Storm Bird x Ants

 Ants and storm birds are the long range weather forecasters here - foretelling rain, hail and boxing day sales. The storm birds are going nuts this morning, warning of plenty big rain.

 But the weather is perfect. (At the moment)

Prone Science

I know a little about the science behind (air) mat surfing.

I know mostly nothing about the art of body (boogie) board riding.

It looks like a ton of fun at times.

Especially when you're gliding over a shallow coffee rock ledge.

Boat x Boogie

Prone to Slide

I'm not a longboarder.

I'm not a short boarder.

I'm not a matter or hand-planer.

I'm a smorgasborder.

Keen to ride a rail, carve, slide or sail.

I love vert, but I'm also

prone to slide (prone).

New Year Predictions

First entry in the blogging book that the wonderful Andrea and Emma gave me for Xmas - thank you again:

"1 January 2011

Stayed up until midnight. Saw the Sydney fireworks extravaganza on TV. (NOTE: this is three hours past my bedtime.) Woke up at 8:45am after strange dream where GfG and I were shooting film from the water near Noosa river mouth when an ultra-light aircraft landed on the water. Two women were doing a tandem SUP thing on a jetski with a paddle and all. We get into shore and it's the Lismore train station. Should have listened to those global warmers. (Lismore is 35 feet above sea level and 30 miles from the sea.) We hop on a very old fashion train still in our wetsuits dripping. I notice mine has a pocket on right hand side with my wallet in it. Wake up as train pulls into Nimbin."

Wet and dreary today after a few blue sky days so read my horoscope for the year ahead according to the astrologer in The Who magazine - somewhere after the celebrity diet section and the celebrity holiday section. I make a small mental note of an article stating that Hugh Hefner is getting married to somebody 60 years younger and picture him in an "Old Guys Rule" Tee shirt. 

On Page 65, I discover that Oprah and I are both Aquarians. I'm temporarily distracted from the hissing coffee percolator spluttering on the gas stove by visions of myself on an atoll seeking mega-yacht with an ultralight that can land on the water, assisted by Gail from the Goodtime surf shop.

I'm pleased to report that, according to The Who magazine's latest New Year Horoscope, I will be having a huge year in the life-love-work departments. Highlights will include: an end to a cycle of disappointments and delays (thanks for the lotto win, Hughie), three love affairs (I'm not familiar with this term, but I see it used a lot in The Who) and significant re-training (did I hear the word "retrenchment"?).

There is no report on surf, tsunamis, localism or the exploitation of unethical labor practices by global surf brands. No mention either of the long overdue recognition of my late blooming artistic talents, though this may be broadly covered under the category of "work". I can guarantee there will be more blogging - posssibly of dubious quality - but generally gramatically correct and definitely a cheaper, (meditative almost) diversion from the vagaries of the stock market and "visionary" political rhetoric than The Who magazine.

Deus x boogie

Bike above from a Deus tee.

I have been enjoying the Kiwi surf magazine called SLIDE lately. It seems to have images and stories about places I haven't seen a thousand times already. A recent issue had an article on a motorbike company - in a surf mag? Well, why not, I say. The crew from Deus ex Machina make beautiful machines and they surf. Their design aesthetic links with legendary surfwear larrikins Mambo, which was started by one of the Deus crew. So here's my tribute to motorbikes, the Oz bush, heat and waves. And film. Peddle to the metal!

Granite Bay shrubbery meets Noosa Woods campground in a1936 camera.

Peace Boogie

Boogie Barrel

Late yesterday afternoon out the front of Nana's,

 two lone boogie boarders

pick off a few glassy ones

in between rain squalls and thumping sets.

Spring 2009