Surfers

[damian 0]

There is a lot of image and immaturity in surfing, especially under the age of (guess) 30? Immature sounds a bit rude, sorry for that. Surf brands are big time playing on the hype and ego and image and immaturity. Surfing a very good product to manipulate in that way, unfortunately. Surfing also has one big pro tour where all surfers battle it out and one is the world champ. It brings an enormous amount of focus to the pro surfer and the concept of being the best. They are better than I can comprehend, it is amazing to see what they can do, but also not that relevant to the waves.

 

Waves are waves; big, small, heavy, and mush. Pros are paid competitors with a burning desire to be number 1. I respect the burn and drive and ability it takes to be the best. But it is still a distant second to surfing and waves.

 

I think lots of magazines and young surfers can't differentiate between surfing and pro surfing. It is as though the pro circuit is surfing. To me its mega hype. But as an adult I've never been one for following sports and competitors. I'm more interested in me doing it. That's all that really matters.

 

Pro surfing bring product development and progress. But then so does war.

 

Being a mega-nobody is lonely and sure, I could be envious of those guys. Nearly everyone is faced with being a mega-nobody and a lot of people fill that emptiness with pros, or celebrities etc You see it all over the place, not just surfing.

 

I still think the best surfer is the world is the one that has never had anyone sit on the beach or the water and watch them. Imagine a surfer that no one has ever seen surf, but he surfs every day. How would he ride waves?

[gerard 6]

 Quote:

Imagine a surfer that no one has ever seen surf, but he surfs every day. How would he ride waves?

'How' indeed! Very existential, db. If a tree falls in the forest but no one is there to hear, does it still make a sound?

[spook 0]

true true spud. it makes you think about how you surf waves, and why you surf them in a particular way. who decides what's the best/most impressive way the ride a wave?

i'm as big a glory hunter as anyone though - coming out of a barrel is always nicer if a mate's on the shoulder hooting.

for the past few years i've been riding different boards, much to the bewilderment of my mates who stick to standard, thin thrusters. i've got a quiver of mals, old single fins and twinnies which i ride all the time, not just when its small. my mates are all good surfers, but can't get their head around drawing different lines, taking high trim lines and approaching waves in a different way.

 

its saturday morning and its small but offshore... i'm off to the beach!

[Mantas 3]

 Quote:

Originally posted by spook:
coming out of a barrel is always nicer if a mate's on the shoulder hooting.

Who doesn't like that? It's almost as good as watching your mate do the same. I like to watch photos and videos of me or my mates because you get to relive whats only a 10 sec wave over and over. I don't think it's so much of a vanity thing.

Another SE blow over here. Lots of swell but totally useless!!

[indosnm 0]

For me a bazz is a bazz but one of the magical things is being able to share it (the experience, not the wave!) I love sitting in there, back arched and looking out watching the crew looking in enviously! Big smiles that you just can't wipe off your face because for me, time in the bazz just goes as slow as. It's nice to get guys say to you "nice pit mate" or something similar. I always give grats when crew get good waves.

One wave I got at Lakey peak, swell was coming in weird, took off on a right bomb double overhead + it threw, I was way too deep then it hit the corner where the wave actually changes direction and you get even deeper, and I came out to the channel full (coz everyone had been cleaned up) to "[censored] off!" "No way" "Siiick wave, dude" (ha ha, californians! etc. I think my chest grew about 5 inches straight away but damn it felt good!

 

What's my point? I dunno! I love da Bazz.

[bushpig 0]

who fuggin doesn't! And yeah, awesome to have guys hooting for you.

[snosurf 0]

spook - thanks heaps for the link to the surf rage article.

 

I am currently working on a university project (I study tourism) which discusses issues and impacts involving tourists and local residents in ski resort communities. A major component of the project is devoted to conflict 'on the mountain' - eg People getting in the way of others, collisions, not waiting your turn in the park, machoism/fights between mountain users etc.

 

Anyway, that research article will be very very helpful in my discussion of these issues (ie I can now draw a comparison between surf/snow). It's exactly what i was looking for yet unable to find. Thanks mate.

 

I went over to rottnest this morning (Saturday) and scored! Got one of the best barells of my life - not super long, but i was flying and it was thick, square and perfect. Won't disclose too much info as to which break, but lets just say it was at a break where you take-off and it just shoots you down the line.... Anyway, i'm really really satisfied. An awesome day of waves, except the trip home was very very rough (NW 20-30kn - 17ft boat). Hope you managed to get a few waves before that NW came in (bastard of a thing).

[bushpig 0]

grrrrrr....

 

I drove up 1.5 hours to the Sea of Japan on the off chance that the predicted bit of swell might actually be there. I found a very crowded break with waves I probably wouldn't have bothered with anyway. You lucky bastard snosurf!

[indosnm 0]

You lucky bastard snosurf!

I'll be sending you pics of my first powder run!

 

I have all but given up for surf here now. My fingers are still crossed as most years we get a late super typhoon between Late Oct-Dec.

[Mantas 3]

Still onshore crap here.

[spook 0]

time to revive this thread i think...

 

this footage is a couple of years old now, from a camping trip up north. its at a spot called turtles, and it was about shoulder high, even if the angle of the camera makes it look a bit small. and yes, my head really is that massive.

 

4 waves, shot from a video camera i mounted on a board:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lZ9LyG9gBc

[kintaro 0]

I wouldn't diss the pro's just cuz they are pro and get paid. I've surfed serveral times with Kelly Slater and Johnny Boy Gomes and (yes, I occasionnaly body board) I body boarded with Jack the Ripper on Molokai. These guys might have sold their souls to Quicksilver or Stussy but they love the sport like anybody else! I wouldn't mind somebody paying me to surf!

[indosnm 0]

No one is really dissing the pro's Kintaro, It's really only a problem when they rock up to a break and expect to own it when they are the tourist. Sure, do it at your home break where you might be at the top of the order, but it leave it there.

 

By the way, How's Guam coming along?

I ran into Jormz last night.

[kintaro 0]

You ran into Jormz? I'm surprised. Guam is coming along. Jormz and I had a trade show in Shanghai last week and it went well. I think we are going to have to meet each other Indo...didn't know you know my biz partner.

[indosnm 0]

yup, know him for about 9-10 years!

haven't seen much of him lately but was good to hook up with him on Sat nite.

[kintaro 0]

Hey Indo, I got an email from Jorma today telling me he met you. Small world!!

[indosnm 0]

Sure is, After talking to him about new Biz etc I thought he could be related (biz wise) somehow with you

[panhead_pete 27]

I just won my comapny a big job in Indo. Its a tragedy as I'll be spending quite a bit of time on the southern Java coast flying via Depenasar each time. Should keep me happy for a while.

[snosurf 0]

nice video spook. different perspective - i like it....

Surfed turtles a few times in june..surfed turtle rights a bit as well....nice camera work there as well!

[damian 0]

Hey Spook, I missed your clip first time round, sorry about that. Its almost freaky! But pretty good quality considering the situation, it came out really well. Not that your are ugly, but you should have pointed the camera forward.

 

I guess you gotta ride a mal to surf waves that small.

[indosnm 0]

 Quote:

Originally posted by panhead_pete:
I just won my comapny a big job in Indo. Its a tragedy as I'll be spending quite a bit of time on the southern Java coast flying via Depenasar each time. Should keep me happy for a while.

Awww. I fell rearry sorry for you Ppete.
Advice, explore the south coast of Javo, wild and rewarding depending on how feral you want to go! G-land is not the only jewel +)

[Mantas 3]

Snosurf- SA info as promised.

 

This is me dropping into a nice one at Punta del Lobos.

 

Nah. Just kidding. I did surf there though at about 4-5 foot. I had no idea it could get that big.

 

Try this site for a start.

http://www.wannasurf.com/spot/South_America/index.html

 

In a couple of months I only scratched the surface, but I'll tell you where I went. Going from south to north. All I'm about to tell you is from 10 years ago.

 

Pichelemu- Pleasant little town 3 hours SW of Santiago. From here you have access to 3 top quality waves. This is a nice part of Chile , lush and green.

Punta del Lobos, Puertacillo and Pichelemu. All long lefts.

The water down here is bloody cold. I don't know wath official temp is but I'd guess about 9-10 deg.C ! From memory I had a 4/3 steamer. boots and hood. The longest surf I had was 2 and a half hours. After which I had blue lips, slurred speach and spastic hands. The price you pay for surfing a top quality long point break all on your own.

 

Iqueque- A small city in northern Chile in a desert envioronment. Short powerful waves here. The best wave here is El Colegio, (the college). A meaty right that handles 15 feet plus, and rearly gets under 4 feet.Once again I surfed this on my own with loads of people watching. No one surfs there and it is right in the heart of the city. Go figure? Surfing is just a non event down there.

The water is a bit warmer here. Probably more like Perth in winter. Simple steamer would do.

 

Arica- More short powerful waves. Home of the 'Chilean Pipe'.

 

Lima - Capitol of Peru, party town, at least it was for us. Loads of surfers here, some agro too. We hooked up with some guys through a friend and were treated like royalty.

 

Northern Peru

 

This is the real Gem in my book.

Huancaco- This little town is believed to be the true home of surfing ( sorry my Hawaiian friends ) They still make the little reed surfboads/cannoes like they did 1000's of years ago. home to a nice left hander as well. Some ancient Mochea indian pyramids near by as well.

Pcasmayo- A long long long left. picks up more swell than Chicama.

Chicama- The longest left in the world. Breaks for 2.2 km in the main section. 4 km from the cape to the pier! If the swell is on hire a taxi for the day. He can pick you up at the pier and drive you back out to the point. I didn't really get it that big. I would of liked to stay longer and wait for a swell but my wife couldn't stand it any more. The town is a shit hole. Much of the Peruian coast is shit. A cross between a rubbish tip and a desert.

 

Mancora- Near the Ecudorian border. The nicest little coastal town we came across. White sand beaches and a nice long left (something different). Also in striking distance of Cabo Blanco. Perus best wave.

 

Mate, the waves are one thing but the people and culture are another. There are a few must do's when your in that part of the world.

Cuzco- Anceint Inca capital. This place is alive with music and festivals every day. Amazing place. There are loads of Inca trails to hike besides 'The Inca trail'. But I do recommend doing 'The Inca trail' to Machu Pichu.

 

The Ferro Carril- A small train that goes from sea level at Arica to 4000m on the Alta Plano in one day. Finishing in La-Paz Bolivia.

 

English is rarely spoken in most places on the surf trail so a little Espanol goes a long way. The people are generally very friendly and helpful especialy in Chile. Peru does come with it's problems though. So some caution is needed, We were hauled of the buses by gun wielding soldiers many times, only to be questioned and allowed back on the bus.

As for boards, I carted 2 boards everywhere, 6' 10" and 7' 4". I didn't ride the 6' 10" much. It's a pain in the arse, but I like to have my gear with me at all times. I wouldn't count on buying boards in some areas. Brasil sure. The surf scene there is huge. I didn't surf in Brasil or Argentina. Too many surfers!

Like I said this was 10 years ago, so things would have changed a bit, but I'll bet the waves haven't

[snosurf 0]

That sounds insane mate! I'm a natural-footer but good waves are good waves... bring on the lefts.

 

How powerful are the waves compared to say Indo and Australia?

 

I've surfed some pretty heavy lefts up in the NW, but wasn't too condfident when it got solid above 6-8ft... I think I need a bigger board and a bigger set of balls haha.

 

Sounds like a good route from the south to north - I have some contacts in Ecuador so it would be a perfect itinerary to end up there eventually.

 

Definitely will need to learn some more spanish, right now i know next to nothing. Chicama sounds absolutely ridiculous....2.2km? Would definitely have to get a taxi to take me from the pier to the cape, i have trouble paddling out after a 100m ride, 1km would be tough on my little arms!

 

Cheers for all the info mate.... Definitely interested in hitting it next year so i'll let you know how things go!

 

If you ever want to know anything about any surfing areas in west oz i'm more than happy to let you know

[Mantas 3]

 Quote:

Originally posted by snosurf:


How powerful are the waves compared to say Indo and Australia?

The long point breaks are not very powerful, even fat, they aren't what I'd call 'world class'. The shorter reef breaks in Northern Chile do however pack some punch.
Ecuador has insane waves. I never surfed there but my mate did. Lots to see around Quito. You can even venture into the Amazon from there.
Your straying a long way from your Santiago base now though. tThe place is like that though. The more you see the more you want to see.
We spent 3 months all up in SA and it was nowhere near enough time. My mate and his wife spent 9 months travelling SA alone and they said it wasn't enough!

[spook 0]

ha! it seems like i keep reviving this thread... but this footage is definitely worth it.

how do you surf a lake in copenhagen? throw in a stcik of dynamtie and surf the wake from the explosion. this is RAD

 

http://www.break.com/index/dynamite_surfing.html