Surf Beach 2

We had such a great time yesterday that we headed down again on Monday as it was a public holiday. We took Kristy and met Rich and Nat there. What a fun day! With the good conditions everyone took a step up. James has been squatting more giving him more style and balance to work from. Kristy caught some green waves and Nat worked her butt off paddling for green waves and catching them. I had a go on Richard's fish, which was a real challenge. The standing was ok, but catching the waves was reeeeeally hard. Harder, I think, than Leeann's tiny toothpick of a board. We're thinking it needs some size to make it easier, plus being comfortable with a later take off. Richard got on my board and straight away had a really nice line along the face. Board choice makes such a big difference. This day had Nat and Kristy both talking about getting glass boards. The stoke. This weekend I'm heading off early on Friday and we're doing a girl's surfing safari to Lancelin. We're all very excited.

Shape at Surf Beach!!

James and I took Jo to Surf Beach on the long weekend. I wasn't that enthusiastic about the beach - except that I'd be getting wet - as we've had terrible shape the last little while. James even managed to snap one of our foam boards at Scarborough. Very, very straight. I had just finished telling Jo about our usual conditions - no face, close outs, dumpy - when we crested the sand dune to look out over peak after peak running down the beach. James and I were in heaven and it took us a little while to realise how good it was. Jo did great. She hadn't surfed for a few months but was popping up nice and fast and having no trouble at all on the white water and caught some green ones too. Having her there made me realise just how much local knowledge counts for. James and I have spent hours and hours at this beach, and so you come to expect certain things from it. You know how fast the waves form, there shape, where the sand banks form. Not knowing this stuff can really knock your confidence - as we found when we were in Queensland. We were talking about this session for the rest of the day. Best surf James has had on months and I'm sure I had some of the best waves I've ever caught. I was able to paddle on a real angle, because the waves had shape. I think we were getting plenty at about hip height AND I got to work with the face. I had some nice deep bottom turns and managed to get carving along the face - little top turns linked with bottom burns. We just have NOT had these conditions to work with and it was like a pile of things that I've been learning and thinking all fell into place finally and my body knew what to do. Jo took some shots of us, so hopefully there's a few in there where we look like we're surfing ;) but regardless, it felt amazing!

Long absence

I'm good at leaving this blog for ages. That has partly been because I haven't been up to much. Well, I have. But it's all here: http://www.crystalvoyager.blogspot.com/ I made these over the last week or so. I've been wanting to get more into some mixed media and in particular, books, but just don't quite know where to start. These were small, simple and fun. My goal was to introduce layers as I tend to work quite flat. They are 4 x 4 inches.

Denmark Easter Surf Trip

Easter was great fun. time with the family trying out the new tent and sleeping bags and stuff. Really, we were pretty lucky with the surf. There were some waves and there was some shape. Unfortunately I think we were spoilt the first time we came here and haven't seen it as good since. I'm sure if we were locals we would have, but driving the 5 hours down there every so often is all we can manage. Friday we spent 2.5 hours in the water, then I went back in the arvo - although it was choppy and sucky. Saturday was wiiinnnnndy, so no surf. Sunday was still massively onshore with chunky swell, but we took the kids down to the beach and hoped in once they were bored - all of 5 minutes. Monday I put my foot down and sad we were surfing before the 5 hour drive back. So that I felt like i'd done something with the day. The sun was shining, there was no excuse. There were some really good people down there. Of particular note was one girl of about 15 who rode a longboard. She was so graceful and was usually in just the right spot. Looked like so much fun. She was working on noseriding and had some pretty impressive stacks, always with a smile on her face. The waves down there are so nice and crumbly. You rarely had to go under them. Just keep paddling up and through to get out the back. Looking at the photos of me, I fell like a need a bit of something. James and Dale were both really good to take heaps of shots, so I could see what I was doing and where I was in relation to the wave. A hard thing to do when you're in it. the main thing I think I need to work on is timing and placement. Where I am when the wave gets to me. Probably one of the harder things about surfing, I guess. And only time in the water will help. Years. :) I got years.

I had heaps of fun, but would have liked to have taken a few more big ones. The line up was so crowded, I didnt want to hassle or be in the way. It was just too hard to try and take off with 6 people sitting in front of you...One of the bigger waves I paddled onto, in between crowded moments.

Apparently not the best shape from looking at this shot.

I really need to commit! It doesn't look that scary from here and standing would have been fine.

So. I haven't quite sussed the longboard. Seemed to nosedive before I could stand, no matter what I was doing. So next time I take it out I'm gonna get right back. Ppl out there seemed to have their feet right on the tail. So we'll see. I also think I need to paddle harder. Maybe not all the time, but there are waves where I guess I was in the pocket, but didn't catch the wave fast enough, so it overtook me.

Too slow...Generally, it was difficult to get on the face, but then I also think that was the conditions. I'm happy with the size of some of the 'close-out' stuff that I've still managed to make.Nice size, just not the shape. So good and crumbly though. Never thought I'd be saying I want something more hollow. Should I be paddling on more of an angle? I'm happy with some of these shots, seeing how I'm positioning myself and leaning, I think, is really good. Packed line-up Going right :)

I'd love to get some feedback from someone who knows what they're doing re stand up. This all seems a bit anal, and next time I go out, I just plan to have fun and be in the moment. But a bit of reflection so I can see what to work on has been good too. Aloha.