This is the incredible story of Neil Oke, his two sons Dan and Rory, and the absolute class act that is
OKE SURFBOARDS. WORDS: DAVE SWAN PHOTOS: COURTESY OF OKE SURFBOARDS
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Not all surfers are so easily swayed by large budget marketing campaigns featuring big name stars. Not all surfers care much for what ‘stickers’ adorn their boards. Amongst such surfers a name engenders respect - Oke Surfboards. Never have I heard an ill word spoken about them. Never have I heard anything other than glowing praise about the quality of their workmanship. Oke shape all manner of boards from performance shortboards through to old school mals and retro shapes. Each board is absolute quality. But that’s not the only appeal. They are also the most funny, knock-about blokes you will get to know. From the moment you meet them you feel at ease. There’s
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no attitude and certainly no airs and graces, just good down-to-earth Aussie personality and wicked sense of humour. No matter how ‘behind schedule’ I’m on my distribution and editorial run, I can’t help staying for a coffee or a couple of beers. And from what I can gather, everyone else feels the same. They have developed quite a following. Their Friday arvo bbq and drinks have become the stuff of legend. The regular re-decoration of the factory walls is testament to that. They don’t care much for self-publicity and after three long years, they finally agreed to let me interview them. So let us begin where it all started.
EARLY CHILDHOOD MEMORIES “My entire family was ocean oriented. We were always hanging out around the beach,” Neil recalls. “My old man used to go skin diving and fishing all the time. I think it was when we first went fishing as a family down near Inverloch (Victoria’s Gippsland region) where we first saw surfing. That stoked my older brother Alan’s interest. Surfing was really alternative back then and he was a bit rebellious. He got right into it and I followed.” Neil was the second youngest of four boys growing up in the family home in Edithvale, a south-eastern suburb of
Melbourne heading out towards the Mornington Peninsula. Once the boys had caught the surfing bug they quickly joined the Phillip Island Boardriders Club. Neil explained their gravitation towards Phillip Island, which in those days was a good two hours drive away. “Well no one lived at the beach back then. You went to surf on the weekends. If you were from Brighton or the inner city suburbs of Melbourne you headed towards Torquay and Lorne on the west coast. Boys from around our area at Edithvale, Mordialloc and Parkdale all headed towards the Island - if you lived around Chelsea or Frankston, you went to the east coast (Mornington Peninsula).
STARTING OUT Alan Oke began Oke Surfboards in 1968 in a small factory in Edithvale near the family home. When Neil left school, he went to work with him straight away but not long after, the brothers had a falling out. As Neil so eloquently puts it, “I told him to stick it up his arse.” And with that Neil went to work with Lindsay Mudge who had bought George Rice Surfboards. Neil picks up the story. “Lindsay said he was looking for a shaper, so I put my hand up. Next thing I was not only shaping the boards but making them as well. I had the whole place to myself at age seventeen. “Alan actually thought that was really cool because
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GEAR: SHAPERS while I was learning to shape, Lindsay was paying for all the f*#kups. I worked there for a year and made a hundred boards for him. After that I went back to work for Alan. He wasn’t too impressed though when I came back and glassed my first four boards with filler resin (Laminating resin bonds the fibreglass cloth to the foam. Filler resin is used in dings and final gloss coats). “Alan was pretty innovative as a shaper. He used to do a lot of stuff off his own bat. He wasn’t copying anyone. He was just trying everything and riding it as well; channels that ran down the full length of the board then splayed out towards the tail, spoon kneeboards, twin fins, knife sharp rails at the back,
s-decks... lots of boards and many that didn’t really work that well but he gave them all a go. “And we had some pretty talented guys working with us back then - Richard Evans, Phil Grace, Mick Pierce, Colin Bell...” Sadly when Neil was just six days away from his twentieth birthday, Alan took his life. He was twentysix. I asked Neil how he picked up the pieces after something like that. “I just did. I kept the business running. My other older brother Spud (Bruce) was our glasser but he went overseas and travelled for a while and I was just there. I was running the business during Alan’s illness anyhow. So I took it over when I was twenty.
“It is sad because some of my best memories from surfing are between 1968 and 1975 with my brother. The first time I ever went to surf was with Alan and Murray Walding. We went down to Torquay and Lorne. We surfed Winki Pop and I remember a guy helped carry my board down because I was thirteen with this big, heavy 8’ square nose, vee bottom board with the flexy fin. “In 1971 I went with Alan and Phil Grace on my first Cactus trip. It was still a dirt road from Ceduna to Penong. We have it all documented on movie. We didn’t really know how to get there and had to ask for directions at Penong. We got there on night and had a surf straight away. There wasn’t a soul there.
“In the morning Phil paddled from Castles across to Caves and then headed back again. We followed him over there and if you know what the water is like – deep, plenty of sea life. The surf was just perfect and then Bob Evans came through with Col Smith, Mark Warren and Ian Cairns. Me and Phil ended up having a couple of our waves featured in the movie they were filming called Family Free. After that, we’ve been going to Cactus pretty much every year. Caves would have to be one of the best waves in the world. Don’t worry about keeping it a secret, they just made the place a national surfing reserve.”
THE FAMILY TREE “It’s strange because I’ve had the business now for 38 years. Alan had it for 6. Time goes on. I wish he was here now but he’s not. “The boys have been the saviour though. We wouldn’t be here if Rory and Dan didn’t come into the business. Dan came in as a glasser. His first job was an apprentice butcher and he got the sack. I wasn’t about to let him sit at home on his arse watching telly so I got him in here. “I sent him to do a plastics, fibreglass and moulding course at Dandenong TAFE. We made it our own apprenticeship because as you know, there isn’t one for this business. Dan’s now been in the business 19 years.”
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Neil’s wife Heather had other plans for Rory though and was determined to see him undertake a Commerce degree at uni. Wanting to please his Mum Rory obliged, went to Uni and lasted all of two days. “His mum was horrified. He was only ever doing it to please her.” I asked Neil what Rory started out doing in the factory and in his usual dry manner he answered, “Nothing. And he still does bloody nothing. Useless. (laughs) “No, he’s a good kid. He actually does all the shaping now. He’s never done anything else. He is good, and has developed a really good following. “I have been pretty lucky to have a couple of really talented guys working for me through the years. Peter Laing worked for us for over 20 years. I would class him as one of the best shapers and surfboard makers that you could come across and yet he is unknown. He works for the lifesaving clubs now. Then there was Chris Third and Dozza (Gary Dorrington). If Dan and Rory hadn’t come into the business, I would probably be building boards in my backyard or possibly doing something else. The business wouldn’t have survived. When you get older you lose a bit of touch, particularly when you have been at it for so long. “Rory does 90% of the shaping now. Dan does all the glassing and repairs. I am just here to get in the way.” Neil has also recently introduced a few other kids to the business to keep things fresh and groom them to possibly one day take over the business. Taj Lewis (13) and Sean Hollis (17) have recently joined the crew. “You have to keep the youth coming through the
surfboard business. You know, there are too many old guys in it. It’s going to die out. If we didn’t have the kids coming through we would be screwed. You have to have kids coming up, learning to shape, repairing boards. Taj took over the joint today when we headed out to lunch. We came back and he had his feet up on the desk and was on the phone buying shares. He now runs the joint.” (laughs)
family. They’re my two best mates. We are pretty lucky to be able to do what we do. Not many people get to structure their day the way they want, providing the work gets done.
At this point of our chat I direct my attention towards the boys and Neil wanders off with a parting jibe, “The boys are now going to tell you what a legend their old man is. Then when I come back I will talk to you about pigeon racing, my real passion.”
“I know nothing else. The thought of having to wear a suit to work and do this during this time and when the whistle blows you do that, no personal phone calls... I wouldn’t know what that is like.“
At this point Dan enters the fray and keeps the wisecracks rolling, “You want to talk to the real workers now?” With that Rory chimes in, “It runs smoothly when he is not here. When he gets back it is absolute chaos.” Once the laughter stops, Dan sets me straight. “He goes alright. He’s a manchild. Dad is still 21. He makes it fun. It is not like any office I know anyway.” It’s amazing to see how well they all get on. Some family businesses involve constant bickering and an endless battle for supremacy. Not all, mind you, but a great deal of them. These guys seem to have struck a perfect balance. Dan explains why it works. “We juggle things. We have a lot of fun but we also put in the hard yards. It is a business and you have to make a living out of it but at the end of the day, you have got to have fun in what you do. If you’re not having fun, you don’t want to go to work. You enjoy coming here to work with
“My wife and two young kids come up whenever they can and it doesn’t matter what time of day it is, they can come in and float around for an hour. There are not many places you can do that.
Rory adds, “I can’t see myself doing anything else.” Dan can’t resist, “You don’t do bloody anything now anyway. You’re still a rookie. You’ve only been at it for nine years. I’m ready for long service, not that I’ll get it...” Neil returns and adds to the banter. “So what happened? Did they say some really nice things about me? Did they tell you how much they love their dad and what a legend he is? Didn’t they tell you that? Bloody hell, I’ll have to sit down and tell you myself what a legend I am. “What you are really seeing Dave is a front. It’s not real. Here’s real. ‘Dan go and do some work you slack-arse pr*ck.’” The quips don’t stop and neither does the laughter. You start to see why I love calling in to see the boys at Oke. And it’s this part of the business that is massive - every day someone is calling in to have a bit of a chat and a coffee, or if it’s in the arvo, a beer, to just talk about stuff. It’s a meeting point for surfers… Salt-of-the-earth surfers.
A SECOND HOME Neil explains why the business has become a second home to many, “We have been doing the same thing for so long it has become a bit of a constant for some people. They will go away and come back and nothing has changed. I had a mate that had been away for twenty years come around recently and when he called in, he couldn’t believe everything was the same. People do use this place. If something happens in their life, they can always come around here and have a beer and everything is the way it has always been and they can just relax with friends.
hang around Melbourne. I wouldn’t have it any other way though, unless I was somewhere like Crescent Head working out of a shed doing the hippie thing. Being in Melbourne, it’s still where the biggest surfing population lives down here. That’s why we are always so busy.” I asked Rory where he sees the industry going. “I definitely see it coming back towards customs. The last twelve months we have done a heap more customs than ever before. People want a board tailor-made to their specifications, to suit their style of surfing. That said, our various models have been popular as well.”
“It’s great now having the younger crew coming in. There’s no age in surfing. It doesn’t matter how old you are if you share a genuine interest in surfing. I had a mate called Bill Weir who used to come in, and did so until the day he died. He was ninety. He was eightyeight when he had his last surf. He got on as well with Rory as with anyone else and it was all because of surfing. It is a fantastic leveller.”
Neil states with pride, “The boys get on really well and I am so proud of what they’re doing. Rory has developed all these new shapes. Dan’s resin work is amazing. We’re just continuing to do what we do - making a range of different boards. We do them all.
THE FUTURE
And there you have it… One of the most incredible family surf businesses you will ever come across. Oke Surfboards are as genuine as the day is long, or as they say, ‘Class is real. You can’t fake it.’
“We’re not worried about the ‘Chinese’ thing. We just get on and do our own thing. With only three of us here we don’t need a real lot to be busy. If we had a bigger staff base we might be more concerned with imports, but we’re more than content doing what we are doing. The repair side of our business is never going away. Rory is doing his models and he’s getting orders left, right and centre.
“We just love everybody and want them to have a nice board. People rely on our expertise and we’re happy to be charged with that responsibility.”
www.okesurfboards.com
“The only thing we find hard at the moment is trying to find skilled labour - most head to Queensland or the Island or wherever. They don’t MAY/JUN 2013 | SMORGASBOARDER
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GEAR: BOARDS
SHAPER’S PROMOTION
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SHAPE SHIFTER
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Length: 6’-7’ Width: 20” - 21” Thickness: 2 ¼” - 3” Single or double Flyers. Roll under nose to slight concave in middle to tail V with concaves.
6’ x 20 ¼” x 2 3/8”. Fun for small days, generates speed in nothing.
Based on ‘90s-style thrusters with low rocker and plenty of volume, this is ideal for anything with a bit of juice. An alternative to your standard shortboard in progressive waves.
by Mark Rabbidge
CONSTRUCTION
X1
Made here in Ulladulla. Resin tints or paint. Choice of box or glass-on fin.
SHAPER COMMENT
I have been working on these boards for a few years now. They look old and go new. You can ride them traditionally or as you like, your call! RABBIDGE SURF DESIGN Ph: 02 4456 4038 M: 0427 767 176 Bendalong, NSW markrabbidge.com Email: sales@markrabbidge.com 84
By Mitchell Rae
CONSTRUCTION
ASYM
Asymmetrical outline, single fin/keel on drive rail and quad/ keel set up on the backhand. Designed to maximise heel/ toe leverage and geometry. Fast, very low rocker.
SHAPER COMMENT
Drivey, extremely fast and loose. We have done a lot of R&D on this design and have it fine-tuned at 6’, 7’ and 8’.
CONSTRUCTION
X3
Light 6oz/4oz trimmed lap glassjob, resin tint, full gloss coat and wet-rubbed finish. Handmade glass-on fibreglass thrusters. Custom artwork by Tiphaine.
SHAPER COMMENT
This is one of the most exciting sticks in my quiver when the waves are on! OUTER ISLAND SURFBOARDS 7 Bayldon Drive, Raleigh, NSW Ph: 02 6655 7007 info@outerislandsurfboards.com outerislandsurfboards.com outerisland.blogspot.com www.surfasymetrical.com
HIGH TIDE SURFBOARDS Skenes Creek, Vic 3233 Ph: 0401 437 392 E: hightidesurfboards@hotmail.com www.hightidesurfboards.com
JUNGLE BIRD
A classic mod-fish. Slightly shorter, a bit wider and flatter. Extra volume up front with a refined tail. Boost your wave count and comments on your round-house cutbacks.
CONSTRUCTION
X4
Lightweight, stringerless EPS foam blank. Locally sourced Hoop Pine deck laminate. Durable epoxy resin and ‘S’ glass. Futures quad.
SHAPER COMMENT
Tested in 2ft beachies to solid reef breaks, it’s a sure bet for that mission in your mate’s beat-up hatchback. One board? Take the bird.
TREEHOUSE HANDSHAPES Ph: 0415 925 739
E: dave@treehousehandshapes.com
treehousehandshapes.com
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Any size - Custom
CHUNGPOW by Ryan Wakefield
X5
Burford blank. 4oz x 4oz deck, 4oz bottom. Quad FCS + 10” finbox. Ride as single fin, single + two side bites, quad, or equal tri fin. Board above is 6’0” x 21 /8” x 2 /8” 3
SHAPER COMMENT
GEAR: BOARDS
Any size - Custom
9’6” x 23” x 3”
5’7” x 22 ½” x 2 ½”
STUMPY
THE LUMBERJACK
MINI SIMMONS
By Dan Bekis
by Ryan Wakefield
The glide of a longboard and the manoeuvrability of a shortboard in one board.
CONSTRUCTION
SHAPER’S PROMOTION
y rk bfield rtwo All an Wake Rya
The board you want under your feet when it’s small and sloppy.
CONSTRUCTION
X5
Burford PU blank. 4oz x 4oz deck, 4oz bottom. 5 FCS or custom to order.
Board above is 5’4” x 20 ¾” 2 3/8”
5
The board you’ll always want to take out in all conditions.Great for small days when you need volume underfoot, and a ripper in super-clean, hollow, fast waves, holding the rail in the tube like a little pearler. 100% Aust made surfboards. Custom from $550.
SHAPER COMMENT
A small wave weapon for those days when you wouldn’t normally go out. Suited to 1-2’ chop. Wider, thicker, with heaps of volume in the wide square tail, it’ll get you onto every wave with ease. 100% Australian made surfboards. Contact us for a custom from $550.
RYD SURFBOARDS Find us on facebook:
www.facebook.com/pages/RydSurfboards/169636713120156
Ph: 0433 517 579 E: rydsurfboards@hotmail.com
The Lumberjack has a hulled bottom from nose to tail, pinched 50/50 rails,
CONSTRUCTION
X1
PU foam, optional four cedar stringers with blue foam centre (pictured), clear or tinted 7oz Volan glass. Option for fabric inlays. Fin box or glass on fin
SHAPER COMMENT
Inspired by the logs of the ‘60s, this board is for noseriding when its 1ft to head high.
By Dan Bekis
This has the same outline as a traditional Mini Simmons from nose to just below the mid-point, then tucks in to leave a narrower tail. There’s soft 60/40 rails, dead flat deck and a single concave running from nose to tail.
CONSTRUCTION
X2
PU foam, resin tinted 6 oz deck and bottom with a tail patch and Mexican blanket style resin tint on top with gloss polished finish. FCS plugs or glass on twin keel fins.
SHAPER COMMENT
A Simmons-inspired sled for anyone who wants to have fun in small to medium waves.
DJB SURFBOARDS Factory 6, 222 Headland Rd, Curl Curl NSW Ph: 0417 674 257 www.djbsurfboards.com.au MAY/JUN 2013 | SMORGASBOARDER
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GEAR: BOARDS
SHAPER’S PROMOTION
Approx 5g per tsp
9’1 – 9’10” x 22 ¾” – 23 ¼”
9’1” x 22 ½” x 2 ¾”
7’2” x 21” x 2 7/8”
621 CROSS-CHANNEL T-SPOON Glenn ‘Cat’ Collins
NOOSA LOG
CARBON TAIL MAL
SINGLE FIN
This gives true meaning to our catch-cry of “style is everything”! Pinched rails for less volume and a slightly rolled bottom give this heavy log a sensitive feel. Quite light underfoot with great noseriding ability, the added weight creates nice glide through slower sections and adds strength.
An all round longboard with a carbon fibre tail. This will strengthen and stiffen the back of the board, generating more drive.
I made this one for Kelly Slater’s sister’s uncle’s brother’s wife’s roommate’s cousin’s budgie.
Cross-channels
By Peter White
CONSTRUCTION
by Rory Oke
X1
PU, handshaped by Peter White, and finished in Noosa of course! Glassed in 7.5oz/7.5oz + 6oz.
SHAPER COMMENT
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1+2
Ocean Foam blank, 6oz polished/wetrub finish and box fin with sides.
SHAPER COMMENT
For the true “Logger” purist.
This construction is available on all customs.
CLASSIC MALIBU Cnr Gibson & Eumundi Rd Noosaville, QLD 4566 Ph: 07 5474 3122 info@classicmalibu.com www.classicmalibu.com
OKE SURFBOARDS 1/1-7 Canterbury Rd, Braeside, VIC, 3195 Ph: 03 9587 3553 www.okesurfboards.com
T-spoon
Surfboards and surfing props E: surf1770@bigpond.com www.surf1770noosa.com
CONSTRUCTION
by Neil ‘Chok’ Oke
Flat bottom with rolled rails through the centre to a vee running off the tail.
CONSTRUCTION
X1
Ocean Foam blank, 6oz polished finish and single box fin.
SHAPER COMMENT A take on a ‘70s classic, with a modern twist.
SMORGASBOARDER | MAY/JUN 2013
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10’1” x 20” x 3 ¼”
BARRACUDA by Graham Carse
Rolled bottom into vee, slightly rolled under nose. Nose is 10¼”, same as tail, making it a doubleender, which is possibly hard to get your head around, but it is.
CONSTRUCTION
X4
The first gun we’ve done as a quad. More fins in the wave face for hold and speed. 30oz of glass on it to make it strong and get the weight right. It weighs 6 ½ kg - a bit heavier to handle the chop.
SHAPER COMMENT
It’s good for 15 - 25 ft down here. Made for Jimmy, who is about to find out what it’s like to ride waves that size.
QUARRY BEACH SURFBOARDS
75 David St, Caversham, Dunedin NZ
Ph: +64 3 455 7414 M: +64 27 518 8678 www.qbsurfboards.com
GEAR: BOARDS
SHAPER’S PROMOTION
k a BreaJimmy! , leg
9’4” x 23” x 3”
9’4” x 22 7/8” x 2 7/8”
POINT NORTH
LOS GROWLER
by Terry Glass | UNDERGROUND
A classic mix of new and old school - user friendly, high performance and perfect for nose riding.
CONSTRUCTION
X1
PU foam. 6oz bottom, 6 oz deck plus 4oz and deck patches. Single fin, works best with 9” to 10.5”.
SHAPER COMMENT
With over 40 years of experience shaping and testing, this is 100% handshaped, using premium tints and pigments.
UNDERGROUND SURF 3/77 Noosa Dve, Noosa Heads Ph: 07 5455 4444 kirra@undergroundsurf.com.au undergroundsurf.com.au Like us on Facebook
9’10” x 23” x 2 7/8”
GRUGSTEP
by Jesse Watson
Matt Williams | THE FACTORY
Super-sick, über-cool, not that we’re into that sorta thing.
Round 50/50 rails and a thin overall board makes for long, smooth effortless noserides. With tail pulled in and round, you’ll still do flowing longboard turns, but also slide into any pocket for a full noseride.
CONSTRUCTION
X1
6/4oz deck, 6/4oz bottom with vintage “Endless Summer” map of Africa fabric, matching brown pinlines and beer-tint fin.
SHAPER COMMENT
This is as easy as I can make it for you to get those long noserides you want. A super user-friendly board in that classic Californian template? Here it is. Hop to it.
BLACK APACHE SURFBOARDS Ph: 0410 419 791
blackapachesurfboards@live.com.au blackapachesurfboards.com.au
CONSTRUCTION
X1
Highest quality foam and fibreglass, glassed on fin.
SHAPER COMMENT
This board comes from 7 years of shaping with Tom Wegener.
THE FACTORY SURFBOARDS 17 Allen Street, Caloundra QLD Ph: 07 5492 5838 E: Williams.h.m@hotmail.com thefactorysurfboards.com.au MAY/JUN 2013 | SMORGASBOARDER
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GEAR: BOARDS
SHAPER’S PROMOTION
r ee you nt to s a w u ? o Do y online esigned board d
FREE SHIPPING!*
5’8” x 23 1/8” x 2 5/8”
ANYTHING YOU IMAGINE
From 5’9” - 6’1”
POCKET PUNCHA
CUSTOM DESIGNS
THE 4X5 COMBO
by Michael Watkins
BY GERAGHTYSHAPES.COM
This is a revised replica of an ‘80s board made for me by Dale Ponsford. featuring a double flyer pintail, single into double concave with slight vee exit in the tail. Suits fast, sucky, tubing waves - equally good in average conditions. A real all-rounder.
CONSTRUCTION
X4
A quad but can be ridden as a thruster. Southcoast Foam mega light blank with carbon strips for added strength. Includes Neepro Traktor pads - two colours.
SHAPER COMMENT
Before I shape a board for you, I want a thorough understanding of what you ride and how you ride it, what improvements you want from your board and surfing, and go right into the science of it, I want the board I make to deliver what you’re after!
ARDS
Ph: 0415 234 806
www.facebook.com/pages/ NEE-PRO-Kneeboard-Surfing
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EXPERIENCE EVERY PART OF THE DESIGN PROCESS ONLINE AND UNDERSTAND YOUR SURFBOARD BETTER. Let me walk you through the design process via Skype. You get to be involved in every part of your board’s design - from planshape right through to the decals, all without leaving your home. By understanding your board’s performance, through this process, you can become a better and smarter surfer.
GERAGHTY SHAPES
Dean: 0422 442 044 E: info@geraghtyshapes.com www.geraghtyshapes.com
6’ x 20 ¼” x 2 3/8”
100 BEER DREER
by Ian Byrne
Leighton Clark | CLARK SURFBOARDS
Channel bottom combined with a shorter, wider highperformance board. 5-fins a must for variety. Works in any conditions, from 2-6ft+.
Great for the Mid ‘n Victor after a few too many Pale Ales! Suits people that surf and manage 100 Pale Ales a month.
CONSTRUCTION
X5
CONSTRUCTION
3 OR 5
Burford PU blank 4 x 4oz deck and 4oz bottom. FCS fins.
Gloss or matt finish. Thruster and 5-fin option. We can do custom artwork or digital graphics.
SHAPER COMMENT
SHAPER COMMENT
Quick off the mark, higher top end speed with the maneuverability of a performance shortboard.
Ph: 07 5535 0288 www.mtwoodgee.com.au Join us on Facebook Stores at Coolangatta, Currumbin, Burleigh Heads
*FREE SHIPPING! Australia-wide on
all Mt Woodgee stock boards up to 6’8! (Excludes Movement and clearance boards)
WE LISTEN, WE TALK and WE CREATE a board to suit your requirements. Custom boards are our speciality. Love to hear about what you are riding, and what you want to ride.
CLARK SURFBOARDS NOW IN A NEW LOCATION Units 7 and 8, 9 Chapman Road Hackham SA 5163 E: leightonclark01@yahoo.com.au M: 0422 443 789 Available at www.onboardsurf.com.au
SMORGASBOARDER | MAY/JUN 2013
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WHAT TAPE?
Let the beauty of the balsa show through with clear Versagrip Traction Tape. Environmentally friendly and suits all size boards. Buy online: www.balsasurfboardsriley.com.au
Chris McCormack 10’ SUP with versa tape
Call 0412 376 464 or Email mark@riley.com.au SHIPPING ANYWHERE, INCLUDING NZ
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www.balsasurfboardsriley.com.au Australian Environmentally-friendly handcrafted surfboards for the individual in all of us, with a guarantee. Enjoy Responsibly
5/05/13 4:05 PM
GEAR: BOARDS
SHAPER’S PROMOTION
THE ORIGINAL CARVEBOARD
NOW AVAILABLE AT ZAK!
THE SURFSTIK 43” x 11.5”
34” x 10”
6’0” x 19 3/8” x 2 ½”
6’0” x 21 ½” x 3”
CARVEBOARD
SURFSTIK
Carveboard USA/Joe Gerlach
Carveboard USA/Joe Gerlach
THE BOUNTY HUNTER
STOKER V MACHINE
This is not a skateboard! This is THE ORIGINAL CARVEBOARD which, for many surfers in the US, has become the ultimate surf training vehicle. It feels as close to being on a surfboard on dry land as you are ever likely to get. Comes with pneumatic tires for offroad fun whether carving up some inclines or bombing down that grassy hill at the back of your neighbourhood. Available in two flexes - under 90kg and over 90kg - with Dragon Paw street slick tires.
COMMENTS
Well after a meeting in a small town about an hour-and-ahalf east of Los Angeles with Joe Gerlach of Carveboard, Zak Surfboards are proud to announce ourselves as exclusive stockists of the original and best carve board in the business.
Like THE ORIGINAL CARVEBOARD, the Surfstik ain’t no skateboard. The most popular in the entire range and will keep you occupied when the swell’s not cooperating. Available in two flexes - under 68kg and over 68kg - with patented Dakone urethane wheels.
COMMENTS
After coaching his son Brad during his years on the world tour, you reckon Joe knows a thing or two about the mechanics of surfing? You bet he does, and all that knowledge and passion has been poured into Carveboards which now you can finally get in Australia. ACCEPT NO IMITATIONS!
by Lee Stacey
A tidy small-wave performance shortboard for the full gamut of average conditions that most of us deal with. With its straighter hip, square-tail outline, you get a ton of bite through your turns. Low, but straight entry rocker into a deep single concave with a slight vee out through the tail. Easy paddling, great speed, maneuverability and a super-flat deck. Ride at least two inches shorter than your high performance shortboard.
COMMENT
Lee Stacey is one of the new up-and-coming Australian shapers, already with a bunch of QS and CT guys riding his boards, including young Gold Coast ripper Mitch Crews. If you were around Bells for the Rip Curl Pro, you would have seen Sebastian Zietz lighting up Winki on some Stacey craft.
Bruce Fowler | Deadshaper
The Stoker V Machine, shaped by Bruce Fowler out of California, continues the great tradition of experimental board design from that part of the world. It’s flat and packs a heap of volume in a small package – it will paddle like a longboard but perform like a real shortboard. It’s effectively a one-board quiver, in everything from mushy one foot to punchy overhead.
COMMENT
The Stoker V Machine is suitable for all levels of surfer from beginner to pro and is available in Zak Surfboards.
In conjunction with fine local and international shapers, we can offer custom orders, made in the USA, Hawaii and Australia. ZAK SURFBOARDS 307 Victoria Rd, Thornbury Victoria Ph: 03 9416 7384 E: zak@zaksurfboards.com zaksurfboards.com 90
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WETSUITS: HOLDING UP IN THE COLD SMORGASB OA TRIED AND TESTRDER ED
Wetsuits aren’t cheap - and so they shouldn’t be. When you invest in something sworn to protect you from the icy-cold onslaught of Mother Nature in the winter months - or all-year-round for you tough nuts further south - you expect the best. But exactly how wellspent are your hard-earned dollars, we ask? If you shell out for it, how sure are you that you’ll get some decent use out of it? So, rather than simply review new designs for this season, we decided instead to look back and see how some older suits were holding up after the ravages of a few winters. Which have stood the test of time? Have the promises of quality been delivered? We find out...
MAY/JUN 2013 | SMORGASBOARDER
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WETSUIT: TESTS
NEW WETSUIT TEST TEAM This time last year we regrettably featured endless pages of ugly bald guys and a big blonde doofus donning tight rubber. As we said at the time, and we repeatedly say now, we sincerely apologise. We’re not a big budget production. However, to avoid burning your eyeballs again this season, and on the off-chance that we may re-offend readers, this year we invested in some top-of-their-game free-surfers, Jose, Trenton, Jah Powa and others to test out the following wetsuits. No, it’s definitely not Dave in the photos. What makes you ask?
WINTER TRAVEL ESSENTIALS
CHECK OUT THESE NIFTY NEW INVENTIONS, WHICH ARE SURE TO COME IN HANDY ON YOUR NEXT SURF TRIP.
WILLIE WIGGLER
If you don’t fancy the jiggle and dance of pulling your steamer on and off try out the Wet Willie. Makes it easier to slip in and out of your watertight wettie. RRP $14.95 www.wetwillie.com.au
SECURE TO DRY
One of the dramas I have found whilst on the road is leaving your expensive wettie to dry outside overnight. Here’s the simple solution: a lockable coathanger. Cracker idea. RRP $28 incl delivery in Aust wettilock@hotmail.com
DRY GOODS
These Wasp watertight and waterproof bags are just so good for keeping your gear bone dry, particularly when paddleboarding. King Wasp RRP $39.99 www.waspbags.com.au
ALL IN ONE
Here’s another bit of good kit when you are on the go. Wax box, blade and removal comb all in one. Super sturdy and the best I have used. RRP $11.95 www.waxhead.net
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LASTING A LIFETIME A SOLID, AFFORDABLE WORKHORSE OF A WETSUIT Today more than ever, people want value for money. Our obsession with the latest model with all the fandangled gizmos has been replaced by a demand for products that can withstand the test of time and deliver value-for-money. So it is fitting we kick off these tests with our oldest suit. Now the price of the suit may lead some to question its quality but after three years of constant use I can allay any concerns. I have worn this suit in the middle of winter from Mallacoota all the way to Cape Bridgewater (near the Vic/ SA border) and in the frigid waters of New Zealand’s south island. I have treated it harshly, bounced it across a couple of rock ledges and she is still going strong.
This is my go-to super coldwater suit. The price of Triple-X Wetsuits are incredible for the quality of the make
DOES IT till) WORK? (s SMORGASB OA TRIED AND TESTRDER ED
MORE INFO $359 for the 4/3, the 3/2 is just $295 Order online www.triple-x.com.au or phone 1300 483 634 Free Express delivery throughout Australia. $48 flat rate delivery charge for overseas orders. Import/ Customs duty maybe required to be paid in some countries.
TRIPLE-X TRIPLE4X3MM TITANIUM MEGA-STRETCH STEAMER
PROS The titanium laminate insulation shield recycles body heat and cuts windchill. The first thing to go on most suits is the zipper. The suits’ unique S-Lock zip is super sturdy and prevents water entry all together. Absolutely no issues to speak of. Lifetime Guarantee. A guarantee to replace the suit in the first 6 months if you’re not happy with it and repair it for life is testament to its quality. Despite what has been dished out there has been no need for any repairs.
CONS Not fancy - a simple, hardwearing wettie that keeps you warm. Need gimmicks? Try another one.
EXTRAS A reliable back zip suit for those surfers who detest chest zips. Plush lining is comfy and covers the internal titanium laminate insulation shield preventing it from rubbing off with regular use. Extensive range of vests, rashies and kids gear also available. MAY/JUN 2013 | SMORGASBOARDER
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RADIATOR
3/2 STEAMER PROS This style of suit doesn’t absorb a lot of water. This and the fact it requires less rubber means its very lightweight assisting ease of movement. It’s undeniably hardwearing. Possibly one of the toughest we have tried.
CONS The SCS silver inner lining wears a little quicker than the rest of the suit with regular use but of no major concern.
EXTRA Nylon jersey outer skin is UV resistant and very durable. Bob Lushey founded Radiator and apparently developed the first ever thermal vests (the silver lined rash shirt), which has arguably been as popular an invention as the legrope. Radiator also sell a range of mens, womens and kids short and long sleeve vests, hoods, gloves, socks, shorts and pants. 94
STANDING STRONG AND RADIATING INNER WARMTH The titanium laminate insulation shield recycles body heat, letting you to opt for a suit with less rubber in cold conditions. It’s unique four-layer construction can also handle rough and tumble. I have often opted for this suit if I am tackling a break where a fair bit of paddling is involved, where I want minimal restriction of movement. Cold water paddle boarding is another perfect example or where I think there’s a fair chance I may end up on some rocks. I am, after all, pretty good at hurting myself and don’t need to damage my wettie as well.
MORE INFO $396. Order online from www.radiator.net or phone 1300 195 833 within Australia and +61 (8) 9430 9284 for International orders
This is a no frills suit that keeps you warm and allows ease of movement. While you need to treat suits with a fair bit of care, this one handles abuse very well.
SMORGASBOARDER | MAY/JUN 2013
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ZEE IT’S BEEN EVERYWHERE, MAN THIS SUNSHINE COAST LOCAL HAS SEEN A FAIR BIT OF THE WORLD...
PHASE III 3/2 STEAMER PROS Very comfortable, good fit. Tacky, super soft neoprene. Doesn’t restrict movement. Light, good-looking suit
CONS This suit has been with me just about everywhere. Its had heaps of testing over the year and come up trumps. I have regularly worn it on trips down the Australian East Coast and across to NZ’s North Island… Piha, Waipu, Opunake, Wellington.. you name it. For a suit of similar quality by any of the big brands you would pay at least another $100 and I would challenge you to get any further wear out of them. Different wetsuits suit different body shapes. This one fits me like a glove and has retained its flex and memory despite constant use.
If your focus is simply on getting a wettie that enables you to brave the cold and doesn’t restrict your surfing rather than some fancy logo, this is worthy of consideration. It will also save you in the hip pocket.
MORE INFO
$399. Selected stockists or order online www.zeewetsuits.com or phone 07 5474 1010
Some chest zip wear but the good thing with this design is you can easily rethread the zip. With many other brands you can’t. Chest zips can offer a superior fit and limit water leakage but the downside is they undergo a great deal more strain than a back zip. A back zip version of this suit is also available.
EXTRA Bernie Filler developed Zee Wetsuits. This is a man with Wetsuits a lifetime’s experience in the rubber business. Simply put, he knows his stuff, and has placed a greater emphasis on function rather than fashion. Guaranteed buy-back for kids so you can trade and upgrade.
MAY/JUN 2013 | SMORGASBOARDER
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Photo: Ben Vos
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SEVENTH
WAVE MAX 3/2 ZIP BB PROS You get what you pay for, unmistakable quality, completely handmade Super flexible Yamamoto neoprene combined with solid construction by people who really want to make the best products possible. Retains less water, so you carry less weight when surfing, and it undeniably dries the quickest
CONS Not the cheapest suit you can buy but you don’t want to risk a suit that underperforms if you live in a bitterly cold neck of the woods
EXTRA Excellent comprehensive online custom measure and ordering system including a how to measure up video. These guys have an extensive range of cold water gear as you would expect.
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THE FIT, THE FIT, THE FIT... Seventh Wave suits are custom made so it stands to reason they will fit perfectly. I have found these suits to be the most comfortable.
This is a top of the line suit, comparable in price to the big brands, and easily superior in terms of fit and the quality of construction.
Second thing that stands out about these suits is how rapidly they dry. They say it is down to the fact they’re made from a limestone based ‘geoprene’ as opposed to a petrochemical based neroprene. After extensively testing a number of different brands of suits and travelling around with them in vans, motorhomes and rental cars, I have to say in my opinion, they dry the fastest by a fair margin.
Just check out their website and you will be converted too.
MORE INFO $899 NZD (approx $720 AUD) Custom fitting is included in the price. Order direct online www.seventhwave.co.nz or phone: +64 (3) 384 7878
Finally, they are incredibly warm. Water entry is nonexistent and of all the times I have worn their suit in NZ, I am yet to feel the cold.
SMORGASBOARDER | MAY/JUN 2013
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WETSUIT: TESTS
THERMALUTION
HEATED UNDERSUIT PROS The uses for this heated undersuit extend way beyond just surfing. Lessens the need for a bulky wetsuit with tonnes of rubber.
CONS The gear’s not adorned with a big brand name, if you care for that.
DOES IT till) WORK? (s SMORGASB OA TRIED AND TESTRDER ED
The dangly chord may seem like a pain but you don’t notice it once you have a wettie or long sleeve t-shirt over it.
THE WRAP Most heated wetsuits cost a bomb and have been reportedly plagued with faults. The Thermalution undersuit has held up well with regular use. Not a stitch out of place and no faults to report.
EXTRA Heats for a couple of hours anywhere from balmy to boiling Durable non-metalic heating element Washable, quick dry, well-made hi-tech Nylon/ Spandex These guys manufacture a range of heated apparel
MORE INFO $380 with free shipping in Australia and NZ Order direct online www.thermalution.com.au or phone 1300 853 175
MULTI-PURPOSE BE WARM EVERYWHERE...
Through the course of the last few years I have worn this under my wettie surfing, under a long sleeve t-shirt paddleboarding and even under my jumper on a cold winter’s night at the footy. When I recently faced a cold night in the car on the south island of NZ, and was unable to get into my sleeping bag due to a broken arm, I even fired up the Thermalution for a warm and comfy night’s sleep. Plenty of uses for this baby.
MAY/JUN 2013 | SMORGASBOARDER
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Nick Hill of Wooli makes the most of it. Photo: Gus Brown
DOES IT WORK? SMORGASBOARDER TRIED AND TESTED
WORDS: GUS BROWN
SMOOTHSTAR
CRUISER II 36”SHORTBOARD The all-rounder of the Smoothstar range, this is a classically designed 36” board with a rolled maple/birch deck and woody style stripes underneath. Based on past reviews, you should be well aware that the front truck design (spring loaded swivel set-up) is what sets the Smoothstar range apart, efficiently converting your movement into forward momentum and allowing you to generate speed effortlessly. The truck setup also allows for sharp cutbacks and arching turns making both small and large spaces a totally usable playground.
PROS Quality make, great styling, great fun for anyone (not just the skate-heads). The big wheels, wide trucks and quality bearings for a smooth ride on even rough surfaces.
TECHNICALLY SPEAKING... LENGTH:........................................ 36” WIDTH: ......................................... 10” DECK:............................. Maple/Birch” WHEELS: ........................... 62 x 43mm EXTRA: .................................Thruster I turning mechanism
THE WRAP Now this is no “toy” and definitely a champion product. The high build quality and superior design is evident in the $299 price tag. Way too much fun! 98
SO HOW DOES IT PERFORM?
GIVING THE CRUISER II A GO ON THE CLARENCE COAST, NSW Now this has to be one of the most enjoyable all-rounder skateboards on the market. If you are wise enough to realise that straight-lining a longboard down a hill or dropping into a half pipe is a risk to your longevity, then this is the board that brings the fun back. Find yourself a flat and remotely smooth surface, and within a short time you can be surfing the tarmac. The team at Smoothstar report they make “skateboards for surfers” and they are spot on! By using your whole body you can twist and pump to create a natural and controlled momentum.
There is a definite similarity to the motions required in surfing and snowboarding. Not only is it fun way to practice you superstyling but use it for while and you realise it’s a great way to inadvertently work-out.
MORE INFO The Smoothstar website has loads of info, videos, photos, a full list of stockists, and you can even buy one online. www.smoothstar.com.au
SMORGASBOARDER | MAY/JUN 2013
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DOES IT WORK? SMORGASBOARDER TRIED AND TESTED
WORDS: DAVE DRUERY
OUTER ISLAND
SINGLE FIN Sunshine Coast surfer Josh Hardy Photo: leakedmedia.com.au
PURE EXPERIENCE
Apart from the overall “surfability” of the board perhaps its greatest attribute is its versatility. It has the capacity to be surfed either (depending on your mood) in a relaxed controlled manner or aggressively. You can soul arch down the line, sitting tight in the pocket using the waves power to drive smooth fluent turns, or if you feel the urge, you can drive the board aggressively and powerfully down the line generating amazing speed which allows the board to be surfed vertically, fluently and radically.
SINGLE FINS ARE BACK - NOT THAT THEY EVER LEFT - SO PLAY CATCH UP! Lately I’ve noticed a subtle change occurring in the surfing universe. Like mini skirts, tie dye and long hair, the single fin seems to have fully emerged from its hiatus to reappear - not in the hands of middle-aged relics trying to recapture their glory days, but as a legitimate choice for younger surfers. Keen to be part of this new movement, with some trepidation, I left my trusty thruster in the shed and paddled out for the first time in years on a single fin shaped by Isaac Harry, long-time apprentice to Mitchell Rae of Outer Island Surfboards. The movement to put the “soul” back into surfing has been facilitated by shapers like these two who have continued to develop and refine single fin surfing through modern design principles and materials. Mitchel himself has been surfing and shaping boards for over 50 years and Isaac has been his apprentice for over ten. After surfing this one, I can join in the chorus to agree Outer Island truly make great boards. Like a classic single fin, this has enormous speed and stability down the line, but after that, its vastly different from what I remember of surfing single fins as a kid. Due to its bottom design (single to double concave) and advanced rail form, it’s super-responsive
and turns fluently, maintaining speed through turns with little time lag between initiating a turn and the turn commencing. As expected it loves hollow waves and easily holds a line through the suckiest section, it paddles, duck dives and catches waves easily. As Mitchell describes the board himself “another ‘shipwreck’ board”... If you were to be stranded on an island with just one board, this one will do it all. Lots of surfers commented positively about the board. Interestingly this included a lot of young surfers. I asked Josh Hardy - a highly respected and talented young local surfer - to give it a go. He just loved it as a great allrounder. Fast, positive underfoot, responsive, loose and very forgiving. Surfing a single fin board is not better or worse than surfing a multi finned board, just different. You experience a pure form of the wave’s energy and definitely surf more fluently. It is an experience all surfers need to feel.
MORE INFO
www.outerislandsurfboards.com
TECHNICALLY SPEAKING... LENGTH:............................................... 6’ WIDTH: ..........................................19 5/8” THICKNESS: ................................... 2 ¾” FINS: .......................................... Just one EXTRA: ................................. Spirit Eyes!
THE WRAP This adds another dimension to your surfing. Like Iggy Pop, cheesecloth and wide ties, the single fin’s back. To use a cliché - it looks old but surfs new, the same but different (how’s that for 70s philosophy). Thanks Outer Island for making great boards that help put the soul back into surfing. MAY/JUN 2013 | SMORGASBOARDER
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Karl de Wet goes seven-fingered.Photo: Mark Chapman
DOES IT WORK? SMORGASBOARDER TRIED AND TESTED
WORDS: DAVE SWAN
RABBIDGE
FINLESS SEVEN FINGER SPLADE
PROS When most of your mates look at it, they don’t want to ride it thinking they can’t.
TECHNICALLY SPEAKING... LENGTH:.................. 7’0” WIDTH: .......... 7 fingers” ROCKER:................... Flat FINS: ...................... Nope EXTRA: ..................... Fun
THE WRAP Free your mind of preconceived ideas. Don’t worry - this board can handle itself as long as you can handle it. It delivers performance handling in splades (get it?) whilst introducing you to a new surfing high. Utterly addictive! 100
SEVENTH HEAVEN
THIS BOARD IS AT THE VERY TOP OF MY ‘GOT TO, GOT TO BUY LIST.’ I love the thrill and excitement of something new and different and they don’t come much more different than this baby. To say I was eager to try it would be the biggest understatement since someone said the Titanic had a bit of a leak. Expecting to feel something radical I was left in shock when I did my first big bottom turn and didn’t spin out. I mean the board is finless. Here I was anticipating the start of a 360-degree spin and the ‘fingers’ just engaged and drove the board towards the lip at speed. Crank another turn and the board just releases off the lip, as there are no fins to catch, and just whips you around and back down the face. There is absolutely no need to crouch down as I find with most finless. Nor is there any fun, yet uncontrollable, slipping and sliding. You can ride forehand and backhand with ease. You surf this like a normal performance surfboard but because it is finless, it generates a hell of a lot more speed.
Photo: Gus Brown
This board is not a novelty design. It’s not trying to look zany for the hell of it. It’s in fact one hell of a high-performance board, painstakingly crafted by master shaper Mark Rabbidge, with solid rationale behind its design. A number of top-notch surfers such as Matt Grainger of Manly Surf TV fame have placed several orders already, and surfed this model in extreme conditions. It surfs in an all-round modern way, without the hang-ups of the ‘old ways’ of doing things in the shaping bay, and in the surf.
The fingers act like a series of fins. Foot over it and you can power off them. Pressure off and you have controlled slide. The board also features that subtle blend of Rabbidge design magic that’s impossible to describe unless you see it and feel it for itself. It’s what makes his boards rocket. I surfed this board near non-stop for six months until I had to give it back. I wish I didn’t.
MORE INFO Check out the ‘Finless creations ‘ on www.markrabbidge.com
SMORGASBOARDER | MAY/JUN 2013
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MT103 Smorgasboarder_Full Page Ad_April13.indd 1 May2013_Smorgas_Columns.indd 102
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Photos: Gus Brown
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Simply, peel and stick. There is not even any need to clear the area of wax and grit, the stickyness of the patch is that strong. RRP $5.99 for 5 patches (2” x 3 7/8”), XL $9.99 for 5 patches (3 ½” x 4 7/8”) For more, see www.pukapatch.com
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CLOSEOUT: SUP
RESPECT IT’S SUP TO YOU WORDS: HIRIA ROLLESTON PHOTO: SUPPLIED COURTESY OF EAST COAST PADDLER
Well I think we have just about completely exhausted every play on the word ‘SUP’ so now it’s time to get down to some serious business. In rersponse to the anti-SUP sticker nastiness we discussed a while back, Hiria Rolleston from East Coast Paddler at Mount Maunganui on New Zealand’s north island offers ten tips on the basics of SUP etiquette to help us all play nice. Over to Hiria...
“If you have recently got yourself a new Stand Up Paddleboard and are thinking of trying it out in the surf, you need to read this first. RULE 1: RIGHT OF WAY: the surfer closest to the peak of the wave and up and riding first (SUP on the wave) has the right of way. RULE 2: DON’T DROP IN: If a surfer has the wave, it is his/ her wave (do not assume you can jump on their wave). RULE 3: PADDLING RULES, Don’t paddle straight up the middle of the line up where people are surfing. RULE 4: DON’T DITCH YOUR BOARD, always try to maintain control of your board, especially when crowded. SUP boards are big, heavy and pack a punch. You wouldn’t like to be hit by one, so ensure you don’t hit someone else. If you have trouble controlling your board practice on a less crowded peak.
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RULE 5: DON’T SNAKE! Snaking is when a surfer paddles around another surfer in order to position them-self to get the right of way. You see this a lot with new paddle boarders’. RULE 6: BEGINNERS don’t paddle out to the middle of the line-up. Start from the outer edge and wait your turn, working your way toward the peak. RULE 7: DON’T BE A WAVE-HOG. Share. RULE 8: RESPECT the beach. RULE 9: DRIVE RESPONSIBLY, respect the locals. RULE 10: APOLOGISE if you mess up. People do not generally tell you about surf etiquette. A quick apology can go a long way if you mess things up!
All in all a lot has to do with a common sense approach and treating others the way you would like to be treated. Sometimes - particularly when something is new - it’s easy to be caught up in the adrenalin rush and not realise what you’re doing or to be aware of others around you. Make sure you share the AROHA (love)... Paddle with respect! Eastcoast Paddler pride themselves on practicing what they preach and do there best to educate everyone who comes through their store and SUP school on Surf Etiquette.
SMORGASBOARDER | MAY/JUN 2013
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Unknown surfer, Happy Valley. Photo: Mark Chapman
MIND OVER MATTER In my dreams I’m a really good surfer. In reality I’m nothing like my dreams. To be honest, I carve like I’m taking to a dugout canoe with a pocketknife. But maybe I have been approaching it all wrong? Maybe my dreams are the answer to everyone worshipping me as a wave god? WORDS: DAVE SWAN
Recently, an Australian company calld HYPNOSURF launched a new mobile phone app following on from its original audio CD and MP3 download on surf enhancement training and development through hypnotic visualisation. The program is explained like this: It’s an audio program of around 40 minutes that you can chill out to or even drift off to sleep with. Messages are delivered to your subconscious mind on how you can enhance your surfing ability. The program is a specifically designed hypnotic training and development program to enhance performance and consistency levels of surfers following the program. It caters for beginners right through to the more experienced surfer. These days, many top sports people rely on using various forms of visualisation and even hypnotic visualisation to enhance their performance. The creator of the program - who has been an avid surfer of more than twenty years - has enlisted the services of John Wong, an experienced, qualified clinical hypnotherapist, to deliver an effective script. Pro longboarder Ray Gleave and shortboarder Shane Bevan were asked to critique the script and recording. The team was rounded out by recording specialist Dan Petrovic, who was engaged to deliver the complex recording to achieve the correct balance of “binaural auto-panner envelopes” (aka brainwave synchronizer) to tap into the sub-conscious mind. Apparently certain audio frequencies affect one’s mental state, and the team used that knowledge to make the right transition into the “trance vortex” to get as close to the natural alpha and theta brainwave rhythms. While this may sound like Star Trek-speak, the HNS program has received numerous accolades from around the globe and was in fact selected as a finalist at the World Surf Expo held in Orlando Florida USA in 2007, so there’s plenty support and endorsement for the idea. Why not give it a go yourself and see if it works for you? The HYPNOSURF program can be downloaded on MP3 or purchased as an app. For more information, see www.hypnosurf.com, or to grab the app, visit the Apple or Google app stores.
finplugcover.com™ neatly covers over unused fin plugs on surfboards and water craft.
find out more online facebook.com/finplugcover finplugcover.com
MAY/JUN 2013 | SMORGASBOARDER
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Guardsg,s le d d a P Nose &pe & Leash Plu Rail Ta
WETSUITS... ’SUIT’ABLE FOR OUR ENVIRONMENT?
POINTS OF VIEW
I’m sure I’m not telling you anything new when I suggest that the short answer to the question above is ‘no’. As most are aware, the majority of wetsuits are made from neoprene - synthetic rubber derived from oil. The environmental impact is obvious to most of us... Not only are we further depleting a non-renewable resource, but combine oil exploration and drilling with transportation and the subsequent threat of a spill and we’ve got one environmentally-negative material. Couple all that with the fact that wetsuits are non-biodegradable and contain PVC - the most toxic plastic for both the environment and our health - and you can see why wetsuits have become one of the ‘bad boys’ of a surfer’s kit.
k Fins Pro Tec
pair Kts
afe Re Travel S
With all that negativity, is there any light at the end of the tunnel? Well yes actually there is plenty. Many companies are now striving to produce greener suits, and invest a lot of time, money and effort into research and development. Companies such as Seventh Wave, Patagonia and Matuse are producing suits using a limestone-based material as an alternative to petroleum-based materials. While there’s questions as to the non-renewable resource and needing to be mined, it’s said there is roughly 3,000 years’ worth of readily accessible limestone used to make Geoprene, the limestone-based alternative to neoprene. Some suits are being developed with nonsolvent glues (Rip Curl), some to consume 80% less energy and produce 80% less carbon emissions (Billabong), some are made from recycled plastic bottles (O’Neill) and some from a combination of renewable, recycled, sustainable and/ or organic materials (Body Glove). Some are even developing plant-based suits that could offer a significant solution to the toxicity of neoprene used in wetsuits. Others, such as Triple-X, reduce waste by committing to a guarantee to repair their suits for life. All in all, such efforts are more ‘suit’ed to the cause of protecting Mother Nature and are a step in the right direction.
SURFTECH AUSTRALIA www.surftechaustralia.com.au
TRINKT ECHT KKÖÖLSCH! Kölsch is a style of beer that has its origins in Cologne, Germany. In fact that is where the name derives from. In German Cologne is actually spelt Köln, so it is not a stretch to come up with Kölsch. Traditionally, Kölsch beers are very pale in colour - just pale malt, pilsner Gaffel - a leading brand malt and malted of Cologne Kölsch. wheat. They are bright, meaning they are filtered to remove excessive yeast. Kölsch has a pronounced hop character, meaning they have some bitterness from the hops, but they also have a generous aromatic addition. Kölsch looks and tastes very similar to a European lager, but the major point of difference is the fact that an ale yeast strain is used to ferment the beer instead of using lager yeast. What’s the difference? Ale yeasts ferment at warmer temperatures 18-20°c and convert sugar to alcohol rapidly - in as little as two or three days. Lager yeasts ferment at lower temperatures 10-15°c and take longer to ferment anything from a week to a month to convert sugar to alcohol. So how does that affect the flavour? The warmer temperature used to ferment ales results in a beer with more fruit character, and the after taste is very smooth and does not have the sharp bitterness of a lager. Kölsch is a great step-off point into trying some craft beers. There is enough going on to be different, but not being too ‘out there’. The mild palate and flavour make for a great all-round beer that you can enjoy with mates after a surf, and it goes awesome with just about any food you can think of.
Nicola O’Reilly is the better half of the nice folks from Surfing Green, a couple passionate about providing sustainable surfing products.
Stuart Richie is the head brewer at the Byron Bay Brewery at Skinners Shoot Rd, Byron Bay. Stu knows his beer.
surfinggreen.com.au
byronbaybrewery.com.au
02 4226 1322
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MAKE SURE YOUR SURFBOARD’S INSURED May2013_Smorgas_Columns.indd 107
IS YOUR BOARD COVERED IN THE SURF?
6/05/13 7:43 AM
CLOSEOUT: BOOKS & MUSIC
Photo from Dunedin Light: Seasons. Derek Morrison
DUNEDIN LIGHT SEASONS A PHOTOGRAPHIC JOURNEY AROUND THE BEACHES OF DUNEDIN, NEW ZEALAND DEREK MORRISON
THE GROWL WHAT WOULD CHRIST DO?
PUBLISHED BY ADVENTURE MEDIA GROUP
INDEPENDENT/MGM DISTRIBUTION
THE RED PAINTINGS THE REVOLUTION IS NEVER COMING BIRD’S ROBE RECORDS/MGM
So many sounds, so many twists and turns... These guys seamlessly mesh togther liberally cherrypicked influences from the last two decades of industrial, rock, prog-rock and metal into a rich soundfest that works pretty well on headphones. Wasps takes you back to 3am in a dingy, early ‘90s industrial nightclub (in the best way) while others, like the title track, wander off on a melodic, theatrical trip sure to please even the artiest of chin-strokers. Great stuff here - the Alice in Wonderland bit is just plain weird. (Mark Chapman)
Clutch 108
Swamp rockers The Growl deliver an 11-song debut album that is as varied as it is gritty and raw. It’s as unpolished as it should be. The album ebbs and flows between open atmospheric sounds and punchy, distorted rock glory, so really it works incredibly well in its entirety, (despite being recorded over eight months in different studios!) Having random songs pop up on shuffle can leave you scratching your head a little... Standout? The stompingly good cover of traditional gospel blues song John the Revelator is an absolute winner! Get some dirt between your toes and give this cracker a go. (Mark Chapman)
CLUTCH EARTH ROCKER
WEATHERMAKER MUSIC/MGM
!!!!
Ten albums in and these boys can still do no wrong. This is R-O-C-K in it’s purest form. With no pretty-boy fashions, no poppy pretense and certainly no holding back, Clutch deliver 11 songs of pure rock fury. The opener, Earth Rocker has the most classic chorus (try singing “Bwahahahaaaargh”) and is followed by another ten standouts. The Wolf Man... swings like a barn door in a storm; Crucial Velocity simply makes you drive too fast; Unto the Breach raises the fist for some good old ‘80s metal... And on and on and on it goes with Neil Fallon’s powerful vocal presence leading the four-man charge. Basically, no matter how many times this album plays, it just gets better. Done gushing. Earth Rocker is for fans of unadulterated guitar-driven rock. Everybody hear me now. (Mark Chapman)
Dunedin is arguably one of the world’s great surfing cities. This beautiful photographic journal of sorts is a reflection of Dunedin’s seasons and surf culture through the lens of Derek Morrison. The early morning and late evening light that illuminate’s this southern corner of the globe has a sense of magic about it, and Derek has done an amazing job of capturing it. I simply tilt my hat to him for taking to the water to shoot many of these shots. One its freezing and two, there is a lot of sea life. He must certainly love what he does. Through the many seasons Derek shows Dunedin’s rugged and remote coastline, its inner city beaches, wild and windswept conditions through to glassy perfection set against magnificent panoramic backdrops as well as the various characters who surf these parts. I particularly love the dusting of snow across the town looking towards St Clair Beach in the middle of winter. The book though is merely a collection of select images forming part of a much larger body of work called Dunedin Light. The aim of the project is to quite simply shine a light into the corners of Dunedin’s beach lifestyle each and every week. Photos go out to registered subscribers every Tuesday and are on www.dunedinlight.com. This is where you can order this magnificent book along with individual prints. (Dave Swan)
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CLOSEOUT: SOCIALS
LONGBOARDING AGNES WATER
Photos by Paul Bryan - www.pixelenergy.com.au
Flooded roads and the chance of being isolated didn’t stop surfers attending the 15th annual Reef 2 Beach Longboard Classic at Agnes Water. Wayne ‘Grom’ Mellick - owner of Reef 2 Beach and instigator of the Classic - said it’s only going to evolve, starting with the great work put in by the committee and members of the Tide & Turn Boardriders Club. “It starts with their great vibe and love of surfing carried through the entire weekend, giving all who attend a friendly Agnes Water experience.” The weather wasn’t the best, but somehow the surfing was. Spectators couldn’t help watching the local kids surfing the beach breaks, trying the moves they had just seen by the competitors 150m toward the Point. “I think there’ll be a lot more juniors in the Classic next year,” Grom says.
EVERYTHING AND THE TOILET SEAT
More than 30 volunteers, some coming from as far afield as Brisbane, headed to Double Island Point just north of Noosa in Queensland to give the area a much needed tidy-up. Approximately half a ton - eight cubic metres - of rubbish was collected. Recent holiday and storm activity, the latter bringing and exposing more debris on the beach, have contributed to such a high concentration of rubbish in this natural environment. The majority of items found were broken hard plastics, of various sizes, indicating this debris had been circulated through ocean currents. Possible origins of the rubbish, which included ropes, personal hygiene items, aerosol cans, pallet packing straps, cigarette lighters, bottle caps, cleaning products and glass bottles, could be from land sources further south as well as local and offshore boats. The most unusual items found were a toilet seat and food packaging not normally bought in Australia. The clean-up was a collaboration between Surfrider Foundation Sunshine Coast and Cleanwater Constructions, with further support from Burnett Mary Regional Group and Coolum Coastcare. The Double Island Point beach clean-up will be held each year, after Easter, and in the future will include camping over the entire weekend for volunteers to be able to spend some time enjoying the natural amenities more. Contact Aaron on 0449 686 746 to register your interest for future post-Easter Double Island Point beach clean-ups.
MAY/JUN 2013 | SMORGASBOARDER
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CLOSEOUT: SOCIALS Photos by nutgraphics.com
MALADDICTED Maladiction Longboarders from Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula recently enjoyed their Autumn Classic. There was a Log event taken by Trent Burger, a Retro event won by Mark Miccoli and the teams challenge which involved five competitors working together. The Pines, Shoreham was the venue with a tidy 2-4’ swell running. Shapers, On A Mission, DMS surfboards (Red Hill), Broo Beer and MASPORT supported the day with a visit from GSI to trial some new sticks. Cheers to Huey, and well done to all members and visiting competitors on the day. For more on the club, see www.maladiction.org
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With hundreds of reef passes, it might be worth going with someone who knows
It’s what we can’t tell you that matters
Ry Craike, Maldives punt.