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KZN Winter Chills.
28/05/2012
 
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Posted by Rick Whitehead on the 28/05/2012 09:21
Great pics - well done to the photographer!!!
Posted by wok on the 28/05/2012 14:57
aweh
Posted by Baygyi on the 05/06/2012 03:40
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Posted by Mayleigha on the 13/06/2012 19:31
I guess anything can haeppn when you're dealing with God's creation. The shark was just trolling for food and the New Jersey swimmers made it easy on him.
Posted by Suely on the 13/06/2012 21:40
I did the tap a long with this video before a while back. I spopted tapping and things were getting worse so I decided to tap again I called a practitioner she helped me locate specific blocks around money. I came to your video and barely started tapping and someone called in the midst and told me to look under the table where they left money for me they owed I totally forgot about. It was great I finished all videos and will Keep on tapping! I was really needing some cash today too.
Posted by Nani on the 22/07/2012 07:14
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The Ross Taylor Benefit Surf Contest 2012
22/05/2012
 

The Ross Taylor Benefit Surf Contest 2012

 

The Ross Taylor Benefit Surf Contest, held in honour of Ross Taylor who succumbed to cancer at 29, takes place at Buffalo Bay, Knysna, 10-12 August 2012. Now in its fourth year, the event raised R70 000 and attracted 215 contestants in 2011, making this the largest entered surf contest in South Africa. The Stand Up Paddle (SUP) contingent became a welcome added element to the contest in 2010, and the SUP SA committee, have since been looking at making this a SUP sanctioned event.  The Benefit Bash promises live bands, DJs, an auction, bar, food stalls and great prizes to be won! Beach activities for the whole family, including a fun run/walk and sandcastle building ensure everyone can be part of the fun, share the love, and support Hospice. See you there!

 

For online entries, queries, sponsorships or donations, go to www.hospiceknysna.org.za, rosstaylorsurf or contact Nicky on 083 412 4598, or rosstaylorsurf@gmail.com

 
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Posted by Sandra Nortje on the 26/05/2012 11:31
The committee are hard at work to make this event as special as it has been for the past 3 years. We are really thankful to all you people that give so much of your time and energy to this worthy cause. The sponsorships and prizes that we have received are truly amazing. Looking forward to seeing you all this year for another fun filled contest and an awesome party..........
Posted by Brett on the 28/05/2012 18:14
It is really fantastic to be able to work with such an amazing group of people for such a good cause, Hope we can make this years event even more filled with positive vibes, fun, and good surf. Bring on August, cant wait.....
Posted by adela on the 28/05/2012 18:45
what a great team working on this years event yet again, well done guys , thank you for incredible support, u are all brilliant!! so looking forward to the weekend and the PARTY!! good food, good vibes and piles of fun>
Posted by tusacan on the 28/05/2012 19:56
Buffs is like my home, surfing every weekend is what I do :D I don't think I could think of any better way to spend a long weekend than to go to the ross taylor contest and take part and have a fat jol from morning to the early hours of the next morning. Chinas pullin and have a SIIIICK weekend!!!!!:)
Posted by Salternator on the 01/06/2012 12:12
REALLY AMPED FOR A BIGGER AND BETTER WAVES AND VIBE THIS YEAR. IT IS GOING TO BE WALL TO WALL SURFING FROM BEGINNERS TO WINDGAT
Posted by Berkan on the 16/06/2012 08:03
Thanks again for all the wonderful coemnmts. I had no idea everyone would enjoy this picture so much. I knew I liked it... :) I try not to process my pictures too much but I believe I did use an action for photoshop called "Portrait Pop" for her eyes. And on her coat I *might* have used a color boost action, otherwise (ha ha) it is sooc.
Posted by Mistura on the 22/07/2012 05:46
My main issue with Alex Ross and his art is that all the characters look just like him even the women. Thor looks rlealy cool, but Iron Man looks like the front of his face was smashed in with Thor's hammer. Wasp hidden in the center is a nice touch.
 

The O'Neill 60 Years of Art and Innovation tour is currently in Japan...
20/05/2012
 
 
 
O'Neill 60 Year Art & Innovation Exhibition touches down in Japan
 
After highly successful exhibitions in Australia & Bali the global art & innovation tour touched down in the land of the rising sun, Japan for stop no. 3. Held at "The Livingroom" in the creative and fashionable area of Ebisu in Tokyo, the venue warmed up with O'Neill affiliates such as; artists,athletes, industry, media, staff and people interested in the rich story surrounding Jack O'Neill and the brand he created.

In Japan our "Aspiring Artist" submissions came from two artwork collectives. An art school based out of Osaka and "The Art Mind" www.artmind.co.jp  from Tokyo who produced some unique and expressive interpretations of Jack O’Neill.

O'Neill Brand ambassador & exhibition curator Rob Bain had this to say, "I am so happy to bring the exhibition to Japan for a few reasons. One, I was here when the earthquake happened last year and I know many of my friends & colleagues were deeply affected. And secondly, our business here is growing and the team work very hard to produce cutting edge product, I would like to think in a small way this shows a sign of respect for their dedication". Rob continued, “We are starting to see a very unique feel of art from each region which you can definitely relate back to their individual cultures. This is a really cool thing to see unfold as the exhibition travels the globe, and I am sure Jack is stoked”.

“It was such an opportunity for all of us to look into the greatness of Mr. Jack O’Neill- a founder- and his brand history as well as to realize its delightfulness through launching this promotional event”. said Mr. Miwa , O’Neill Brand Manager Japan, Nikki co.ltd. “Also, knowing its brand tool of wetsuits leads us to expand and introduce more of the lifestyle items to Japanese market as well”. Mr Miwa continued.

The O’Neill 60 Yr. Global Art & Innovation Tour is packing up and moving directly to its next destination, Scheveningen ,The Hague, Holland May 15-19th. For all the details of this and upcoming exhibitions go to http://www.60yearsofinnovation.com and watch this space, as the Tour comes to SA in July, theBOMBsurf will be inviting readers to submit their very own artworks of Mr.Jack O'Neill which could end up joining the global exhibition!

Dedicated webpage for this coming soon....
 
 
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Burn baby, burn!
20/05/2012
 
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Posted by Andrew on the 21/05/2012 10:06
Nu Metro is only showing the movie in Cape Town & Gauteng: A Zulu Durban Surfing Movie, based on a True Durban story, not showing in Durban .... ? Can u believe it - Thanx Nu Metro
Posted by John McCarthy on the 21/05/2012 13:24
Hi Andrew I watched it at Nu Metro at The Pavillion last week?
Posted by Nu Metro on the 23/05/2012 11:00
Hi Andrew / Billy. We did reply to a similar post on our Facebook page. Unfortunately, you missed it in Durban. It was showing at The Pavilion.
Posted by Miral on the 22/07/2012 10:34
That's a wise answer to a tricky qesution
 

KZN feels the first winter landbreezes and southerly groundswells.
20/05/2012
 
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Winning is an incidental by product of how much he loves to surf.
17/05/2012



 
To say John-John came of age today might be a be stretching it a bit, but despite all the results he’s had recently in QS and speciality events, today was the day when he carved himself out a win in the big leagues of the WT. It’s an auspicious occasion for the young Hawaiian prodigy and frankly the way he was surfing this looks like the beginning of something interesting in pro surfing.

Interesting? Yea, because of the way the he surfs. We all know he’s hung with a set of brass knockers and the lines he draws in the tube defy our collective imaginations be it at heaving Ballito or crunching Pipe. There is an intuitiveness to his surfing that radiates pure joy. When he drops into a wave no matter the size or direction he looks like he’s having fun.  His slightly gangly physique still bears the last vestiges of teenage youth and perhaps his playfulness in the waves has more to do with youth and adventure than anything else?

Even though he is only 19 he has been on the scene for ages. He has been charging Pipe and Waimea since he was 12 and to win his maiden WT contest in conditions atypical of what his strengths would suggest suggests there is more to this guy than just being a journeyman to make up the numbers on tour.
Yet before we get too carried away with “the king is dead, long live the king…” speeches, we need to remember that the real King was not there either through design or misadventure. In last year’s Pipe Masters Kelly looked rattled by John-John. It is not often that Kelly gets rattled but he sure was at Pipe. I think Kelly saw things in John-John’s surfing that most of us probably didn’t recognise at the time.

At this event Joel was smooth, Kerr flew, Mick was a bull terrier, Adriano was determined but Kelly will have seen John-John having fun in the webcast. Kelly surfs beautifully, but he looks serious when he surfs. Jordy says he’s just ‘having fun’ whenever anyone asks him what his strategy is, but his effort belies how badly he wants a World Title and he doesn’t smile a whole lot. His frustration is evident when the ocean doesn’t co-operate. John-John looks slightly bemused by his surroundings and that he is where he is but critically he genuinely looks stoked just to get barrelled or land a sick punt even if it is wearing a singlet.


It’s been a long time since we’ve seen a top pro with this much talent who obviously just loves to go surfing, it’s not just about winning, it is about riding waves. This suggests that John-John could be operating on a whole different level to most of the guys on tour who are just hell bent on beating each other and in the process do not focus on the wave first. For John-John the wave is the primary protagonist. To steal a cheesy line from a very forgettable movie made around the time John-John was born it’s almost as if John-John  looks at the wave, any wave big or small and says “hey wave lets party!” Surfing makes John-John stoked and in turn you can see it represented in the way he surfs.

We’re looking forward to watching more from John-John.


© Kirstin / ASP
 
 
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Going Big in Japan.
13/05/2012
 
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Posted by Amelia on the 05/06/2012 13:13
You dont have to sort that out before you go, but you can. Just secrah for Register birth South Africa' on the web and you will find the forms for registering the births for children born outside SA.But they can get a 2 year relatives permit when you get here, if you haven't done it yet.My kids were at school and everything before I did any of that stuff
Posted by Nano on the 16/06/2012 06:06
Lisa!!! You are amazing and we can't tell you engouh how much we love these pictures! Thank you again, so so much!!Love,Jess and Ryan
 

Fancy yourself as a body surfer?
13/05/2012
 
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Posted by sleeezee on the 14/05/2012 09:20
watch Keith Malloy's movie Come Hell or High water
Posted by Olaff on the 13/06/2012 22:43
Wow 750 million users, it's hard to think that Google Plus dares say they plan to ovtkaere them. Personally I see it hard for people to shift gears when they are so adapted to Facebook now and Facebook clearly continues to grow.
 

A week In The Ethekwini.
11/05/2012
   All images © Kelly Cestari
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Posted by Manas on the 13/06/2012 11:27
Marie SullivanJune 14, 2009Paul I heard you speak for the first time on ABC News Radio this morning Sunday 14 June and just dielghted to hear you talk openly, positively and with good humour. Not that the present and future issues we are facing are humorous but your approach is to describing the approaches to life by humans is very amusing and real. There are too many of us in the world, using far too many resources and wanting more than we need. I have just returned from a trip to the Flinders Ranges and Lake Eyre and even this landscape is testament to the folly of how important grazing and making money is even though the landscape is not able to support this any longer. I just loved listening to you and would welcome a discussion and debate any time around an outside fire where I live on Yorke Peninsula. The more we encourage discussions and debates, especially involving the younger members of our communities, the more likely you and I and others in our age group will see more positive and realistic changes in individuals and community groups. I have lived and worked remotely too in Cape York, Queensland and the aboriginal elders helped me to understand the power of how younger members of communities are more likely to change the actions and attitudes of their families than politicians or enforced rules made by people they don't know. This is an area of work I would welcome more opportunities to work in. Look forward to receiving your chronicles and hearing more from you. Perhaps you could recommend articles, books, publications etc. which would be useful for us all to digest. Cheers.
 

Paddle out for the protection of our marine resources.
07/05/2012

Press release: Report on the Paddle for Sharks event, Sunday 6th May, Scottburgh
 
At first light on the 6th of May 2012, over 100 people gathered on dive boats, jet skis and surfboards at the shark nets off Scottburgh.  In the surfer’s tradition of a “paddle out” the gathered community honoured animals that have died in shark nets in KwaZulu Natal South Africa since the 1950’s, most recent of which were 5 tiger and 1 white shark.
 
The KwaZulu Natal Sharks Board is mandated to protect this, and other beaches, from shark attack and they choose to use nets to create a barrier between sharks and bathers. However, these nets catch not only sharks, but also whales and other large marine animals such as dolphins, turtles, rays and mantas. The Scottburgh nets fall within the Aliwal Shoal Marine Protected Area. 

These nets have long been the focus of marine conservationists and the local dive operators, who argue that the nets are indiscriminate in the marine life netted and have an irreversible impact on shark numbers. Sharks are animals that have been demonstrated to be necessary for maintaining healthy oceans. 
 
Emotions were at a high, with many present signifying their disagreement to the presence of nets in their choice of apparel. In addition to honouring the animals that have died those gathered at the paddle out stood together to express their hope for a new beginning -­‐   towards a future where shark nets are no longer needed, where a better way to protect bathers has been found and where sharks are protected too.  
 
This was the first time that the diving and marine conservation community stood together to demonstrate their concern about the nets and their resolve to find a solution to the problem. Flowers were cast onto the water and several individuals took the opportunity to express their personal feelings and hopes.  
 
The dive operators then set off with their clients to enjoy the splendour of the Aliwal Shoal Marine Protected Area, but the paddle out closed on a gloomy note when a ray, with visible lesions, from struggling to free itself from the nets, was found dead.
 
However, the participants of the ceremony are firm that the presence of so many concerned individuals speaks volumes and has drawn attention to the nets, and that the positive energy played out at the ceremony would be garnered to engage the KwaZulu Natal Sharks Board.
 
 
The event was made possible by the following dive operators:  
 
African Watersports, Agulhas House and Diving, Aliwal Shoal Adventures, Aqua Rush, Blue Vision, Blue Wilderness,  Diving in Africa, Oceanworx, The Shoal, Umkomaas Lodge Dive Charter.  
 
Fast Facts (source www.shark.co.za KZN Sharks Board website)
 
•  1/3 of sharks caught in the nets are caught on the beach side of the nets i.e. these sharks are
caught inside the nets.
•  Nets are laid in two parallel rows approximately 400 metres offshore and in depths of 10 to
14 metres
•   The nets are open to the sea and do not enclose a beach area. Sharks can swim over, under or around the ends of the nets.
• Nets function by reducing shark numbers in the vicinity of protected beaches.
• Nets have a limited physical barrier effect.
•   Nets are serviced Monday through Friday. They are not serviced over weekends, which are high-­‐bather utilisation times. It follows that animals caught in the nets after servicing of the nets on a Friday will remain in the nets until Monday. This means the caught animal will die and possibly even serve as an attraction to sharks in the area.

Atricle and images by Cormac
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Posted by scottburgh local on the 07/05/2012 15:49
don't come surf or swim at scottburgh ever again if you want to take the nets out
Posted by another scottburgh local on the 07/05/2012 15:54
with all the chuming happening for the tiger shark diving in the area, I definitely don't think it is a good idea to remove the nets. scottburgh will become the next port st johns
Posted by OJ on the 08/05/2012 06:11
This was very interesting to be a part of... just shows how the locals need to be educated about what happens beneath the waves. A dead ray was found in the nets that morning - attracting more sharks to the area and some of the surfers feel "safe" about that... very odd. Also interesting that you have posted under pseudonyms. Think we should all get together and have an open forum on the coast
Posted by OJ on the 08/05/2012 06:16
One last thing, I hope I don't see any of the people below surfing at un-netted beaches in the area because that will counteract your argument. Also to set records straight, the paddle out was to create awareness about the fact that we have nets in a MPA (Marine Protected Area). The main thing that Cormac McCreesh (editor of African Diver) has called for is to look at non-lethal bather protection methods there is no talk of pulling the nets at your "local beach" so please read before you make uneducated posts or lame threats.
Posted by OJ on the 08/05/2012 06:16
One last thing, I hope I don't see any of the people below surfing at un-netted beaches in the area because that will counteract your argument. Also to set records straight, the paddle out was to create awareness about the fact that we have nets in a MPA (Marine Protected Area). The main thing that Cormac McCreesh (editor of African Diver) has called for is to look at non-lethal bather protection methods there is no talk of pulling the nets at your "local beach" so please read before you make uneducated posts or lame threats.
Posted by OJ on the 08/05/2012 06:20
Scottburgh - the next Port St Johns? That's interesting, clearly this local doesn't know about the un-netted spots just south and north of Scotties that are surfed every day. Anyway, as mentioned before there should be an open forum on the coast so drop me an email oliviajones@webmail.co.za if you would like more information. Those of you that want to tackle other topics why don't you join Ocean Lovers Against Chumming on facebook and make a difference.
Posted by Warren Howard on the 08/05/2012 06:21
Has anyone checked the Sharks Board catch returns for the last 5-10 years to see how the chumming for sharks in the area has possibly affected the numbers of sharks caught in the nets? Apparently there has been a huge increase.... Every spearo/fishermen can testify to the huge increase in shark activity on the shoal over the past few years. Co-incidence?...
Posted by OJ on the 08/05/2012 06:25
My last 2 cents: as surfers I really feel that we have a responsibility to be ambassadors for ocean conservation and that includes marine life. If you don't want to be in the water with sharks (that's where they live by the way - the sea), if you don't want to get stung by jellyfish, bluebottles etc or see dolphins, whale sharks etc then stick to Wavepools or the Wavehouse. There are no "exclusionary zones" in the sea, sharks swim over, under and around nets. I also find it interesting how KZN surfers can be so paranoid and yet our friends in the Cape who deal with large Great Whites on a daily basis seem to have a more rational thought process which I really respect.
Posted by OJ on the 08/05/2012 06:28
Hi Warren it's great to see someone posting under their real name, I will get a response for you about this today. As far as the recent incident goes, it was quite simple: a whale was caught in the nets at Scottburgh which attracted all of the sharks into the area which resulted in the high catch rate.
Posted by OJ on the 08/05/2012 07:00
Just a quick note - surfers that don't like the idea of being at a baited beach - you may want to protest about the drumlines which are being used to attract sharks on the lower south coast at bathing beaches...
Posted by Cormac McCreesh on the 08/05/2012 07:24
Thanks for posting. Please note images are courtesy of Ivan van Heerden, Allen Walker and Dori Moreno.
Posted by mark addison on the 08/05/2012 08:15
In the Scottburgh area there is no correlation between the sharks offshore and the sharks inshore other than that the sharks inshore grow up to be the sharks offshore... unless you bait the beaches with food for sharks so that the offshore sharks come inshore and again not all sharks eat the same food so a whale for example will bring a suite of sharks and not others as will a turtle, as will a ray. So in short sharks have different and sometimes overlapping food preferences. We know this because we have been studying this for the last 17 years and have had a forward thinking surf brand step up to the plate when it comes to the concern the surfer usergroup had for sharks by funding this science. Given that in my 20 years of paying for the science I found so necessary to establish the dive tourism destinations in Southern Africa that now thrive I did not have a willing partner from any other marine user group. I salute this man and his brand for tackling this issue head on - unlike the rest of the armchair critics I have met along the way. As it happens we proved that the fear was unfounded we got on with other very important scientific questions as well as monitoring our initial findings... which have not needed revision! Unlike Sharksboard who have spent hundreds of millions of Rands promoting fear not understanding I used my money and a good many of the top shark scientists and brains in the world to get to where we are. I can however see the success that Sharksboard have had when I see the thin and flat earth type arguments presented here. In terms of the sweeping statement that shark numbers at Aliwal have increased this is sadly not true and a radical decline is in fact the case. The data that I have stretches back to 1965. The problem is that you have a few puddle puppies that see a shark and the rest as they say is history... much like some of the other comments. There is no one size fits all with sharks and although I have put a few points down here the answer is generally more comprehensible when put in long format but in the interests of debunking the many myths, and I can see the basic shark knowledge level here is abysmal, I would be happy to get you all to submit your fears/questions to Bomb surf and I will answer them or you are welcome to give me a call on 083 570 8454 or mail me mark@bluewilderness.co.za
Posted by Mark on the 08/05/2012 08:36
This is an interesting subject and i reckon is certainly the topic of conversation around most braais/pubs/gatherings over the past weekend... I totally agree about conserving out wildlife (both ocean and terrestrial). I also feel that the methods we currently use to "protect" our beaches are somewhat antiquated and need to be revised, and I also believe that it needs to be a joint effort of all parties involved. A lot of blame is laid at the NSB, but to my knowledge a more viable, effective, environmentally friendly and cost effective method has not been proposed? Or if it has been shown or tested?? The one thing that I do find amazing about all of this is the inaccuracies in reports, in reports on Facebook it mentions 14-15 tiger sharks being killed while in other media reports (including the above article) it says 5 tigers and one white shark. Also above it says he whale which apparently was the attractor of the sharks was caught in the nets while in other reports it was reported washed up on the beach at Park Rynie...so until people get the facts right how are we to believe what is actually going on? OJ you talk about the impacts of nets in the Aliwal MPA, well what about the impact of all the motorized craft in this area?? The arguably unnatural chumming by shark dive operators?? Non of this exactly environmentally friendly, is it?? Who is to say that all of the engine noise created by this "environmentally friendly" protest didn't startle the ray and cause this bottom dwelling creature to be captured in the nets?? I do think though at the end of the day you guys have made a statement and valid points, but as always there are two sides to every argument...
Posted by Mark on the 08/05/2012 08:36
This is an interesting subject and i reckon is certainly the topic of conversation around most braais/pubs/gatherings over the past weekend... I totally agree about conserving out wildlife (both ocean and terrestrial). I also feel that the methods we currently use to "protect" our beaches are somewhat antiquated and need to be revised, and I also believe that it needs to be a joint effort of all parties involved. A lot of blame is laid at the NSB, but to my knowledge a more viable, effective, environmentally friendly and cost effective method has not been proposed? Or if it has been shown or tested?? The one thing that I do find amazing about all of this is the inaccuracies in reports, in reports on Facebook it mentions 14-15 tiger sharks being killed while in other media reports (including the above article) it says 5 tigers and one white shark. Also above it says he whale which apparently was the attractor of the sharks was caught in the nets while in other reports it was reported washed up on the beach at Park Rynie...so until people get the facts right how are we to believe what is actually going on? OJ you talk about the impacts of nets in the Aliwal MPA, well what about the impact of all the motorized craft in this area?? The arguably unnatural chumming by shark dive operators?? Non of this exactly environmentally friendly, is it?? Who is to say that all of the engine noise created by this "environmentally friendly" protest didn't startle the ray and cause this bottom dwelling creature to be captured in the nets?? I do think though at the end of the day you guys have made a statement and valid points, but as always there are two sides to every argument...
Posted by Ivan van Heerden on the 08/05/2012 08:47
Warren. Ever thought that an increase in Shark numbers caught in the nets means that the Aliwal Shoal MPA is working and that the fish stocks are rebounding. The nets serve to destroy all the good work that has been done since the exclusion zone was created. Science shows that a lack of large sharks is directly linked to the collapse of fish stocks. My grandfather used to catch 20Kg+ Couta off the rocks at Scottburgh before the nets came. Ever hear of a fish like that coming out anymore? As for the scottburgh locals posts time to pull your head out from your bums read up on some real, not internet, science and join the 21st century!
Posted by Barry Lewin on the 08/05/2012 10:05
Hi. I love the ocean and every part of being in the water from paddling, surfing to diving. It's great to see so many different ocean users get together to support ocean conservation. Well done to all those involved on your work looking after our oceans and the amazing life we share it with. Hats off!
Posted by mark addison on the 08/05/2012 10:35
In answer to "Mark":The supposed "facts" are hard to come by as there is the "official Sharksboard press release" information and then the information from people on the beach, on their boats and ironically in the car park listening over their radio frequency. It may come as no surprise that numbers are fudged and animals dumped to avoid public ire. In this case the whale carcass was dumped next to the net adjacent to the Scottburgh netted installation and washed up near a bathing beach (without nets) a few kilometers south of Scottburgh. Sharksboard were not transparent throughout this process and i am particularly amazed that surfers were unaware of the dumping of the carcass next to the nets which is common practice by Sharksboard. The numbers of sharks caught total at least 21 but we will actually never know how many more. I am not sure there is confusion with what happened but possibly you missed some of the timeline or had it relayed out of sequence. As for the boat scaring the ray into the net this is not possible as it was at night that the ray was caught and all boating in the MPA is banned from Sunset to Sunrise unless by the permission of eKZNW and there were no boats out. I am not sure that over 100 000 animals caught directly in nets and over millions of progeny lost can equate to two sides of an argument. Looks pretty one sided to me but in following on from your argument it would be like saying that there are two sides to the rhino poaching story as well: those for and against, as those for it have a point that although it has no proven medicinal value those that want to use it for that purpose should have the right to use it despite the unsustainable, inhumane etc. etc. way that it was obtained and the country of origin is distant so if they go extinct there, there are at least pictures in books and stuffed animals in museums. Personally I don't see how "two sides to the argument" holds water when innocents are dying unnecessarily. P.S. if the nets weren't there and the ray was startled by a boat taking a boatload of tourists to see the protected marine life of the Aliwal Shoal MPA which is a major component of the local tourism economy and no nets were there it would not have been caught . But as i pointed out none of this actually happened because it was caught in the nets at night!
Posted by Amanda Barratt on the 08/05/2012 11:24
Some of the comments on this are just an indication how heavy words are when they are laced with the selfish sentiment humans are renowned for. Enter the water at your own risk and save our sharks. Any sincere beach user who loves the ocea would acknowledge that we share this planet with other species, and that our footprint need not be any more defined than it already is. Sharks do not need to be affected by our activitites.
Posted by Realist on the 08/05/2012 14:20
the perfect balance of nature was doomed from the moment we picked up that stick!!! Realistically we will never truly understand, our so called intelligence and science will uncover nothing and why should it. we are an ever consuming virus that is out of control!!! conservationists are a mere band aid on a trauma wound!!!! The delicate balance is gone and we only have our selves to blame......
Posted by Wolfgang Leander on the 09/05/2012 00:28
Although overdue, this was a great initiative to make the local folks realize that the nets must come down. In order not to lose momentum it would be most opportune if those who sponsored the gathering would now organize a follow-up event such as an open invitation to the general public for an interactive, exhaustive discussion of the subject. There are many talented speakers who could make a brief presentation which should then be followed by a Q&A session. Respected shark scientist should belong to the panel of the hosts of this follow-up event. Ryan Johnson, Leonard Compagnio? Geremy Cliff of the NSB, who is himself a marine biologist, should also be invited to participate to give him a chance to put forward his views. Who knows - perhaps the defenders of the nets and their adversaries could negotiate a deal if both sides were willing to compromise by looking at non-lethal alternatives to keep the sharks from getting too close to the beaches (repellents such as electric devices?). Best wishes! Wolf
Posted by Mark on the 09/05/2012 08:26
@ Mark Addison: Thanks for some clarification on the numbers there and also for some of your insights. Believe me I am not sitting on the fence here with this issue as I do believe that the nets shouldn't be there. But I do think that constructive discussion needs to take place by all parties concerned leading to a viable alternative...The issue as we all know is not just as easy as lifting the nets! As realist says: human beings are the problem and we all need to stand up and take the blame, but also try and do something about it, the balance has been upset by the only creatures on planet earth that can actually do something to right the imbalance... shark nets are not the biggest concern to ocean health!
Posted by gavin roberts on the 09/05/2012 09:32
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/01/0128_050128_sharknets.html check out this very interesting article from a good few years back, mark is right, this makes a very interesting topic of conversation. seems to be a tough one between provincial governments about whether they feel the safety of marine life or that of the bathers is superior. funding seems to be a big issue too. good luck to all parties involved because it seems to be a tough one and i'm sure this is very similar to the issue happening in kzn at the moment
Posted by Janien O'Connell Rudwick on the 13/05/2012 11:09
it was an awesome event, good to see people come together and make a stand ...
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Are you kidding? She got a great deal At that etvouaailn her company is worth $90,909, and hasn't made a single sale. She doesn't have the patent, or sales, it's crazy to invest in something like that. Although I do believe she is better off with a loan than a investment, this product looks like a huge risk at the investors expense. If the company flops the investor won't even have anything of equity to sell to recoup losses, it's a bad investment.
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Some bastardised Alaia step offs into some meaty pits.
06/05/2012
 
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Posted by hugh on the 07/05/2012 09:59
won't look too clever when the barge he stepped off kills someone on the inside
Posted by TB on the 07/05/2012 14:21
...my thoughts exactly... also just think what pits he would have had on a proper board.
Posted by Jamie Jupiter on the 07/05/2012 22:07
Respek, his take-off method is pure genius. He knows what he's doing, the man's got soul on his giant wooden flip-flop. The first wave reminded me of our very own Sandy Bay.
Posted by Umamcayang on the 05/06/2012 14:09
I used 36 stones total. I would get the disnemions of the stones before buying them to see how many you will need for the size pit you want. They stack with one less stone per row as you go up. For example; my first row had 13 stones, the second had 12 and the third or top row had 11 stones.
 

So you wanna ride the Silver Dragon?
06/05/2012
 
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Posted by Craig Poole on the 07/05/2012 20:00
Fantastic! How often does it occur?
Posted by Cheick on the 13/06/2012 23:03
nikki December 4, 2011 2:25 pm I LOVE your blog! I've been to sayulita 3x now and hdeead back again around new years...are you planning a trip there anytime soon?
 

Dylan Smit recycles his board into a clock.
03/05/2012



 Hi John and theBOMBsurf crew.

I was so impressed when I saw your bit about Warren and his fin drying rack! I'm often down at the beach and am infuriated by the mess and filth that people leave on our shores-it really pisses me off. I love these ideas where people re-use things that can actually still be used! Here is my little bit that others can hopefully use to keep a broken board or two around in the house a little longer and not in some waste dump. What I made a couple years ago is a clock in a board, here is the story behind it:

I had this board when I was a younger and man did I love it! It rode like a dream and every surf with it was beyond good. I even had an awesome custom spray design that had taken me ages to come up with, and I'm pretty sure it took the shaper's artist even longer to finish! But alas as the saying goes all good things must come to an end and one summer's day I was in a fun beach break bowl and a biggie landed on my head. WHA my best board broke like a twig in two. I didn't have the heart to throw it out, so up on the top shelf of my board rack it went and when my next birthday came around I got to ordered myself a new one. I must say that all credit for the idea has to go to Clayton himself, he mentioned the idea when I ordered that next board. I was so stoked that I could keep my board and made the Board Clock a few days later. It is pretty simple to make, all one needs is a broken board, a cheap clock (mine was R40 back then),a Jig saw and some sand paper.

You simply trace out a circle the same diameter as the board in the particular place that you want the clock. Then use the Jig saw to cut along the lines, being careful not to go too deep into the foam. The next part is the hardest of all- removing the foam within the circular area. I found it easiest to cut the area into squares with the Jig saw and then pull them out. The stringer does can create one or two hassles, but nothing most people can't handle. Initially the hole doesn't look too pretty, but with the sand paper you can clean it up nicely (feeling a bit like a shaper in the process) to the smooth level as mine is in the attached pic. The clock is going to cover it in the end, so as long as it's deep enough all's good. Then just shaya a battery into the clock, slide it into the hole, and bombs away you have a neat fire place/bar decoration. What's also cool is that its easy to hang as you just use the lease string, so any hook or nail will do.

Thanks for all the good reads, pics, and surf updates. Keep up the good work!

Cheers,

Dylan Smit


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Posted by Murray Watt on the 04/05/2012 11:22
Flip such a rad idea. sick way of remembering good times with a favourite board. Nice one dylan!
Posted by Thomas Knight on the 04/05/2012 13:11
Such an awesome idea bro! Dig it!
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Posted by Norma on the 13/06/2012 11:00
I'm graeftul you made the post. It's cleared the air for me.
 

The triumph of will.
02/05/2012
Triumph of the will

The German people are renowned for their resolve in the face of seemingly insurmountable tasks. But how does their surfing community stack up against the Northern European winter,  the coldest sea on the planet and a drive to surf ratio of 8:1?


“It’s always offshore in Holland,” snaps Jens. We’re halfway through a four-hour mission along the autobahn from Hamburg to the Danish border for a surf and my guide is suffering a classic case of wind-envy. News has filtered through that unfavourable winds are threatening to scuttle our session – something less of an issue for surfers in Holland, evidently. With the session coming at a cost of of eight hours in the car and 120 Euros in petrol, he’s right to be pissed.

“Can you call someone already there?” asks Chubby Button, a 40ish Australian expat wedged under my right shoulder in the passenger seat of the van.

It’s a no, which is followed by a flurry of German from the back of the van where Sohenke (pronounced Zoinker), a 30 something action sports retailer from Hamburg, sits amidst the Malibu, single fin, fish and shortboard that make up our eclectic quiver.


Last night, Jens, who is also the editor of German surfing magazine, Blue had been sent feverish by a swell forecasted to strike the southeast coast of the North Sea.

I’d been in Berlin at the time contemplating a lingering depression from New Years Eve celebrations when he contacted me via Facebook. The North Sea. Tomorrow. Day of the year, he had written. Three hours and a 70 Euro train ride later I was brushing my teeth in his Hamburg unit as he held his laptop in front of me and talked me through a weather map.

“Look at this: Two meters (wave height) and 14 seconds (periods). The forecast looks amazing but the swell is very north and the North Sea is very shallow, so the periods get shorter by the time it reaches the coast.”

The forecast was decent by anywhere’s standards and the decision was made to head for the border of Germany and Denmark. It’s the third favourite surf region among the German boardriding community, ranking behind the country’s surf mecca on the island of Sylt and Mussel reef in Denmar though ahead of the icy wind slop served up by the Baltic Sea. In summer when the days last 12 hours and water temperatures climb as high as 17 degrees, Jens tells me the spot can pack out with up to 60 people. With the water around two degrees today (making it the coldest sea in the world) and the wave having frozen over a week ago, crowds are certain to be down.

During the journey, Sohenke and Jens fill me in on the history of German surfing. It’s not as new, or foreign, here as you’d think. Elders from the island of Sylt were in the birthplace of European surfing, Biarritz to watch the sport introduced to Europe in the 1950s. They returned with a bunch of 12 foot logs but failed to observe the neccessity of wax and for the next few years didn’t progress very far. Today they’ve learned to surf at a passable level and recently welcomed their second generation of surfers. They’ve also picked up on some of the nuances of modern surf culture, says Jens.



“In the 90s, cars with Hamburg number plates that were parked at the beaches there occassionally used to get smashed.”

In fact, spots in Germany and Denmark are becoming increasingly localised.

 “I don’t like the scene up here. You get all these old guys in their big vans all pissed off that you’re surfing their spot,” says Sohenke.

“Surfing is not open to people. We will have beers and be talking about surf spots and then ‘shhhh!’ Nothing. I think it is important to search but I will help someone find a spot because I love to see how happy they get and the joy it brings them.”

It’s a strange trend given how difficult it is to surf up here. Just to get to the waves, German surfers are forced to drive to the perimeter of the country in order to get around a giant mudflat that blocks the coast from swell.

Once there they rely on unpredictable localised storms for swell and the waves that are generated, should they remain unmolested by the wind, are weakened by the incredible shallowness of the North Sea (it averages 90 meters deep, putting it among the world’s shallowest bodies of ocean).

But for the Australian, Chubby surfing in the North Sea still has its charms.

“It’s about the contrast. In Australia you might travel for a while and go surfing at Manly or some other place that is occupied. Here you go from a giant city to out here and it is deserted,” he says.


During his youth and early adulthood he had been the archetypal surfer, telling me, “up until I met my wife and had my daughter, I never had a relationship more important to me than surfing.” He relocated to Berlin ten years ago in pursuit of his now wife and an art career. That and he couldn’t tolerate suburban coastal Australia a second longer.

“I pretty much hate Perth. It’s just this big, beige, sprawling city,” he says.

Upon arriving, he didn’t surf for years and missions like today’s are still far from regular but that doesn’t diminish their importance.

“In September you will go surfing for a day and there is nothing else on the agenda than surfing all day. You hang at the beach, cook your food there and go surfing. That’s a luxury I haven’t had in a long while. After that you feel as refreshed as if you’ve been on a week holiday. You really appreciate your time in the water when you’re surfing here,” says Chubby.


Four hours and two loops of our lone Bill Callahan CD later, our trip almost comes to a tragic end within sight of the water. Consumed by the giddiness that accompanies the final stages of every surf mission, Jens runs a stop sign and we bare down on the window of a horrified middle-aged Danish woman. With deft touches on the brakes and trademark cool, Jens navigates the ice and pulls up alongside the car.

“You can practice your Danish,” yells Chubby as he bails out the door to apologise.

From the sheer, snow covered slope overlooking the wave, we look down on choppy brown water and the odd three-foot wedge. By Australian or American standards you’d call it fun but in water this cold, after that much driving, it hasn't got Jens psyched. Worse still, the relentless short-period windswell isn’t allowing a channel for us to paddle out through, presenting another danger.


I blow, blow, blow out my lips and yell, “Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck!” as the ice cream headache takes hold. Four quick duckdives in the near freezing water cripples my senses, sending a sick to my throat and stomach. When combined with the burning water pouring through my cheap gloves, it's difficult to absorb the sublime sight of wind turbines in the distance, a rectangular church jutting out of the deserted countryside and the sheer snow-covered hill dwarfing the beach.

Post-surf we’re euphoric as we cram into the van, sharing body warmth, green tea and pumpernickel smeared with honey. But by the time we reach Hamburg four hours later the mood has shifted considerably.



“Eight hours of driving for a one hour surf is not the balance I’m after. I may have to reconsider that,” says Jens, as we drag bags of neoprene from the car in the freezing night.

Jens, who works as a freelance journalist, could live in any country within the EU and I ask why he hasn’t relocated to a European city with better waves, like a Biarritz or Lisbon?

“There was a time when I thought about it but in the end they weren’t enough of a city for me; not urban enough. Surfing is something I love but I don’t think I could ever just do surfing. I need a balance.” – Jed Smith


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Posted by Meeriatek on the 27/09/2012 03:55
Hello, everyone , very cool forum.
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