friday night / saturday morning

Last night I went to the Pheonix to see Rob Machado’s new film, The Drifter.

I had already seen it. I own it! But, I went anyway because it was a gig organised by a mate Tids, in aid of the Tsunami Appeal. The place was sold out, which was cool for him. It was also good to catch up with a few old friends that I had not seen in ages. I bumped into Clicky, who shapes some boards for me, and Andy, and a few of the old staff members from Tads. So that was cool. Here is Clicky’s website so you can check his shit.

Lazicka Surf Design (LSD)

I didn’t go to the firehouse and get pissed like some, instead I got up at 6am and spent my morning here at Saunton.

Head high and clean as glass. It was amazing. Then I bought a new hood in second skin on the way home.

Oh. Don’t buy nine plus gloves. They look really great, feel really great, are really warm, but you can’t paddle for shit in them. And Tids is now selling both cool and cold water famous wax. Its great stuff.

anchor point and killers

I am off to Morocco on the 5th of Jan. I have had enough of getting brain freeze at north Devon so I’m flying in to Marrakesh and then driving over the mountains to Banana Beach. From there i have some of Europe’s best right hander’s to surf. Bring it on. THere is a good possibility that instead of a lone wolf kind of trip, aka the drifter, Sarah Strack may join me on my travels. Which is most excellent. She speaks fluent french, i dont, but morrocans do, so she can do the translating and ill teach her to surf. I think thats fair.

Oh. I bought a new office pet. Here he is. He is a bit retarded which is cool.

 

He basically has two jobs to do. Be super cool, as a rad crew elite pet should always be, and to catch crickets with his sticky tongue. At the former, he is good. Real good. At the latter, he is absolutely pants. What a windowlicker.

We can’t decide on a name. Possibilities include:

Lance

Walter

Flat Eric

Len

Juan

Otis

Suggest away.

EL NINIO

I went surfing at Teignmouth this weekend. It dosn't work all that often but we had a bit of stormy weather in conjunction with the north coast of America taking a bashing last week, and it turned on a bit. Here are some pics. Getting out of the water was the problem; I got smashed on the beach a few times. Me, Dave, Chris and Tim were in. Good times.

Teignmouth Pier in the backdrop (Muse are from here)

Pretty gnarly eh!

i have the flu

not only did tom constant flood the house at horseguards the other day, he also gave me man flu. way to go tom.

apologies

Firstly I owe Sarah Strack an apology because I haven’t updated the blog. Sorry. Surf has been good!!! So what have I been up to??? Lots………….

I bought a new RAD FORCE 1…………

 

And I bought a new 6ft 9 single fin AL MERRICK!!!! Sarah you can help me name her if you like.

I also bought a canon 450D, and I have a new office.

My mate Tids has also asked me if I would like to buy into the surf shop, Tads, that used to be Urban Surfer. I’m Considering it. I’m going surfing now. Byeeeeeeee

travel plans.

 went surfing last night at Saunton. Myself, Chris Holmes, and Actual Dave sat out back and had some overhead fun. Dave got some air and is now therefore rad air specialist. Andy Murray came for his first white water session and stood up!

Sarah Strack made it safe and sound to Chile for the start of her 6 month trip. At least i think she did. Here she is:

That got me thinking about my own travel plans rather than working. With the help of Hoopstain, I narrowed down the countries on my hit list to:

Possibly Oz / NZ (but that maybe subject to change)
Japan
Thailand
Nepal and Tibet
Cambodia
Vietnam
Indonesia

When I have worked out an itinerary ill post it, with some nice pictures of each place on the list.

Have a good time Sarah. Don’t talk to anyone as dodgy as me.

Dune Jumping World Championships

I went surfing on Sunday. It was small, but got to a couple of feet on the pushing tide, and wave count was high, so all in all it was a good session. We held the first annual dune jumping championships, the line up was myself, Jules Tabbererrerrer, Actual Dave, Holmesy and Paul. Then we went to see District 9. Today, I’m fucked.

This is Andy Murray. The latest addition to the rad crew,  bitten by the surfing bug on Thursday night when we paddled out into a very dark and moody Dawlish Warren (which works only a few times a year). Hats off to him though, he paddled out back on his first time, when a lot of people I can think of really wouldn’t have. And he bought a Ripcurl Ultimate Elasto 5/4/3 at Tids shop today. Watch this space.

Not too long ago I was seeing an old flame, Sarah Jory. She plays guitar for Van Morrison.  I kind of blew her out. It was the right thing to do at the time, but today, for some reason, I was feeling kind of bad about it. So I just dropped her a text to say hi. She hasn’t replied yet.

 

 

As an afterthought, don’t buy far king surf wax. It’s shit.

on wednesdays im a PESSIMIST

Today I am pig sick. There are a few varied reasons for this state of my wellbeing.

1.       Its sunny and there is surf

2.       I have no transportation

3.       I am at work

4.       I am nearly 40

Unfortunately mother (my local break at Saunton Sands on the north coast of Devon) is producing 2.5 ft of nice clean fun with an offshore wind today. But my usual surf buddies either have to work, or are lesbians. 'So im not going to be able to surf' (that was a Gerry Lopez impression). 

I can’t go by myself because I have no car. Have no car because I am waiting for my divorce settlement which is taking tooooooo long. On the upside, I like being divorced.

Yes I am at work. No I am not working. Im writing this blog.

I do not want to be 40. I can’t think of anything worse (except seeing certain females in my department naked). People who are over 40 should be shot. Or rounded up and put on Jersey.

One more thing. A mate was on the one show last night but diddn't turn up to the studio. Ergo he did not give my mobile number to Christine Bleakley and tell her that I was much better looking than that chap with the big ears and rubber lips that she presents with. All because he didd not want to play his saxamaphone with Jamie Oliver on drums. This is a very selfish attitude Raphael. But I forgive you. Its still a bummer though.

Look at these pictures and listen to this music. If you don’t have Spotify, shame on you. You Will probably have never heard of Cathy Battistessa. I can assure you she is very nice, and has a fantastic soul.

  

  

She could have had my mobile number right now.

Soul Education

Cathy Battistessa