Surf Stories, Photos & Videos | A blog for surfers, sliders, short boarders & log riders
Gabriel Villaran, Cabo Blanco, Northern Peru
I just logged onto youtube to check out my old account, with a view to upload the new BST07 DVD I made and found that a scene from the DVD I made last year, WST06 had a little nomination in the California Coastal Views Film Festival. I didn’t win, but was kinda stoked to get a mention. Maybe BST07 will get a little more attention, website and videos coming soon!
So I was thinking back to when I was over in Fiji with the dominator crew this morning, so I gazed over to www.fijisurf.com to check out the photos Jason had taken from the boat in the channel and saw this one. It immediately threw me back to King Kong Left. This picture was taken by Jason on the first day I was at the resort, I remember having this look of dread on my face when I paddled out, thinking shit, this is mini Teahupoo, most of the other surfers agreed, the only difference between us is that these boys had 5 -10 years worth of surfing experience on top of my modest 3!
Anyway one day I hope to return, maybe to Nagigia, or maybe somewhere new, either way, I will never forget looking at those faces and thinking, shit, I am never gonna make one of them! But I did, maybe not as big as the one in the picture, but I got there!
Peace!
Picture taken by Jason
So it would seem that going around the World for 4 or so months, chasing waves and women would increase your popularity with clients when you get back home. I say that, as I have been pretty much inundated with requests to spread the Hungry Browser web dev love since I have been back! Looks like it could be a prosperous summer to fund the next surf trip.
Haven’t had time to do much work on the DVD this week, as it’s been too hectic, but hoping to get it finished and ready to preview to the gang before I head off to Devon in a little under 3 weeks.
Once again, bring on the Devon! I can’t wait to be in the sea again, be it flat, pumping or most likely somewhere in between! It will be the first time I head to the English coast with 3 boards. Am kitted to the max, and that’s all that matters in the long run! Boards, wax, wettie and some gnarly waves and you’re done! Women come and go, but waves man, that is what is it all about, feed the soul, brother!
Sounds funny, but I can’t wait for some winter storms, as I am kitted out with my new Xcel 5mm mits and booties, it’s gonna be toasty when the time comes!
Found a nifty little site yesterday in my hungover state, I think I have seen it before, but not actually said anything. A site called archive.org, simply type in the address of a site you want to check out, and then, if listed, you can check out all the previous versions of that site. Kinda interesting!
A sidepoint as well, the official countdown has begun to Devon: Lee Bay 2006. Beej, P and myself, with the addition of Lukey, will be checking out to check in with the Lee Bay massive once again, 23rd July, it’s all about those summer crowds and knee-high, onshore winds that characterise the summer surf scene, hey, we might even get a wave to ride too!
In the words of the Sulli, “roll over Laird, Sully’s coming through, get off my set Hamilton, I’ll drop in on the little b*stard”.
You have to admire Sully’s vision on this one, just watch out for XXL Pro next year, Brad Gerlack, man, Sully is after your crown man!
Peace!
Nuff said! In the word’s of Tommy Sim (Junior), the younger (younger Sim) loves to cream it to the max!!!
So many people have asked me over the past few years ‘Why do you surf?’, and ‘What is it that you like about it so much?’, so I thought I would write a few words that describe the way I feel about surfing.
For me, surfing started out like many other interests, you see someone else doing it one day, it looks like fun, so you think I fancy giving that a go! I started like many, on the big 9ft foamboards, down in Newquay, Cornwall one summer, where the crowds are thick, the waves are small and the potential for wiping out is high! 3 years later, I have travelled around the World and surfed over 50 different breaks and progressed from a 8’2 to a 6’4 board.
It is hard to sum up why I surf in a few words, but i’ll try. Surfing gives you a sense of liberation, of being one with nature: flowing with the waves, tearing along the face, carving, busting an air, trimming, hanging 5, cutting through the glassy water or whatever. It is an immersive sport: you are surrounded by the water, and if you are lucky a sunset, sunrise, a cool crew, a girlfriend (or someone who understand what you are feeling).
Surfing constantly challenges you, physically, mentally and spiritually. Physically you have to train hard to be able to handle the poundings, be fit enough to paddle and catch the waves, in colder water to know how to keep warm, in rough seas how to keep safe. Mentally: as you progress from a 2 ft summer wave in the UK, through to a 6-8ft drop into a raging pit in Fiji, you have to overcome your fears, push yourself beyond the comfort zone and believe in your ability to make it happen! Spiritually: when you get near the ocean, it is the whole experience that consumes you, the anticipation of arriving at the break, experiencing a new location, sharing that feeling with others. After a while you may find yourself daydreaming about surfing, and when you are not near the ocean, you crave the water, the waves, the feeling, so you compensate by watching DVD’s, reading magazines etc. It’s all part and parcel of becoming a ‘surfer’.
Right now, after having travelled for 4 months, surfing all over the World, my appetite is still not satisfied, I still want more and am just hanging out for a trip up to Runton asap, followed by our trip to Devon next month. It’s all about getting out there, putting the effort it, trying your best and getting stoked!
Although it sounds amazingly cliched, surfing is a way of life, and I hope one day I will live near the ocean, and be able to surf every day, before or after work, I don’t mind.
My only regret (if you can call it that) in life so far, is that I didn’t start surfing when I was 5 years old, but I guess I should feel lucky that I found it in my mi/late 20′s, by the time I am in my mid 30′s I will be stylin’!
Arrived back in the UK 2 days ago after being away for over 4 months. I was greeted by a sunny, hot evening at Heathrow, which certainly makes a change from the normal weather we have.
Unfortunately I managed to pick up a hefty dose of jet-lag on my trip back, characterised by me not wanting to go to sleep until 2-3am in the morning, kinda messed up, hopefully my body clock will re-adjust and get back into the swing of things here!
Strange feeling to be back, am down at my dad’s in Richmond at the moment, seeing the family and doing a few meeting etc in town ths week, before I head home at the end of the week. Went for a nice run last night (it was still light at 9.45pm) over Twickenham and Richmond bridges and up to Pools On The Park and back again, greeted by a beautiful sunset over the bridge towards Isleworth, wish I had had my camera to snap it at the time!
Today is another hot and sunny day and just digging the fact that we got a hint of summery weather for a change. Off on to the tube later, haven’t ridden that piece of sh*t for 4 months, and I know I haven’t missed a single second of London commuting, I wonder if the prices are even higher now, which is great, cos I love the poor service and hot, dirty conditions aboard the sardine can-style trains! Wicked!
Anyway time to get on the edit and get this DVD moving ahead!
39,000 feet above sea-level, I am aboard a flight back from Miami to DC. Been down in Miami for the past 2 days checking out the scene and getting a little top up to my tan before I head home to the characteristically shit weather in good old Blighty!
Miami was hot, humid and funky with plenty to do! I was staying at the Tropics Hotel & Hostel. Peronally I just sat by the pool, did a load of lengths (to maintain paddling arms), took photos and walked along the beach. But this town certainly has the potential to be a party-goers paradise! Although I only looked, the women here look pretty damn fit, so boys back home, you need to get your butts over state-side if you want some hot toe!
So I return home tomorrow, after being away from the green and pleasant land for a little over 4 months. Looking back to the first few days when I was in Cape Town, it seems almost a lifetime ago. I clearly remember being kinda scared/apprehensive about the trip, seeing it as this massive overwhelming journey. 4 months on, that idea feels pretty alien, as I feel as though I could do this kinda thing professionally, just flit around the world, having fun, taking pics, surfing and meeting great people. But the reality is no one is going to pay me to just have the crack, so it’s back home to earn some money to finance the next trip!
Along the way I have seen so many different places, ridden so many waves at different breaks, met so many crews and cool people, gathered a hareem of chicks and even fallen in love. I certainly didn’t have the latter in mind when I planned this trip back in late October of 2005.
So it’s back to London and finally sunny Essex. I have started work already on the DVD, and am pretty stoked so far with the footage, looks like it might be around 30-45 long, we’ll see! The next few weeks will be a test, not being near the ocean, although I do have Devon next month to look forward to! Hopefully we’ll get some waves! And there is also East Runton not far away to take it back to the North Sea Massive! I wonder how it will feel, re-adjusting to work again, rountine, the tube, London and most of all being 3000 odd miles away from the girl I love.
Before I go into soppy territory, I just want to say a massive thank you (in no particular order) to the following folk who were all responsible in their own way in making my trip a enjoyable one:
