Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Get some Spring in your Step.

(above): Enigmatic, Richie Barry swoops into a heaving Snappers left.   -Photo: Bill Evans
Whilst the water temperatures sits precariously at its lowest point of the year, as the on and off snow falls then melts then falls again, rest assured, our days are finally getting longer. Surfable from 630am til 630 at night, the weekday working warriors now even have a little wriggle room at the end of each day to get amongst it.

(above): Poised for takeoff, Unknown backs himself to go right.   -photo:Bill Evans

A big congratulations to local surfer Gary Miller and his wife Jess on the birth of their little girl. Im sure Gary is looking forward to his first surf as a dad!! ( it always makes for more solid turns! ).

A fun little groundswell last week looks set to be backed up with another similar over the next few days and as long as the devil wind south easter stays off it we could be set for more ice water howlers.

See you in the source.



Monday, August 4, 2014

Curiosity can be a Cat Killer.

The anticipation of a swell in Nelson is what makes it one of the most interesting places to live as a surfer. Quite often I get " I dont understand why you love surfing so much and remain in Nelson".... or "Why dont you move down the west coast or to Kaikoura, they'v'e always got waves"...
It has lead me to the realise after residing here for just on 12 years now, that infact, sometimes the thrill of the chase is actually better than the kill itself.

Meeting at an undisclosed dairy under the cover of darkness you could almost smell the adrenalin of everyone as we proceeded to load the boat up with boards and wetties. The four of us, Skipper Mark Chamberlain, Joe Anderson, Jimmy Wright and myself,  would meet up with local Blenheim surfer Mike "Ratty" Lindstrom at the boat ramp at 7am and thats when our adventure would become reality......

Punching through some confused swell for a good half n hour as we left french pass we were told some crazy story about the tides there including one of a 6metre osprey boat nearly getting its nose pulled under whilst spinning in a whirlpool and as we passed a dead seal with giant teeth-marks in its side we were all starting to feel a little clammy. As we hit the open ocean swell and with our destination in site the awkwardness was pushed aside by pure stoke as we hooted and screamed as our pot of gold at the end of the rainbow shined brightly.


As humans we have a "need to know" complex and however hard it was to leave behind pumping waves at home we broke out of the mould for a day, went exploring and had a great time with absolute solitude.
Upon return to Nelson it was evident we had "missed" a great days surfing with reports of all local breaks firing it was a case of "damned if you do, damned if you dont".

I only ever wanted what I could never really have.



Words: Mark Nichols
Photos: Jimmy Wright



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