Carve Surfing Magazine #173

CARVEMAG.COM ISSUE 173 £4.95

73 9 771354 508078

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THE PERSISTENCE OF HOPE Belting blue British barrels

TROPIC THUNDER

Dorian, Taj, Machado & Beth in paradise

HELI TRIP TO NZ

The new best way to do a surf trip

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c o n t e n t s

173 COVER: The old alliance of France and Scotland in perfect harmony. Nelson Cloarec called this hard won session one of the best of his life.

Which considering he lives in Hossegor is a big call.

One of the best British shots we’ve ever run on a cover thanks for the mad otter skills Timmy Boy. PHOTO: TIM NUNN

CONTENTS: Just perfect. The Maldives are as dreamy as you imagine. Perfect reef waves without the Indo fear factor.

PHOTO: SEAN SCOTT

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HOSSEGROMS

Stan Norman and Jo Morris hit Hossegor to figure out whether you can live without toast.

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PATCH

St Ives stalwart Patch is one of our leading heavy water specialists. He's been on a Mex mission. Steve England interviews.

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JOURNEY TO THE END OF THE EARTH

There’s more to New Zealand than FOTC and hobbits. Especially when you’ve got a massive chopper.

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WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS

Ed-in-Chief Steve England pulled the shortest of short straws (again) to go cover the Champions Trophy in the Maldives.

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THE PERSISTENCE OF HOPE

Been sitting on this one for a while … Slurping slab barrels at home in between snow showers. Shot by Tim Nunn and Sharpy.

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WINTER WETSUIT GUIDE

It’s that time again … the fresh end of the year. Check out the latest rubber from the world’s finest purveyors of neoprene.

THE ESCAPE

Getting lost in the Baja desert has its up and downs as team Rip Curl found out to their cost.

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i n t r o d u c t i o n

We need to do a surf trip by helicopter.

The best way to travel.

See what the crew were up to later in the issue. MATT DUNBAR

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NOT ALL THOSE THAT WANDER ARE LOST IT’S A LARGE OLD WORLD OUT THERE. MORE THAN YOU COULD EVER EXPLORE IN SEVERAL GO ROUNDS ON THE BIG BLUE. SO UNLESS REINCARNATION RAPIDLY BECOMES LEGAL THEN YOU’VE GOT ONE SHOT TO EXPERIENCE AS MUCH AS YOU CAN. Our ancestors were born, lived and died in their villages. Getting anywhere was either done on foot, by boat or involved horses.

Which as you can imagine, whilst a romantic notion, would be a bit of pain in the derriere with surfboards. Unless you had a horse and cart, because carts are actually ideal for board transportation.

We’re not constrained anymore, the next town, the next country are all within our easy grasp for the price of a night on the tiles. Or as it’s known in London: the price of a round.

We are lords of our domain. We are our own travel agents. You want to go to France?

You can book flights or ferries from the shitter by prodding your fingers at your phone. Fancy an Indo sojourn? Yours with a little bit of clackety clack on a laptop.

And you don’t even need to be able to actually afford it thanks to the frankly outrageous ease of obtaining credit.

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This issue is dedicated to those who peer around the next corner and go seek. Travel strengthens the soul and makes your mind glow. Whether you’re just exploring other parts of the UK for the first time or going deep overseas to a place where you hope there will be waves but are guaranteed an adventure in finding out.

There’s an adventure for every budget.

From the high end cocktail laden Maldive experience to the bargain basement five of you crammed in a barely legal car driving through the night on a swell chase.

Getting out there, being amongst it, meeting new people, sampling new foods, experiencing other cultures and finding new places to slide is key.

If you’re lucky enough to be on the frontiers, the edges of the known where there aren’t many people, then immerse yourself in the majesty of nature. Don’t Instagram it. Just enjoy it.

Travelling is a huge part of why we surf. It gives us character. We live a life well lived. Being on the road is where you get the anecdotes for when you’re older and have your own young bucks to inspire. To sew the seed of inquiry and wonder is essential.

Get inspired by this issue’s adventures then go have one yourself…

Sharpy, Editor

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FURNACE CARBON

WORLDS MOST ADVANCED WETSUIT

HOLDS LESS WATER

CONDUCTS HEAT FASTER

#SURFALLDAY

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®

S U R F I N G

M A G A Z I N E

THE TEAM EDITOR Roger Sharp (@surf_photo) EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Steve England (@carvemag) PRODUCTION MANAGER Louise Searle ART DIRECTOR David Alcock PHOTOGRAPHERS Sharpy, Bosko, Sam Breeze, Chris Burkard, Chus Carvajal, Ray Collins, James Cummings, Estpix, Greg Ewing, Farscapes, Jason Feast, Pete Fleming, Jeff Flindt, Ian Forsyth, Pete Frieden, Paul Gill, Victor Gonzalez, Ted Grambeau, Alan Van Gysen, Mathew Ham, Spencer Hornby, Timo Jarvinen, Tim Jones, Gary Knights, Nate Lawrence, Alex Laurel, Alex Lesbats, Everton Luis, Brad Masters, Calum Macaulay, Mark McInnis, Ryan Miller, Iain Mitchinson, Moonwalker, Tim McKenna, Bill Morris, Rod Owen, Russell Ord, Pacotwo, Chris Power, Tronic Pro, Laurent Pujol, Jason Reposar, John Respondek, Kirstin Scholtz, Jamie Scott, Mike Searle, Andrew Shield, James Skerritt, Nathan Smith, Ryan Struck, DJ Struntz, Ollie Sweet, Josh Tabone, Tyler Walker, James Warbey, Simon Williams, Cory Wilson CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Craig Jarvis, Joel Gray, Dan Crockett, Matt Smith ADVERTISING ADVERTISING MANAGER Steve England steve@orcasurf.co.uk Tel: 01637 878074 Call or e-mail for advertising rates or a copy of our media pack.

Retro Distressed Navy

SUBSCRIPTIONS/MERCHANDISE SUBSCRIPTIONS & MERCHANDISE MANAGER Stephenie stephenie@orcasurf.co.uk Tel: 01637 878074 Subscriptions are £34.99 for one year (nine issues), or £52.99 for two years (18 issues), see

Subscribe Page at the back of the mag. Back issues of most editions are available, see the Orcashop ad at the back of the mag. Moving? Please write or e-mail giving both your old and new address, indicating that it’s a subscription to CARVE; allow three weeks’ notice.

ORCA PUBLICATIONS CARVE is published by: Orca Publications Ltd, Berry Road Studios, Berry Road, Newquay, TR7 1AT, England. • Tel: 01637 878074 • Fax: 01637 850226 • e-mail: info@orcasurf.co.uk Sorry, due to the volume of enquiries we cannot respond to all e-mails. If you want info about where to surf or what equipment to buy, check our website. If you want info about other destinations, check the books advertised in the Orcashop ad at the back of the mag.

Quick Humps Blue

Pinline Red

Psychedelic Grey Marle

REPRO, PRINTING AND DISTRIBUTION PRINTING: Garnett Dickinson, Rotherham.

DISTRIBUTION: Seymour Distribution Ltd, 86 Newman Street, London W1P 7HJ (Tel: 0207 396 8000 • Fax: 0207 396 8002) CARVE is printed on elemental chlorine-free paper produced from sustainable forests CONTRIBUTIONS CARVE welcomes high quality story and photo contributions. Check the contact page of the website for guidelines on how to submit. We are not responsible for unsolicited contributions (stuff we haven’t asked for). Unsolicited contributions sent without an SAE will not be returned. Please do not send us colour prints as we cannot use them. We only accept digital RAW files.

The Fade Black

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Available At All Good Surf Shops Distributed by CJBs Surf Co.

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COPYRIGHT © 2016 ORCA PUBLICATIONS LTD. All material in CARVE is copyright. Reproduction (including by electronic means, such as commercial websites) without the permission of the publishers in writing will result in prosecution. While every care is taken in compiling CARVE, the publishers assume no responsibility for any affect arising from omissions or errors. Views expressed by individuals herein may not reflect those of the publishers. CARVE is a registered trademark of Orca Publications Ltd.

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CARVEMAG

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Jeep_C

Andrew Cotton Big wave surfer

Two off-roaders on your wavelength, Andrew Cotton big wave surfer and the Jeep Renegade. With touchscreen Sat Nav, Bluetooth and a 5 Star Euro NCAP safety rating, nothing can stop you seeking out the best surf spots.

Our uniquely designed spacious interior inspired by extreme sports gear has ingenious storage and roof rails for all of your adventure equipment.

With 17" alloy wheels and cruise control, you can go from east coast to west in style and comfort – bring on the ride. Check out Jeep.co.uk for more details.

£175 £2,000 0% APR Per Month*

Jeep Deposit Contribution

Model shown is the Jeep Renegade 2.0 Longitude 4WD at OTR £24,495 excluding optional roof racks. OFFICIAL FUEL CONSUMPTION FIGURES FOR JEEP RENEGADE RANGE MPG (L/100KM): EXTRA URBAN 47.9 (5.9) – 70.6 (4.0), URBAN 32.5 (8.7) – 55.4 (5.1), COMBINED 40.9 (6.9) – 64.2 (4.4), CO2 EMISSIONS: 160 – 115 G/KM. Fuel consumption and CO2 figures are obtained for comparative purposes in accordance with EC directives/regulations and may not be representative of real-life driving conditions. *Customer deposit is £6,299. Jeep deposit is £2,000. Total deposit is £8,299. Optional Final Payment is £12,171. Contract Term is 24 months. Promotion available on new Renegade Longitude versions registered between 1st August 2016 and 30th September 2016. Jeep Deposit Contribution only available in conjunction with Jeep Horizon PCP. With Jeep Horizon you have the option to return the vehicle and not pay the final payment, subject to the vehicle not having exceeded an agreed annual mileage (a charge of 9p per mile for exceeding 10,000 miles per annum in this example) and being in good condition. Finance subject to status. Guarantees may be required. Terms and Conditions apply. Jeep Financial Services, PO Box 4465, Slough, SL1 0RW. Jeep® is a registered trademark of FCA US LLC.

carve173-pages7.indd 21 Jeep_CarveSurfing_Sept.indd Pg1 Prodigious UK

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2 0 / 2 0

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GONY ZUBIZARETTA PLACE/ PORTUGAL PHOTOG/ DIOGO D' OREY SURFER/

GE TTIN G SHOTS LIK E THIS IS TRIC K Y A S A LL HE LL. IT TA K E S A RE A L BO N D O F TRUST BE TW E E N THE SURF E R A N D P HOTO GRA P HE R. M A IN LY BE CA USE SHO OTIN G W ITH A F ISHE YE LE N S D IO GO WO ULD BE A W HO LE FO OT AWAY F RO M THE RA IL O F G O N Y’ S SLE D . W HE N YO U C O N SID E R THE SP E E D THIS M O M E N T O C C URRE D AT IT’ S M IN D BLOW IN G. IT TA K E S YE A RS TO G E T THIS G O O D AT WATE R P HOTO G RA P HY.

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A USTRALIA PHOTOG/ ANDREW SHIELD PLACE/

HOW IN VITIN G? HOW M UC H D O YO U WA N T TO D I V E I N TO T H I S D RE A M Y SC E N E A N D SC O OT UP THE P O IN T A N D F L I N G YO U R S EL F O F F THE BAC K ? W E LAC K C LA SSIC P O IN TB R EA K S L I K E T H I S I N BRITA IN . J UM P RO C K S A RE N ’ T RE A LLY O U R T H I N G . P I T Y B ECA U S E A LL K IN D S O F HILA RITY E N SUE S W HE N FO L K S T U F F I T U P. A N YHOW. J UST GE T BAC K TO M IN D SURF ING T H I S B EA U T Y.

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BENJAMIN SANCH IS PLACE/ MENTAWA I, IN DO NES IA PHOTOG/ MANU MIGUELEZ SURFER/

SA N C HO IS A N A M E YO U’ LL K N OW , W HAT W I T H H I M B EI N G O N E O F E URO P E A N D THE WO RLD ’ S LE A D IN G H EL L MEN C H A R G I N G LUN ATIC S. IN BE TW E E N W IN TE RS O F M IN D-B EN D I N G B I G N ESS H E D O E SN ’ T M IN D A N IN D O SOJ O URN TO SUR F S O ME MO R E N O R MA L SIZE D WAVE S. HE SC O RE D A BUN C H O N A R EC EN T MEN T S T R I P LIK E THIS BE A UT.

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NATE TY LER PLACE/ LOHIS, MALDIVES PHOTOG/ RICHARD KOTCH SURFER/

SP E E D BLURS A RE TRIC K Y TO D O W E LL. IT’ S A F I N E L I N E B ET W EEN A RTSY A N D C RA P P Y. STRO N G C O LO UR IS K E Y A S I S T H E MOT I O N .

RIC H HA S N A ILE D IT HE RE . BUT THE N W HE N YO U D I V I D E YO U R T I ME BE TW E E N THE M A LD IVE S A N D M IC RO N E SIA WO R K I N G AT S U R F CA M P S YE A R RO UN D THE N YO U’ LL P RO BA BLY G ET A B I T H A N DY AT TA K IN G SURF P HOTO S…

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i n s t a g r a m

JOETINSLEY

GEKA_12

AUSTINMOOR

JASONFEAST

JP.SURF

JAYDOGDREYER

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AUSTINMOOR

INSTAGRAM - FAM # CARVE MAG Do we do Snapchat a few have you have cried? The answer is a big fat nope.

It's kind of toast ever since Instagram launched their somewhar "similar" not ripped off at all concept of Stories. Which aren't much use here as they is all ephemeral and all that. So. Anyhow...

USENAMEBOB

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PHOTO: TOM CAREY

If you love an Instagram and have an urge in your soul to see your work in print all you gots to do is hashtag those pics with #carvemag … simple eh? We can then harvest the choicest buds each issue and present them here. Fame, infamy and bragging rights are yours!

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PHOTO: TOM CAREY

F E A T U R I N G

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t r i p p e r s

L Ben Howey reckons this place is like an uncrowded Noosa...

BATU KARA S FANCY VISITING SOMEWHERE DIFFERENT IN INDO? HOW ABOUT BATU KARAS, JAVA?

WORDS: SAMMY PATTERSON

A combination of cars, taxis, flights, a bit of running here and there and the classic Indonesian moped result in one mission of a journey, factor in some nine foot longboards and you’re bordering on insanity! However, the people who are crazy enough to embark on this journey arrive themselves at the paradise that is Batu Karas, West Java.

Batu Karas is pretty as a picture. An idyllic fishing village alongside relatively undiscovered world class longboard waves. The village is small, accessible only via a sketchy bamboo bridge, so good luck! The two beaches, separated by a wooded promontory, are home to two classic right hand point breaks that work nearly all day

Author Sammy trimming

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long, 365 days a year. The village retains a low key and relaxed charm with friendly locals and the best fresh fish Indonesia has to offer.

You know Indonesia isn’t a place to take your girlfriend … well that excuse might no longer be valid here so start coming up with some new ones! Indonesia is known for its heavy barrels and gnarly reef bottoms but this trip showed Indonesia in a whole new light. The wave lends itself to all levels and types of surfing.

Often comparable to Noosa, Batu Karas is consistently fun whatever the size however with an average of 10 surfers in the water at a time I know where I’d rather be. The locals absolutely shred! Never have we travelled anywhere that presented such an incredible level of traditional longboarding. I like to think that if I surfed that wave every day I would be equally as skilled… unfortunately for these guys the Indonesian lifestyle doesn’t exactly lend itself to opportunities on the tour… probably a lucky thing for us, I know I wouldn’t want to draw these guys in heat. Despite their skill there is an epic vibe in the water, lots of laughs, wipeouts and drop ins amongst one another but all in good humour!

Now, who knew that domestic tourists holiday 24 hours of the day over a four-day weekend … tug of war begins promptly at 3.30am followed by swimming, baptisms, karaoke, stuck

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LUKE

KONA

ZFR

sales@typhoon-int.co.uk | typhoon-int.co.uk |

VORTEX

Typhoon_international

TyphoonInt

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f o a m in the mud and all the other loud activities that you can possibly think of. I also learnt how much Indonesians love to use loud hailers … for EVERYTHING! If you can endure a weekend of noise you are rewarded with the tranquil quiet and calmness during the week. You might even find a hidden talent in karaoke.

In your down time, when not eating as many banana pancakes as humanly possible, body rafting (rafting without the use of a raft) down the Green Canyon is a good start. Initial health safety checks are vague and generally neglected, as long as you can pay you can do it … even the ability to swim is not necessary. Believe it or not

we encountered a group of local tourists standing above a waterfall, about to jump off, none of whom could swim! Secondary safety, in the form of a safety bag, was first of all lost down the river only to be caught up with to find it was full of cigarettes … thank goodness, what a great idea after drowning. Ignoring health and safety it’s an incredible experience, the canyon is beautiful and the jumps definitely get your heart pumping.

As far as accommodation is concerned, like many isolated Indonesian villages there are an abundance of rad, but very basic, home stays all in sight of the points. The rooms come equipped with bucket flush technology toilets and showers that require you to squat down very low in order to get wet … essentially a hose pipe. Nonetheless, you can’t beat banana pancakes on the balcony, overlooking perfect waves, in glorious sunshine … doesn’t get much better than that!

Don’t be fooled. 350km in West Java is a whole lot further than 350km back home but once you get there it’s worth every second on the road.

(far left)

A peak at the point. (left)

Dawny vibes. (below)

Five over….

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#nickpumphreyphoto

CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE • S U R F B OA R D S • W E TS U I TS • AC C E S S O R I E S • L U G GAG E • C LOT H I N G

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CAPTA IN FIN DAN E REY NOLDS T HRUSTER

Show your board some love with the new Captain Fin Dane Reynold’s Thruster. “They are slightly more upright with larger side fins and a smaller centre fin. I find they work in tight transitions, but have a lot of drive. These fins loosen and liven up my boards,” says Dane. Available in small, medium and large. FCS two tab and Futures compatible. £92 W W W. C A P T A I N F I N . C O M

QUIKSILVER ATLA S W INTER BO OT

The Atlas winter boot has HydroGuard waterproofing and a full grain leather upper to stay a step ahead of wet weather. 100g of thermal insulation, full wrap around waterproof/breathable membrane and super grippy soles tackle any conditions in style. £135

PATAGO N IA NAN O PU FF H OODY

Warm, windproof, water resistant, the updated Nano Puff® hoody uses warm, incredibly lightweight and highly compressible 60-g PrimaLoft® Gold Insulation Eco with 55 percent post-consumer recycled content, wrapped in a 100 percent recycled polyester shell and liner. £175

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New season style, Volcom’s Tellurium Wool Shirt. £85 W W W. V O L C O M . C O . U K

O’NEILL CHILL KILLER JACKET C- S KI N S S PL I T TO E H OTWIRED BOOTS Get ready for winter with these HotWired 5mm Boots from C-Skins. Features dry knit lining - thermally efficient inner lining with quick drying properties, liquid sealed seams, easy on heal pull. £59.99 W W W. C - S K I N S . C O M

O’Neill’s layering fabrics provide incredible insulation with low bulk and quick-dry properties. The completely redesigned Chill Killer jacket is a key piece in our layering approach and helps you to battle the chills between surfs. £129.95 W W W. O N E I L L . C O M

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ONE SURFING’

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ROBIE ROBES CHAN GING ROBE

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Don’t freeze getting changed this winter with this top quality cotton heavyweight unisex changing robe. Made by local Cornish surfer Martin Tarps. £36.99

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CHANN EL ISLAN D S SURFB OAR D S ROCKE T 9

The latest board from the Channel Islands shaping bay. The Rocket 9 is a step down board for easy speed generation when the waves are less than perfect. A forward wide point, plenty of volume up front combined with a pulled in tail means this board paddles well, is super snappy and really maneuverable. Fin set up: Tri Fin Futures. Custom orders available. £515

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Hosse groms ( T O P LE F T)

Stan jams on the brakes for a Grav pit stop.

WHAT’S BETTER THAN SUMMER IN HOSSEGOR? NOT MUCH. ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU’RE A GROM AND HAVE THE ENERGY FOR FOUR SURFS A DAY. JO MORRIS AND STAN NORMAN HAVE JUST HAD A WHIZZ AROUND THE FRENCH FUN PARKS SO WE CAUGHT UP WITH THEM FOR SOME PASTRY TALK.

INTERVIEW SHARPY PHOTOS KEV MORRIS

( BO T LE F T)

Stan and Jo sauntering away from mean French lifeguards.

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Where did you surf?

Jo: We were so lucky that we got there just as they had some good swell, so we surfed Capbreton, Moliets, Seignosse zone we went to Bourdaines & Estagnots. We also had some great surfs at La Graviere during the bigger days. Finally on the way home to the ferry in Spain we surfed Sopelana, although it was small that day.

Stan: Jo and I surfed every day all over but the spot we surfed the most was Grav’.

How were the crowds?

Jo: I didn't find them that bad.

Capbreton I think was the busiest with surf schools but apart from Stan getting threatened to be arrested if he surfed in the swim zone we were ok! The lifeguard was ok actually, he just signed ‘no surf in swim area or handcuffs for you!’

Stan: The crowds were bad on the good days and not so bad on the bad days basically like most spots anywhere in world. It was still really good, got loads of waves.

Can you speak French?

Jo: Only what I know from school

really. The people were really nice though and asked us to speak to them in English more so they could practice.

Stan: I wish I could but I can only say ‘hello my name is’ I am going to learn more.

Do you find the waves there way heavier than here?

Jo: Yes, especially La Graviere! So much more powerful, it was great fun.

One set in La Graviere took my leash off. It washed up in one piece on the beach though, so after I finally swam back in, I just re-attached it and went back into the surf.

Stan: Some of the spots like Grav’ are much heavier than here. Such a good wave, one of my faves, but most of the spots we surfed weren’t that much more punchy than here.

Do you prefer the slightly warmer water?

Jo: Always! Surfing in boardshorts or a short wetsuit is always better, so much easier to move and you can stay in all day.

Stan: 100 percent yes. I love the

warmer water, being in boardies is the best, we wore boardies most days soooo nice.

Croissant or pain au chocolate?

Jo: Pain au chocolate, although my favourite out there were the crepes!

Stan: Croissants are good especially warm, but pain au chocolate warm are the best chocolate for brekkie.

That is the only time mum and dad let me have it :/

Do you miss sliced bread and toast when in France?

Jo: We were only away 12 days so didn't really miss it, we made packed lunches so had plenty of baguettes to eat.

Stan: I’m not really a toast man … especially when pain au chocolate are on the table.

Is the steak hache americain (burger and chips in a baguette) the best dinner ever?

Jo: It's ok, although pizza or chicken were my favourite meals. We went out for a meal in the evening then we

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gro

T h e punch y F r e n c h p e a k s a r e ju s t a s k i ng for p unt s. Jo ob l i g e s.

St a n a nd l e fi n w a f t .

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Jo about to get intimately acquainted with the gravel Francais.

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oms B FFs: b e st Fre nc h fri e nds. played pool at the hotel. Stan beat me every time at the start, but by the end of the week I managed to win quite a few.

Stan: Never had it. I am an athlete haha!

Did you get lost in the pine forests?

Jo: It was very much a beach holiday and we surfed all day, so we didn't go into the forest much. The only other things we did were jump off things.

I did a backflip from the bridge in Hossegor and we hired a peddle boat at the lake in Vieux-Boucau.

Stan: No we spent every day on the beach surfing no time for the forest!

Did you ‘accidentally’ find yourselves surfing at any of the nude beaches?

Jo: No! haha but two Welsh surfers, George Schofield and Rob Blythe, kindly pointed out where they were.

Maybe next year haha ;)

Stan: No but I’ve heard it’s mostly old people so I don't think we missed out.

How’s the level of the French kids?

Jo: There we some amazing surfers out there, it was good to watch them perform these radical turns and airs so you can learn from them. Being in the water with them, it really makes you want to push yourself and perform better to. Stan knew a few of them from competitions he has entered against them.

Stan: Some of the French kids are surfing really well … the ones we saw anyway.

it's flat over here. Hopefully in a few years my dad will lend Stan and I and a couple of others the van to go to France if we promise we will look after it!

Stan: This one is easy! Yes of course!

Good waves, warm weather, hotties, pain au chocolate on tap … what more can you ask for? As long as I have Jo beside me it would be amazing.

I would also like to thank Jo’s mum, Rachel, for taking me. She is a legend, so cool, also his grandad Kev for taking all the photos and being amazing and not forgetting nana Sue who is also amazing. Love to all the Morris!

Are you looking forward to being old enough to jump in a van and spend a month messing about down there?

Jo: Definitely. Surfing in France is something I would like to do every year especially in the summer when

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i n t e r v i e w AL MACKINNON

Surfing in Ireland.

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INTERVIEW

STEVE

ENGLAND

ST IVES LAD PATCH WILSON HAS CARVED HIS NAME AS A CHARGER WITH HIS EXPLOITS IN THE IRISH WINTERS. THIS SUMMER BY A FORTUNATE TWIST OF FATE PATCH FOUND HIMSELF WITHOUT A SUMMER JOB, BUT HE ROLLED WITH IT AND ENDED UP ON TRIP OF A LIFETIME TO PUERTO ESCONDIDO. HE NOTCHED UP A LOT OF BARREL TIME AND SOME HEFTY BEATINGS!

So you just got back from a summer in Puerto how was it?

It was awesome to be honest. It felt really good to get involved out there especially as they had such a good season. I hadn’t been out there for almost 10 years so I was a little apprehensive about how the place might’ve changed. I’d heard that there had been so much building on the hill and on the beach that the sand does not move around properly anymore and that is true to a certain extent but the waves are still insane and the vibe on the beach and in the sea is epic. I love it. The last time I was there I was with Lowey and he was there this summer too so that was pretty cool.

How did your long stay come about?

I had dedicated the whole winter to Ireland and it was a pretty shocking winter for waves for us over there. The odd day here and there but mainly we were just getting slammed by storms. It’s so exposed over there that there aren’t the little nooks and crannies to surf like there are here in

Cornwall. So I just ended up working most of the winter on Tom Doige Harrison’s extension on his house with his mate Mark. So basically I had a pocket full of cash and I had wanted to go back to Mexico for a while so I booked a flight and got involved. I was only meant to go for a month but I had been there three weeks and I was just getting into the swing of things over there. I didn’t have any work responsibilities at home so I just ended up staying for three months!

Looked like a pretty decent season with plenty of swell, were there any classics?

There was pretty much a pumping swell every 10 days. It seemed like a swell would hit and it would be a little raw and nuts for a couple days as it filled in but as the latter part of the swell came through it would swing a little more SW or SSW and really sort itself out and it would just start pumping. The best swell for me was towards the end of the trip. A proper south swell that was lighting up Carmelitas which is the north end of

the beach. When those swells hit they just teepee into these crazy peaks and just swing around across 400m of beach. You look down the beach and everyone is just getting hosed out of tubes all over the place.

How was it repping with a fellow St Ives boy (Lowey) on the bigger days?

It’s always fun surfing with Lowey no matter how big the waves are. But he really comes into his own when it gets really big and his capabilities in those types of waves go far beyond mine. He is just mad to surf it when its 20ft and I’m pushing myself when it’s 10-15ft.

I’ve learnt over the years that it’s a really good thing to know your boundaries when the waves start getting really big. Puerto is not the place to find out that you really shouldn’t have paddled out. That said I had so many good days surfing with Tom on the far bar when I really felt like I was pushing myself and it always helps having him around. I was right next to him when

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AL MACKINNON COURTESY PATAGONIA

Patch comes from a long line of chargers from St Ives. Irish bomb.

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MIGUEL DIAZ

Huge Puerto pit from the 2016 season.

AL MACKINNON

Gold medal high dive, Aileens.

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T H E he paddled into that drainpipe left that he said for him was the best wave he has had all season.

That day was firing.

Is it tough to get sets down there when a swell gets telegraphed and loads of pros fly in?

Yeah it can be tough getting waves out there. I actually bailed out of Puerto when the WSL comp was on and did a mission down to Guatemala and that was when most of the pros were around. I’m not one for the scene to be perfectly honest. I have no desire to want to hang with the pros and want to fight those guys for waves. They all came down for a couple weeks and then bailed. As soon as those guys had bailed I was back up there and it was pumping again.

How are the locals in the line-up? They seem to have treated Brits really well there over the years?

The local guys always get the best waves out there. More so than the pros in my mind. They are on every good wave in the sets. They are all really cool to surf with as long as your respectful and keep your head down. They all charge hard and have got the sickest style. It’s good to watch.

Edwin Morales said to me he was stoked on how the UK guys come over. They charge hard, keep to themselves and are always really respectful in the line-up. It was nice to hear.

Obviously you have to pay the ferryman sometimes ... What was the most sketchiest moment out had out there?

I was surfing the far bar with Lowey and Gavin Beschen one morning and it was probably in the 10-12ft zone. There were some insane waves coming through but you really had to wait and pick the right one. I had just had a wave and started paddling back out but I had a pretty good hiding in the process. I stopped for two minutes to just get my breath back so I could do the rest of the paddle back out. Just as I thought, ‘I’m in a really bad position here’ I saw the pack take off for the horizon!

I couldn’t see what was coming but as soon as I did I knew I was going to get crucified. I started paddling towards a big 12ft plus lump as I got to it I dove of my board and swam. It just blew my leash clean off but I managed to get under it which I really didn’t think was going to happen.

I came up from that and there was another solid one behind it and I just started swimming at it. I really did not think that I was going to make it but I dove under and somehow made it out the other side. So I came up from that and luckily there wasn’t another behind it, but now I’m in a really bad spot. (The waves at Puerto suck you back into the impact zone rather than push you shorewards) So I just start swimming for the pack but it doesn’t seem like I’m moving and the pack

L O C A L

A L W A Y S W A V E S

G U Y S

G E T O U T

T H E

B E S T

T H E R E …

T H E Y

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A N D

H A V E

T H E

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are looking at me knowing I’m in a bad spot.

Luckily there was a break in the sets. I make it to the pack and take a break on one of the local boys boards. I swim another 40ft outside of the pack and out of the way of any sets and start a good 45 minute swim to the north end of the beach where I can dodge 10ft detonating sets and get in somewhere safer. Along the way a few of the locals and Gavin lent me their boards to have rest on, but I eventually made it in ok.

Where do spend most of your time these days? Is it spent between Maldives/Mex and Eire or are you in the UK a bit too?

I am mostly based in Ireland these days. I rent a house in the Lahinch area. It’s a good spot for me.

The waves pump when it’s on and its nice and quiet. The UK is just so busy these days. I have been working in the Maldives the past four years doing the summer season out there surf guiding on an Aussie run boat for a company called Liquid Destination with my mate Matt Smith. We used to divide the season up between us and back in the day we actually used to work together on the boat which was epic. That work kind of dried up this year. They aren’t as busy as what they have been in the past with the Aussie dollar not being as strong as it was so trips have got a lot more expensive for them. I didn’t mind though as it was a good excuse to do something else which is why I ended up in Mexico this year.

What is it that you think motivated you Lowey and Jayce to chase big swells? I seem to remember back the day the St Ives bodyboarders charged Hawaii and other heavy spots too….

There was always a really good crew of bodyboarders back in the day that were mad for pushing each other. Mark Stevens, Andrew Hardy, James Hardy. Jubes was always the man on a surfboard and these guys were always off doing these crazy trips when I was growing up to

G O O D

T O

G O T

S T Y L E .

W A T C H .

Hawaii, Indo, Oz and just coming back with these epic tales. That was such a big influence for all of us growing up. They were all such a cool crew to grow up around. Really pushed you in and out of the water. My bro Ed taking me to Puerto when I was 16 was a total game changer for me. It was suddenly like: there you go. They’re real waves.

Go and get involved.

What are your plans for the coming winter?

Are you back to Ireland or fancy some other big wave spots?

I’m going to be based in Ireland for the next six months or so for sure. I want to do trips in Europe. Lowey is moving down to Portugal so I will go and hang with him. I want to go back up to Scotland because that’s a yearly pilgrimage for me. There are other spots in Europe that I would love to check out but that will happen as and when. The best waves for me are within driving distance of my house in Ireland and that’s the reason I am based there. I get to surf with my mates in one of the most beautiful parts of the world. That’s good for me.

How’s the Moy Hill garden going. Do Fergal and Matt get you digging for your keep when you are over there?

To be honest it’s rare when I am up digging on the hill with the boys. I go up there and hang out with them all the time but if I’m spending a chunk of time in Ireland I am doing my own thing earning some cash either building or painting. But what the boys have achieved up there is nothing short of amazing. They’re totally dedicated, day in and day out, to growing veg and living the life they want to live and I have got nothing but admiration for what they are doing. That’s not to say that I don’t go up there and steal their veg and hit them up for tips on growing veg in my own beds at home!

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Patch, somewhere in Eire.

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AL MACKINNON COURTESY PATAGONIA

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J O U R N E Y T O T H E E N D O F T H E E A R T H BY

ALEX

PHOTOS INTRO

WORKMAN

MATT

BY

DUNBAR

WARRICK

MITCHELL

JACKSON COFFEY, JORDY LAWLER AND COOPER CHAPMAN GO WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE.

The far southern edge of the world is a beautiful place. The snow capped Southern Alps of New Zealand tower high along multiple miles of remote coastline boarding the Tasman Ocean. These mountains provide the backdrop for the 2.6 million hectare world heritage Fiordland National Park – one of the great natural areas of the world.

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When you’ve really got to stop on a trip for a wee break you’ve got to stop…

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(left)

Jackson racing a cold wall. (top right)

Cold Coops. (mid right)

‘Are you sure there’s a wave through here?’.

wo of the world’s largest tectonic plates, the Australian Indonesian Plate, which stretches as far a field as the Himalayas and Pacific Ocean (which border California) collide in the Fiordland.

These two plates grind together with gigantic pressure creating the worlds most active fault line a mere six kilometres behind our home. They’ve forced the mountains high into the air, which have then been shaped by glacial ice ages and tens of thousands of years of weather and corrosion. These dramatic snow capped mountains have created a geographic barrier leaving the southwest corner of New Zealand largely untouched.

Despite the isolation the human history is surprisingly rich in this corner of New Zealand wilderness.

Maori visited here in ‘whaka’ on huge voyages in search of prized jade or greenstone. The first sailors and whalers to visit New Zealand’s shores based themselves on this coastline due to its deep fjords and rich wildlife. The first sailing ship, the first house and the first beer brewed in New Zealand all occurred along these wild coasts.

My father came here as the next wave of explorers.

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His goal was to spend a year or two in the wilderness chasing his dream. Our Mum graduated from Melbourne University and visited with friends for the famous hiking trails. They met on these trails and later applied to the government to build a house in 1968. They worked thirty years along these remote coastlines with the mountains on their back doorstep, and the ocean on their front.

During those times the hills were alive with helicopters hunting for wild venison. Our family home would often have three or four helicopters on our front lawn.

I’d never even seen anyone surfing until I visited my cousins in Australia. Afterwards I began chasing some mellower spots on an old single fin. Years later some surfers landed on the beach while I was walking home with my board. We talked about waves and I invited them to come back and stay on another visit. It turned out my favourite fishing spot was indeed a great wave and a new era of pioneering and surf hosting begun.

My brother and I kept the family home while I spent many years working abroad. However my mind and heart always drifted back to our remote coastline and the rugged landscape of the Fiordlands. Eventually we

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Moody, cold, remote but empty as all hell.

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put our hosting into a more structured set up and opened the doors to those looking for a true wilderness adventure. Despite how many times you experience it the shear backdrop and natural beauty of this place never grows old.

J O R D Y L A W L E R First impressions ...I thought that we would be staying at a place with other people for a start.

[Laughs]. The first thing that came to mind was that the water was going to be really cold. I knew that the waves had potential but like anywhere didn’t expect to score the whole time … but we did big time!

Landscape ... The landscape is like nowhere else in the world. There are mountains everywhere

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and just so much land with massive waterfalls, lakes and glaciers. It was incredible. When we flew in we landed on a massive glacier, which was a once in a lifetime experience. What really stood out for me was just how untouched the place was!

It was amazing to experience especially coming from a busy place like Sydney.

Waves ... The region is pretty much the total opposite of where a surfer would go for a surf trip. It wasn’t like just jumping off a boat and you’re at a wave like Indo. We had to trek through shitloads of bush, mud and rocks whilst sand flies are eating you alive.

One of the waves we surfed was the best beach break I have ever seen. This wave was like my dream wave. Out the back you could do some turns and it was really playful then on the inside it drains to about a foot of water and just barrels for about 5-6 seconds into a channel. I honestly thought I was dreaming at one point.

(top left)

They say it’s all about the journey not the destination … sometimes they be right. (mid left)

Jordy getting inspiration from the helicopter ride in. (above)

Helicopters are also useful when it comes to shooting photos. This is Jordy Lawler ducking for cover.

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to. As hard as it was adjusting it was very rewarding.

I’ll never forget scoring the some of the best waves without anyone out other than some of my best mates in such a wild place. It doesn’t get any better than that.

J A C K S O N C O F F E Y First impressions ... The whole place was like something out of Game of Thrones. I’d never seen snow before and it was snowing on and off the whole time we were there. Flying over in the helicopter and landing on a glacier was one of the wildest things I’ve ever experienced. I got to touch snow for the first time. Needless to say I was pretty stoked!

Landscape ... That was the coldest water I’ve ever been in. All the trips I’ve ever been on have always been in warm water like Indonesia. I’ve never done any real cold water trips. I was wearing a 4mm wetsuit and it was freezing cold with the stiff offshore winds.

Waves ... That left was one of the best sand bottom bars I’ve ever surfed. It had a river running out which made this triangular shaped wave and we had one day that was just pumping. Everyone was frothing. The set up is just amazing. I want to go back and surf it again. To surf A-Frames we had to walk 3km in, deal with the sand flies, then 3km out, again with sand flies as company. After treks like that we’d come back to the accommodation, have a few drinks, cook some food and play cards.

(top)

Ready to go live off the land. (middle)

Popping down the fish counter (above)

Dinner sorted (right)

Cooper Chapman and an apt spray.

Whether this wave is called Gandalfs we can’t be sure.

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Hunting ... Our tour guide Warwick [Mitchell] was the man! He grew up in the same house we were staying at and had the whole place absolutely wired.

I don’t know if we would of survived if it wasn’t for him. [Laughs]. He’s a man of many trades and did everything from hunting, cooking and guiding us to the best waves. There is heaps of wildlife in the area and every day Warwick would hunt or dive to put food on the table for us. We were having so much lobster and eating like kings!

Experience ... The whole time over there I felt like Bear Grylls. We were pretty much were dropped in the middle of the Fiordland and survived off hunting and gathering. The experience of being so far from civilisation was like nothing that any of us were used

Hunting ... We had no idea what to expect when it came to food because we were so isolated. But every night we would be eating the best home cooked meals you could ever have. They would shoot deer, dive for lobsters and other than a few staples they had at our shack they went and hunted for.

I was super blown away by how well Warrick [Mitchell] could live so far away from society. He would collect his own water and the whole house was set up to preserve his own food. He has his own boat and all these pumping waves right on his doorstep.

The whole time we were just tripping out looking at the mountains and feeling so small in this wild place.

Experience ... It was the perfect ‘get away from your phone’ week and back to what many of us felt when we were younger. It was amazing. It reminded me of when I was younger growing up in the caravan traveling around Australia.

Warrick’s house was on the side of a riverbank and he had a tinny that could fit eight people and he would ride this boat through the river to get out to the waves. You had to be such a good driver to navigate the crossing because you could flip the boat so easily crossing the bar. I was in awe of his ability out there. He’s a total character.

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(above)

‘Who the hell got wax on my chopper?!’ (left)

Grocery and gun racks. Life on the edge of the world. (below)

‘Look ma, no hands!’ (right inset)

If you’re going to build a post-surf bonfire you might as well go big.

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(above)

Jordy speed blur on a big wall.

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C O O P E R C H A P M A N First impressions ... I had never heard of where the Fiordlands were before we headed out there.

When I looked it up on the map I knew it was going to be freezing. Once we go there it was so much wilder than what I expected. We flew right over the Fiordland National Park and I think Jordy, Jacko and me were just in awe of what we were seeing because there was hardly a word spoken.

Landscape ... It was something that you would see in National Geographic. It’s hard to describe just how beautiful it was. There wasn’t another soul around and it was simply untouched. It was such a contrast coming from a crazy place like Sydney.

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Waves ... When we first saw this rivermouth we came in from behind the break on the boat and it really looked like nothing. We thought, ‘Ok here we go, this is going to be a bit of a stitch up’.

But from land we saw its potential and realised that this wave could get pretty good with a bit of swell. We surfed it back to back days as the swell started filling in and on the final day it was just pumping. That was the session that stood out the most.

Getting to the waves was always a big deal.

We were only able to surf once a day or twice max. It’d either be a forty-minute boat ride to a wave or a hike over sharp rocks in booties for a few k’s each way. We’d also have to factor in the tides. So you really picked the sessions you were going to put in for. It was all part of the adventure though and it all came together in the end.

Hunting ... When we went diving for crays Jacko and I couldn’t find anything but Warrick would

just pop up with seven crays in half an hour. We were just baffled! [Laughs]. I didn’t even see one underwater.

Experience ... Warrick was so dialled in. The way he could read the land, get around on a boat, hunt and adapt to everything in the environment was pretty amazing. It just came so natural.

I think all of us enjoyed living off the land. A lot of my time traveling is spent going to events so I don’t really get many opportunities to have experiences like that. I really tried to make the most of it and adapt to the elements. There’s no point in not having a good time. It was probably a trip that I might not ever experience again.

It wasn’t your run of the mill surf trip and I appreciated that for a change. *A huge thanks to Warrick Mitchell and his team from Awarua Guides. www.awaruaguides.com

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How much fun does this look?!

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WORDS

BY

DAVE

SPARKES

THE ESC APE PHOTOS

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BY

DAVE

SPARKES

AND

STEVE

MORRISETTE

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(left)

Now this is how professionals get a four wheel drive well and truly stuck. Right up to the engineer’s plate. (bottom)

Prickle sticks of doom. (right)

Louie Hynd whipping the Sideshow Bob ‘fro through a big tail waft.

When the Rip Curl Search Tactical Unit told us to: "Standby, you're going … anywhere," it sounded like carte blanche, an open cheque to find waves planet wide. The fact that the swell we were targeting had come and gone by the time we left Australia was more a matter of logistical friction than lack of planning.

My histrionic ‘dang nabbit!’ type exclamation was a thin attempt at disguising the fact that I wasn’t fazed about our failed rendezvous with a done and dusted swell.

For me, surgical strikes are clinical and soulless anyway. They aren't real travel at all, they lack romance; they're like paying for sex. I much prefer going out and just hunting for surf, the more so for the sake of story telling. Besides, if it’s guaranteed, it’s hardly ‘Searching’, is it? That we'd be camping in a desert wilderness, many hours

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drive from food, water, anything, would also be great story fodder, I thought, a touch nervously.

As the sole Aussies, Louie Hynd and me would be thrown into the desert with a crew of Americans, the plan being to first stockpile enough life support to see us through a couple of weeks in one of the most isolated, desolate and unforgiving ecosystems on earth. Dillon Perillo and Noah Wegrich were the other surfers, and our gang would be rounded off by Rip Curl staffers Matt Myers and Steve 'Chimpsy' Morrisette, videographer Rory Pringle and our local guide Vicente.

We had an RV and two four wheel drives, and enough camping gear, food and fuel to make Bear Grylls eat a bowl of spiders' arseholes in disgust.

We seemed prepared, but really it was all just trinkets, a facsimile of protection against an

environment that could take us out with a wink of its unfeeling eye. We could hold out for a while, but it would be a war of attrition.

We drove in convoy for a dozen hours, the highway's narrow lanes, murderous oncoming trucks and numerous destroyed guard rails - with accompanying crosses, flowers and memorials - the first indicators that life burns fast here.

And these were only the man made threats. As we headed farther south, the verdant landscape faded to earthy ochres and siennas, desert slowly prevailing until it was all you could see; we were entering the realm of natural dangers. It was rarely devoid of life, though. Tough, spiky, drought resistant life. Cacti run the show here, cacti of every possible shape and size. There are at least 120 species in this region, including the awesome Cardon, the world's largest. It can attain

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heights of 20 metres, and weigh up to 40 tons after rain, its highly adapted water retention systems ensuring it drinks hard and fast during its rare chances. And it can live for over 200 years, a true testament to this prickly old grandfather's mastery of hell.

Within this now parched region, there were a great variety of landscapes.

Undulating plains dominated by single agave species, and mountainous slopes punctuated with the bizarre, Dr Seuss type cirio trees, creating a truly alien impression. There were also bouldered zones, transformed into stunning compositions by artfully placed verticals, in the form of the archetypal Saguaro cacti, growing majestically amongst the house-sized boulders. It looked like some sensitive giant's lovingly created rock garden.

The RV performed incredibly well during the last few hours of the drive down. Some of the evil off road trails we submitted it to verged on impassable, but it just kept crawling over them. Of course, on cue, our confidence high, we bogged it convincingly in powdery sand within a few hundred metres of our first camp. Vicente was mortified. His guiding credibility compromised in his mind, he compensated by grabbing the bull by the horns and attacking the problem. Chimpsy caught his energy like a virus, and they threw everything at the RV, which at this point was looking more like a home than a mobile home.

It was bottomed out, two tons of cubic metal sitting flush on the sand like a shipping container. Despite our preparations, we had no tow rope. On a thin hope Chimpsy drove one of the 4WDs on to our proposed camp site to see if anyone was around, and incredibly returned half an hour later with a borrowed tow strap from some better prepared campers. Thankfully one of our 4WDs was a powerful beast, an F350 that had the balls to pull the RV out.

Our elation at escaping our first encounter with the desert's claws was only tempered by the fact that we still had to set up camp, late at night after a very big day. Still, we were mobile again, and tomorrow was another day.

Vicente had delivered us to a right point break, and morning revealed mellow four footers running lazily down a cobblestone peninsula. I thought the waves looked fun, in a fishy sort of way, but I knew the surfers wouldn't think much of them. As a rinse from the first night's sandy debacle however, they did the job.

Our camp resembled a shanty town. The RV was the community hall, and scruffy tents formed brave little suburbs around it. It took a while to settle into any sort of order with cooking and the like, with eight people and a huge pile of miscellaneous stuff, you need military type discipline to organise even basic things like meals. Since we were far from disciplined - I wouldn't quite call us useless – we initially resorted to snacks, fruit and other easy pickings as a kind of buffer before we had to face any actual cooking.

The loose plan was to relocate every few days, since the wave potential in the region was spread over a fairly large area. We would thus leave the RV at

(above)

Dillon Perillo and a sheet of spray worthy of a wakeboarder...

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' We regularly saw whale bones, some of them the size of builder’s planks; dolphin skulls; dead sea lions and desiccated leopard sharks. Life burns here all right, on land and in the sea.''

Big blue walls are a welcome distraction from survival in the desert. Louie unwinding.

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Dillon just toying with a Baja lip.

‘Any idea where we are?’

‘Nope. Not a sausage.'

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Camp life.

various base camps and strike out in the 4WD's to look for surf. In this country, we were free to set up camp anywhere we liked, and one memorable night we bivouacked on a headland overlooking a fun right-hander with no one in sight, a rare treat in camping circles.

The ocean held more obvious signs of life than the land. Pelicans, gulls, ospreys, terns, sandpipers, sea lions, whales and dolphins wheeled and dealed around the coastline, plying their trades and seemingly doing very well in an environment that was so opposite to the one it lay adjacent to. But as you had to look harder at the desert to realise how much life it supported, so you also had to really observe the ocean to see its unforgiving side. We regularly saw whale bones, some of them the size of builder’s planks; dolphin skulls; dead sea lions and desiccated leopard sharks. Life burns here all right, on land and in the sea.

The cool water temperature demanded steamers, and the land wasn't far behind once the sun had set. That is typical of a desert environment, which only adds to the demands of surviving in arid zones. This fluctuating temperature had us going from fully fleeced, rugged up beanie wearers at night, competing for the least smokey campfire position, to boardshort wearing, dehydrated rats during the heat of the day. It was relentless.

One of the less glamorous quirks of camping in the wilderness is turd management. With eight people, and other intrepid travellers to consider,

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these things need to be planned. Hence the creation of our little kit, consisting of paper, mini shovel and lighter. Privacy is only attainable in this open desert by means of distance, so off you would trek, with kit in hand, to find solitude to do what you had to; the Search never ends. The shovel was for burying, the lighter for burning the paper, and any night time emissions were melodramatically punctuated by fiery little exclamation marks in the distant night.

During our ongoing surf reconnaissance, Dillon spotted a perfect, hollow little right hander breaking near a fishing village, built around a couple of silted up breakwalls. According to Vicente, this man-made harbour filled with sand almost immediately after completion. It was dredged, after which it filled itself in again. In a comedy of errors, there was another dredging, an embezzlement of funds, a long prison term for the failed bean counter and finally a harbour of fine white sand which sheltered no ships but did create a sandbar as perfect as any I've ever seen.

As a comparison, Sandspit in Santa Barbara comes to mind. It was sublime, and as a tease at 1-2 ft was as titillating as sitting in a Michelin star restaurant with an empty belly and empty pockets.

As an area to Search for surf in, this region is textbook. There are few people here, and endless headlands, promontories and bays to explore. But they all demand effort to get too, and mostly it is a mission to check any likely looking prospects … and there are many. The desert is punctuated by

difficult to negotiate mountainous zones, rocky hills and dry valleys alternating in a constant, dust bowl battle of will. This ruthless acid test means even the vehicles do it tough, let alone our feeble selves. We really feel outclassed by the native flora and fauna, which have earned their right to local status through countless generations of trial and error.

The unsettlingly regular appearance of the bones and bodies of better adapted species than us, maybe more worthy candidates than us, remind us constantly of our artificial and interim status of survival here. We are temporarily stumbling our way around, an ignorant approach propped up by our machines and the knowledge that we are but brief visitors. Long term survival here is a smarter, more elegant ask. Coyotes, for example, smaller, of finer physique and sleeker than I’d imagined – based on my extensive knowledge of the Roadrunner cartoons - use cunning and patience, as well as an omnivorous and no fuss diet. Like most animals here, they time their activity with the hours of the day, optimising their energy expenditure to food consumption ratio. Like most everything else here, they also pack a counter punch in the form of almost certain delivery of rabies, and very certain infection, from any bite.

This place grows on us as the days roll by.

Almost imperceptibly, its subtle beauty emerges from our initial impressions of a dusty wasteland.

It has an understated magic that gradually

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' The waves here feel as protected by the filter of distance, the harshness of travel, the isolation and inaccessibility of the landscape, as the wise cacti are by their spines. .'' washes over you like a slow tide, an increasing feeling of a pared back existence, all superfluous frills long since burned away by the sun and the stone and the sharp and spiky edges. Speaking of which, it feels like everything is sharp here. Every blade of grass, every ground cover plant, every bush or shrub or anything alive, from spiders, snakes and scorpions to the ubiquitous cacti. It is as if, within their own spartan act of survival, they hold up their swords in defiance against the elements, ready to go down fighting to the pointy end. You don’t go barefoot much here.

After a couple of camp pack ups and set ups, we were getting pretty good at it. We could usually mobilise within the hour, from bare ground to full campsite, complete with raging fire and food on the cook. Everyone had a crack at cooking, with varied success. The approach is minimal, and the goal is to finish and get settled around the fire with a beer - kept cold for the first week at least via a couple of huge eskies and some large blocks of ice, the theory being that they melt slower than small cubes due to their decreased surface area to volume ratio.

In ancient times, the campfire was the focus of a family's attention, before radio, television and all the rest of the electronic chewing gum options lobotomised our social brains. Fire was the original colour TV, a crackling and non-verbal model that elicited conversation rather than discouraged it, and in between anecdotes and jokes it is an ever changing and hypnotic oracle.

Some of the campfire story telling was pretty hectic. Eight males in the wilderness will always get ribald and raucous, and unfortunately the best stories must remain untold, or at least anonymous. One - featuring a threesome and a dancing, in-situ tapeworm who was apparently intoxicated by a psychotropic alkaloid and acting in a very un-tapeworm like way - will probably not make it to print. It did however cause some of us to almost choke on our beers through sheer hilarity and laughter induced semi-asphyxia.

Everyone has their own theories on when certain waves might work. We have scoped out several point breaks that look to have much potential, but the complex variables of wind,

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tide, sand and swell direction elicit wildly diverse suggestions as to when to check what. There are enough right hand point breaks here to quicken the pulse of any natural footer, but they are many miles apart, and every check becomes a gamble in which the stakes are possibly missing another break which might be much better - or maybe not even breaking.

The waves here feel as protected by the filter of distance, the harshness of travel, the isolation and inaccessibility of the landscape, as the wise cacti are by their spines. And, too, some of the line ups that looked so nice from afar turned out to be not so great up close, yet another subtle gambit in this intriguing and demanding game of desert chess.

After deciding one morning that the harbour wave might improve on the low tide, we watched and waited for it, comfortable in the knowledge that the wind would hold all day. This wind direction was onshore at many of the places we'd explored, but the harbour jetties that so failed in their protection of ships, offered wind protection to the surf. The swell had kicked a bit overnight, and seemed to still be on the rise. I was delighted at not knowing what was coming ‌ at all. The lack of phone reception or any other communication had been a godsend in my eyes; we were supposed to be on the Search, and it seemed like better sport to be truly on our own, making decisions based on what we saw and felt, not based on some Internet swell guru directing us like imbeciles to go here or there. That seems more like following than Searching.

"It's good not having any contact with the outside world; having no signal was a relief.

People are so fixated by their phones these days, half the time you'll be bored with your phone after a minute anyway, and just sit there staring at it for no reason," Louie added.

We had contemplated going off to look at another spot while we waited for the tide, but before that happened the harbour right started to flare a bit. Within the time it took 8 people to reassess another basic decision, which was always painfully dragged out, the call was made easy by the arrival of a set of chest to head high screamers. These waves were so exquisitely formed, and ran down that gun barrel bank

Anyone want to give us some free flights to Baja?

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with such wondrous symmetry, you'd have to be insane or insanely fussy to not grow an instant beard of froth, toss it over your shoulder like a musketeer, and charge out there.

In the afterglow of this session, someone suggested we go and have a look at another point, which had showed potential a few days prior. On that day, it had only been about 2 foot, but long, clean walls arced into a beautiful stony cove dotted with big green agaves. The setting was sublime, and with this increase in swell, who knew? It was a good hour's drive, but with quenching beers and a feeling of no rush we moseyed on down there in the late afternoon, arriving near sunset to find it maxed out and

lacking its previous mojo. In fact the whole bay looked strangely malevolent, hardly recognisable from the other day. Having driven out along the beach to the cove, we watched for a while, decided to head back to our current camping site, and then the day suddenly turned very sour.

Chimpsy was driving the big F350, and as he began to turn it around, hit a seam of hidden clay and sunk that big boy to the chassis in about a second. What we'd thought was easy sand had hidden treacherous clay, but with spinning wheels we could now see it was worse than quicksand. The car was close to the surf, and with an incoming tide only about halfway up, and the sun halfway down, things looked grim.

We began to go through all the standard procedures: air out of the tyres; everyone pushing; digging around the wheels. It was worse than useless. The tyres were spinning in baths of pure, wet clay, the heavy vehicle was utterly bottomed out, and waves were beginning to wash up past the doors. Help was a world away.

There was a semi abandoned fishing village here, and there were also several seams of football sized rocks around the shore. In amongst the fishing shacks, there were scattered old planks, ripped up bolts of old carpet, even a few shovels. It was as if some omnipotent puppeteer had left clues and miscellanea to help us escape, like a set up out of ‘Hunger Games’ or ‘The

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Noah Wegrich making the most of mini peelers.

Truman Show’. Despite the props, it seemed futile. 'Oh well', I thought, a bit disloyally, 'It'll make for a good story, and it's only an insured hire car'. I started taking some photos while the others kept busy at a task as insurmountable as hitting the moon with a slingshot, and at this point Dillon remembered seeing another big 4WD and caravan on the track on our way in. He carefully backed our other, smaller 4WD off the beach, avoiding the clay, and soon returned with Tony. Poor, dear Tony.

From British Columbia, Tony is about 70, and had been quietly minding his own business when he was roped into our nightmare. He offered to try and pull us out with his powerful vehicle, and within seconds he was bogged, too. The

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dynamic of the situation changed in an instant.

Instead of a crew of self-destructing morons, splashing around in the mud with our oversized Tonka toys, we were suddenly racked with the guilt of this poor guy's life being ruined. With his only lifeline to the outside world sitting in an increasingly rising shore break of foam and surf, the sight of him, bad back and all, feebly trying to dig around his sunken tyres and $50,000 vehicle was heartbreaking. The feeling of helplessness was overwhelming. I could just make out the silhouette of Noah down there in the near darkness, trying to help him.

What could we do? Chimpsy and Vicente drove off in our little 4WD, in some faint hope of finding a distant town with tow trucks and

winches and bringing them back here … it was hopeless. It was pretty much dark now, and we had some scraps of food and had lit a fire. We persuaded Tony to leave his car and come up to get warm. His calm acceptance and lack of temper almost made us feel worse. I wanted him to scream at us, to abuse us, throw something at us. No. His friendly manner in the face of this calamity was unbelievable. And the tide just kept coming.

A couple of hours later, Chimpsy and Vicente returned . . . with reinforcements. Before committing to find help from afar, they’d stopped in out of desperation at our latest camping spot, an hour down the road, where there had been some other campers. To our incredible good

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fortune, they turned out to be total 'can do' types, with big car jacks and chains and ridiculously positive attitudes. They looked like they'd just come from MacGyver auditions. They had lights, and plans, and orders to shout at us, and we did everything they told us to. We dug and battled and crawled in the mud, and endured waves washing halfway up the cars, and motivated by Tony’s predicament we worked like maniacs. We jacked the cars at both ends, dug out tracks in line with the wheels, front and back, and extending for about 3 metres past the clay zone, and filled them with rocks. It took until about 1am, but finally both cars were free and clear. The look on Tony's face as he drove off, free, made life seem very special indeed. We could now leave here not

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only alive, but with our guilt appeased. It felt like time to go home.

We’d found a bit of surf, but discovered a lot about ourselves. The extremes of that environment mean that only the most perfect adaptations will survive, and our own survival was due more to the brevity of our exposure than any real skills. With our clumsy negotiation of that scorched place, our crude bludgeoning of the cruel elements there, our tools paled into insignificance compared to those who have truly paid their dues of adaptation.

As an analogy for our lives, our short stint in the desert was appropriate. As in life, all we could do was marvel at the rugged beauty, the stark and surreal country that was ours to enjoy for the

briefest time, before getting turfed out like the temporary lodgers we were. In geological time, our residence on earth is similarly brief, as we are summoned from stardust like lottery winners to cling as long as we can to the beauty of life. The best we can do with those winning tickets is to make it a dance, as artful and elegant as possible.

Like that clever hummingbird, who fluttered and finessed his way between the spines, so must we read between the lines, and burn bright like they do in the desert, like the incandescent beings that we are, before taking our bows and making our dignified retreat into the ether, raw materials ready for the next guest on this wonderful planet.

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WE ARE THE

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CHAMPIONS FIVE WORLD CHAMPS AND A LOCAL LEGEND BATTLE IT OUT ON SINGLE FINS, TWIN FINS AND THRUSTERS IN MALDAVIAN PERFECTION. ONE TAKES HOME A TROPHY, BUT EVERYONE WINS!

WORDS

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STEVE

ENGLAND

•

ALL

PHOTOS

SEAN

SCOTT

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five star resort intent on making surfers feel like kings and queens for a week, a luxury surf travel company founded and run by a guy who can still surf six hours straight at ten foot G-Land and you have the foundations for something special. That it is run in the Maldives is that special sauce.

I don’t know why I haven’t visited this exotic chain of islands a long time ago, but the years wasted will be one of my regrets. It just has something. Consistent surf, water so clear, an ambience of calm found in few places I have visited.

The locals have managed to keep that simple sense of humour and openness many places lost a long time ago... And I know it gets crowded, and I

know it can be a hassle in the line-up when boats turn up with frothers or grumpy old men, but a smile, a joke, a nod still go a long way here. And you get the windows, those rare snapshots of time when the crowd thins, peace descends and you can feel the water texture changing to pure glass.

The golden times. Pulses of swell, dead calm, tropical serenity. Waves you can just glide along passing smiling faces. Blue fish strafing the water surface. Parrot fish feeding and rolling skyward to cast one eye over you. Occasional barracuda hunting. More sets, more laughs, giving waves to someone you only just met, laughing with locals reacquainting with faces from the road traveled.

I hold these times more precious than any. They never dull. I just open my eyes wider, try to breath it all in.

I know how lucky I am to surf, and to surf here. That the people I just met giving and sharing waves with six others out are Beth Hamilton, Taj Burrow and Rob Machado who are equally as stoked as me is another level. To see

(top left)

(top right)

Rob Machado and Shane Dorian hanging out before duelling on their single fins. Very different boards, both magic in their own way.

Machado flying on his hand shaped single fin.

Possibly surfing even better than in his youth.

(left)

The Four Seasons Explorer. I’ve experienced worse base camps.

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globally famous ‘surf stars’ just beaming, sharing and surfing… I never dreamt of being here, doing this with such nice people. I mean how could you?

I guess as surfers we have a common bond.

I still believe in ‘stoke’, even though it isn’t fashionable to admit, and the watering down of surf culture is the order of the day. From world title contender through to veteran surfer, a woman in her mid thirties just learning, to amped up grom there is a shared experience and joy that comes from just riding waves. When there is no pressure, no crowd, no expectation, you can ride a wave however you want, get to the end and you smile, the guy who just kicked out smiles, those waiting on the peak looking back just … smile.

The Champions Trophy was full of these experiences. For the invitees, the coaches, organisers, marketeers, judges, media and those that joined sessions from boats in the region. Just little magic moments that everyone tuned into.

I don’t know another ‘sport' that has this. Which

(bottom right)

Clearest water on the planet?

Probably…

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Jamie O’Brien slotted, Sultans.

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THE leads me to believe that surfing still actually only has a small sporting element which is actually just a charade for everyone hitting the road and going surfing.

CHAMPION (right)

Hussain ‘Iboo’ Areef repping for the locals. He shreds.

“WHY ARE THEY T R E AT I N G U S LIKE THIS? I MEAN, THERE’S NO REASON. IT’S C R A Z Y . ” MR JOB JOB is one of biggest names in surfing on the planet. He’s sat on a table at the Reef Club bar sipping cold beer as his girl cruises the infinity pool as the sun sets.

“We’re not rockstars, or Hollywood A-listers … I keep trying to tell my girl this is THE honeymoon destination in the Maldives. I feel so lucky right now.”

Sand floor, open air dining, air brushed sun setting over the lagoon, cold beer all round ... it’s a mutual feeling. As surfers we have been lucky enough to visit some amazing destinations, five star luxury in such places, not so much.

Jamie turned up jet lagged after missing a flight. At first he was like the pros last year, slightly edgy, not quite sure of the contest concept, what was required of him, who the crew were and how it would all play out.

By his second surf he was getting it.

“This is soooooo good…”

On his third night we are chatting after another day of perfect waves and he was chilled.

The last day he spent all day surfing with his girl and filming a 13 year old grom from Texas from a foamy on a GoPro. “So I hear you got a new filmer Jack?” I joked later. “Man, I can’t believe it!” said the stoked grom.

Jamie was cool in the line-up. Slightly guarded at first as I guess most celebs are. I mean there are a lot of opinions in surfing, and a lot of people not afraid to voice them. He was nice though, chatting to and encouraging the younger surfers in the line-up, calling in others. He surfs really good, drawn out lines punctuated by small tweaks, power and style. Big guy too. “I’m just so happy to surf somewhere that's not trying to kill me!” he said. “That’s what I love about this place, it’s so friendly. The waves have power, but don’t want to hurt you. The reefs are user friendly.

There’s nothing trying to bite you.”

His single fin went really well, his twin fin though … Well. I’m going to call best roundhouse rebound I have ever seen in real life. It was a late afternoon session when he took off blasted down the line and went into a rail grab cutty. I was watching from behind when he disappeared in to the trough, came off the bottom, went vertical,

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air off the section about two feet and effortlessly snapped back down. It was so smooth. Like the board did all the work. He paddled back out seemingly unaware, “Mate, did you know you fully aired out that rebound?”

“Man this board is sooo sick. I just shuffled got my feet in the right place and…” He saw a set, a glint came in his eye and he was off. I laughed.

It was going to be tough for Jamie to get back on a thruster.

“ I S TA J A S G O O D A BLOKE AS HE SEEMS?” Dead set.

It’s the question everyone asked on my return, and the answer is an unequivocal “Yes, he is a legend in real life.”

The Western Australian has a really approachable demeanour. Every sentence is finished with a grin. Easy to forget that he has just retired from the top 44, at the top of his game. A world class athlete who’s only real reason for dropping off the tour is the birth of an adorable child and a yearning to be a family man.

At 38 he’s spent most of his life living out of bags chasing points.

“I loved every minute of it,” he says. “But Arabella came along and I just wanted to spend more time with the family, and doing things like this.”

You can’t blame him. You can see Taj is a doting father to a very happy baby. His girlfriend is hilarious, “Get out there and win. Don’t came back unless we are coming back next year!” she ordered. Apparently she is a famous model so you in Taj and Rebecca have a top end celeb couple.

You wouldn’t know though. They are just down to earth, very funny, happy people.

Rebecca was on a mission though … to get Taj to win her a trip back Four Seasons next year! It lead to amazing heat commentary as she juggled Arabella and jokingly berated her bf who

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(left)

Sunset over Kuda Huraa. (right)

Taj on a tear. This is his single fin.

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was absolutely on a tear on every wave he took off on.

Taj smashed everything that came this way.

Single fin, twin fin and thruster, it didn’t matter.

He was 1998 ASP rookie the year, yeah read that again: 1998. At 38 he is still one of the world’s best surfers bowing out in Fiji with a 18.60 out of 20 heat.

“You should do a Taj’s best bits video,” I suggested. “A compilation of your videos and highlights from over the years. I’m surprised no one has done it yet?”

“Really?’ smiled Taj. ”You think people would still be interested?"

One of the most influential performance surfers in the world, who’s vids were some of the most anticipated on the planet was wondering if people would like to see a celebratory highlight reel.

“Are you kidding me…?"

He wasn’t. He’s that down to earth. A dead set legend.

(left)

The Champions.

Every one a winner. (botom left)

Shane and Taj hanging out having a breather after their heat. They hadn’t surfed against each other for years, maybe even decades. They absolutely relished it!

“ARE YOU CONTENT NOT BEING ON TOUR?” Travis Logie was a battler, he earned his way onto the WSL the hard way. While everyone who makes the world elite has to have talent, some seem to make it look like an easy, smooth passage. Others, they have to work, train, put the hard yards in. Hugely competitive Trav is one of the few Saffas to excel on tour but it wasn’t always easy.

A knee injury took him off tour in 2008, a few years sat on the CT bubble meant slogs on the QS to stay on tour. In 2010 he had to beat a rampaging Slater in what was a world title heat for the Jedi to keep his WSL spot. He won. (Slater went on to win the world title anyway.)

“I’m really happy,” Travis said. “I had a great time on tour, but when the time came I knew I just wanted to send more time at home with my wife.”

Travis now oversees the WSL QS series as Deputy Commissioner from his California home.

At 37 his surfing was a sharp as ever “I still surf everyday and a I go home to see my family and friends ever year. Actually I probably surf more in SA than in Cali during that time. There are so many waves it’s incredible.”

Trav got pipped in three semi finals, by Taj, O’Brien on his favourite twin fin and Dorian on a thruster in the final seconds. His downfall was as much about a troublesome inside section that favoured the natural foots due to it’s unpredictable nature. When it opened up it provided long tight lock ins and heat winners for what are some of the best regular footed tube riders the world. For the goofy foots, it was nice

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Dorian and his magic single fin. He hadn’t actually surfed it much before the comp. “I’ll figure it out,” he said. Yep…

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Machado. He even looks cool underwater‌

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views and could have beens. There was some discussion if heats could be run around the corner at the left which was reeling off emptily just behind the Sultans line-up. If they had, no doubt Trav would have made finals. As it was, he had to settle a third place for tight incisive turns consistently across all craft.

“I LIKE SURFING S M A L L W AV E S ! ” If “Is Taj a good bloke?" was the most often asked question of me when I returned it pales into insignificance when compared to how often Dorian has to convince all comers he actually likes surfing small waves. It goes like this: "Do you like surfing small waves?"

“Yes!” “Really?”

"Yes I …"

"Really though..."

"No I really …"

"You’re on the wind up …"

“No I …”

“But really, though …"

And so it goes. I did the same. Twice. Just

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checking!

“It’s just so nice to surf waves that aren’t going to kill you if you mess up,” was his response. One day he even complained the rip was strong at four foot Sultans.

"Man that sweep is killing me,” he said as we paddled back to the peak.

“Hang on. Hang on just a damn minute. You. Shane Dorian. A chap that paddles into death waves at Jaws, and many other places, can not have a whinge about a bit of current!” I said.

“I know but that’s kind of winter, I’ve just been taking my kid surfing, and diving, you know.”

So there you have it Shane Dorian is human and can have whinge about a bit of current as good as the rest of us. Who would have thought?

Shane was back to defend his title and had fully got into the spirit of the event getting a hand shaped single fin Jacobs egg. It went insanely well. Like no single fin egg I had seen.

“We (Hap Jacobs grandson and I) had a chat with Harley (Ingleby) and came up with this,” he explained. We figured if there is anyone who knows single fins it was him.”

It was about 5’3”, or it looked it, but man did

it fly. Just smooth round houses, no flat spots, no dragging edges, just pure flow.

Shane checked in where he left off last year.

He has a crazy ability to read waves. Like he will sit and wait where no one else had been sitting and waiting and get a bomb, and waves would just stand up and barrel where none had been barrelling. And he loves competing. Loves the cut and thrust. He ccan run through every highlight of a heat he just completed with his fellow competitor with a passion.

“And then you got that bomb and I was like, ‘Oh no, I’m out of this’ and then I got that one and it…”

He was just loving it. I had a few chats with Shane this year and he is a nice guy. I have tried to convince him to come back to Ireland or the UK but as he said, “The cold kills me. Like really kills me. Hats off to the guys who are out there charging those really heavy waves. I am not sure I could do it day in day out.”

Shame. But I think we will see him back. His drive to surf the heaviest waves in the world will drag him back.

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“I WOULDN’T KNOW ABOUT AIRS….”

Rob Machado is a filthy liar. “I wouldn't know about airs” indeed. My bet is that when he thinks no one is watching he is back to his Focus days busting reverses and airs at will.

Rob turned up ready to go for the Four Seasons title. He had a very cool single fin he’d shaped himself. It looked amazing, wide nose, super pulled swallow tail, it looked about 4’10”.

No way on earth was it going to go in my mind!

Like those super varnished alaia you see people proudly put under arm, walk down the beach and then sink the bottom of the sea. No way was it going to...

Rob casually paddles and picks off a mid-sized runner, sweeps his dreads back and proceeds to hit about 100 mph casually swooping and gliding with not one lump, bump or missed turn. Minimal effort, maximum effect. Off he went into the distance…It’s a magic single fin.

Kind of reminded me of an Aipa stinger without the stinger for those that remember such things.

Rob tells me it’s his first trip back to the

Maldives for 20 years and he’s psyched to be there. Especially with Shane and Taj... in fact everyone.

I asked him about the comp and reminded him I know full well how competitive he is.

Despite the main public perception of Rob being super laid back, which he is on land, he is super competitive when needs be. He has a fire in his eyes when ‘it’s on’. In the same way Rasta switches into comp mode, Rob can do the same.

He does not like to lose.

“So if that’s how the single fin goes, I guess we’ll be seeing a few airs on the thruster.”

With a face frozen save for one slowly raised eye brow he smiles and says, “I wouldn’t know about airs…"

LOL! Two days later he was in the air on practically every backhand floater he did. I watched his Momentum section back for reference and I would say he is surfing better now than way back then. He is 44 now, but apart from a few more lines on his face he is super fit and just glides through the water.

He may have been cruising at 100 mph during the warm up free surf on the first day,

but as soon as that vest went on, ‘Boom’, Mach 10 super flowing, spray and locks everywhere.

Rob took out Dorian in a tied heat with a highest scoring wave in the single fin semis. Taj ended his single fin run by .94 in the final. So that’s your gauge. Taj, 38, just off the elite tour flying on his forehand on a tricksy wave versus Machado on his backhand on a single fin. He is that good.

Dorian got his own back in the twin fin in an electric heat but it was close and Rob posted an 18/20 heat. In the thruster event he went even faster. Just outstanding surfing. As good as anyone on the world tour I have seen recently…

Apart from the airs obviously… After all, what would Rob Machado know about airs….

I have my suspicions...

“ W H AT I S I T L I K E TO SURF AGAINST YOUR HEROES?” If it wasn’t cool enough already Four Seasons event added another element this year, an invite to local legend Iboo.

“Sorry to steal your wave dude,” I think were

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Travis Logie was also on a shred.

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his first words. Iboo had paddled out on a nearly empty session. He was miles out to sea when a set came through he turned, went and stylishly carved his was all the way to the inside section. I was about 30 yards too far inside and no chance of getting it paddling back out.

“Can locals steal their own waves?” I laughed.

I liked the Maldivian locals and took every opportunity to have a chat with them in the lineup. They have a relaxed ambience about them that reminds me of old times in Bali. You can have a laugh with them. Iboo had a lot of support from locals with two separate crews renting out boats to get to Sultans to see him surf against his heroes.

Their local wave on Male is shut for two years due to a huge bridge being built. It leaves many with nowhere to surf. The more fortunate get together and rent boats out to the atoll breaks which are pretty expensive. Iboo was there with his wife and young son. He makes his living from a bit of guiding and surf work. Everyone loved having Iboo around. He explained how stoked he was to get and invite and that Four Seasons were planning to run a qualification comp so locals could surf off for a wild card next year. Fast and stylish he did the Maldivians proud and was in no way out of place even in such esteemed company.

The natural foots did for him though, but when you have Taj and Shane Dorian getting running barrels and surfing out of their skin what can you do? Unless you’re Kelly?

“HOW DOES SHE DO IT?” I have no idea. No one had any idea. I don’t think her husband, Adam, even knew and if he doesn’t know who would?

Adam and I were paddling out against a strong current when Beth paddled past, turned under the lip of a bomb, two stroked in and tore it to shreds all the way to the inside.

“How does she do that?” I asked. “On top of everything she is also a new mum and that in itself is a challenge."

“I don’t know,’ said Adam. ‘She’s just kinda driven.”

When Beth took off on a wave everyone stopped and watched. I mean we’ve all seen the films, but in real life … Probably the most outstanding display of water’man’ship I have ever seen.

I have friends who have overcome challenges and excelled at surfing: poor eyesight, lost lower limbs, injuries ... a couple are just plain stupid and they do ok. But your arms are so fundamental to catching waves and getting to your feet. To have that amount of control over a surfboard is incredible. Just the sum of the technique required

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(left)

“I wouldn't know about airs…" (top right)

Beth Hamilton, outstanding. (bottom right)

The dreamy Sultans and Honkys line-up.

blew me away. To paddle out and turn your board to catch a wave with one arm is tough. Give it a go next time you are in the water. To paddle against currents, duck dive through line-ups, to turn under a lip and paddle into a drop that had most windmilling is just outstanding. On top of this she was posting 8.4s so basically competing with the world’s best surfers on level terms.

And this is half her game. She has started towing, and I’ve see the video of her at Padang.

Beth was flying. She can’t grab a rail in barrels backhand so she just threads them no grab. If you have tried this you will know how hard it is in smaller barrels. Apparently not for her.

In truth Beth won this event. I think everyone knew it. Taj, Rob, JOB, everyone in the line-up. She blew us all away. Once you the seen her surf every excuse you ever had about surfing badly is null and void.

“ I S T H AT R O B MACHADO ON A BANANA B O AT ? ” I heard the screams first, then laughs, then a little stick man with big hair flew through the air quickly followed by five others. Hysterical laughter floated on the breeze. Yes that’s Mr Machado, wife Sophie, Travis Logie and I think Shane Dorian and their partners. Although I don’t think Shane Dorian could possibly like surfing small waves and banana boats … could he?

While JOB was taking his girl surfing and filming groms all day, Beth and Adam were chilling, the rest of the crew decided to ride everything Four Seasons had to offer in the way of inflatables and thus fellow guests were treated to the sight of the world’s coolest surfers being flung around the turquoise waters on mats, tubes and a banana boat. I think they were out there for about four hours, just laughing, screaming, having fun.

There is something infectious about smiles and laughter. Some theories suggest laughter predated speech. There was something equally as infectious about the vibe on Kudu Huraa. The other surfers noticed it too. It’s just still, quiet, tranquil, yet there’s always something happening, whether surf, snorkelling or just messing about in the pools.

Some days the islands General Manager Randy just wanders around the atoll giving out home made ice-cream. “I like to meet everyone,” he said. ” I like to know they are having a good time. And hey who doesn't love an ice cream!”

So not only are the world’s best surfers on a banana boat beyond a dreamy tropical lagoon, you also have the manager of one of the world’s most exclusive destinations bringing you treats.

I’ve been to a few places in my time, and a few comps, but never one quite like this.

From the contest officials, to owners managers and guides of Tropic Surf to surfers everyone has the time of their lives. Sure the action in the water is real, hard fought and world class but out of heats it’s like the perfect surf trip with big bunch of friends. And what could be better than that?

With thanks to all the staff at Four Seasons Kuda Huraa (www.fourseasons.com/maldiveskh) and Tropic Surf (www.tropicsurf.net) and all the surfers; pros, locals, guides and visitors we shared our trip with.

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SHARPY

The first time you see waves like this and witness how shallow, how boily but how hollow it is ‌ The decision to surf or to wait for the tide is a tricky one.

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THE PERSISTENCE OF HOPE WORDS

BY

SHARPY

PHOTOS BY TIM NUNN & SHARPY

“Every surf trip is about hope. Hoping to score and hoping to have some good times. Some trips make you hope for better days more than others…”

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F R E N C H M A N N E L S O N C L OA R E C , AU S T R A L I A ’ S M I C A H L E S T E R A N D B A S QU E C H A P A D R I A N F E R N A N D E Z D E VA L D E R R A M A S P E N T T E N H O P E F U L D AY S S O M E W H E R E I N T H E C O L D E R R E AC H E S O F N O R T H E R N E U R O P E H U N T I N G FOR PERFECTION.

T H I S I S T H E I R S TO R Y.

All the information in the world at our fingertips is not always a good thing. Especially when it comes to planning surf trips in Northern Europe. The Atlantic is unpredictable at the best of times and calling a photo trip on, where riders and photographers need to converge from around the globe to make sweet visual gold is a big ask.

Long range forecasts look good for days then change wholesale. Flight prices leap. Windows of availability change daily.

Pro surfers have to keep busy. If they’re not competing or shooting or training then they’re not progressing.

So getting this trip off the ground wasn’t as simple as saying, ‘Hey guys! Be here on this date.’

The area of interest had a very specific set of conditions and the trip would be a bust if those conditions weren’t met.

Thankfully the on/off, on again, off again, book flights, rearrange flights, definitely call it on this time shenanigans were up to trip photographer Tim Nunn and Jan, the O’Neill dude.

I just had to rock up along with everyone else to press the big red button on the video camera to record the action.

After many false starts, thanks to the strange post-El Nino European spring conditions, it was finally on. A ten-day window

SHARPY

SHARPY

SHARPY

In the modern age we have super computers in our pockets.

Computers more powerful than the ones used to send man to the moon. Devices from which we can access the world. We can book flights, video chat to friends anywhere on earth, keep up with the news, track storms and surf forecasts with ease … As long as you’ve got a signal.

(top left)

Micah doing his Kenny from South Park impression (mid left)

Adrian who’s name is too long to fit on a football shirt (bottom left)

Nelson a French tube hound (right)

Gales and driving hail and snow aren’t fun but they are photogenic. Micah trying to make the runaround.

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Micah has spent the winter on the North Shore.

So he was well prepped for two foot waves.

TIM NUNN

“Hoping for better days is the default position for Northern European surfers.

It doesn’t get good that often. So hope is key.

Sometimes it rewards you...”

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TIM NUNN

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Nelson Cloarec and one of the sickest waves I’ve seen in twenty years of shooting. The whole sequence is insane. This is a few microseconds before the cover shot which is the same wave.

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(left)

Shit! Shit! Shit!

Hot piss! Arse barns! Etc. (below)

Can you picture yourself sitting there thinking ‘I want some of that!’ No. Us neither. (top right)

TIM NUNN

TIM NUNN

Flat days means beach cleans. And even though this beach was always empty it was chock full of washed in debris. Shocking for somewhere so far from civilisation.

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SHARPY SHARPY SHARPY

looking good in every respect. Light winds, good direction swell, no rain. We were full of hope for some crazy sessions.

Some swift phone prodding later three surfers were airport bound from three different countries and two photographers were driving for two days to converge with them … damn all that luggage.

We picked up the Blue Steel good looks of Micah first from a big city airport. He’d flown in from Hawaii, where he happens to be living, even though he’s from Burleigh Heads on the Gold Coast originally. The lucky git.

He had, what appeared to be, swine flu. Which is all kind of ironic seeing as he ‘flew’ from the other side of the world for this mission. While we were loading his board bag on the car he was on his knees in the car park apparently coughing a lung off.

Within an hour of him being in the car I had flu too. Dick move Micah. Not stoked. Hadn’t even started the shoot and and two out of three of us were at death’s door.

Nelson and Adrian we grabbed a few hours later from another airport and soon figured out that three pros and two surf photog’s were never going to fit in one estate car. No matter how well we packed things. A rental car acquired we drove on for many hours more leaving modern conveniences like mobile reception behind.

We’d planned to camp for some of the duration, seeing as it was late spring, but the unseasonal weather was out of hand. An air temp of 0C during the day and minus at night would not make for camping fun. Hypothermic surfers aren’t the most photogenic things. They don’t perform well and tend to complain about the ice in their wetsuits. Frozen photographer’s tend to gripe about their batteries and they hate camping due to the lack of plug sockets.

We’d come equipped for spring camping, not deep winter camping.

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“Then the sun would come out. And you’d feel the hint of spring warmth on your skin and forget about the maelstrom.

Until it kicked back in again. Then you’d SHARPY

scurry for cover.”

(above)

SHARPY

Not the manufacturer recommended drying method. May void warranty. But effective.

Our chart full of hope and good times, as is the way with these things, evaporated the second we arrived. We’d hoped to be jumping straight into great surf the next day.

We didn’t. What had looked so good now looked like onshore gales and snow. Sometimes being able to see weather charts updated every few hours is a curse. A destroyer of hope. In the old days you’d wake up and look out the window. Now you can know with pretty much 100 percent certainty the new few days are toast.

The call to get a place made of bricks, as opposed to canvas, for the first few nights was wise. As it was flipping cold even in the old stone walls of the house until we figured out how the heating worked.

When you’re far from home and the surf’s not so good but the terrain is sublime you explore. So we did. We drove hours of coast. Explored nooks and crannies and hard to get to back beaches

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sheltered from the gale but also removed from civilisation. Without a four wheel drive of the finest calibre, or a helicopter, we could but wonder. As single track lanes gave way to dirt tracks eventually to fields. Thanks to the wonders of satellite maps accessed via the pocket computer we could tell we were miles away.

We marvelled at empty roads, quiet villages, lengthy sea lochs diversions, tumble down ruins and snow capped mountains. We got chatting to every village shopkeeper baffled by a real life visitor from Australia.

We found a fun little beachbreak. One of those, give it a few hours of tide and it’ll be fun. We waited for hours. It got fun for about twenty minutes then the tide got too high. Fickle ain’t the word. But after all the flights and road miles it was good to get wet in crystal clear water. Even if it was just chest high fun. And as much as it was cold it was at least sunny. On the first day at least…

The higher the latitude you venture in Europe the more wild and unpredictable the weather. If the surf is hard to predict the weather equally so.

Sure in France, Spain and Portugal you get good storms. But it’s a variation on a theme of hot, warm, nice, maybe some rain.

Unless you’re in the mountains. The higher latitudes are way more schizophrenic.

Snow. Hail. Gales. Wearing all the clothes your brought with you weather. Thank heavens for thermals. Hail the size of peas.

Hail that ricochets off metalwork like bullets. Hail that feels like it’s trying to bury itself in your skull. Thankfully winter wetsuits with hoods are the ideal anti-hail wear.

All credit to the guys, if there was a surfable wave, even in the middle of a fierce gale with showers of snow and/or hail they were out there.

Then the sun would come out. And you’d feel the hint of spring warmth on your skin and forget about the maelstrom. Until it kicked back in again. Then you’d scurry for cover.

The afternoons of gale driven snow that were sketchy to drive in, due to the Arctic blasts, really didn’t make us question our backdown on camping. The forecast, models changing hourly as they were, suggested some calmer weather towards the end of the

TIM NUNN

Even though it was supposedly mid-Spring it was ruddy freezing.

TIM NUNN

(top)

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How to test the seals on your new winter suit.

Adrian and a slab that eats goofyfoots alive. He got some bombs. Missed his best one with the inevitable ‘changing the battery’ thing. So when you see the film and see his first wave, imagine that but a bit bigger and longer. It was nuts.

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SHARPY

Micah grace under pressure.

Not bad for someone with weaponised bird flu.

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(left)

Who needs sleep mats when some forests have a perfect comfy superking moss bed built in already? (below)

Wandering over yonder hill. (bottom)

SHARPY

Micah going for the catalogue shot.

SHARPY

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SHARPY

trip where we might get some under canvas time.

A week of weather dodging and not much surf having is a recipe for moral disaster. Some trips can go off the rails as the warm hearth of the pub beckons and the increasingly desperate affirmations of, ‘It should be good tomorrow … I hope,’ fall on deaf ears. It all depends on the calibre of your surfers.

Micah is an old hand at this, he’s been travelling the world in search of surf for over a decade from the tropics to the Arctic Circle.

He knows how it goes. You enjoy the good times. You do your best through the bad times. And you take your interest in craft ales to a trainspotter level and sample local culture for the taste of it. Not to get off your head. Because who knows if it might just be pumping in the morning. Even though every chart screams otherwise.

Nelson and Adrian are young bucks. New kids on the block but with old heads on their shoulders. Thoroughly professional throughout. Like Micah rolling with the punches. Enjoying a new place, new experiences, seeing the lay of the land for when a good swell may eventually turn up. Inquisitive, funny, genial company to a man. And thanks to Micah now probably members of the Campaign of Real Ale in their respective countries.

It’s easy to get lost when there’s no hope.

Any surf trip where you’ve had all of four, short, spectacularly average, mainly onshore surfs in nine days and spent days searching through storms in vain could wear you down. Hope is all we have. And until you get on that plane home there’s always hope. Hoping for better days is the default position for Northern European surfers. It doesn’t get good that often. So hope is key.

Sometimes it rewards you…

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Should’ve taken some skis with us really.

Nelson got very barrelled. Many times in the day of days at the end of the trip.

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TIM NUNN

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Another shot from Nelson’s all time sequence. This one’s post the cover shot.

This wave is the one where the music kicks in the film.

The post vert drop was incredible.

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TIM NUNN

Micah putting all his North Shore practise to good use.

We were nearing the end of our trip. The gale had lasted most of it. The snow finally let up. We didn’t have a film or a magazine feature in the bag.

Not even close. On the last full day we had a glimmer. It looked like a small swell and light winds … finally. Two out of three but the tide was all wrong.

We’d have to wait for hours.

Which is all kinds of cruel. Having endured nine days of trying and failing and being pushed and taunted by the weather at every turn it seemed doomed to fail. The wind would switch before we got a chance. It would start hammering with rain. Hope had all but gone.

Time moved so slowly that morning. As busied ourselves packing for the trip home the next day. A fragment of hope persisted but it’s flame was all but guttering out.

‘Maybe there’ll be something surfable.’

‘Could be air/turn section if we’re lucky.’

I couldn’t stand it and suggested we just go and sit and watch and wait for the tide for the next few hours seeing as it was actually 5˚C that day

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instead of 0˚C and not raining.

Micah knew the spot as he’d been trying to score it for half a decade and wasn’t keen. We’d be staring at dry rocks. Watching the imperceptible movement of the tide there or we could watch paint dry at home. But he gave in to the hopeful, puppy dog eyes of the younger two surfers and we loaded up.

So glad we did. Wisdom around some surf spots is thin on the ground and with all the variables at play the received wisdom isn’t always right.

Nelson though it looked surfable after an hour of appraisal. The slab was covered at least. So he went surfing. Five flawless barrels later any call of, ‘We should wait for the tide to push up a bit,’ was forgotten and Adrian and Micah were in a blur of wetsuits, fins and wax.

The session that followed was beautiful. Three guys, who’d only met on this trip, taking turns to get barrelled off their heads on a warping, shallow slab in the deep blue Atlantic. Three guys hooting, laughing, hollering and punching the air when someone got spat, and boy does this place spit, out of

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another wider than it is high tube.

It wasn’t without its concerns, any wipeout there was a visit to the reef, and a sketchy escape if another wave was bearing down on you. Which with one foot of water draining around your knees to escape into is not that much fun. All you can do is jump into the wall of whitewater and hope. Somehow the guys survived intact.

As Adrian said, ’No broken boards, everyone’s alive … that’s pretty good!’ A master of understatement that lad.

We’d done it. A surf trip plucked from the edge of disaster. The

dictionary definition of ‘by the skin of their teeth’. It wasn’t easy but we’d hoped against hope for better days and been rewarded. The good times came all by themselves.

As to whether the down days, the road miles, the airport waits, the frustration and expense are worth it? Well, as Nelson said, ‘That was one of the best sessions of my life…’

And that’s pretty much the best thing you can hope for on any trip.

See the film from the trip on www.carvemag.com

“It wasn’t without its concerns, any wipeout there was a visit to the reef, and a sketchy escape if another wave was bearing down on you. Which with one foot of water draining around knees to escape into is not that much fun.” carve surfing magazine

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w e t s u i t s

HOPE YOU ARE ENJOYING THE BALMY AUTUMNAL WEATHER, BECAUSE THINGS ARE ABOUT TO GET SERIOUS. LUCKILY THE FOLLOWING BODY ARMOUR IS READILY AVAILABLE IN RETAIL OUTLETS NEAR YOU!

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PHOTO: COREY WILSON. COURTESY RIP CURL

WINTER WETSUITS

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FN lite neoprene packed with air cells for the lightest of lightweight warmth. Thermal Smoothie neoprene: Flexible and wind & water repellent to keep you warmer. Warmflight thermal lining - far infrared technology. Glued & blind stitched (GBS) seams that reduce sew throughs & water entry to keep you warmer. Hydrolock seam seal system for thinner, lighter & more flexible seams, sealed with liquid tape to prevent leaks.

Redsealseam is a thin, ultra-light & flexible seam sealant that gives water tight reinforcement. Flush Lock 2.0 seals help prevent flushing through the wrists and ankles. Chest zip entry system. Water-Block semi dry zip with coated, off-set teeth to create a watertight seal that minimises zip flush. Ecto-Flex knee pads, durable, lightweight & flexible to protect you & your board.

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SHARPY

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O’Neill’s NEW Psycho Tech combines our exclusive TechnoButter 2 neoprene with TechnoButter 2-Air Firewall insulation, Single Fluid Seam Weld and a F.U.Z.E. closure system. Lighter, warmer, more insulating and quick drying with improved ease of entry. Psycho Tech is the latest advancement in cold water wetsuit technology.

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PHOTO: TRENT MITCHELL. COURTESY RIP CURL

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PHOTO: BOSKO. COURTESY XCEL

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The Revolt features TDC Thermo Dry Celliant, our warmest wetsuit lining to date. TDC’s clinically proven Smart Fiber Technology recycles your body heat into infrared energy for maximum warmth and enhanced performance. TDC lining is featured from chest to ankles. The Revolt also features a watertight X2 front entry system, a two-part SmoothSkin hem seal, a magnetic zip closure, and inner Thermo Dry seam tape.

Combining to deliver advanced levels of performance, warmth, and stretch.

The Infiniti features a watertight X2 front entry system and TDC Thermo Dry Celliant,in the front and back torso. TDC's clinically proven Smart Fiber Technology recycles your body heat into infrared energy for maximum warmth and enhanced performance. In the Infiniti X2, TDC is featured in an infrared print low pile in the front and back torso. The lower body is lined with Quick Dry Lining to improve warmth and overall performance. Additional premium seam and material innovations make the Infiniti series a must-have for staying warm and comfortable in all conditions.

The Infiniti Comp TDC features Thermo Dry Celliant from neck to ankles, our warmest wetsuit lining to date. TDC's clinically proven Smart Fiber Technology recycles your body heat into infrared energy for maximum warmth and enhanced performance. The Comp range is the most flexible of all Xcel fullsuits and is also extremely lightweight and fast drying, with ultra-premium V foam.

RRP: Hooded 5/4: £380, 5/4: £350, 4/3: £330

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RRP: Hooded 4.5/3.5: £300, 5/4: £300, 4/3: £280

RRP: Hooded 5/4: £310, 5/4: £290, 4/3: £270

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COURTESY C-SKINS

WWW.C-SKINS.COM EMAIL: INFO@CJBSURF.CO.UK • TEL: +44(0)1208 78845 • FACEBOOK: CSKINSWETSUITS • INSTAGRAM: CSKINSWETSUITS

HOTWIRED 5X4 STEAMER

WIRED 5X4 CHEST ZIP

WIRED 5X4 ‘ZIPPERLESS’ STEAMER

The 2016 HotWired is our ultimate vision for a wetsuit with no compromises. All the latest C-Skins innovations such as lightweight H2X DryFlex outer lining, Dryknit thermal inner lining from the chest to the ankles and Power Seam stitchless construction combine to make this the ultimate weapon for the serious cold water charger.

The C-Skins team favourite season after season, our ‘Wired’ range has been completely re-imagined for Winter 2016.

All-new Enigma2 Chest Zip and Enigma2 Zipperless and Back zip models create more options than ever before. Each model comes loaded with Dryknit lining, Air Foam, and bombproof Xtend Isolation taped seams.

New for Autumn / Winter 2016. The Wired Zipperless model boasts all the same high performance features as the traditional Chest Zip model but has been updated with one of C-Skins latest innovations; the Enigma2 ‘Zipperless’ neck entry.

Introducing an insanely warm, fast drying and super durable suit for the core cold water warrior.

RRP: 5/4: £329.99

RRP: 5/4: £249.99 (Also Available in 4/3: £239.99)

RRP: 5/4: £259.99 (Also Available in 4/3: £249.99)

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PHOTO: VINCENT COLLIARD. COURTESY PATAGONIA

Our neoprene-free Yulex™ wetsuits are made of 85% natural rubber by polymer content. Replacing a petroleum-based material with a plant-based one, they offer the same warmth and performance attributes as conventional stretch neoprene while reducing CO2 emissions by up to ~80% in the process. Derived from Forest Stewardship Council® certified by the Rainforest Alliance sources, we blend the natural rubber with 15% chlorine-free synthetic rubber to increase ozone and UV resistance.

WWW.PATAGONIA.COM EMAIL: DIRECTSALES.EUROPE@PATAGONIA.COM • TEL: 0800 026 0055

R3 YULEX™ FRONT ZIP

R4™ YULEX™ FRONT-ZIP HOODED

R5™ YULEX™ FRONT-ZIP HOODED

With an anatomical, performance-focused design, the R3™ Yulex Front-Zip Full Suit is 4.5mm in the torso and thighs, lined with high-stretch, fast-drying 51% recycled polyester/44% polyester/5% spandex inverted microgrid; 3.5mm in the arms and legs, lined with high-stretch, fast-drying 100% recycled polyester jersey; the face fabric is 85% recycled polyester/15% spandex. The floating front-zip Salmi® zipper is fully replaceable to extend the suit’s lifespan. all seams are triple glued, blindstitched and internally taped. Suggested water temperatures: 9–13° C.

With an anatomical, performance-focused design, the R4™ Yulex Front-Zip Full Suit is 5.5mm in the torso and thighs, lined with high-stretch, fast-drying 51% recycled polyester/44% polyester/5% spandex inverted microgrid; 4.5mm in the arms and legs, lined with high-stretch, fast-drying 100% recycled polyester jersey; the face fabric is 85% recycled polyester/15% spandex. The floating front-zip Salmi® zipper is fully replaceable to extend the suit’s lifespan. all seams are triple glued, blindstitched and internally taped. Suggested water temperatures: 3-9° C.

With an anatomical, performance-focused design, the R3™ Yulex Front-Zip Full Suit is 6.5mm in the torso and thighs, lined with high-stretch, fast-drying 51% recycled polyester/44% polyester/5% spandex inverted microgrid; 5mm in the arms and legs, lined with high-stretch, fast-drying 100% recycled polyester jersey; the face fabric is 85% recycled polyester/15% spandex. The floating front-zip Salmi® zipper is fully replaceable to extend the suit’s lifespan. all seams are triple glued, blindstitched and internally taped. Suggested water temperatures: 9–13° C.

RRP: £360

RRP: £425

RRP: £470

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COURTESY VISSLA

WWW.VISSLA.COM O F F I C I A L P RO P O R T I O N S A N D A R T WO R K D O N OT S E T O R A L I G N I N A NY OT H E R L AYO U T

EMAIL: SHOPEUROPE@VISSLA.COM

7 SEAS HOODED 5/4/3

7 SEAS 50 / 50

Everything you need in a wetsuit, nothing you don't.

100% Super Stretch light neoprene - lighter, warmer, softer, stretchier, easier to put on and take off, and allows for more freedom of movement . Thermal hollow fiber lining insulates heat and dries fast.

Based on the premise of less is more, we stripped away the irrelevant knick-knacks and designed a suit to give you what you need - warmth in the ocean. Super stretch light neoprene, sealed seams, quick dry lining, a superb tailored fit, and a minimal bulk chest-zip closure system we’ve built for you a top of the line wetsuit at an approachable price without all the bullshit marketing gimmicks. Whether you like to set your line and trim on your single fin or get your fins above the lip on your thruster, we’ve built a catalog of wetsuits in color ways and cuts to match your water intentions.

RRP: £240

RRP: 5/4/3: £285

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COURTESY BILLABONG

HTTPS://EU.BILLABONG.COM/ EMAIL: EU-STORE@BILLABONG.COM • TEL: UK FREE-PHONE: 0808 178 5869 / EUROPE +44 (0) 1604 649241

ABSOLUTE COMP

FURNACE COMP

FURNACE X

The Absolute Comp is designed to function with strategically placed seams for functional performance a combination of premium and materials and advanced construction techniques make for the best fitting performing value wetsuit available.

Furnace Comp is the combination of our Drymax Chest Zip entry from the Furnace-X and with the light-weight, engineeredstretch from the Furnace Pro. Utilising the Furnace Carbon internal thermal lining with engineered seam placement for maximum flexibility and warmth.

Furnace X is Billabong’s premium cold water wetsuit made with the finest materials available, including our new Furnace Carbon Lining, utilising carbon threads to maximise warmth for the coldest conditions, stitchless welded seams, premium AX1 superflex neoprene, and Drymax entry system combine with Airlite Foam core to create the lightest, warmest, most flexible cold water wetsuits possible.

RRP: 4/3: £155, 5/4: £165 Available in: 3/2 4/3 5/4

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RRP: 4/3: £240, 5/4: £250 Available in: 3/2 4/3 5/4

RRP: 4/3: £290, 5/4: £300, Hooded 4/3: £320, Hooded 5/4: £330 Available in: 3/2 4/3 5/4 6/5 7/6

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SURFER: ANDY CRIERE. PHOTO: ION

PHOTO: IAN MITCHINSON. COURTESY FINISTERRE

WWW.FINISTERRE.COM

WWW.ION-PRODUCTS.COM

EMAIL: INFO@FINISTERRE.COM • TEL: 01872 554481

EMAIL: NIK@K-66.COM • TEL: 01903 532383

NIEUWLAND 4 (9-14°C)

NIEUWLAND 5 (4-10°C)

Following a rigorous testing programme where 300+ field testers directly fed back on the original suit design, the Finisterre wetsuits have been carefully considered to ensure our surfers are the warmest in the water. After a successful first season, with many stating these were the warmest suits they had ever owned, the AW16 lines see an improved fit and easier entry system.

Higher internal pile in over 80 percent of the suits and elongated back panel, improving heat retention. Extra 3mm neoprene lumbar patch over lower back, providing key warmth. High proportion of flexible neoprene across shoulders and through upper body to aid easy paddling. Double needle blind-stitched throughout suit: a safer stitch that will better weather the wear and tear of the suit (no need for a seam sealant that often ends up cracking). 50 percent wider seam tape, reducing water penetration; also adhering better to the suit, improving the durability. Finisterre custom neck pattern – reduced flushing as well as helping entry / exit. Tension wrist bands, improving wrist seal. Bespoke calf loops – a design feature to help suit entry.

RRP: £325

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RRP: £350

ONYX SELECT The main purpose of the Select level is warmth! Perfectly accomplished with upper body windchill protection for your torso and warm, quick drying Plasma Plush lining. But at the same time the seam-free shoulder construction Sweep Cut gives freedom of movement where necessary. ION sacrificed the Ninja Knee and Ninja Spine features for more heat retention.

The red coloured legs combined with the red Power Seam make this suit very unique, but not overdone.

RRP: 5/4: £259.99

15/02/2017 10:43

SHARPY

WWW.TYPHOON-INT.CO.UK TEL: 01642 486104

A NEW ladies KONA is now available.

ZFR - 5/4/3

VORTEX 5/3

KONA 6/5/4

The ZFR is a top-end, rear entry suit, making it incredibly easy to get on for everyone, including the older guys that still love to rip! The Flextreme neoprene increases comfort and flexibility whilst the Furness Max dry lining means a drier suit for every session. The combination of liquid seams and the Watergate Zip barrier system reduces the water ingress to practically zero. The ZFR is everything you need in a wetsuit offering exceptional performance whenever it’s worn.

The Vortex combines the perfect balance of performance and design at an affordable price, featuring a new chest entry zip.

The Vortex has super-stretch neoprene throughout the chest and paddle zone, providing maximum comfort and flexibility.

Whatever the sport this fully lined, glued and blind-stitched suit provides all the protection you will need.

The Kona combines cleverly engineered technology with expert styling making it an instant classic and the wetsuit of choice amongst pro surfers, including surfing champion Luke Dillon. Using 6/5/4 Flextreme neoprene, a Thermadome chest and body panel, backed with Max Dry lining throughout, the Kona is one of the warmest suits in its class. Contour control Liquid Seal seams and the Max Dry chest zip system prevents water penetration giving maximum comfort and performance. The hooded Kona is also available. Open cell neoprene minimises wind chill and increases comfort. It’s topped off with a peak and adjustable face seal. With tried and tested features the Kona is Typhoon’s warmest suit yet.

RRP: 5/4/3: £179

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RRP: 5/3: £129

RRP: 6/5/4: £199. Amazing value.

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PHOTO: CHRISTIAN MCLEOD

COURTESY GUL

WWW.TIKISURF.CO.UK

WWW.GUL.COM EMAIL: INFO@GUL.COM • TEL: +44 (0) 1208 262400 • FACEBOOK: GULWETSUITS

EMAIL: INFO@TIKISURF.CO.UK

TEL: 01271 816070

MENS VIPER CHEST ZIP

LADIES RESPONSE FX CHEST ZIP

ZEPHA2 5/4/3 HOODED

Guls’ new Elite Revo fit wetsuit with RS-Flex 150% super stretch neoprene this suit is built for cold water, the Viper is lighter, warmer and designed for comfort. Featuring Revo fit 3D technology for a contoured fit, Boltdry thermal quick dry core and a durable Quadrate horizontal chest zip for minimal bulk.

An elite performance suit designed for the harshest conditions.

Available in: 5/4 - 4/3 - 3/2

From Guls’ best selling range of suits comes the ladies Response FX with all the features of a high-end suit at an entrylevel price. Made using X-Flex 150% super stretch neoprene, X-Flex Thermal core for ultimate insulation and warmth and Revo fit 3D technology for a stylish feminine fit.

The Zepha 2 wetsuit is the next step in the wetsuit of choice for our XXL team Andrew Cotton and Barry Mottershead.

From Nazare to Mullaghmore, this wetsuit has been proven in some of the heaviest, coldest waves in the world. Features include Super Xtend neoprene; a limestone based neoprene with Espan Extend lining, Dry Lined core, Liquid Seal - not the thin stuff but the proper wide seal, GBS and internally taped seams, a Super pre-shaped pattern, Duratech knees and Donut cuffs mean this wetsuit will survive the harshest of winters.

RRP: 5/4: £250, 4/3: £225, 3/2: £200

RRP: 5/4: £130, 3/2: £120

RRP: £268.95

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COURTESY RUNAWAVE

WWW.RUNAWAVESPORT.COM EMAIL: INFO@RUNAWAVESPORT.COM

• TEL: +359 888544709 • FACEBOOK: RUNAWAVE

BULL 5/4/3 AND 4/3

PARALEL 5/4, 5/4/3 AND 4/3

BOLD 5/4, 5/4/3 AND 4/3

Definitely a winner for all fans of the double GBS back zip wetsuits with internal taping. Ultra-stretch neoprene which gives you uncompromised warmth and comfort enhanced by the anatomical fit and thermo lining of the model. Made entirely in Europe, especially for you and as per your requirements, on demand.

Our entirely customizable, double GBS high-performance chest zip model with full internal taping for all brave girls who do not mind a little cold water flush. Extreme stretch, cosy warmth and excellent fit will help you enjoy the ride for longer. In addition, you can be the actual designer of all that by selecting your own colours, print and much more.

Our entirely customizable, double GBS high-performance chest zip model with full internal taping and thermo lining for all those who just can’t stay away from the cold water for too long.

Everything you need in a wetsuit for a winter ride to be fun… and is made in Europe, upon your request.

RRP: 5/4: £133, 5/4/3: £128.50, 4/3: £124

RRP: 5/4: £146, 5/4/3: £142.50, 4/3: £139

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RRP: 5/4: £146, 5/4/3: £142.50, 4/3: £139

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COURTESY ALDER

WWW.ALDERSPORTSWEAR.COM EMAIL: INFO@ALDERSPORTSWEAR.COM • TEL: 01566 783444

DRIFTER MEN 5/4/3

EVO FIRE 5/4/3

LUXE MEN 5/4/3

This suit is the go to back zip style for when January comes and that North Easterly blows! Full thickness neoprene, 100 percent stretch and Aerocore inside the torso ensures you’ll keep warm wave after wave. We have also added extra S-Seal strips around the wrists and ankles to help maintain a secure water seal. Blindstitched seams, Back zip, 100 percent Spanflex, Aerocore inside torso, neoprene taped seams inside lower body, single lined torso, Duratec knee pads, Glide skin lined collar.

Evo Fire ticks a lot of boxes for winter surfing, strong water tight seams combined with a superb fit and X Flex throughout allows you to enjoy whatever mother ocean throws at you.

It has FDL inside 75 percent of the suit which traps air against the skin to help maintain core body temperature and best of all it drys in 15 minutes. The seams on the lower body are strengthend with with S-Seal while the duratec knees use specific foam and nylon for tough but flexible performance.

Blindstitched seams. Chest zip. 100% “X FLEX”. 75% FDL (Fast Dry Lining) inside. 90% S-Sealed seams. Double lined torso. Duratec knee pads.

Luxe is our top of the range winter suit with features including the lightest stretchiest foam we can find and Aquaphobic outer nylon and holds 40 percent less water than standard stretch nylon. This is not temporary, it is permanent! All inside lining is Aerocore FDL (Fast Dry Lining). All seams are neoprene taped inside - this is the most reliable and water tight seam. It's the best suit we have ever produced! Blindstitched seams. Chest zip. 100% “X FLEX”. 75% FDL (Fast Dry Lining) inside. 95% S-Sealed seams. Double lined torso. Duratec knee pads.

RRP: 5/4/3: £160

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RRP: 5/4/3: £200, Hooded 6/5/4: £260

RRP: 5/4/3: £ £250

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SHARPY

WWW.SNUGGWETSUITS.CO.UK TEL: 01637 878488

MINI ZIP

SABOTAGE 2

SABOTAGE

The Mini Zip is a made to measure wetsuit (Also available in stock sizes) made from mega stretch neoprene for maximum flexibility, It also has aero zirconium hollow fibre fleece yarn on the body and the upper leg plus limestone based neoprene as the ultimate thermo barrier coupled with Mega Stretch 4000 for maximum heat retention and flexibility plus GBS seams. This wetsuit is constructed to the highest standards that you would expect from Snugg. Also available as “Mini Zip, Hot One, Extreme”, a made-to measure mini zip wetsuit with a hood. Available in 5/4/3 and 4/3. Made in Cornwall for British surfers.

The Sabotage 2 is a made to measure wetsuit, With Ultra Span neoprene throughout for maximum flexibility, interlocking zip flap water barrier panels and glued, blind-stitched and taped seams. Available in two versions, “The Hot One” or the “Alternative” The Hot One has Yamamoto Aero Zirconium fibre fleece yarn on the body and upper leg from the knee, the alternative has it in the chest only. Constructed by hand in the U.K. - built to be warm and flexible, built to last.

The same as the ‘Hot One’ but without Aero Zirconium in the legs. The Sabotage is a made-to-measure wetsuit that has aero zirconium hollow fibre fleece yarn on the body and the upper leg. Plus it uses limestone based neoprene as the ultimate thermo barrier, coupled with Ultrapan neoprene. So the suit combines heat retention with flexibility. Add in blind stitching, heat sealed taped seams and an interlocking Y-flap water barrier, and you’ve probably got the warmest and most flexible suit that money can buy.

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RYAN MILLER/RED BULL CONTENT POOL

WWW.HURLEY.COM EMAIL: EUROPE@HURLEY.COM • INSTAGRAM: HURLEY • FACEBOOK: HURLEY

HURLEY PHANTOM 403

HURLEY FUSION 403

HURLEY PHANTOM 303

HOODED FULLSUIT

FULLSUIT

FULLSUIT

The water-tight Hurley Phantom 403 Hooded Fullsuit Men's Wetsuit features Thermo Light technology that reflects your body heat for maximum warmth. A 4mm construction covers your chest and back, while a 3mm construction provides comfort for your legs, arms and head.

The Hurley Fusion 403 Fullsuit Men's Wetsuit is made with Neoprene and anatomical seams for maximum flexibility and range of motion. A chest-zip entry reduces bulk and helps keep water out, and abrasion-resistant knee shields provide lasting comfort.

The flexible Hurley Phantom 303 Fullsuit Men's Wetsuit is made with a 3mm all-over construction and features Thermo Light, a revolutionary, heat-reflective technology for maximum warmth without the weight.

RRP: 4/3: £340

RRP: 4/3: £215

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RRP: 3/3: £290

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w i n t e r

s u r v i v a l

HAND WARMERS In really cold snaps try hand warmers. You can recharge them and put them on your kidneys or in pockets after a surf. They will help you warm up fast and get ready for a second or third session.

RINSE KIT OR HOT WATER BOTTLES CHANGING MATS

TH RI V E …

DON’ T SURVIV E

Swear by these now. Years of changing on ice are gone. Try the grass mats/bags which have artificial grass mat insulation. They are lush!

They make a massive difference to changing, presurf warmth and recovery from the cold as they insulate your feet and prevent heat seeping out.

WINTER TIPS FROM YEARS OF THE STRUGGLE

GET YOUR OLD SUIT REPAIRED.

BY STEVE ENGLAND

If you need a new suit fair enough, but check out your old one. Could it be repaired and used as a second suit? Quality wetsuit repairs are amazingly cheap and well worth the effort.

USE OUTER SHELLS

So I have noted a lot of you, yes you, have not been surfing right through winter. While I kind of enjoy the emptiness I feel some of you need a bit of advice and a bowl of Readymix…

So here are some top tips to survive winter gleamed from years of suffering.

BUY A GOOD SUIT Sounds obvious but I still see people in the wrong wetsuits or complaining they are cold. Pick the right suit for your water temperature. Err on the side of warmth if you have a choice. As always fit is key so try them on! Check the neoprene thickness and distribution. If you are a hot blooded paddle machine you may get away with a thinner suit, if not get a proper winter suit.

Often getting out of the car is half the battle in winter. A good cold water surf jacket is a must.

Three quarter length and waterproof they keep you warm and happy. If you are already cold and miserable it makes changing a huge effort.

Same with shoes and trousers. Any fool can be uncomfortable, wise men and women surf longer.

USE DRYROBES OR CHANGING ROBES The best invention in cold water surfing in the last few years has been the extreme changing robe. Microfibre are good, but a Dryrobe really protects in harsh environments. You feel warm as soon as you put them on, and they will last you years.

A good pair of boots is a must. Yeah they are a pain, yes they are expensive, although there are good budget versions. Leaky boots lead to freezing feet and make you feel cold. Warm boots make life much easier and nicer!

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TAKE A FLASK Nothing warms you quicker and gives you more energy than hot chocolate or even better a warm high protein drink. But you’re welcome to enjoy the classic hot beverages if you prefer.

GET FIT Being unfit can be the death of surfing in winter.

You can’t paddle so well with all that rubber, and it’s a harsh environment. If you aren’t fit it’s a struggle, you get less waves, get less fit as a result and it’s a downwards spiral of frustration to Sundays spent in pubs.

Surf everything you can from one foot up.

Swim between surfs or get our surf fitness book and Power Stroke cords and get a routine going. It pays off, trust me!

GET AWAY So winter surfing is great for many reasons, but even the hardiest surfer needs a break and a bit of sun. Plan a low cost get away. Spain, Portugal, Canaries, Morocco are all served by low cost flights.

If you can only surf weekends in winter due to darkness and work a week away is worth a month or more of surfing at home. And it breaks up the darkness. Everyone needs vitamin D!

MAGNETIC HOOK

BOOTS

Fill your Rinse kit with warm water for an after surf shower, or fill a hot water bottle. Put the water bottle in your clothes while you surf. When you get out it’s a warm water shower and your clothes will be warm!

Dry your wetty faster on the road. Just use the hook to hang it from your boot, or inside your van!

SUCTION CUP HANGER So you want to hang your wetty overnight but have no where to put it. Try these. You can hang it in your shower without pulling down the shower curtain rail.

CHECK THE CHARTS Learn how to read weather maps and all the forecast data at your disposal. Windows of opportunity to surf quality waves can come rarely so make sure you know what is happening in the Atlantic. We use windguru.cz for swell and the Met Office, Weather Underground and more apps to gauge wind. That way you know when the swell is coming, where the storms are tracking any have a good knowledge of local wind variations. That way you you can be on it every time!

CHECK OUT HTTP: //SHOP. CARVE MAG . COM FOR COL D WAT ER K IT

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ADVANCED SURF FITNESS FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE SURFING IS THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO SURF FITNESS

ER • FITT

STER • S

ER • FA

TRONG

ADVANCED

FITNESS FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE SURFING

Lee Stanbury 13/10/2014 14:48

ndd 21 surf fitness book 2014_covers.i

Take your surfing performance to the next level using stateof-the-art surf fitness techniques. The aim of Advanced Fitness will help you maximise your skills. This guide by fitness instructor Lee Stanbury covers everything including; Assessing your surf fitness•Maximising core and strength training•Improving coordination and balance•Weights programme•Exercises for boosting your explosive power•Resistance training, free weights and swimming•Tips for better paddle power•Visualisation techniques for improving confidence•Training for improving specific surfing manoeuvres•Tips for young surfers•Nutrition and diet•Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced training programmes

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Advanced Surf Fitness For High Performance Surfing • £19.99 shop.carvemag.com

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f o o d

S E A F O O D A T T H E B E A C H

N e w q u a y, f ro m s u r f c a p i t a l t o g a s t ro n o m i c h o t s p o t . . .

BRITAIN’S UNOFFICIAL SURF CAPITAL, THESE DAYS NEWQUAY IS GROWING UP, THE NEW WAVE OF SURFERS ARE MORE LIKELY TO GET UP WITH THE SUN AND PADDLE OUT FOR A DAWNY, BEFORE A SMOOTHIE AND A BIG BREAKFAST BY THE BEACH.

In line with this fresh, energetic vibe in town, the foodie scene is changing too. No longer falling back on the seaside staple of fish and chips, restaurants are drawing on the abundance of Cornish produce and using local ingredients to create globally influenced menus. Being a historic fishing port it’s only natural that seafood is still in the spotlight, with all sorts of fresh fish being flipped straight from the fishing boats and into the frying pans of talented local chefs.

One of the most popular new restaurants is Paul Harwood’s Fish House, just a stone’s throw from the sea at Fistral Beach. With a menu of locally caught fish and shell fish from Newquay harbour Paul’s menu celebrates the best seasonal ingredients to create rustic dishes with authentic flavours.

Give his Indian Fish Curry a go inspired by winter travels, it’s amazing and the perfect dish to warm up up after a cold surf.

WORDS HAYLEY SPURWAY PHOTOS MIKE SEARLE Get a copy of the Saltwater Kitchen Cookbook nationwide or at www.shop.carvemag.com

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PAU L’ S IN D IAN F IS H C U R RY Tender and succulent with a sweet and tangy pepper sauce. Great served on buttery mashed potato. Both the confit and sauce can be made in advance.

METHOD 1. To make the masala (paste), heat the coriander seeds, cumin and black pepper in a dry pan until smoking, then transfer to a pestle and mortar and grind to a fine powder.

2. Put the onion, tomato, garlic, chilli and ground spices into a food processor (not including the turmeric and black mustard seeds) and blend into a paste.

3. Heat a separate wok or pan, add a tablespoon of vegetable oil and fry the turmeric and mustard seeds for 20 seconds, add the masala paste and cook on a gentle heat for 5 minutes. This paste will keep in the fridge for 3 days.

4. To make the curry put the paste, coconut milk and shellfish stock (or you can use water) into a wok and heat.

5. Gently lay your fish fillets into the sauce, cover and cook for 5 minutes.

6. Finally add your fresh coriander and check for seasoning 7. Serve with basmati rice and poppadoms.

INGREDIENTS Serves 4: • 700g (25oz) white fish fillet (cod, pollock or hake) • 1 small white onion • 2 vine tomatoes • 4 tsp dried chilli flakes • 1 tsp cumin seeds • 1 tsp coriander seeds • 1 tsp salt • 1 tsp black pepper • 2 tsp turmeric • 1 tsp black mustard seeds • 90g (3oz) fresh coconut • 100ml (3½oz) shellfish stock • 40g (1oz) fresh coriander • 5 cloves garlic • 80ml (3floz) coconut milk • 1 tbsp vegetable oil

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s e s s i o n s

THIS ISSUE WENT TO PRINT MIDSEPT WHICH WAS TOUGH AS LATE AUGUST AND EARLY SEPTEMBER WERE BEHAVING THEMSELVES NICELY. SPOTS LIGHTING UP ALL OVER THE PLACE. COULD BE A GOOD AUTUMN...

ABOVE:

M I K E L A Y PHOTO: MATTY SNELLING B E N S K I N N E R , A G G I E PHOTO: DANIEL CULLEN R I G H T : B R A Z I L I A N T H E O A R A U J O , F I S T R A L PHOTO: DANIEL CULLEN B E L O W : A L A N S T O K E S , F I S T R A L PHOTO: DANIEL CULLEN TOP RIGHT:

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ABOVE:

I R E L A N D PHOTO: CRAIG BUTLER D A V E ' D A V O ' W I L K I N S O N PHOTO: PAUL GILL B E L O W : W A T E R S E L F P O R T R A I T PHOTO: PAUL GILL LEFT:

BOTTOM: CA R L FRAMPTON AKA LEDGE. HE FEELS THE COLD, YOU SHOULD SEE HIS WINTER SUIT! PHOTO: PAUL GILL

ABOVE:

A L E X B R I S T O W , S U R F S N O W D O N I A PHOTO: COURTESY ALEX

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s e s s i o n s

ABOVE:

K R I S F A I R E S T PHOTO: PHOTO: PAUL GILL W I L L TA P P E R , S H O W I N G T H E LO C A L S A C L E A N P A I R O F C U B A N H E E L S PHOTO: PAUL GILL R I G H T : S A L T B U R N L O C A L A K A ' G R O M M E T ' PHOTO: PAUL GILL BELOW:

ABOVE:

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S A N D Y K E R R PHOTO: PAUL GILL

ABOVE: TRAVELLER GUTS, RELEASING SOME UNWANTED METHANE B E F O R E L A N D I N G PHOTO: PAUL GILL

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LEFT:

A U T U M N S TA R T E D W I T H A B I T OF CLASS ON THE EMERALD ISLE. DONEGAL BAY WOKE FROM ITS SUMMER SLUMBER FOR GILES CAREY PHOTO: CONOR LEE

BELOW: LO N G L I N E S , G O O D T I M E S AT O N E T H AT W E ' R E H O P I N G PUMP THIS SEASON.

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BARRELS, AND OF THOSE SPOTS IS GOING TO PHOTO: CONOR LEE

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s e s s i o n s

G ROM SESSION S OUR MONTHLY LOOK AT THE CHARGINGEST UNDER 18’S AROUND THE COASTS. IF YOU ARE A GROM AND YOU WANT TO BE FEATURED SEND US SHOTS!

RIGHT:

J O M O R R I S , LY N M O U T H PHOTO: FINLAY JONES

ABOVE: TEGAN BLACKFORD (10) CHARGING OVERHEAD MEDEWI, BALI PHOTO: GUY BLACKFORD

ABOVE:

EVA BLACKFORD (8)

PHOTO: GUY BLACKFORD

RIGHT:

OTIS PERRY (11) PHOTO: MANNU PUOLIMATKA

FA R R I G H T :

BARNABY PEDDIE, P O L Z E A T H PHOTO: COURTESY BARNABY

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ABOVE: BELOW:

L L O Y D S T E I N PHOTO: DAN SEDGWICK T H O M A S ' S C A M P ' R E E V E S PHOTO: OLLY REEVES

ABOVE: BELOW:

LEFT:

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B O N N I E W H I T E L O C K PHOTO: OLLY REEVES L E O R E E V E S PHOTO: OLLY REEVES

W I L L M A S T E R M A N PHOTO: JOEL GRAY / SURFSOLUTIONS.TV

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OUT NOW!

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LEFT:

ALFIE E N G L A N D PHOTO: DAN SEDGWICK BELOW: A U S T I N BROCKLESBY PHOTO: DAN SEDGWICK

ABOVE LEFT:

CHARLIE RIO, BARGE, JERSEY PHOTO: TOM HALL L E F T : L U K A S S K I N N E R PHOTO: LUKAS ZKOWALSKI B E L O W : G E O R G E C A R P E N T E R PHOTO: PAUL CARPENTER

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n e x t

i s s u e

Micah hoping there's no mahoosive holes in the rockpool, while the photographers wish for the opposite.

Photo: Tim Nunn

H O P EFU LLY THIS ISSUE HAS INSPI RED TO YOU TO

HI T TH E ROAD .

U RES. S E EK YO U R OWN ADV E NT URES.

LUCK I LY FO R YO U T H IS IS T H E B EST T IM E TO B E A S URF ER I N O U R C OR N E R O F T H E G LOB E .

Not sure how a sphere can have a corner but there you go.

Next issue will feature … hmmm. Well. As is always the case with these things our crystal ball isn’t 100 percent reliable.

We do have a rad Craig Anderson tale, hopefully home will deliver its own share of stories and there are rumours of a late season Maldive trip, but who knows. Maybe a Swilly folio? Sharpy will be out and about now the summer deadline madness is done. So it's all to play for.

You’ll just have to see the end of October won’t ya?

Of course you can let the postie take the strain by subscribing. Deals of all sorts in the shop on carvemag.com

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COOL STUFF FOR SURFERS AT THE

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