Birthday Roadies

Birthday week...not so bad

When you're a grom, and even well into your twenties...hell, thirties... birthdays are all about the party. There's landmarks, your 16th, your 21st, your 30th, your 40th. But there comes a time, or age where the celebrations get replaced with a realisation that there's a tipping point. You're not making landmarks, the bloody clock is ticking. And the parties become social obligations. There's nothing wrong with social obligations, and quite frankly there is gratitude that friends and family what to celebrate your day of birth. But shouldn't a birthday be a time to do what you want to do? I bail, last year it was Gizzy, the year before it was Napier, before that Samoa.

T Bay and the start of the new swell

The objective is to be surfing, to get surfed out, to camp. There's a range, anywhere that's going to be good within a 5 hour drive/flight from Piha. This year the Far North was looking the goods, the long range forecast was good for both coasts. The gorgeous Ange couldn't come, but she happily gave me the pass, so me and the lil' bro Kent went on a boy's roadie.

The Troopy in its correct habitat

Surf, eat, sleep... repeat. Engage the front diff; an added bonus. We got really good waves, we surfed twice a day. I'd like to claim I was ripping, that I got barrelled every surf, but I wasn't and didn't. We sure had a lot of fun though. Road food, asleep by 8pm, soundtracks from the 80's and 90's... in part to annoy young Kent. Tales of former triumphs and disasters. Making new memories.

Ahipara goodness

Rarawa...not quite this time, but man the Troopy looks good!

Sorry, not sorry hashtag Troopylyfe, Ahipara camp

Super fun rollers around the reef

Stuck around the reef by the tide, oh no, what will we do

NZ Surf The Collection Vol 2 has been out for 8 months now, and it's doing just fine. Over the half the print run is gone. This spread is of the course a story on the very same unforementioned beach at the centre of last week's roadie. Check out more about the book HERE

Billy's Covid Silver Lining

Billy stepping off with Leon driving this time last year

We've all had a topsy-terving year, but for 7x National Champ Billy Stairmand it's kind of worked out OK...

What happened to your knee and what's the recovery time?

During the Newcastle 5000 wqs event I was free surfing the night before a huge finals day. It was really good air wind. So I went for a backside air tried to land but my back foot slipped off the tail pad and my body collapsed over my front knee tearing my MCL and PCL. I had a grade 3 MCL tear and a grade 2 PCL tear and luckily and surprisingly I didn’t tear my ACL. It’s been 3 months since the injury. At the time it was devastating and I was pretty gutted. But after everything that happened after with the whole pandemic thing it’s almost the perfect time to be injured for me. The recovery is coming along well and I should be surfing again in the next week or 2. I’ve been training a lot and working with my physio to help get it better quicker. 

The sort of back-hand loft that will do it...Piha earlier this year

You would have surfed in the Piha WQS, how would that have worked? 

Yeah I was really looking forward to competing in front of my home country. It was looking like it was gonna be an amazing event and just competing at home is always such an honour. Especially that big of an event. I would have definitely competed even with a torn MCL but I obviously wouldn’t have been 100%. So in a way I’m happy it all got postponed so when it does come back I can compete at 100% and put on a show for the crowd also. 

Also we had a big week locked in staying at your house which I have previously had some pretty good results staying there. ;) so was gonna be a fun one. 

If this was a newspaper the caption would be like… ‘Billy looking forward to the future’

So Covid was a bit of a mixed blessing for you huh? 

Yeah to be honest the whole Covid lockdown on the world was probably the best timing for me. I was having a really amazing start to my year internationally and was gearing up for one of my biggest years ever. But then the injury. I was scared and nervous for what my year was gonna look like after that. 

I probably would have missed a few events and wouldn’t have been 100% recovered for the Olympics. So I have taken all the positives out the of the whole pandemic. It’s given me tome to reflect on what I really want. Which is get a medal at the Olympics. So now I have the time to fully recover, train more, practice more and prepare myself fully for the Tokyo Olympic Games. 

Signature Stairmand move on the Piha Bar this summer

What happens for the rest of the year for you and the WQS for that matter? 

Ummmm I’m unsure on what the WSL and WQS is going to do. I havn't heard anything from anyone so it’s a bit up in the air at the moment. Obviously it’s gonna be a tough one with the travel restrictions. It’s hard to say what they’ll do if the cancel the whole year also. Some people have won contests already ya know, so it’s hard taking that away from them. I hope we can get to Hawaii at the end of the season and maybe do the triple crown. But I really don’t have any idea on what will happen. 

You've been helping the lads do step offs... tell us about the day, looked like an early start? 

Haha. Yeah I’ve become a personal driver for Leon Santorik as of late. I’m still not surfing so I’m trying to get as close to the real thing as possible and doing step offs is pretty much it. 

Leon knew the waves where going to be good so he messaged to see if I was keen. I also had a couple messages from some of the other boys asking what I was up to this day. I drove to his house stayed the night and we where the first ones out there. We stepped for 6 hours straight. 

For me it’s really good practice driving the ski and I also love stepping the boys off into some good barrels. And I’m sure Leon doesn’t mind getting barrels for 6 hours straight. Haha. So was a fun few hours. But I can say it was hard watching everyone getting barreled. I thought about getting one or two. Ya know just step off go straight and get barreled. But then I thought what’s the point. If anything was to happen. Get clamped or back wash or catch an edge then I’m done again. So I didn’t surf. Wise decision from myself. Haha 

How does stepping off work, like talk us through actually performing a step off? 

It’s so easy and fun. You just wait and hunt for the right wave if you see a peak down the beach then you gas it down then when you get to the right spot you slow rite down turn down the wave to head straight towards the beach and the surfer steps off. Then gas it out in front of the wave and watch your friend get absolutely barreled off his noggin Hahahaha. It can get dangerous at times if it’s a bit bigger. But I think if you have good wave knowledge and a bit of time learning and driving,  it’s super fun. 

Yep, Books are getting shipped, and orders are coming in again... thanks guys. Please check out the Photo CPL Media book range HERE

Surfing To The Max

Last week's post dwelled on the downside of Level 3 and 2

On how caned the the West Coast beaches were getting, both in and out of the water. There was also mention of how the general vibe of PhotoCPL posts is intended to upbeat and looking towards the positives. As a side note, last week's more cynical slant got far more traffic and discussion than usual... does this mean the future posts should follow that trend? Should the posts spiral down into the form of NewsTalk, Stuff and even Stab? Well, at my own [arguably financial] detriment it's a firm NO. I could, I know how to bait and create sensational muckraking. Lord knows there's enough muck in Surfing to do so, but it's just not what I want to do. So here's a super rad positive from the last 8 weeks. 

Meet top French Surfer Maxime Huscenot. 28 year old Maxime and his family opted to stay in NZ after the Piha Pro got canceled. It was an absolute pleasure to share our waves with him. It seems like everyone loved having him in the line-ups, he wasn't snakey or prone to drop in and man did he put on a show. It wasn't the first time Maxime has put in some decent time at Piha. In 2010 he spent 2 weeks here as part of the French team competing in the ISA World Juniors, posting a very creditable 9th in the U18's. 

Maxime, 10 years ago at Piha, I got the job as Official ISA event photog hence remembering Maxime well. 

Last Sunday Maxime and his family flew home; "Yeah I will miss surfing here. I came for the 'QS and decided to stay for a week to enjoy the place and visit a bit. Then when things start to move quickly with the Covid 19 we decided to stay here as we were in a safe house with really nice people. We didn’t want to risk travelling and contracting the virus and then spread it to our family back home. So it was a safe decision to stay even if it was hard to be away from our family.

New Zealand was a really amazing place. The people are so friendly and welcoming. I want to thank the family that take care of us and also all the locals that let me surf with them and share their line up 🙌🏻🔥! We’ve been cooking every day, so once a week we would go to the shopping mall to get food and then stay nice and quiet in Piha. It’s been lovely to surf here and enjoy the Piha reserve it is so beautiful." Maxime adds that he hopes to return next year if the Piha Pro is on. Needless to say he'll be welcomed with open arms. 

Maxime lighting up last Saturday 

Of course the locals weren't letting Maxxy have all the waves... 

Whaaaa! Aramis Goodwin on a short board?! 

Aramis blazing into the sunset

...and Aro again finding rights, in now is what is aptly named the Covid Bank...according to Bill Byers anyway

SNZ Prez, Dr. Chris Fougere walking the talk 

...and up the coast... 

Moving On

The Recreational Society is going pretty well! Thank you all that have visited the new website. This week the site profiles fellow surf photog Jono Smit and his wife Annie's camper. 

You can check it out HERE

Yep, Books are getting shipped, and orders are coming in again... thanks guys. Please check out the Photo CPL Media book range HERE

Surfing In Level 3

Last night...there sure were moments

I didn't really understand the rules around surfing at Level 3. I wrongly assumed it was way more stringent, that everyone was supposed to stay a lot closer to home, like the 30km range. The correct terminology was 'Your Region'. Which in Auckland is a pretty massive travel range. So I got off on the wrong foot anyway. Over the last two weeks Piha resident surfers have endured crowds beyond high summer levels. There has been in no way surfers surfing within their ability, but that's a hard thing to call, we all think we surf better than we do. I'd like to report by first surfs back in the water were fun, to be really honest I try to keep these posts upbeat. But they weren't good. I was lucky to get a car park at South Piha, then the pack on the Bar was out of hand, a niggly, snakey scene with very few familiar faces. 

Lion Rock had a happy face!

I get that everyone was frothing to be back in the water. I also get that surfing for many is one of the few activities/exercise we could do. The packs couldn't go for a cheeky Zumba class, go for a game of touch or rugger with the lads. The West Coast beaches copped it; I heard Maori Bay was similar and even worse. 

Not really the sort of quality surf you want to see a guy on a 8 foot 10 year old Bic board out in

Last night the ugly came out in force. Again getting a park required hawk eyes a few circuits of South Piha. I opted to swim out with the camera, I would not have caught a single wave. What I witnessed was bad...real bad. Heavy burnings, full on collisions and resulting fisty cuffs...no social distancing when there's haymakers landing huh! Resident surfers were at the end of their tethers, incidentally, the majority of drop ins I saw were on residents not by residents. 

One of the very few not ridden

Tomorrow we drop down to Level 2 and hopefully this will take pressure off the West Coast. OK, as mentioned above, I'd like for these posts to be a bit of stoke arriving in your inbox and on your screen, so moving on... here's the highlights of yesterday evening's swim...

Keyhole Boardriders' Prez Shay Rainger found some nuggets

Shay's Blue Steel

West Coast Authoritarian Bren Dizzle, always a pleasure to surf with

Serious Shay :)

2nd Generation Piha surfer Powelly

Next gen Piha ripper and U16 National Champ Liv Haysom

EBC burying some serious rail

Ratty on his hand shaped double winger single fin

Blurs and silk

Yep, Books are getting shipped, and orders are coming in again... thanks guys. Please check out the Photo CPL Media book range HERE

Order Up!

Hmmmm 2 metre rule???? Photo: Salty Walty

Sorry, not sorry for no post last week. Post time clashed with the tide, and quite frankly after 6 weeks of not surfing at all there was no way tapping a key board was going to take priority over getting wet. Although the surfs were pretty damn remedial. Those of us that indulged on the west coast ...and I'm pretty sure from the full carparks and line-ups that was most of us... will attest it wasn't good by any means. BUT WE GOT TO SURF!!!! 

Looks good... but the west coast savvy will note the gutter. Photo: Salty Walty

Of course there were sessions and moments of goodness, we did have nearly 6 days of offshores. Me? I surfed everyday, didn't pick up the camera once. These photos are off my lil' bro Kent's phone. 

The offshore run ended with the treat of a north swell...how good!!! Photo: Salty Walty

Level 3 signalled to start of much needed orders coming in for Photo CPL Media. The printers went back to work and couriers were able to do deliveries. Some ok book orders came in and three nice large print commissions popped up in the inbox. 

Piha Rocks, off to Hillcrest. Check it out better HERE

The Bay, off to Tauranga. Check it out better HERE

Ooch! Not a great representation, but Piha Layers is off to Langholm. You defo need to check this out properly HERE

...And what about Recreational Society you ask? Well it's ripping along. A lot of crew are saying the timing of launching the site could not have been better; no one's gonna be holidaying overseas anytime soon and we'll all be buying campers. Well if it is good timing be assured its a complete and utter fluke, no pandemic soothsaying here! 

The latest Vanlifer interview on the site; Check out Goose and Ellen and their epic Hi-ace fit out HERE

The Book Store

YESSS we are shipping! You might have figured that out from the whole theme of this post. 

Check out the bookstore HERE

28 Daze

How is your fourth week going? I'm not going to lie, mine has been tough, the bad weather didn't help. Looking forward to our original release date and seeing there was going to be good waves made it a bit better. And then denied. Arrrggghhh.  It is the right thing to do to stay at Level 4 a bit longer. It's not actually being at Level 4 that is hard...it is purely missing out on surfing. Surfing has always been my equilibrium, my reset. I do love being a Piha resident for nearly 30 years, and I've become more appreciative of everything the wild coast offers. The primary reason was and is to be close to the waves.

Making panoramics in the backyard has helped! 

Not such a bad place to call home with this view a short walk away

What has really helped is having a huge project like the Recreational Society . A silver lining is that there has been no distractions to developing the website into a online resource of inspiration and information. There are now over 40 posts/pages... it is actually a fricken novel up there. But the rad thing is the subject is so varied and diverse, there's always something to add. 

Here are two of my favourite interviews from the last week; 

Blake Gordon was an 'always gonna do' profile piece. Blake's art is ultra cool, you've probably seen it and not realised it is his. He's also an experienced roof tenting fan. Check out his profile HERE

Simon Dickie and Christy Prior were also on the original hit list for the website. And Christy totally came through with awesome images and words this week. Check out their van story HERE

Well... it is a beautiful day out here westside...so I'm getting out and doing the daily stroll. See ya next week in Level 3 mode :) 

The Book Store & Galleries

We aren't able to ship books or prints during Level 4. If you want to order, and people are, you are welcome, but there will be a delay in shipping at this point. 

Ha'atafu Needs Us

Maz Quinn 20 years ago at Ha'atafu in a winter south swell

We are all going slightly crazy in lockdown and it is quite hard to to think outside of our respective bubbles. But last week our tropical playgrounds got absolutely nailed by Cyclone Harold. The Solomans, Vanuatu, Tonga and Fiji were all hit hard and they seem further away than ever at this time. 

Dean Amess on the same piece of Tongan reef as Maz in a north swell just 15 years ago

The Burlings and the surf resort they created 41 years ago got hit super hard. Ha'atafu Beach Resort on the west coast of Tongatapu has long been a go to for Kiwi surfers wanting to escape the cold clutches of winter. It's close, it's cheap, it has a bunch of set ups all within walking distance... it's easy. Don't get me started about the epic dinner buffets...so fricken good!!! 

Steve Burling, the OG, the patriarch of the whanau and founder of Ha'atafu. Now retired and living in Ahipara with his wife Sesika

I've been fortunate to enjoy the Burlings' hospitality four times over the last 20 years. You don't return that many times if it isn't something special. In winter south swells pour up from the Antarctic turning on all the left hand set ups, the most famous being Motels, aptly named as it's the one straight out in front of Ha'atafu. In summer north swells push down turning on all the right hand set ups, some of which are truly world class. 

Luke Hughes, 2005 at/in one of the South Pacific's premier waves

Mischa Davis on one of Tongatapu's outer reefs

Deano in a Tongan north swell...how's the line up!

Tongan paradise and better days

Ha'atafu beach and marine reserve

Before…

Now

There is a Givealittle page set up for the Burlings to help them get back on their feet. Wouldn't it be amazing if every Kiwi surfer that has surfed Motels threw down a cheeky 50...a round of Ikhale's. 

The page is HERE 

Thanks to everyone that visited Recreational Society  you guys made for a solid spike in traffic. 

Daryn's Art Of Giving

Daryn at the Logger Heads Comp a few weeks lockdown

Daryn McBride is a living legend in the longboard scene, for his ability and talent as a master of traditional longboarding, for his incredible art and, he'll hate me writing this, his passionate disagreements with the judging panels. He used to be quite the wily competitor. You don't win heats if you don't care. Daryn has always worn his heart on his sleeve. 

Daryn has one of the biggest hearts I know. When he does something he pours everything into it. It is why he is such a good surfer, it is why he is such an amazing artist. But it comes at a cost. Daryn will burn bright, then burn out, suffering terrible mental strife in the process.

Download this via Daryn's site HERE

14 days ago, Daryn blew our plan to make millions wide open. We were going to make a NZ Surfing Colouring-in book together. It was going to a beautiful A3 bound hardcover, with perforated pages and mixed paper stock...all made to be pulled a part. And I couldn't be happier that he did it, some things are bigger. 

Bigger download HERE

Daryn has made all his drawings free and downloadable for everyone to be able to print them and then colour them in. Every day of lockdown Daryn posts a new drawing for everyone, you've got 15 there already to catch up on. 

"Over the last two weeks it's been an exercise in learning to take a compliment.' Daryn goes on...' It has been extremely rewarding mentally for me, anytime things get a bit much, someone posts a coloured in version and it makes my day!!!'  

You can download the colouring in pages on the website Daryn has made HERE 

And Happy 16th birthday today Harper, Lennox and Willow! Daryn's triplets. This is an image we made together in 2007.

Thanks to everyone that visited Recreational Society last week, you guys made for a solid spike in traffic. 

I'd love you to visit the site, have a look around and get back to me. What do you like about it, what's lame? Are you interested or have some sort of camper? Do you know someone with a great set up?

The Book Store & Galleries

We aren't able to ship books or prints during Level 4. If you want to order, and people are, you are welcome, but there will be a delay in shipping at this point. 

The Recreational Society

This is not an April fool's day post. The plan was always for this week's post to be about the Recreational Society. Most of the time there is a plan, mostly.  When the post date coincided with April 1, the ol noggin got to whirring. Prank you with a post about a special monthly, 1 day concession to being able to go surfing??? Ouch... too soon Craig, too soon. 

No, this is for real. 

There's a new website. It has been in the pipeline for a few months, with the help of Luke Darby who went above and beyond with the design. 

The Recreational Society is live and rolling now. It's about everything and anything Kiwi adventure camper related. It is not a surf website. It's not a #vanlife site either. The common thread is the NZ'ers that have a stoke and want to figure out how to stay where their stoke is. 

The Recreational Society features an extensive How To section that will continue to grow. This was a huge part of the original idea for the site. It is so hard to find out how to do anything camper related from the New Zealand perspective. What actually is self containment? Where  do you get it? While it's great looking at camper builds on You Tube from overseas for inspo, half the products used aren't on Kiwi shelves. 

For inspiration, hints and hacks the Recreationalists is up and rolling. This is an ever growing series of profiles on Kiwis that are out there and doing it. I suspect that as this series grows it will offer as much information about how to and the How To section. There is already a wealth of wisdom from those interviewed so far. 

I'd love you to visit the site, have a look around and get back to me. What do you like about it, what's lame? Are you interested or have some sort of camper? Do you know someone with a great set up? 

The Book Store & Galleries 

We aren't able to ship books or prints for the next 4 weeks. If you want to order, you are welcome, but there will be at least a 4 week delay in shipping at this point. 

To Surf Or Not To Surf

Billy Stairmand on an isolated beach...before he stuffed up his knee

Here we go, collectively into government imposed shut down. Jumping on the band wagon, I'm in agreement that our government is doing the right thing and they have responded swiftly in unchartered waters. 

Bill Byers keeping his distance

There's been so much chat about what we can and can't do as surfers. It's going to be an ever changing playing field, so what is right today will no doubt be erroneous next week. I think it's foolish for anyone with a voice to encourage anyone to go surfing. This isn't a 4 week weekend.  Surfers are selfish, we pride ourselves on our individuality and living outside of normality. But this isn't the time to be all consumed with your own self.

hmmm...maybe taking the 2 metre rule too far?

UP DATED Will I be surfing... probably NOT. I live at the beach, but I still have to drive to the beach a couple of minutes. As of Wednesday arvo the NZ Police made it very clear that Level 4 means driving for essentials only.  For me surfing is everything, it’s my fitness [don’t laugh] it’s my mental leveller, it has been my job. This is gonna be challenging, but here we go; thinking selfless for a greater good not selfish.

practising safe distancing

Don't be a dick about it. Exercise some common sense. 

The Surfing NZ stance is HERE

Stay safe, be kind ...and for f@ck's sake be considerate. 

The Book Store & Galleries


We aren't able to ship books or prints for the next 4 weeks. If you want to order, you are welcome, but there will be at least a 4 week delay at this point. 

Surfing On Hold

What a surreal Friday.  South Piha was filled to the gunnels with aspiring young international surfers practising their craft. The waves were good, very good. The tide was coming in and North Piha was starting to show form too. I knew where I was going. 

First bank check 'brooo have you heard the latest? It's cancelled!' 'whaaat, nah.' 'Yeah bro the whole week is off'. 

11am. The day before kick off. All the fixings in place; the massive scaffolding city, the food vendors, the Corona Bar...everything poised. 

Friday; all ready to go

I did what any sane person would do. Go surf. Kind of in denial, kind of wait and see what unfolds. As the bank comes on with the tide, more crew paddle out. 'Have you heard the latest bro!- the comp is off, the whole thing- done.' 

And that's how I found out. 

Until this point Covid 19 had been somewhat of an abstract form. I am a news watcher, I like to feel connected. Firmly leant to the skeptical side; validation of facts, not opinion dressed as truths. 

Covid 19 has reached surfing in NZ. Our biggest event in years on permanent hold. As you read this, the scaff city is being torn down. South Piha is returning to business as usual. Some of the pro's are still around, some opting to chase the East swell coming. 

As we go into lock down the ASFF has also pulled pin on screening until Spring. Last night Surfing NZ officially postponed The Rip Curl Raglan Pro and word is more local surfing events and gatherings will follow suit. 

It's going to be a rocky few months for us all, regardless of surfing, stay safe out there fellas. 

From The Book Store


It just keeps on selling! Thank you to all of you guys that have already bought a copy of Warren's latest book, The Collection Vol II, it is seriously such a stoke to have been a part of something so successful. We still have copies available. Don't know what the hell I'm typing about... well check it out HERE

At Logger Heads With The Piha Pro

Paul Brown inspects one of Daryn McBride's older shapes

I know I've banged on about it before, but it is of quite remark. In 2009 when I secured the contract to be the photographer for the Hyundai Longboard Tour it was exciting. The tour already had a reputation of being laid-back and having a grass roots friendly vibe. In fact long boarders pride themselves and actively foster that. For 6 awesome seasons I was firmly on the Hyundai gravy train, Hyundai got their marketing value out of the tour for sure, but they also pumped a lot into surfing. The Hyundai end of Tour parties hosted by Howie Spencer have become talk of legend... they were. Gossip has it that Howie would through down 50K for the party- I don't doubt it. I made so many friendships over those years that to this day stoke me out.

Griffo, Willow and Daryn pre and post heat briefing

Tony Baker's Logger Heads event, held last Saturday at Waipu Cove, taps into and radiates all those good vibes and then some. It really is a congregation of the tribe. The heats get in the way of catch ups. 

John Sutcliffe, the artist charged with making this year's trophies

Wini Paul finally showed up for her first Logger Heads comp....and won it

Wini styling thru the shorey

Second generation Logger Jay Ryan, Jay literally grew up on the Hyundai Tour with her parents Caroline and Kelly competing

Auckland Surfer/shaper Ollie Le Noel was on fire

Me ol mate Daryn McBride returned to the Loggers this year, this time he brought his daughter Willow on their first surf roadie

Dozzle, styling as ever

vibes

Get the picture... Wini and Brownie

Sam Guthrie back in a surf comp singlet instead of a triathlon one

Simon Egglinton charging down the line

TV star butcher Mr. Trent Lillis taking a backwards step forward

vibes

Orewa perennial Mark Hoyle

Ohope ripper Dylan Barnfield taking out the Noseriding division

Jordan Griffin on his way to his maiden victory in the Open

Griffo and Tony at the presso. Griff has had 2 seconds prior to this year, it seriously was a case of having to get that monkey off his back, he wanted the win bad.

Every year the Logger Heads grows and Tony refines the formula...long may it continue. 

The Piha Pro Gets Postponed!!!

And at the opposite end of the scale, the carnage WAS about, well really has started, here on the westside. Troll through social media and sure enough you'll find more than your far share of haters for the invasion that WAS about to descend on poor Piha. From the language just used it would be easy to assume I'm one of those haters. I'm not. I was cautiously somewhat warily, optimistic about it all. Piha has long been a venue for sporting events including a long list on international surfing events so all the naysayers... lighten the f%ck up.

BUT then on Friday morning the WSL pulled pin, citing that they weren’t prepared to put their athletes, officials and ground crew at risk of the Covid 19 virus. At this stage all WSL March events are on hold. It’s so heavy. All the work gone in already, the prep. On Friday evening the organisers opened up the event site to the locals and turned on the beer taps as a thank you for the support. The surf forecast was very favourable, but now we can only wonder what might have been.

The mini city of scaff going in this week at South. Photo Roachie

the completed site- Friday. Photo Ren

Don't forget the Aotearoa Surf Film Festival is touring right now, check out the dates HERE

From The Book Store

It just keeps on selling! Thank you to all of you guys that have already bought a copy of Warren's latest book, The Collection Vol II, it is seriously such a stoke to have been a part of something so successful. We still have copies available. Don't know what the hell I'm typing about... well check it out HERE

Logger Heads Is ON!

The draw is full, the behind the scenes juggling and hard yards has largely been finished off by founding organiser Tony Baker... now all we need is waves! 

Last year's assemblage

The Logger Heads is hands down one of my favourite comps to shoot and hang at. It's fun... just pure and simple. 

board meeting

happy comp heads

McCleod's goodness, Tony and Griffo heat debrief

start em young

Shindoggy!

Leggo top Griffo

Matt Newdick 2018 Loggers

shaping gurus 1; Jay Jackman and Daryn Mcbride

shaping gurus 2; Steve Morris and Rog Hall

Contest organiser Tony walking the talk

log jam

The surf report is looking very favourable...Tony will be having a sigh of relief. Come hang out!… word to hand is most likely it’ll be over the hill at Waipu Cove

Make a weekend of it! 'Cos straight after, at the’Pu is the annual Cove Fish Fry hosted by Mike Cunningham. It's a super cool day and you get to have a beat on some wild and wonderful craft, check out the FB page HERE

and Deeeennnn

Don't forget the Aotearoa Surf Film Festival is touring right now, check out the dates HERE

From The Book Store 

It just keeps on selling! Thank you to all of you guys that have already bought a copy of Warren's latest book, The Collection Vol II, it is seriously such a stoke to have been a part of something so successful. We still have copies available. Don't know what the hell I'm typing about... well check it out HERE

Billy Groms

The Billabong Grom Series is a summertime institution. The three contests are held at The Mount, Whangamata and the finale at Piha; the series has been running for a staggering 15 years with the constant support from Oceanbridge.

What's Oceanbridge? Well it's a pretty cool and sad story. Oceanbridge is a freight forwarding company owned by the Speedy family, Ocean Bridge has long been associated with Billabong as their Freight Forwarder. But that's not why Oceanbridge support the events; teenaged Fletcher Speedy tragically lost his life at Raglan in 1997. The Speedy family celebrate Fletcher and his love of surfing with their ongoing patronage. 

The Piha Finale of the tri-series hosted one of the biggest draws in years, 52 entrants in the 14U Boys. It forced the contest organisers into running double arenas for the first morning.

And what a first morning it was! Gale force winds and the first real rain in 49 days... the fortnight before; consistent pumping summer conditions, the week after, consistent pumping summer conditions. You could not have picked a worse weekend for beach dwelling! But the show must go on. 

The 14U lads in the rain

Jack Lee undeterred by the thunder

It's a tough gig for a photog, you feel the pressure of delivering decent images, but is it worth ruining 20K of gear. Of course Piha being my home and the beach I shoot at the most, the little tricks are all known, the places to set up out of the wind and rain, dodge the water drops, risk high velocity falling rocks, seems like a fair trade off. 

Local Mathias Thompson ripping during the finals

Sunday was a different story, sunshine, but still howling onshore. The contest machine rolls on through another 8 hours of 15minute heats.

Always watching, always judging

Former Senior National Champion Matt Groube's daughter Chloe giving the Bar a nudge

Local Liv Brown-Hysom speed checking into the Cove

Alani Morse on a tear in the Cove

The young woman to beat; Christchurch's Ava Henderson

Son of multiple National Champion Chris Malone, Navryn

Raglan's Kora Cooper dropping the landing gear on a heaving Piha section

Local lass Leia Millar was ripping

Mountie Jack Hinton

As local as you can get, Billza Byers

The Billabong Grom Series overall Champs with Aussie surfing stars Ryan Callahan and Occy bookending them

The Bay of Plenty took three series titles via Luis Southerwood (Whaka) in the Under 18 Boys Division, Georgia Wederell (Mnt) in the Under 18 Girls Division and Tao Mouldey (Mnt) in the Under 14 Girls Division.  Natasha Gouldsbury took a title for Taranaki in the Under 16 Girls Division as did Jayden Willoughby for Raglan in the Under 16 Boys Division.  Piha’s Leia Millar and Pauanui’s Chloe Groube shared the title for the Under 14 Girls Division.

For the full wrap up of the comp- check out SNZ HERE

Me? Well I love documenting the Grom Series, you get to see who is coming through, you end up with images that may well have timeless appeal... like this one of our own legend Paige Hareb 2007-ish on the Bar on her way to winning the U18 Girls Billabong Groms Piha. 

This post is for you Fletch. 

From The Galleries 
Selling out or buying in? I say buying in, the now classic Piha Bar Barrel shot is the official signature image of the 2020 Piha Pro... you are going to see it all over the show, and yes the copyright release was very fair :) 

Check out the image better HERE

Westside... the place to be

Westie perfection all week

Summer and Autumn are our time. It's the time the swell drops enough, long enough for the iron sand to groom itself into scollops and holes along the coast. The gutters fill in and unlike east coast beach breaks which generally are short and snappy, we get sand formations which create 200 metre long rides, more often than not there are a lot of cutbacks involved, nursing the wave, waiting for a decent section to rear up. Barrels are rare, but not out of the realm of possibility. It's been a very late start, January was inconsequential, frustrating in fact, February was slow to start, faith was being tested. But here we are, two weeks into a run of offshores and fun. In full disclaimer, I've been surfing lots and not really capturing the best sessions. 

EPR revelling in the warm summer sessions

Dune Kennings finding ramps

Local fremlin Leia Millar smashing it in grom corner

Gabi Paul inspiring the next wave of Piha grubs

10 year old Indi Corcoran up from the BOP this week to compete on the Billabong Grom Series Finale this coming weekend at South Piha

Aramis Goodwin...literally floating a boat last Saturday during the Annual Keyhole Single Fin Comp

Blades of old

Bean, Mischa and Dune heading out to do battle. Check out the comp round up and more images on the Keyhole Facebook page HERE

Last week's full moon made for some crazy tides, that combined with our coast's sand accretion meant Lion Rock was left high and dry

Didn't this used to be the take off point when Old's Man's Peak was a wave???

From Lion's feet to the Nun

The Aotearoa Surf Film Festival 2020

Yes indeed, EIGHT YEARS! It is an honour to be one of the founding judges of the ASSF. Over the 8 years of selection I have seen some shit, like actual crap, hours and hours of it, hoping, willing the short films to have a glimmer of stoke. And then there are the shinners; the films that amp you up, the stories well told and inspiring, the diamonds in the rough. The whole concept of the ASFF is to foster new talent and encourage NZ filmmakers. And then showcase that work to you in the national touring roadshow. It's a good night out. 

The ASFF is the brainchild of Nick Stevenson, he's the driving force; Nick "I say it every year but we really have had a step up in the amount of film submissions from kiwi surf filmmakers, and the quality gets better and better. Likewise I think our film program this year was super competitive, some hard decisions on which came through but I think there will be something for everyone in the mix. Also we have freshened up the format so we are returning to many places we haven't been able to the last few years, so Dunedin, New Plymouth and Nelson, pretty excited to be returning. Our new Tour Manager Louis Murphy Harris will be holding down the fort on hosting/MC duties, he'll be on the road putting on the screenings each night and chasing waves by day, with a rotating crew of the rest of us tapping in to help. That is the heart of the festival and why we set it up, to get to every nook and cranny and surf community we can each year, also to sample a few waves whilst we are doing it. Pumped to see everyone at the festival!" 

The dates and tickets are HERE just scroll down the ASFF website. 

From The Galleries  

Selling out or buying in? I say buying in, the now classic Piha Bar Barrel shot is the official signature image of the 2020 Piha Pro... you are going to see it all over the show, and yes the copyright release was very fair :)  

Check out the image better HERE

Mangawhai Bowl Jam 2020...Bigger, Faster, Better

Check out the MBJ Facebook page HERE for even more photos, but here are some of my favourites from last Saturday. Some of them aren't technically the best skating shots, I selected some that have a cool backstory or I just like for random reasons. The Mangawhai Bowl Jam is the baby of Jesse Peters and this was the 9th Annual one. I've missed the last two 'cos of social commitments, but this year I was back on the staff and back in the happy place coping-side. It's a heavy day of shooting, 2500 frames taken, 3 litres of water drunk, you're sweating from 8am to 5pm ...and I wouldn't want it any other way.

Every year the Bowl Jam has grown. This year Jesse expanded the scaffolding terraces and still spectators were queuing up for up to 2 hours to get seating.

The view from the judge's tower and a sample of the beyond capacity crowd.

The man himself; Jesse Peters hyping the crowd and sharing the spono's love.

Two literal legends, Andrew 'Morri' Morrison and Dave Crab on bowl duty.

Morri's daughter Billie, one wheeler out of the deep end...just fricken gnarly. 

Krysta Ashwell, casual as, set up frontside grind. Missing a couple of Jams was enlightening, the level of spectators, the amount of competitors across all divisions and the heightened skills. The 9 years of the Mangawhai Bowl Jam is a graphic example of how competition raises the bar in every aspect.

The Blue Bullet! 12 year old Liam Haze, always a crowd favourite.

Timmy Thompson... barefoot, no pads... heavy.

Ramon Thackwell [Prez of Skateboarding NZ] and Dave Crab look on as Morri slides to victory in the over forty division. 

Wanaka's Chris Curran, Skateboarding NZ Secretary Smithing deep. 

Wellington's Chris Wood.

Mozza, 50 years old, and what the actual hell bro, half way through run of the day.

Dave Crab's signature Plant, always a crowd pleaser.

Me ol' mate Shaun Boucher made it back from the Goldie to compete again this year, but he didn't come away with a repeat victory. 

Bowman Hansen freaked everyone out with his speed and height again this year... but he didn't repeat his wins either.

It was Aussie dominated this round, Jakob Robinson won the Open and best trick.

Fellow Aussie invader Taniah Meyers dominated the Womens division ... and gave the Open a good knock for that matter.

But this Grom... Z-boy, Zedyn Boyd, stoked out the crowd heavily, he won the Juniors but his ohhh so close 540's had the crowd frothing.

So, so close to riding out! 

Here's the highlight reel of the day from Manual. 

Yeah Steve Nickolls! Sums up the warm vibes and rad times. Missed it this year? Get there 2021. 

Follow the Mangawhai Bowl Jam FB page HERE

From The Galleries 

Selling out or buying in? I say buying in, the now classic Piha Bar Barrel shot is the official signature image of the 2020 Piha Pro... you are going to see it all over the show, and yes the copyright release was very fair :) 

Check out the image better HERE

Make A Date

There's a lot going on... 

But before we get into that, here is some highly recommended viewing from Luke and Billy, the next episode of One and a Half Men after they spent the week at Piha filming the episode featured in last week's BLOG. Check out the new episode HERE

I fricken LOVE the Mangawhai Bowl Jams. The vibe is incredible, the skating is absolutely insane, do yourself a favour- just go it's so much fun. Check out the MBJ Facebook page HERE

And then in March out at the beach there's the 7th Annual Logger Heads. I've been the shooter for a lot of these now...maybe 5? Dunno... It's a bloody good day at the beach and it is grass roots surfing, have a go, every year there are new entrants just giving it a crack for kicks. The way Kiwi surf comps should be. Again there is a FB page for the event, check it out HERE

And then completely relatedly is the annual Fish Fry hosted and curated by none other than the legend Mike Cunningham the very next day over the hill at Waipu.... make a weekend of it. Check out some wild and weird surf craft, have some fun taking a board for a hoon, catch up with old and new mates. Check out the details on The Cove Fish Fry's FB page HERE

In the immediate future; if you are out West this weekend then this one's always good for a bit of vindictive fun. Like the time one of the cubbies ended up with a rollick puncturing clean through his forearm... ok maybe not the most savoury example. But with a good 6ft swell predicted for this Saturday there is bound to be a few good Over The Falls and wild broaches from the Budgie Smuggling Brigade.

 Some Other Product

It is always rad to see where your work ends up. Yesterday Stephen James posted this of the NZ Wave Print Set. It's right up there as one of the best instals I reckon. Love the use of different frames. Wanna do your own inspirational wall cost effectively??? Well...
Check it out HERE 

Surfed Out!

Summer is here! The ocean on both coasts has warmed up and there have been waves, in fact I bet right now you're squirming a way to get wet on the eastside. 

But last week was all about the Westside; Billy Stairmand and Luke Cederman came out for a stay at Piha and shot an episode of One & A Half Men. 

The glorious days were filled with semi dawnies... huge caffeine fixes and between the laughing some serious time behind the cameras. A perfect week!

Bill Byers, third generation stakeholder of the Bar

Bill, between sets

Aramis Goodwin dominating on his single fin foamy

Billy Stairmand finding right ramps

The 2020 National Champ, our very own Eliott Paerata- Reid inspiring the grubs

Bill Byers with a one/two combo... and pretty cool to see the old Primal thorn logo making a comeback

EPR's dad Jermal Paerata powering up

Shane Grimes, as always, smashing it

Things only got better as the week progressed

Billy Stairmand ... shot of the week???

The big man, Luke Cederman destroying the Bar

Bill Byers... not on the Bar..looks like it a bit, but it's the middle of the beach

Three worlds colliding

It was a busy week, it would be easy to assume when you look at The Raglan Surf Report and the spin off One & Half Men, that everything is pretty haphazard. Luke Cederman is ultra active, he's always looking for the next shot, a quirky, different angle or take on something. The effort put in is purposely downplayed. For this episode I had the absolute pleasure of getting the water footage. Check it out here >>>>

Luke and I also did a short podcast. It's casual, it is super uninformative and fun. 

You can listen to it HERE

The lads left on Friday, job done, memory cards filled and a ton of editing to be completed. But the waves kept on coming. On Saturday Keyhole Boardriders had our first comp of the year; The Twin Fin Classic.

The 2020 Keyhole crew with EPR holding The National Champ trophy

Dune Kennings, presiding Keyhole 2019 Champion death floating his original twin... the board his Dad, Lynden made him when he was 4

Despite the Dune death floats, it was the National Champ dominating Saturday's comp. EPR winning the event by a country mile

You can check out more CPL pix of the Keyhole Comp HERE 

Ok... who is going East today? 

From The Gallery

Ahh yes, scary to think this image is already 10 years old! The Bar firing, It was such a fun arvo, probably for those surfing too, but I got my photo-head on, in the zone, timing sets; watching cloud and sun dapples, waiting for the perfect second. The image has featured in books, T-shirts and of course walls. 

Check it out HERE 

Back In The Saddle

A Belated Happy New Yeahs To You! 

Me, what have I been doing? Two fifths of f@ck all to be honest. I'd like to say and show epic images of the east coast swell that just kept on giving, from before Christmas right through the New Years. I can't 'cos I wasn't there. I was [mostly] happily locked into hosting Christmas for the Whanau. The idea of battling holiday traffic after that just didn't seem fun, so I hung back and decompressed. 

Of course the photos you're looking at clearly show the converse of that statement. The gorgeous Ange and I have just come back from 4 glorious days on the Coromandel. There was still some swell around and I caught up with me old mate Digga for a fun session. 

Diggs in front of his new home in a summer Kiwi paradise

Terrible place to live… not happy at all

Catting up to the bow

Lip flare

The sort of Chrissy light show we all wanted... and probably had!

Digg's shove-it without the pop... bloody style bandit

Thigh high perfection

The Nationals are in full flight at the moment, and from the look of it Dunedin has been turning it on for the competitors. Check out Surfing New Zealand's Facebook Page and Website for daily updates.

NZ Surf The Collection Volume II is distributed nationwide through all good Bookstores and Surf shops.

...And we just reached the first big milestone, we're back in the black!!! Just before Christmas the book sales reached that point where Wazza and I can breathe a sigh of relief; THANK EVERYONE that's bought the book so far!
 The 192 page+ Hardcover edition is ready to ship. Secure a copy of the limited edition run...once the 1600 are gone; and they will go, that's that. 

Check it out...and order >>> HERE

Piha On Lock down

Last night on the coast

Whether we like it or not the 2020 Piha Pro is coming. In March, our small coastal village will be overrun with all the fixings that are needed for an international surfing event. So much so, that there is little room for the actual residents. Now, of course that's an extremely inflammatory and negatively slanted way to start a post. 
Last night under leaden skies and howling onshores there was the first Piha Pro Community Meeting held at Barnet Hall, North Piha. Some might say a harbinger for what's about to descend on us.

These are the pre contest meetings where the event organisers meet and greet the natives for the first time. Where they put their best foot forward and present the event in the best possible light to cajole the locals into submission. 

Barnet Hall wasn't packed; I would say there would have been about 50 attendees.  Everyone was surprisingly well behaved, Piha has a reputation as being a bolshy bunch. In fact there was a round of applause for the organisers at the end of the 2 hour meeting. 

Chris Simpson, former Tall Black and Event Director holding court

Here's my takeaways from the meeting; All of South Piha will be on shut down from March 6 to March 26. You will not be able to get a vehicle in unless you are a property owner in that area. Parking for South Piha will be at the Domain or spilled over into the Mill Camp [which is a kilometre away up Glenesk Valley Road]. To attend the event you will need to pre-purchase online a parking pass that will be $10.00 per day. If you are a resident you will need to get a Resident Pass to be able to go home. You can also obtain guest passes if you have visitors.  If you have deliveries coming out you will have to organise passes. How you get the passes to the visitors/deliverers prior is anyone's guess. You need these regardless of whether you or your visitors are attending the event. The Piha Road will have a check point at the Nihotupu Dam to enforce the pass restrictions- no pass, no entry. 

Welcome to 1984, knocking, knocking at your front door. 
  
The Piha groms are excited, they'll get to meet their surfing stars. Generally, I'd say Piha locals are enthusiastic the event. Maybe, just maybe it'll just be a month of minor inconveniences. 

NZ Surf The Collection Volume II is now distributed nationwide through all good Bookstores and Surf shops.

But if your local doesn't have it you can buy the book online. The 192 page+ Hardcover edition is ready to ship. Secure a copy of the limited edition run...once the 1600 are gone; and they will go, that's that. 

Check it out...and order >>> HERE