hey dude! Fair call.

I have found my inner harmony zen thing far more balanced and steady ever since I stopped enduring constant exposure to untouchably hot chicks on the beach wearing close to bugger all. Its like, seriously unsettling for a devo guy like me to see that kind of thing all the time. I'm glad I don't live my old Sydney beach lifestyle anymore. Sure, I had my own cute skinny piece next to me on the towel, but so what! All that friggin tit and arse laying a few feet away from us on the sand did my bloody head in.

that was your problem man - what were you doing lying on a towel sunbaking when you coulda been in the water

Summer onshore 2 foot slop.

summer onshore 2 foot slop can be fun, especially if you are coming from a long stint in Japan!

Spook, I get a totally different buzz from a snow line to a pit, different intensities I guess, but that flowrider at the end of your suggested line sounds good!

it's hard to compare the buzz and intensities you get from the snow and the surf. i mean, pulling into a big pit gets you pumped, but every now and then you get a mental deeeep one, and your board just hits warp speed under your feet.
i get the same feeling on snow riding fast through glades, picking tricky lines and banging out big turns.

arrrrghhhh, enough talk. some surf porn from vicco last weekend:

http://www.swellnet.com.au/sessions/Weekend_waves_in_Victoria_111006.php

and this weekend in margarets in gonna be BIG and clean.

Indosnm- You would be no stranger to raw power waves if you grew up down there. i've only ever surfed Cactus but my eldest brother has spent loads of time down there. He chose S.A. over the south pacific this year for his annual surf jaunt.

Le Spud- Seems like the biggest problem you have with surfing is the surfers themselves. Can't really say it bothers me too much. Probably because I resigned myself to the fact long ago that top quality waves with no crowds are as rare as rocking horse shit. I'd rather surf a 6/10 surf uncrowded than a 10/10 surf with every surfer on it.

Surfing has certainly drifted well away from it's soul surfing roots of the 70's and 80's that I grew up in, thats for sure. Can't see it changing for the better in the future either.
I guess I'm lucky to live in a sparesly populated part of the world. Even in my little part of the world the surf gets crowded at times. But with little cunning and good fortune the 'epic' still happens occassionaly.

"What's the use of getting older if you don't get cunning with it" my brother often says.

I didn't really want this thread to be a surfing vs snowboarding debate, it's kind of like argueing which sex position is best.
One thing not really toched on yet is the interaction with nature in the ocean. I remember surfing at Narloo WA one day and seeing whales, dolphins, sharks, turtles, rays and colourful reef fish all in a 2 hour surf.
A few weeks ago I was surfing my local. It was a solid swell and I was the only one out. Some dolphins were having a play further out. A big set came and a few dolphins started riding it. I took off and sure enough they appeared. Not out on the shoulder as I've seen them do before, but right under my board! they cruised 2 feet under me the whole way. Amazing. You don't get that in the mountains.

What's the deal with the Japenese coast? Sounds pretty grim. How is it that they are so switched-on with some things ie. recycling and vehicle emissions but so not switched-on with there beach evioronment?

Ahh, surfing with Flipper. Awesome , missed experience.

What are ya talking about? We have tetrapods!

I am a little bitter that I never travelled the world surfing, never really travelled Australia surfing. I'm starting my second life pretty soon, one of freedom. It still weighs on my mind that I could happily lose myself travelling and surfing, I got a lot to catch up on. But it is alpine back country exploration and riding that has won over. Make no mistake, snowboarding per se (in a resort)... not a chance in the world that beats catching waves in the ocean.

The highs in the ocean like Mantas described above are unbeatable moments.

Me having a problem with surfers: lets not go down this path, but if you recall my posts in the Steve Irwin thread you might understand that I don't naturally fit in with the Aussie surf culture personalities. Although there are some classic Aussie surfers that also think like mature individuals... they are really good people to know. Lets not get into this. I just like riding waves.


Mantas - do you know a builder, about 45, called Lewis, in your town? Maybe spelt Louis? He surfs.

Mantas - There’s plenty of marine life in SA too huh? The kind with big teeth…
Yep, getting to see animals close up in the surf is pretty special. Everytime I hear someone prattle on about a dolphin or whale watching cruise I realise how lucky surfers are to be able to see this stuff as a matter of course. A highlight for me was actually having to bottom turn around a turtle once. He was pretty mellow and just floating around the lineup. It’s really cool when a pod of dolphins rocks up everyone just chills out and gets this communal stoke going on.
I think the thing that hooks me the most is the immersion. Actually floating around in the water, duckdiving under waves etc, its something that is unique to surfing. As is the fact that we get to move on something that is moving. I can’t really think of any other activity that could replicate it.
Truly, we are gods amongst men!

Spud- I wasn't having a shot at you. I agree with most of what you said. Surfing as an "industry" sucks and what you said about if it all blew up tomorrow , surfing will continue on is very true.

Yer surfing with flipper was pretty special. To them we must be the clumsiest, most unorthodox thing in the ocean yet they must think " Hey let's go and hang with this thing for a bit "

Another experience i had was in southern Chile. I was surfing a point break that broke for the best part of a kilometer 4-5 foot. I was all alone. Every now and then a giant seal would cruise underneath me and check me out, man was that freaky, these things are 3 meters long! Then it would circle me with it's head sticking out, always looking at me.
Anyone ever had that happen?

What the hell is that ??

Sorry spud, Don't know a guy called Lewis.

No probs - I wasn't sure he came from your town.

Tetrapods - Don't ask. Stop now. You really do not want to know.

Got anymore local beach break pics?

Now you got me really interested, Tetropods, right I'm going to google it now.

Been surfing 35 years spud. Only been taking photos for the last 6 months!

I'm learning how to youtube. So when i get that mastered I'll post a vid !

The Engineer approach....
damn them

Sure

Me and flipper.


Work/surf truck

Well here it is.

Some dodgey surfing taken with a dodgey camera and some dodgey editing and quality too.

A bag of lollies for anyone who can guess where.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FG-Jq7ftVCE

I cant watch it, all I want to do is surf a wave like that so bad. I went to the south pacific last year and surfed one of the crappiest shorts waves imaginable (it had good grunt and was in a stunning place, but it seriously was not worth the journey time and cost). It was my first surf in, dunno, 2 years. First decent warm water surf in 4 years. First trip to a coral reef break. It was all that mattered, it consumed me then it was over and I was back in London at a desk - the only way to cope is wipe the memory or else it calls you every day. It was such a let down. I think I am still bitter at what should have been had I done my research and not let other clueless people plan the trip. Oh well, I have one surf trip a year and will get it right next time. . No more going without for me. Life is too short not to surf amazing waves like in that clip.

My dad is buying a small place in fiji, right near a good reef, he goes there constantly. I could ditch it all and join him.

Is he looking to adopt another kid? Seriously spud get your arse down there!

Its too hard, I just have to live in denial.

I surfed King Kong at Nagigia Island last year for a week (stunning spot, incredibly short wave). Also got one surf in at Namotou lefts when the paying customers changed over. I'd do it different next time round.

My old man and his family flew there yesterday. He was bitterly disappointed that I didn't go to met them, he's been nagging me for months. But my spare time and money is bagged by the mountains. Plus I went to Portugal in June.

Last year I was so stoked on getting Fiji good that I worked out the exact week when the tides were spot on from 5am to 10am in the middle of the best season for waves.... and then some huge doors opened for me in the mountains and I lost the focus.

Any future surf trips are also going to be in places where I can teach my girlfriend how to understand and catch waves. It was almost impossible to get her out of the water. She completely loved it.

Ah, the burning question: snow or surf.

Spud, I enjoyed reading what you had to say on the matter, even though it took me a few hours!

Well it seems, thus far there is only a handful of boarder/surfers. As you've probably guessed by my nickname ('snosurf'), I am both a surfer and a snowboarder.

But the nickname works on 2 levels - the second is a little more cryptic. Think.... 'there's no surf' -> 's no surf -> snosurf

Anyway, moving on to my 2 cents on the matter. I am still young but have many years experience surfing. I've done a season in the snow and a handful of trips of anywhere between 1 and 4 weeks duration.

So which is better? I think that question has been answered: It depends on the conditions. I think you explained it pretty well in that mammoth post on page 1 stud. I agree with what you said there.

And mantas you were spot on there saying it's like arguing which sex position is best.

In fact, for want of a better analogy, riding boards is a lot like riding chicks. Some boards are better than other boards, but when you're up and riding, it really doesn't matter what kind of board you're on, so long as you're having fun and enjoying yourself!

I am also a skimboarder, skateboarder (parks) and freeborder. But these sports all rank well below both surfing and snowboarding.

Sorry that ended up a bit long. I am such a hypocrite!