Well...

Back from the Yallingup Film Festival and what an event.

So well organised, incredible venue and sponsors and everything laid on. The film makers were driven to the event each day in limo's, through sun filled vineyards and past perfect beaches.

Unfortunately Musica didn't win, though it was incredibly well received and honoured by the acknowledgement that it was the film that inspired the Festival to be held in the first place. The winner was the remarkable and controversial Sea of Darkness, winner of the 209 New York Festival also. I met some wonderful people, as expected, made some friendships and renewed others.

Over the next few days I'll give a proper report, but I thought a taste was worthwhile.

The pics are from day one and the the last surf of the three days. (Tom Wegener and I at a lonely beachy, gut sliding alaias....I was laaaaghable, Tom got tubed)

The report through all the time we were there was for 1-3ft rubbish, and get a wave if you're lucky.

I first surfed at a spot called Three Bears, kinda busy but super friendly, three great peaks to choose from, and caught a ton of waves. Then driving back I looked down and spotted these two guys surfing a perfect peak... all by themselves.

Back where we were staying, later in the afternoon I snapped the shorey of the whitest, clearest watered beach I've ever seen.

Yep, these shots are WA at it's worst.

World, eat your heart out.

A quick post as I wing my way tomorrow to what might be the last Film Festival for a bit.

The Yallingup Surfilm Festival has invited me over for their inaugural event, and it looks like it will be something special. A great line up of films, including the winner of this years New York Surf Film Festival so I wish both of us luck in a unique line up. I'm looking forward to meeting some wonderful new people... If it's anything like New York (hard act to follow) watch out.

The big plus is the place. Yallingup is a stone's throw, in fact smack in the middle of, one of the world's great wave zones.

Do you think I should bother taking a board?

Fingers crossed all round I suppose and next week be prepared for a report.

Well back after one of the more 'interesting' holidays I've had.

The surf was largely crap, bar a couple of days of good five foot lefts.

Otherwise relentless drivel, or rather, small waves and crowds. Within that, it was fun, and we used what we had to our best advantage. The little alaia got a thrashing, and is a genuine blast. Joey fell in love with it and rode it relentlessly, as did I when he let me at it.

Tom get us jumping the whole time, as he jumped out of windows to go to parties at 2 am time after time, us worrying ourselves sick while he made the most of a 'beach holiday'.... with all that goes with it.

Fourteen going on twenty.

Help.

Then, to top it off, on the way back and driving through a massive storm in the Snowy Mountains yesterday, we lost (and I mean lost... gone forever... blown to god knows where) three boards off the roof... after me checking the ties just an hour before. Amongst them one of Maurice Cole's favourites that he'd loaned me to try out. Gutted.

Big spirit that he is he took it well this morning but I've fallen into a funk.

How to make it up to him.

Pics, Alaia stuff with Joey... me imitating a marker buoy, and a bird imitating a leaf.

More tales from the trip if I can summon the energy soon.

Happy New Year.