At slightly overhead Bells, onshore and bumpy, though uncrowded, my intentions were well above my beginners abilities. Visions of elegant high speed trims knew a reality oh so different. Even paddling the thing is an epic, let alone catching a wave.
Eventually though, I did snag the odd one, though standing up was an unfulfilled ambition, and a remote similarity to a trim for about a foofteenth of a second was about the best I could do.
Afterwards I thought it best to consult with Jarrah Lynch, son of Wayne and local alaia wizz. His counsel was to start a little smaller, and belly board, just like he did.
So there is hope.
The pic. Me as taken by Richie, staggering up the stairs after flailing for two and a half hours. He'd run back to the car to get a snap of me riding.. hahahahaha... but got this shot instead, cutting the sparsely foliaged top of my head off in the process. Please don't judge me too harshly at taking the non purist line of having a leggie. There is no way I was going to paddle all that way only to swim back in.
Stop Press. I've been meaning to give a shout out for Jaimal Yogis new venture. A film of his book Saltwater Buddha. Having surfed with Jaimal, face planted in front of him, read the book and knowing what a good soul he is, I think this will be something worth waiting for.
1 comment:
You are a brave man.....for sure its one thing to have skills with one craft and hope to transpose them to another...but a thin, finless knife-railed wooden beast is another learning curve of tranposition...lol.
I rode one of Tom Weggner's 16ft hollow chambered Paulonia Dinosaurs at National Park Noosa n Tom's 40th Birthday...he had just finished some Alaia's and a copy of an Olo'....it was great on the 16 footer....just had to surf it like Tom does...but I left the Hawaiian watercraft given it was a stiff onshore with crumbly waves.
Now got some Paulonia slabs...I am going to have a crack at a 6ft and 6'4" Alaia, then try and master it here at Snapper, maybe Mick and Parko will want a turn on it too...(chuckles)....enjoyed your blogs. Kawika Ikaika
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