Will bailey photography

Number 10'S

2009-11-09T08:26:00.001-08:00

We've been checking this spot for the past year.
Carve have published a few empty shots I've taken of it in the past but we've had no way of riding the beast. I knew it had some serious potential but yesterday it went bonkers!!!!!!
Mat, Egor, Mitch had a ski up here and finally everything came together

Two Covers - Toby Donachie & Aaron Reid

2009-10-18T11:01:00.001-07:00

These were surprise covers, weren't expecting them and didn't think the images would make the cut.

A lot of the shots from this trip were last minute panic pics, we nearly didn't go in on this occasion, so glad we did, within 5 minutes Toby had a right, cover of Carve, and Aaron had a left, Cover of Tonnta. Its funny how things pan out. Some days when its perfect you cant get shit to come together, and then when its crap, two covers in five minutes!!! Well done boys!

Quik Pro 09

2009-10-05T11:22:00.000-07:00

I recently got back from Shooting the French CT for Quiksilver.

Quiksilver put on an amazing contest, the surf was a bit of a let down, but the parties more than compensated. Not sure how they are going to top that next year!

Nike 6.0 House

2009-09-10T10:41:00.000-07:00

I spend a lot of time in France. Im usually kipping on a friends floor, in a tent, or in a self catering apartment, so the chance to go and stay at the Nike 6.0 pad in Capbreton France was an oppourtunity that I wasn't going to turn down. Luxury house, loads of freebees, French beachies and Europes best surfers to shoot. Easy money!

As with every trip it was a testing experience. It was completely flat for five out of the seven days, I had four groms to organise, one small poky car between five of us, and there were about a million people waiting for the swell.

Everyone had no problem waiting for the swell to arrive though, the house we were at was amazing. Fully stocked kitchen, big pool, Playstations, Redbull, internet and an amazing atmosphere among the whole team. It was a week of relaxation, panic, destruction, flared tempers, overindulging and laughter, and that was before we even saw a wave.

When the swell arrived, like true professionals everyone turned on, and what resulted were two days of festivities in and out of the water.

Until this trip I had never considered myself as getting old. I feel fitter than ever, I have no interest in getting a pension and my gut is yet to appear. But those little swines definitely aged me!

Lloyd Cole Interview

2009-09-01T10:53:00.000-07:00

How’s life Lloyd?

Yeah life’s pretty good. Off to Newquay on my brothers stag do this weekend cant wait, after that I’m going to Bali for a few weeks and then the Europeans straight after that.

How’s the summer been, have you been surfing lots or snowed under with work?

It’s been good, did that trip to France with you, and scored some amazing waves.

The surf at home this summer hasn’t been great, we’ve had waves but generally onshore 3ft, but its Wales you know, the winds have been wrong for the good spots but we’ve had waves.

How was that trip? Were you surprised we scored decent barrels in France in July?

Yeah scored, it was really quiet which was weird, and La Graviere was pumping. A bit of a shock to the system going from 2-3ft Langland to 6ft heavy grinding barrels. I got home and I’m sure I had whip lash I went over the falls that many times, but it was good, I got into the swing of things in the end and really enjoyed it.

How’s work been?

Works been all right, I work with my Dad so its not to bad, so I get to go surfing and stuff, as long as the works looked after.

Yeah you seem to be quite the business man, first running Sand Bar ( Swansea boozer he ran with his brother James) and now a family run storage business, called ‘Store It Wales’, sounds like a lot of work to me?

Ha, yeah it’s ok. My Dad is really laid back, he’s happy for us to surf. There are five boys and one girl so we’re a big family, only three of us work for my Dad though.

Tell me about the Sand Bar.

My brother and me ran it for about two, three years, great times, partying, drinking, and surfing. But we sold the lease and moved on before we became alcoholics really.

You must have some cracking stories about some of the boys misbehaving in your pub?

Yeah, there was kind of a dungeon bar downstairs that was kind of our hang out, the LSD boys. There were many of nights we’d crawl out of there with the seagulls singing to us. It was basically the LSD clubhouse.

Who came up with the name LSD, and what does it mean?

Langland surf division, not sure who came up with it about 5 or 6 of us I think.

What happened to the LBR?

The LBR, oh R.I.P! There were a few core surfers in the LBR. They wouldn’t let us enter two teams into the Wilkinson Sword Welsh inter clubs, so we started up out own club the LSD. Then about a year later they tried to hand us the LBR over but we’d already set our club up. I used to surf for them in the juniors, they were the best surfers but they wouldn’t let it go and when they finally did it was too late.

What do you mean hand over the LBR?

They wanted to give us the club because everyone way joining LSD, to keep the LBR alive.

Who was the biggest drinker?

There were some big hitters, who are bigger hitters now. Long Stroke Mccord, Rad Al, Sanchez (not Pancho off dirty sanchez, they are big boys, they could consume a high volume of alcohol.

Who was the worst behaved? Ever bar any of the boys?

Narr, they always said sorry the next day, I should have barred myself a few times though! (LAUGHS) It was a good laugh, controlled sometimes and out of control other times but that’s what made it all fun I suppose.

Did you become the usual beer bellied landlord while running the place?

Yeah! It was definitely time to move on in the end. We had a kitchen there, lasagna, gammon egg and chips, all day breakfasts! There was a cook and beer on tap whenever you wanted it basically, dangerous!

I’ve heard that you’re also quite the romantic. Something to do with a helicopter?

How the hell did you find out about that? HAHA (LAUGHS). Yeah, it was a bit of a whirlwind romance, a week before I was going to Oz I bumped into a girl from school that I grew up with. She was a professional dancer and was on her way to Slovenia for four weeks, after that she came over to Oz. Then, four months later we were in Bali and we got engaged in a helicopter above Ulus.

Haha, thats classic. What sort of professional dancing ?

I dunno some sort of musical back up dancer not sure how to word it properly.

So not a pole dancer?

I wish, she's actually taking pole dancing classes!

So shes teaching pole dancing?

No she's learning how to pole dance.

So she's going to be a pole dancer?

Haha, no! She goes with a few friends, just a bit of fun and something different to do to keep fit.

OK, got it! Where did you get married and go on your honeymoon?

Got married in Morgan’s hotel in Swansea and Honey mooned in Thailand.

Why aren’t you on facebook?

Funny to should say that Will, signed up last night.

Haha, its one of those things I usually stay clear of, but I’ve lost contact with a lot of people, so many of the boys I used to surf with down in Devon and Cornwall. I lost my phone the other day, lost all my contacts, it’s just the easiest way to keep in contact with your mates.

Usually the people not on face book have some dark secrets or no friends!

Nar no secrets, and yeah I’ve got a few friends, I checked before I left the house, think I had 10 requests, but that not many is it?

Not really. How many friends do you have?

I don’t know I only started in last night! (LAUGHS) I still can’t work out how to add friends, my Mrs has had to show me.

What’s your average week entail?

Ummm, work Monday to Friday. Surf if there’s surf. My wife Emily is a personal trainer (AT A GYM?) so we do a bit of circuit training with a few of the boys down the beach.

Do you feel that surfing in Wales gets overlooked by the magazines and surf industry?

I think it does. I think it’s easy to forget about us. All the companies and all the hype is down towards Newquay. But I suppose if your hungry enough for it you can always pester people, make yourself know around the contest scene. It would be nice to have a bit more coverage up this way.

Do you ever get the urge to move away from Swansea and its lack of quality waves?

Everyday I think. When you wake up somewhere and there’s waves, the suns shining, it gives you a buzz, makes you want to jump out of bed. But with the summer we’ve had its not encouraging, we have such long winters and then the summers been and gone before we know it.

I once heard Sam Lamiroy say that it’s a myth that the Gower reefs get waves!

I wouldn’t say it’s a myth, but you’ve got to be on the ball. We get really good waves though, maybe not to the standard of the Irish reefs and Porthleven, but if its on, its on, we do get good waves!

Would you say there's a stronger sense of camaraderie among Welsh surfers than Southwest surfers?

I’d say so, whenever you go away for a team event. The Welsh seem to be the most strongly bonded team compared to all the other teams. We’re all very proud of being Welsh and surfing in Wales. For most us surfing our home break is more of a social thing, get to catch up with all your mates, quite a close-knit community.

You're 3x Welsh champ – does that say something about your competitive instinct?

I’m very competitive. I grew up with four older brothers that all surfed so that was competitive, and not just with surfing, I had to compete for my food, stop them stealing my clothes, so I grew up being very competitive.

I kind of took a different path from contests, I still like to compete, but its finding the balance between making a living, being married, setting up home and not wasting all my money traveling around Britain surfing in contests to make myself feel good.

With that, why have the Welsh deserted the British contest Scene?

In the 80’s and 90’s the Welsh were a dominant force. Rob Blyth has been competing on the junior circuit but at the moment its just Nate and Vanghanie when he can be arsed.

I’m not sure about the older crew, most can’t really afford it or have responsibilities. With the groms there seems to be a lack of drive at the moment, there are a few that are showing promise but mainly in the local contests. The thinking with kids at the moment is that if their Mum or Dad cant take them they’re not going to go. I mean maybe not now but when I was younger, 13, 14, if there was a contest in Newquay I’d be ringing around, scabbing lifts off Dan Harris and Guts, staying with mates, spending all my money, I’d get down there anyway I could.

Is the Welsh interclub rivalry still strong?

Yes. It’s kind of hard at the moment because it got cancelled this year due to lack of waves, but if it’s on every club in Wales wants to win it.

You have a lot to do with the welsh team and coaching these days, do you feel that surfing in Wales is going in the right direction at the moment?

Yeah it’s getting stronger, it’s going to take us a few years for us to get back up to the standard of the other British Lads. We need to do a lot more coaching in Wales, coaching, video analysis, heat drills. In Newquay every grom seems to have a coach even if it’s just his Dad, they’re having group sessions, filmed, analysed. They are thinking about their surfing! Not just, I got a sticker on my board, I’m sponsored, excellent, I’ll just do a few comps and surf in the Welsh team. We have to get out of that mentality and think of the bigger picture.

Why did you GET INVOLVED IN TEAM COACHING?

When I grew up there were a lot of people that coached me. I wanted to help out a few of the youngsters and pass on what I was taught. I only really started last year, I went to Morocco with the Worlds and really enjoyed it. But the main reason is to help develope welsh surfing.

Any young super groms that can turn heads? Are there any that can whoop some English?

They can definitely turn heads, more on a local scene though, we’ve got a few years to catch up at the moment. There are a few that are showing promise, Dan Breson, Billy Sharpe, Max Tucker, George Schofeild.

What are your plans for the winter?

We usually go away for Xmas and New Year but that’s out of the window because a close friend is getting married, It going to be quick trips somewhere, definitely to warmer climates.

Any shout outs

JP for making me good boards since I was 12, Santa Cruz and all the boys in Double Overhead. Also my wife for training me and being understanding with my surfing, and all the LSD boys.

Joss

2009-08-27T04:14:00.000-07:00

France July 09

2009-08-27T03:56:00.000-07:00

Up until about a month ago, the summer was going just fine. June was blazing hot with the bonus of some good swells, and I'd been surfing and shooting photos all over the place. Sunshine, barbecues, parties, balmy evenings...what more could you ask for?

Then came July. In theory July should be the hottest month of the year...but this being Britain it turned out to be cloudy the entire time and wet. Very wet. There’s a town in the Himalayan foothills called Cherrapunji which has the highest annual rainfall in the world, but I think we surpassed their monthly average by about 900 inches. The optimistic hope that summer 2009 might be an all-time classic quickly disappeared down the drain with a pathetic gurgle. I began to feel a burning need to get out of the country lickety-split before I become a permanent fixture propping up the bar in my local.

For us Brit surfaholics the obvious destination for a quick getaway is France. I'm a big fan of the place in the autumn months but I normally write off July and August due to lack of swell, ridiculous crowds and high costs. However, faced with the prospect of enduring yet another horrendous British summer I decided it was time to make a run for it. With a decent swell heading towards southwest France, I collared Lloyd Cole and we made a plan to fly down and meet up with a load of British boyo's who were already down there revelling in the waves.

Forty-eight hours after booking our flights we were blasting down the autoroute from Bordeaux, heading for Hossegor. It didn’t matter that our hire car was about as powerful as Thom Yorke (with a whine to match), the main thing was that we’d left all the cloud and rain behind. Back in Wales we’d virtually been aquaplaning along the roads; here in France, midday mirages shimmered on the baking tarmac. I wound down the window when we got to the toll booth at Capbreton and inhaled the sweet smell of pine trees and scorched grass. Oh yes, this was proper summer weather.

After a quick surf, we found a campsite and checked in. I normally try to avoid camping – there's something about being constantly damp and using your clothes as a mattress for a week that doesn't really to appeal to me anymore. Plus I hate those Teutonic new age hippy types who who think it’s cool to play bongo drums at two in the morning. But July is peak season in France, apartments are expensive, and the pound is virtually worthless at the moment...so we were camping!

We whipped up our tents and discovered to our relief that our neighbours were not German bongo-playing dole bludgers but the Williams family from Swansea (among them 15-year-old David Williams who won the recent Rip Curl GromSearch at Porthcawl). What’s more, they had a massive barbecue on the go! Within minutes Lloyd and I were tucking into some very tasty chicken kebabs, and David was eagerly waxing up for the following morning’s photoshoot.

France is a brilliant place to spend the summer if the jetstream is shafting the British Isles like it did in July. While Blighty gets buffeted by unseasonable gales and rain, France basks in the sun and its Landes coast is pounded by classic summer swells.

A sizeable contingent of Britain’s top young rippers were down for the month, among them Jayce Robinson, Dane Hall, Lyndon Wake, Stu Campbell, Luis Eyre, Jack Whitefield, Toby Donachie, Rob Webster-Blythe and Billy Norways. The lads had been travelling around competing at ASP Pro Junior contests and chilling in France between events. You can understand why they choose to hang out in France – hollow waves, warm water, offshores most mornings, fun nights out, and enough distractions on the beach to warrant ten hours a day sunbathing. It goes without saying that French girls are not like the fake tanned, tracksuit-wearing chavs we get in Wales.

We were up before dawn the next day. It was a fresh, cool morning without a breath of wind. We headed straight to the bakery for coffee and croissants, then checked the surf. Our new pal Dave jumped in with me and Lloyd, and we met up with Matt Capel and Gabe Davies at the beach.

A punchy new swell was pounding La Graviere as expected, but it was still a bit dark and the tide was too low. We did the usual check-ten-spots-before-you-make-a-decision routine...and then went back to the first one. La Grav’ was looking a whole lot better by this time, and the first guy we saw on a wave was Jayce Robinson, who got an absolute smoker. We were straight out there.

As well as Jayce, young Brits Dane Hall and Rob Webster-Blythe were going for it in the grinding overhead barrels. But even in summertime the lip at La Grav’ comes down like a guillotine, and within five minutes both Jayce and Matt were back on the beach with snapped boards, cursing their luck. Gabe, on the other hand, was having a ball, picking off some absolute bombs and flashing victory signs at me as he sped through barrel after barrel. Lloyd was also getting some solid ones, happily throwing himself into the hollowest lefts coming through. Adopted grom Dave was charging too – for a 15-year-old lout from Swansea he gave it a good dig.

Incredibly we found ourselves virtually alone on our peak for a good two hours, a situation you’d never expect in Hossegor in the middle of July. I couldn't understand where all the other surfers were. I kept expecting to see a load of German wannabes come running down the sand and start floundering around on the inside. But there were no Germans, no Frenchies, just the four of us and a few naked wrinklies.

We later found out that the bulk of Hossegor’s surfing population been at another spot a few kilometres down the coast. Apparently there were 50 people on one peak and fights in the water. The locals there like to keep the place hush hush, and French photographer Alex Laurel returned to his car to find his tyres slashed. Charming. All in all I think we got lucky that first morning!

The next two days saw a drop in the swell so we spent our time surfing fun little beachies, bird watching and overdosing on pastries. The best place to kill some time in Hossegor is the Café de Paris, where you can spend hours just watching the world go by. It’s weird how a town centre crossroads and a bunch of people doing their shopping can hold your attention for a whole afternoon. Coffees turn into beers, and the next thing you know you’re waking up face down in the sand.

On subsequent days we hooked up with Luis Eyre and Stu Campbell for a couple of sessions. They were staying with the O’Neill European team in Hossegor, and driving around to the various Pro Junior contests at the weekends. Unfortunately, even with the power of FaceBook, we didn’t manage to rendezvous with them on the barrelling mornings. C’est la vie.

Lyndon Wake from Croyde was also down for a few weeks with his girlfriend Corrine, and the couple were loving the French summer lifestyle. I was well impressed by Lyndon’s surfing – he looked really sharp and was nailing some stylish turns. I’m sure some of the credit must go to Billabong Euro team coach Carwyn Williams, who’s done a lot of training with Lyndon over the last couple of years.

The days passed quickly in a blur of fun sessions and frenzied snacking. I don’t know about you but I could live the French cafe lifestyle until I collapsed with exhaustion...like French president Nicolas Sarcozy did just the other day, in fact! Baguettes, croissants, pain au chocolat, slices of pizza, croque monsieurs, huge cups of coffee, froth-topped glasses of 1664, bottles of vin rouge, shots of Pernod...it can’t be good for the arteries.

All too soon it was nearly time to leave, but another pulse of swell was due to hit on our last morning, so we still had one last roll of the dice. And thankfully our luck was in!

We got up at dawn to find glassy overhead barrels pounding La Graviere for the second time in a week. I was frothing. For a photog, getting in the water before the sun rises and knowing that you're about to score big time is about as exciting as it gets. Lloyd, Matt, Dave and Gabe were also fully amped and keen to re-enact the session we’d shared at the beginning of the week. Unfortunately my hopes of shooting the Under 21 crew came to nought as they’d all buggered off across the border to Sopelana for the next Pro Junior comp. Duh!

The session got off to a bad start when Gabe snapped his board on his very first wave. He was gutted and scampered off home to get a new board. Matt had more luck and began picking off some beauties. He's got his barrel-riding down to a tee, taking off super late and setting it up perfectly every time. Lloyd nabbed a few perfect ones too, getting really deep on a couple. He seemed a bit less gung-ho this session and waited patiently for the bombs; I think Gabe’s strategy of careful wave selection had rubbed off on him. Again there wasn't much of a crowd. Maybe that bank down the coast was firing again? Or maybe the French just don’t do dawnies? I dunno.

We hauled ourselves out of the water around 10am, feeling tired but satisfied. I was relieved to have got the shots I wanted, and the boys were stoked with the barrelfest they’d shared. We had no time to hang around talking crap though, as Lloyd and I only had two hours to get back to Bordeaux airport for our return flight. Luckily everything went smoothly for a change and we rocked up at the check-in with sandy feet and time to spare.

On the plane, while enjoying some well-deserved Stellas, we watched the clouds thickening and turning grey once again as we crossed The Channel. However, even the miserable outlook couldn't diminish the euphoria we felt from having completed a successful mission.

Nike 6.0 House

2009-08-27T03:03:00.001-07:00

Spent a week at the Nike 6.0 house, shot loads of lifestyle.

Think Lyndon calls me a dwarf in the video, I didn't notice at the time, Im pretty sure we're about the same hight! Think I'll delete all his shots!

Rusty Advert

2009-08-26T04:46:00.001-07:00

Rusty Europe.

This shot of Mat Capel was taken in Wales at my home break, stoked they used it, cheers Remi.

New Carve - Cover

2009-08-26T04:25:00.000-07:00

The New issue of Carve is out today. I have a few shots on the cover, six in all.

Loads of stuff inside, article on France, Boardmasters and some free surfing.

Go get it!

Xcel Advert

2009-08-26T02:49:00.000-07:00

Xcel used my image for an advert in Three sixty.

No payment or thanks for this, someone owes me a favour but I'm not sure who, I will chase it up when I can be bothered.

Manly

2009-08-26T00:00:00.000-07:00

Fairy Bower - Shot from Hywels apartment roof top.

Boardmasters

2009-08-25T06:01:00.000-07:00

Lynx wrestlers in Newquay

2009-08-25T05:39:00.000-07:00

http://www.orcasurf.co.uk/carve/gallery/gallery-boardmasters-girls.htm

HOME

2009-08-25T04:19:00.000-07:00

Arrived home last night after scoring some classic surf in France. Spent a week at the Nike 6.0 house.
Decided to start this blogg as I want people to see some of my unpublished photographs as a lot go to waste. Also I'm a bit slack at updating my website.

Master Class

2009-06-04T04:53:00.000-07:00

I’m in the very north of Scotland at the O’Neill Coldwater Classic, it’s a 6 star prime WQS event. The surf is pumping, Thurso’s 6ft but its fucking freezing!

The standard of surfing at this event has been unreal, everyone rips and every heat looks daunting. There’s a large group of Brits milling around up here and they all seem to be able to mix it with the best of them. Russ and Sam have been smashing their way through a few heats, Russ is the last Brit still in the contest, he’s through to the round of 16. Micah, Oli, Nate and Matt have been putting on good show at a few of the local slabs, scoring a few sick sessions.

I managed to drag the boys away their favourite wave, tear Sam off the webcast and grab Russ just before his next heat. I stuck them all in the back of a van and quizzed them on British surfing.

Right boys I want to know what a young Brit grom would have to do to become a pro surfer?

Nate – Not go off the rails too much

Russ – Haha yeah not hang out in Newquay

Matt – Do a lot of travelling

Unknown – Suck a lot of cock

All Laughing

Sam – I cant believe you said that ?, that’s awful

Oli – O my god

Micah- They’ve got to start competing at a young age. Start doing the local comps then build up to the National comps, then eventually start doing the worlds and the pro juniors.

Sam – I think first of all you’ve got to be lucky enough to be genetically gifted. All of us sitting here have that inherent talent, you know it’s not by accident that we’re good surfers, I reckon you start by having something a little bit special, you know, you’ve got to have a certain amount of natural coordination and talent and then the question is what you do with it. I think that’s the interesting part.

Do you think it’s important to have a professional approach from a young age, or is that something that develops later on?

Nate – Just get out there and have fun

Matt – Yeah you just want to have fun when you’re young

Nate – Have a laugh, do a lot of travelling, meet new people, surf, party, but try and keep your err head together.

Oli – ha ha!

Russ – I think that what sort of set me apart from the rest is that when I was about 12,13,14,15, you know before I started partying hard and stuff, arr I was training and stuff like that, in the surf all the time, doing little heats by myself, practicing all the time, surfing waves all the way to the beach, all sorts of stuff.

WILL – So you were pretty focused early on?

Sam – From such a young age?

Russ – Yeah from like 12/13, I was constantly amping on it, thinking about it, watching surf videos. I don’t even watch surf videos now but I used to be completely obsessed by it. So I think that definitely separates you, if you’re making all those extra efforts, all those things that the other kids aren’t doing, you’re going to progress faster and stand out.

Micah – With what Russ is saying about being focused, it’s true. I mean talent will only get you so far, somewhere like the Gold coast there’s a shit load of kids with heaps of talent, it’s the ones that focus and train that develop into great surfers. Talent will only get you so far.

Sam – When I was a kid growing up I loved surfing but the guys that were successful in my eyes were the doctors and lawyers, they were the ones with the big houses and nice cars. I never realised I could make a living out of surfing back then!

How can you at such a young age think this is going to be my job!

Matt – I just wanted to have fun and it just seemed to keep progressing.

Oli – I guess I was the same but like what Russ was saying, from like 8 years old I wanted to be a pro surfer. I’ve always wanted it so bad, I’ve always done everything I could to get to where I am now. I’ve always known I don’t have as much talent as the Mick Fannings and people like that, but I always knew that if I worked as hard as I could at it I could get to the point where I could make a living.

Nate – I used to try and get to as many contests as I could and get out of Wales. It was pretty much only me from my area doing the UK contests sort of thing, all my mates weren’t that interested.

WILL – A small scene

Nate – Yeah a really small scene and surrounded by party animals you basically had to detatch yourself from it all and get out of Wales.

You’re all from a few different places around the UK. What was the scene like where you grew up?

Sam – Slightly isolated at Newcastle, you felt pretty removed from the surfing world, we just did our own thing, but we had a cool little crew.

Micah – Mine’s completely different, I grew up on the Gold coast. Going surfing was easy, you don’t need a wetsuit because the water’s always warm. There’s local boardriders contests and a whole structure in place with coaching available, yeah the surf scene is massive over there.

Nate – Pretty wild in Wales, not a big contest scene!

Was there a turning point where you realised you could make money and a living from surfing?

Mat – Yeah

Oli – Mine was from when I was 8, I’ve never thought I couldn’t do it, from the word go.

Matt – From when I was about 12 or something. When you first start to go good in national contests and stuff, you realise you can make a good living from it.

Russ – I never really thought about the money side of it. It was just, when you’re that young, I mean now you think about the money when you’re a bit older, but back then even at 17,18 I was never thinking about money. I just wanted to be on tour, wanted to surf the best waves with the best guys in the world you know, and that was kind of my aim.

Nate – When I was about 12 my Mum and Dad started taking me to all the contests and I started travelling.

Russ – I met Simon Law around thirteen and he was my hero, he stayed at my house and I just wanted to be him, at that time he was such a professional, stretching in the mornings eating healthily. So that set me off you know, I knew then that’s what I wanted to be.

Sam – I think I’m about 10 years behind everyone! I didn’t realise I could make a living out of surfing until I was about 21, after I finished Uni and then, you know you get lemons you make lemonade, you work with what you’ve got, It was almost an after thought. When I was a kid, same as you guys I watched all the videos, Kelly Slater in Black n White, watched how he was surfing and worked on my technique but not really with any purpose in mind, I think that’s the main difference between someone like myself and Russ and Oli is that I’ve never had that goal to become a professional surfer.

How important were contest to you, or were you more interested in free surfing?

Oli – It was everything, contests. It was all I thought about, I didn’t care about anything else. All I wanted to do was compete, when my mum couldn’t take me to the contest I used to catch buses all around the country, you know, from the age of about 12.

Nate – Yeah the comps were pretty important, you can’t just hang out at your local beach and think your killing it, cos, when you get down to Newquay and that, and see all the boys ripping it’s pretty hard. You have to put yourself against the best, then if you get a few results you’ll get amped.

Matt – Im sort of a bit different ay, I always wanted to go out there and just surf and have fun. Growing up at North Narrabeen the boardriders was so competitive it was more fun for me to get out there and just enjoy it instead of focusing on events.

You’ve all had really successful contest careers, are you all still as focused on contest?

Russ – Nar, obviously I’ve got a 6 month old baby boy and that’s sort of taken most of my time up now, and after breaking my wrist last year that sort of took me out of everything and my seeding went down, that made the decision to slow down on the tour, and also couldn’t really afford to do it any more really so yeah.

Sam – Just as a side point, what happens if you win this event and pick up 3500 points and get a second sword, are you going be back on it, or is it just a nice little highlight of the year?

Russ – Well

Matt – Back on it, can’t say no to that!

Russ – I’m not going answer that question yet

Are contests essential, or could you get away with just free surfing?

Matt – Yeah contests are essential

Sam – I think personally that if you’re a free surfer and just do photos and don’t have any sort of contest results to back it up it almost feels like a hoax! You can only pretend to be something for so long. All of us here have had big results and have proven that we can actually surf, it’s the only true way to show that you can actually surf.

Oli – Anyone can go out and do throw away airs and get good shots over and over and over, there’s actually a lot of guys like that.

Sam – Even someone like Rasta the ultimate free surfer, you can’t forget that when he was a junior he beat Parko and Fanning.

Micah – He won the junior world title.

Sam – He’s got the results to back it up, you need that!

Micah – When I was younger, contests were a way of improving your surfing, contests are something you can pour you energy into and also rate yourself. What Sam said is true, you kind of do have to prove yourself with contests, but there’s a lot of guys out there that don’t. Look at Josh Kerr, he said screw it. He went out there did all those air contests but just for fun. Now he’s got himself that good that he’s changed over from free surfing to contest surfing, you see a lot of guys doing that now. Also Jamie O’brian, you can see that he rips from the videos, he’s done a few comps like Pipe. Cameras can lie but videos don’t.

Oli – Don’t give him too much props, he might read this and his head is big enough already!

All laughing

Russ – It’s kind of a weird one, those guys Jamie and Rasta did try it for 3 or something years but couldn’t hack it, couldn’t make their heats, so they did try that you can see that’s where they wanted to be, they wanted to make the tour and they couldn’t, so they’ve gone back to the free surfing stuff, with them they don’t need it.

With what Nate said about thinking you’re killing it at your local break, how important is foreign travel?

Oli – If you want to progress in surfing, there’s only so much you can learn from the people in your circle, you need to get out there and see what everyone else is doing. But on the other side, a lot of it is confidence, if you’re only surfing in your local area you constantly think about what they’re doing in California and Australia, it’s almost enough to make you stay at home. But as soon as you get out there and see it all, you realise that yeah they are ripping but they aren’t as high up on that pedestal as you put them.

Will – You don’t think the gaps as big as people think?

Oil – That’s kind of a problem with British surfing, people think we’re just shit and that everyone else is so much better, but when you get out there and see it there’s not that big a difference.

Sam – Yeah but you have to do the work to close the gap.

Oil – Yeah exactly

Sam – You have to travel and train. I think professional surfing has changed over the last 5 years, you don’t get to the top by accident anymore, you have to be a young kid with talent who puts in the hours training and the analysis, you know it doesn’t happen by accident anymore. If you’re a young kid who wants to make it in professional surfing you better get serious pretty soon.

At what age did you all start training, specifically for surfing?

Sam- I think we all trained differently, Russ and Oli had this focus from a really young age.

Russ – I used to watch Rocky.

Everyone laughing.

Russ – Just the final bit, Rocky, hit the punch bag and then go for a surf, that’s what I used to do.

More Laughing.

Russ – Arr fuck, that’s what I used to do, don’t worry about me.

Nate – When I was about sixteen I used to do a bit of circuit training and stuff

Sam – Really?

Nate – Yeah I did, yeah! You know Tim Jones, the guy that’s got that surf school in Lanza?

Russ- Yeah yeah

Nate – He used to live in Llantwit, coach me a bit and do some surf training with me.

Matt – I did a load of surf coach training with Barton Lynch at the Northern Beaches, I was about 12 when I started and yeah it was good. The guys that we were doing all the training with were people like, Kai Otten, Dayyan Neve, Zarn Foxton and Jay Quinn, so it was good training with them, pushing your surfing.

Sam – No wonder you guys all surf so good, I thought you just rocked up at the beach and went surfing, everyone here seems to have taken it pretty seriously from an early age.

Damn it, what was I doing in Newcastle?

Do you think surfers have a bad reputation for being unprofessional?

Russ – Maybe in the past, but now everyone is so serious.

Oli - That last generation was pretty on it with the partying.

Russ – My generation was yeah, I was watching people like Shaun Thompson growing up and then I went on tour with people like Barton Lynch and Simon Law and all those lot, and they were just, it was just mental, full parties and that’s what we grew up with.

Now you’re on tour with people taking nutritionists and masseurs with them, so it’s completely changed. Its definitely the way forward you know, less drugs and drinking and all that, which is good.

Micah – Everyone still loves that part of the lifestyle though, everyone’s professional about everything, but the boys still love it and have fun. They just aren’t like that the night before the event anymore.

Sam – Getting steaming once in a while

Oli – They’re celebrating now when they do well, instead of going mad every time they get knocked out of a heat.

Nate – Everyone loves it

Micah – Yeah they seem to be doing it at the right times instead of doing it…

Russ – All the time

Laughter

Nate – So who are these people we’re talking about?

Russ – Who we talking about here?

Oli – Just the gerneral population on the QS I suppose

Russ – The CT

Nate – yeah and CT

Matt – Some people have that mentality where they can do it.

Micah – Surfing is just all in your head ay, I’ve seen guys go out, get on the drink all night, next day paddle out combo everyone and win the event, then there’s the guys that went to bed at 10 losing in their first heat, some people can do that, they find a way to focus and it just works.

Russ- Yeah I’ve been on tour, in Durban, been out the night before, woken up at 6, heats in the water, run down hungover, got in the water and scored 9s. I’ve done it you know, but it can only take you so far and then especially when you get older you can’t do that anymore.

What sort of preparation do you have for contests and free surfs?

Sam – You just have to try and put yourself in a good mental space, if you feel comfortable, ready, fit, whether through training or psychology, you need to be in good head space.

Micah – I agree, it all comes down to self belief and confidence, and to help you achieve that you train, if your fitter your going to be able to paddle harder in bigger waves and in heats. You know your going to be able to paddle out faster than the other guy and get the next set, it all comes down to confidence.

Nate – Just watch rocky and listen to slip not.

Laughing.

Any last bit of advice for a young grom?

Micah – Keep at it because sooner or later an opportunity will come along

Sam – Go for it with your whole heart and give it everything

Nate – Try and stay fit and focused, do as many comps as you can, travel and get out of the UK as much as you can.

Russ – Yeah the same, focus, and when I start coaching you can come to the Russell Winter Elite Surfing Academy and get coached by me.

Oil – Utilise the waves we’ve got on our doorstep, we’ve got some of the best waves in the world, they might not be in Cornwall but they’re in driving distance, get to these waves!

Matt – Get out there and give it a dig.

Keep living the Dream!

MSW Back-lit portfolio

2009-06-01T09:12:00.000-07:00

NN shot used in Back-lit portfolio.

Shot of Kye Fitzgerald at North Narrabeen

Check it

Scotland

2009-05-05T05:41:00.000-07:00

Scotland.

There’s something about spending your days in the freezing wind, wading across fields of cow shit that’s started to appeal to me. I still want to leave when its flat, and I often do, but as soon as I’m home I miss the place. When the sun’s out and there are waves it’s an amazing place to be. Very little crowds, perfect waves of every dimension, no Germans, deep fried mars bars and sticking with the Celtic tradition of drinking more than your liver can process, a great social scene. All the locals are relatively friendly, and if a local is giving you a bit of grief, call him a mad bastard and stick him in a headlock, he’ll love it!

I remember the first trip I took to Scotland. The boys kept saying “you wait, you wont believe it”. On the marathon drive up there I wasn’t that excited. It was December, I had to sit still for 12 hours and we were going somewhere colder than Wales. Who would be?

I’d seen all the photos of Thurso and heard about the mental slabs, but I couldn’t help but think, it can’t be that good. I mean, it’s Scotland!

All I could imagine were loads of hills, grey towns, and depressed unemployed red headed alcoholics that will batter you if you’re not as pissed as they are. (NOT SURE ABOUT THIS???)

After that first visit I still wasn’t sold on the idea of Scotland being all that great. We had amazing waves and I could appreciate the natural beauty of a land untouched by time. But it was freezing, and as soon as it goes flat for more than two days you go a little stir crazy and get the urge to head south.

But over the years my conceptions have changed, the older I’m getting the more I’m appreciating the place, a bit like a good whisky.

The stretch of coast around Thurso is riddled with waves. Everything you can imagine, reefs, long points, beach breaks and mental slabs all with in 20 mins drive. It’s a surfer’s dream, only missing the boardshorts and women sporting string bikinis. But, what it lacks in warmth and eye candy it more than compensates in culture, mystery and adventure. The area is teeming with castles and ancient architecture symbolising the bloody past and centuries Scotland has spent at war with its neighbours.

You can imagine the fairy tail stories of romance and brutal battles that would have taken place on the fields.

So why does the Caithness area have so many quality reef breaks? It's all down to geology, apparently. I asked editor Power (a former rock cruncher in his uni' days) to explain. "Well, the rocks are mainly flagstones from the Givetian and Eifelian stages of the Middle Devonian period (around 390 million years old), typically thinly bedded grey siltstones and silty mudstones, and unusually for sediments of this age the folds in the strata are very open so the rocks at most outcrops are only gently inclined." Er...right, so what does that mean exactly? "Slabs galore."

Put it this way the waves in Scotland are unbelievable.

I don’t want to make this sound like the best surf destination in Europe. For one its not, and two, I’ll have a mad Scots man after me. You can’t explain to someone how good it is, they’ll just think your lying. Your not, but by the time they way up the pros and cons of a trip up there they’ll think your mad. In the summer you can get flat spells that last weeks, swarms of midges and a shit load of rain. In the winter its fucking freezing and the coast in hammered by massive storms that come smashing their way down from the arctic. In the small windows between storms there are days of complete perfection. But, unless you put the time in, sit through the storms and drive 12 hours for one session, you wont get them! That’s why I love Scotland, you have to be a bit mental!

NATE PHILLIPS

1• What's your favourite wave in Scotland, and why?

Bagpipe, because its a left, it barrels its nuts off, its a dry hair paddle out and you can be back out side in two seconds.

2• Describe the best conditions you've had at that spot. When was that session?

The first time I ever surfed it 4 or 5 years ago. It was clean as, 4ft and about 5ft wide.

It was just Egor, Oli , Russ, and Mullins, we were in complete amazement of the place!

3• When did you first hear about/ travel up to Scotland?

I always knew there was waves there cause I had seen Thurso in mags from when I was a teen, but I didn’t go there till Dave started up the BPSA contests up there.

4• Who are the top Scottish surfers?

Chris noble and Chris Clarke, There’s a few others but I’m shit with names, but Noble is king of the point.

5• What else makes Scotland a good travel destination?

There is always a mad Scotts man that you will end up drinking with you what ever night you go out. Steve from Why Not bar is a legend so if your there make friends with him and you’ll have a good time, but the best part is searching for new spots, there are so many slabs and points still waiting to be surfed.

6• Where does Scotland sit in your list of worldwide surf destinations?

It’s up there in the top five for sure. There’s some sick waves, good people, and its uncrowded.

7• Any funny Scottish stories?

Yeah I got hundreds, but you know the saying, what goes on tour stays on tour ! Unlucky,

suppose I could say about Egor kicking cow shit at me.

MATT CAPEL

1• What's your favourite wave in Scotland, and why?

Thurso is my favourite wave. It’s as good as anywhere when its on!

2• Describe the best conditions you've had at that spot. When was that session?

I’ve had it pumping about 5 times. The one time that sticks out is the session after the UK pro tour event last year. It was 6 ft solid kegs with long walls for turns.

3• When did you first hear about/ travel up to Scotland?

I first heard about Scotland through the Newquay boy’s, they were going on about it, saying it’s like indo but in your steamer.

4• What else makes Scotland a good travel destination?

All the castles and culture.

5• Where does Scotland sit in your list of worldwide surf destinations?

I rate it right up there as one of my favourite places in the world.

I could definitely live there but would need to take a really hot chick up with me as there are no chicks and nothing else to do when it goes flat!

OLI ADAMS

1. What's your favourite wave in Scotland, and why?

Baggies. Its not only my favourite wave in Scotland its my favourite in the world.

It holds a special place in my heart because, a few years ago Al Mckinnon and the Gill took me and Russ Mullins over there. They showed us this ridiculous slab that they thought might be just about makable. They wanted someone to try it. I was only about 18 then so it was good that I was with Mullins, who is a nutter. After finding out that it actually was just about makable. It turned out to be the heaviest and most amazing wave I had surfed in the world. Baggies has taught me so much about barrel riding over the years and I’m truly greatful for that.

2. Describe the best conditions you've had at that spot. When was that session?

The best session was last week after the WQS. Everyone had left, it was just me and Josh Hughes out with not a cloud in the sky. Perfect, heavy 4-6 ft a frame barrels. Not many people know this but on the right day the rights can be better than the lefts. This day was like that. Full on fall in behind the peak and get a long stand up pit before being spat out just in front of the rocks. We were out for three hours, I reckon we were getting a good barrel every five to ten min’s so work that one out! Definately the best surf of our lives. yeha!

3. Biggest waves surfed up there?

Probably this one day after the BPSA two years ago. Thurso was 6ft and pumping but everyone from the comp was out there so I went to baggies to try and get some bigger barrels. When you get out there it’s always so much bigger than it looks from the land and I would call it a good 6-8 ft. I had one wave that day that was for sure the biggest wave I’ve had out there. This one massive wide one came in and it wasn’t my turn but everyone let it go and for some reason my arms started paddling as fast as they could for it even though my head was saying no. I’m so glad I went because it was the biggest adrenaline rush barrel I’ve had, I can still remember it clearly to this day.

4. When did you first hear about/ travel up to Scotland?

I’d known about Thurso East since I was a little grom but I didn’t realise that there were world class waves all over Scotland until I first went to a contest there when I was 17.

5. What else makes Scotland a good travel destination?

Its such a beautiful place and to be honest I actually enjoy the cold climate aspect that goes along with Scotland.

6. Where does Scotland sit in your list of worldwide surf destinations?

It’s my number one for sure, I can drive there without catching a ferry, the waves are unbelievable and have great variety and the crowds are managable to say the least.

7. Scotland or Indo?

Scotland any day. indo is to crowded and sketchy as fuck.

8. Scotland or Ireland?

Both are amazing but i feel more at home in Scotland.

MICAH LESTER

1. What's your favourite wave in Scotland, and why?

Thurso East for sure, everyone is wrapped up with the slabs but at the end of the day Thurso is a perfect long reef with a serous barrel and its a right!

2. Describe the best conditions you've had at that spot. When was that session?

I’ve had a few and its always around the UK pro tour event. My best day out there was probably the contest day of the last UK pro tour event last October. It was pumping, only four guys in the water, and I won money for surfing perfect waves all day.

3. Anything up there scare you?

I’m always scared of swallowing nuclear particals

4. When did you first hear about/ travel up to Scotland?

Oh years and years ago, but I never got up there until I did my first contest, about four years ago.

5. What else makes Scotland a good travel destination?

It’s good when there’s waves but you have to know the tides and winds for each break, otherwise you'll miss it. If there’s no waves there are a few touristy things to do and its beautiful, but when its raining and flat its a shit hole.

6. Where does Scotland sit in your list of worldwide surf destinations?

Top 5, only because I can drive there, I got sick wetsuits and I know the correct charts to go on.

7. Scotland or Indo? Why

Indo in boardshorts, no redheads, cheap and consistant.

8. Scotland or Ireland?

Scotland, whiskey over Guinness.

ALAN STOKES

1. What's your favourite wave in Scotland, and why?

My favourite wave has to be Thurso East, there are so many good waves up there that are world class but even with all the new spots being found Thurso on its day is just amazing, just a perfect right point with heavy tubes, that’s my cup of tea.

2. Describe the best conditions you've had at that spot. When was that session?

I’ve had so many good surfs at Thurso, it all seems to just blur into one long barrel and that cant be a bad thing, although the ten point tube ride I got last year in the quaters was special just a perfect wave.

3. Could you live up there?

No I couldn’t live there. I think the magical thing about the place is that its so far away and there aren’t that many surfers around.

4. What else makes Scotland a good travel destination?

Me and fryer went snowboarding up there last year. That’s a pretty good reason to go there. You can snowboard near Inverness at Avimore and be in the surf two hours later, amazing!

5. Where does Scotland sit in your list of worldwide surf destinations?

Now I think about it I’m claiming it as my favourite surf destination, that is until the weather turns ugly and I drive home.

6. What are the locals like?

I think the local people in Scotland still resemble the Vikings that landed there years ago, big characters ,very warm and welcoming, people with massive heartly laughs, but you wouldn’t want to drop in on them.

7. Do you worry about the radioactive particles that have been found around the Sandside area ?

I think if I surfed there every day I would be worried about the radioactive particles, its a shame because Sandside is a beautiful beach and there’s this sign saying if you surf here your nuts will drop off, nothing like a good reality check.

EGOR HARRIS

1.What's your favourite wave in Scotland, and why?

Brimms bowl. Perfect mechanical back door right slab. Amazing clear tubes when its on, and very fun. Nice place to hang out and wait for the tide.

2. Describe the best conditions you've had at that spot. When was that session?

There’s been accouple of dawny sessions. Very cold, thick, round, clean barrels and an amazing sunrise. Nice frosty plums.

3. Best surfers out there?

Chris Noble and Andy Bains rule Thurso East. Chris Clarke and aussie Rick are loving the slabs and are charging.

4. When did you first hear about/ travel up to Scotland?

Nigel Semmens first told me about Thurso East when I was a grommet. First went when I was 12.

5. What else makes Scotland a good travel destination?

Its a big , big, road trip and there’s always fun along the way. Deep fried bananas.

Scotland WQS

2009-05-01T05:26:00.000-07:00

I was in Scotland for the 6 Star Prime WQS.

They always have good surf for this event. Scotland is an amazing place and the surf is unreal.

The weather was mild and the surf pumped for the week. Adam Melling won the event.

Singapore

2009-03-22T04:20:00.000-07:00

Kate and I stopped off in Singapore on the way home from Oz.

It was excellent, loads to do, and not as expensive as I thought it would be. Loads of hotels to choose from. We got a taxi from the airport to Orchard street. There as loads of hotels there, We stayed at Bayview hotel. It was just off orchard street. Really nice and included breakfast, about $170 for two!

We went shopping, visited the Botanical gardens, went to the museum, had a Singapore Sling at Raffels.

The weather was about 35 degrees and seriously sticky.

Oz random surf shots

2009-03-02T02:52:00.000-08:00

Some random shots from around Oz.

Quiksilver Pro Gold Coast

2009-03-01T00:02:00.000-08:00

Some of my shots from the 1st stop on the 09 tour the Quiksilver Gold Coast Pro.

There wasn't all time conditions but it still pumped for a few days. The skis were needed as they held the last days at Kirra. Big pits but a massive rip.

Dane was impressive and got underscored big time, they even missed one of his waves, tools!

Parko deserved the win, absolutely ripped and made no mistakes. Rudis boy Eli attaked Slater with a sword, funny night.

Mat Capel Interview

2009-02-28T08:45:00.000-08:00

1. So you were born in south Devon and moved out to north Narrabeen in Sydney when you were ten, how was that?

Yeah it was really good. My Dad didn’t want me and my brother to grow up in Chudleigh near Exeter so he moved us out here. It was really lucky we found a cheap place in North Narabeen on the northern beaches. We got into the north Narrabeen board riders club and then I had the chance to grow up with some of the best surfers in Australia, guys like Chris (Davo) Davison, Nathan (noodles) Webster, Nathan Hedge, the Fitzgerald brothers and the Banisters. It was really good growing up with those guys, I got to learn a lot especially on team trips surfing for the club as the team coach was 2 time World champ Damien Hardman.

2. How long have you been back here in Oz, and how has the Aussie summer been for waves?

Got out to Oz at the start of December from Bali, I was out of the water for a month with a chronic ear infection thanks to the river mouth at Keramas in Bali. I then went out to Mexico for a Carve trip at the start of January where we scored some sick waves and I got back to Sydney at the start of February. Since I’ve been back the waves have been small but fun until the last few days, we scored all time Narrabeen, best its been in years, 6 - 8 foot grinding kegs.

3. So tell us about that session yesterday!

It was all time north Narrabeen with everyone out, Ozzy, Barton, Kye fitz and all the boys. There were some solid 8 ft sets coming through and some really heavy car park rights. Zahn Foxton and a few others were towing into 10 foot pits at south Narrabeen. I reckon we had the best of it. It was pretty intense, I saw you copping some to the head on the inside. My brother was charging, he had a wave that looked like pipe, it was massive!

4. Coming from Narrabeen and having such a large group of top surfers to look up to, is there any one that your regard as your hero?

A few of the guys where I grew up in Narrabeen I really look up too a lot, guys like Damien Hardman and Chris Davison. Davo’s had some tough times, he’s really got his act together now and this year will be his 4^th crack at the CT. From beating Slater at bells at 17 years old on a borrowed board with no leggy, to charging massive kegs in Indo with Tom Curren on the old Rip Curl search movies. He’s easily one of my favourite surfers to watch and I reckon he will shock everyone this year, take down some big names and blow up on tour.

5. Have you steered clear of the bush fires that have been ravaging southern NSW and Victoria? Have you ever been to any of the places affected?

Yeah I have been near the places when I used to compete on the junior series down at bells in Victoria, I wouldn’t go down that way now.

6. What would you do if you saw some lads starting a fire somewhere?

I’d beat the living shit out of them.

7. What about all of the shark attacks around Sydney over the last few weeks, someone got their hand chewed off at Bondi the other day and then the day after another bloke had his arm and leg chewed off in the harbour! Do you get freaked easily?

Nah not really, I’m kinda pretty mellow with sharks, I’ve seen a few in my time, you kinda sorta got to expect it. It’s their domain and you’re in it, so if your number’s up, your number’s up!

There’s always a story to tell. The day that north Narrabeen was pumping, and you were shooting water, about 200m up the beach 3 kids were chased out of the sea by a shark. It’s just the norm, it does seem to be a bit more common at the moment though. My mate who lives in Forster was chased out of the sea by a massive great white a week ago. They’re everywhere.

8. You seem to be constantly in the magazines and traveling these days, where has been the best surf you’ve had in the past 6 months.

The last 6 months I’ve been to Mexico, Australia, Bali, France and all around the UK -Ireland and Scotland. I must say that the two best sessions that stand out in my mind are Thurso after the UK pro tour event, it was like 6ft draining barrels. Then in Ireland at Black spot in Bundoran where again it was big right hand draining kegs, where you got that cover shot of me, it was sick. So after all that traveling I still got the best waves near home!

9. Being a UK pro surfer do you have to work or is surfing giving you an income?

No I don’t have to work, I’m lucky enough to have great sponsors like Rusty clothing and boards, Globe shoes and Circle One wetsuits. They support me to travel around the world filming for sections in surf DVD’s as well as doing photo trips for magazines and competing in events.

10. So how much do you get paid then?

I get paid enough

11. Are you able to put any away for your retirement?

Err, hopefully in the next few years I will start to be able to put some away but at the moment I’m doing so much traveling that what I earn I have to spend on trips.

12. Has the credit crunch affected you at home or here in oz?

Nah, hasn’t affected me mate.

13. Are you going to surf forever or are you planning a different career for the future?

No surfing has been my life from day one. My Dad owned a caravan at Booby’s Bay caravan park near Constantine where we used to go on holidays, that’s where I started to learn to surf at around six years old. It’s all I’ve ever wanted to do, and to be able to do it now for a living is a dream come true.

14. What’s your average day if the surf’s not pumping

Well when I’m in the UK I’d be hanging out with my chick, or doing a bit of training, running or swimming, or just hanging out with the boys in Newquay. I’m also right into my footy so if there is a game on I’m all over it!

15. So what’s better, English football or Australian rules football?

Australian rules is fucked for starters, I hate that game. Rugby league’s good, I used to play it when I was younger and the team nearest to Narrabeen (Manly Sea Eagles) are current premier champs, I used to go to school with a couple of the boys in the team. But I’d have to say my favourite is English football, I’m a bit of a fanatic. Absolutely love it. I’ve been a massive Leeds United fan since I can remember, my Dad’s a huge Chelsea fan and he used to get season tickets every year when he was growing up in London. My brother is a Spurs fan, so there’s a good bit of rivalry in the house. Whenever there is a game we will all be watching it, whoever is playing!

16. Where’s the heaviest surf you’ve been in?

I’ve had a few hairy situations in Hawaii at Rock Piles, Haliewa and Pipe. However just for pure thickness I’d say Teahupoo would have to be the heaviest spot that I’ve ever surfed.

17. Tell us about the time you went to the World Juniors in Tahiti, I heard because you were the only guy representing Britain you got a whole apartment to yourself.

Yeah that was one of the best trips of my life for sure. I was 17 and got to go there and stay in a five star resort with all the other teams. There was about 4 or 5 in one room and I had a huge massive pimping pad to myself, it was an amazing trip we scored some sick waves for the comp and free surfing at spots like Venus point and Chopes.

18. You and another European kid are the only ones sponsored by Rusty Europe. How did you pull that off.

Yeah me and Vincent Devignact from France are the only two Rusty riders in Europe and it worked out perfect. My previous sponsor Headworx went into administration and literally three days later I got a call from Rusty’s European marketing director Remi Chaussemiche asking if I wanted to join the team and be the sole representative for Rusty in the UK as they were relaunching in Europe. They are really looking after me and are an amazing sponsor, I get to travel as much as I want and just focus on my surfing. They also gave me a section in the bonus section for the new international Rusty movie Changes, which I was super stoked about as its one of the sickest surf DVD’s I’ve ever seen. Kerrzy, Jay Davies and Jamie O’Brien all going mental! My whole section was filmed in Ireland and France in two weeks just before the DVD went to the copiers.

19. What other projects are you doing for them?

I’m off to Samoa in two weeks for a Rusty trip and then I’ve got a Rusty camp in Bali for three weeks in April with all the top Rusty guys filming and doing shots everyday, which should really improve my surfing. I’ve recently been getting some Rusty boards in Sydney shaped by AIDO and they are some of the best boards I’ve ever had, so I cant wait to try them out in some bigger waves!

20. What’s it like being away from your chick and family half the year?

Well pretty much all my family live in the UK, so I get to see them all the time, it’s only my Dad and my Aunty who live in Sydney. This is the longest I’ve been away from my chick and yeah it’s pretty hard. She’s at uni in Bristol and I’m away traveling, so it’s really hard work. But she understands it’s my job, when she finishes uni she will be able to come away with me on trips heaps more.

21. Didn't you meet your chick at the Masked Ball at Porthleven? What's she like? Do they have parties like that in Oz?

Yeah she’s great, I met her at the masked ball, I’d lost all the boys and just bumped into her and hit it off straight away. There’s a few parties like that over here. On the weekend I went to a festival called Good Vibrations and saw Fat Boy Slim and the Presets, it was pretty good. A lot like the SAS Ball but on a much bigger scale.

22. When you visit your old mates in south Devon and you see them with houses and kids, do you wish you'd settled down, or are you stoked that surfing has saved you from a life of family drudgery?

Yeah for sure, when I see all my mates from school in Chudleigh, they’ve got like two or three kids, working the same shit job and they’re just in the same pub every night and every single person knows each other. I do have a laugh when I catch up with them but to get out of there was a huge life saver. I’ve got to say a massive thanks to my old man for that one for sure.

Cheers big AL I owe ya!

23. So do you like having two bases, in England and Oz?

Its perfect really I don’t have to spend to much time at home in the winter, I live in England full time now but to escape those freezing couple of months is perfect.

24. Where’s home then?

I was born in England and I live there full time except for those couple of freezing months, so its definitely home for me.

I’ve been living in Newquay for the past seven years. I have such a sick bunch of mates who rip and are always keen for a surf and a pint. It’s close to my chicks place in Helston and it’s also the perfect base with so many photogs and some really good beachies to surf, and there’s heaps going on all the time!

25. Vegemite or marmite?

It’s a tough one but I’d have to say Marmite

26. Do you wear those tight jeans and daps that everyone seems to be sporting over here?

Can’t say I do mate, I think its just you Will. Hahaha

27. Do you hate the cold British winters?

Yeah I can’t really get motivated enough when it gets that cold, unless I’m in Ireland or Scotland where your looking at a heaving slab with perfect barrels. Then I don’t care if we’re up to our waists in snow, you suit up and charge out there and get kegged off your nut with a big smile on your face!

To go surfing on the beachies in Cornwall though, when its like three foot howling windy and freezing is really tough.

28. Who do you reckon are the best Brit surfers?

Ruben Ash at the moment is blowing up, he’s definitely the one pushing my surfing in the UK, which is really good to see. Russ is always up there too! Also guys like Egor and Nate Phillips are the stand outs on the UK tour. Then you have Cain Killcullen who is the best tube rider and is easily the most under rated surfer around, from pig-dogging 6 foot slabs around his home in Easky, to tearing the back out of Thusro with massive gaping hacks! He’s definitely ripping at the moment!

29. Your bruv is a good surfer as well, is he surfing much at the moment?

Yeah he is actually, he’s back in Sydney at the moment. He’s been working on super yachts in the Caribbean so hasn’t been surfing much, but before that he was working as a surf guide on Lohifushi island in the Maldives for three years. He really struggles to do a decent turn, he’ll love me saying that haha…. but he knows how to barrel ride. He proved that a couple of years ago by winning the best tube award at the Thurso UK pro tour event. He got a full drainer from the start of the point to where you kick out, no one thought he was coming out, even MR B stopped filming it!

30. What’s his job like? I heard he gets massive tips.

He’s got a really sick job, he’s a deck hand on a super yacht and gets massive tips. This year these Russians gave him 17 thousand US for a two week tip. He’s now passed his captaincy course, which will put his wages through the roof and will promote him to first mate.

31. How much of the UKPST tour will you be doing this year?

I’m going to do all of the UKPST, I’ve come really close to winning it a few times now and just got pipped in the last event! But I’m also focusing on doing filming and photo trips, getting a sick section in a DVD is just as important as winning an event! Also getting exposure in mags and surfing the best waves possible. If there is a photo/filming trip somewhere sick where I’ll be getting kegged I’ll be there instead!

32. Who are the craziest party animals on the UKPST Tour? Do you know any X-rated tales about their behavior on the tour?

All the boys know how to have a good time once the event is over! Can’t really name names, but there has been more than one occasion where I’ve been woken up to a certain UK Tour contender urinating either in the cupboard or against the hotel room wall!

33. Who parties harder, Brits or Ozzies?

That’s a close one, really close, they’re probably just about even but I’d say the Welsh tip both of them.

34. What are your thoughts on class A drugs. Any experiences?

Waste of time and brain cells.

35. Do you think there’s a bigger drug culture in Australia compared to the UK?

Dunno, not really, I’d say England. All the clubs in London everyone seems to go a bit crazy.

36. Have you tried tow-surfing and what do you think about it?

Yeah I’ve done it a bit, my best session was when I used to do the Billabong camps on the Gold Coast. I was around 14 and scored 8 ft Currumbin Alley - absolutely pumping!

I haven’t had the opportunity to venture out into proper big tow waves, I’d really like to start getting into that.

You need a decent ski and a reliable tow partner, to get it all set up, I think once it’s all set up and in place you can really take it places. I’d love the chance to step it up a notch and get some serious waves, which I’ll be looking to do in the near future.

37. What are your long term plans and goals?

Well I’ve just signed a two year contract with Rusty and they have some big plans for the near future. Right now I’m just focused on improving my surfing and getting some really solid barrels and the best waves possible. Also, getting some sick footage for upcoming DVDs and nailing some amazing shots. I’d also like to win the British Nationals and win the UK pro tour. For the long term I just want to be the best surfer I can be, and have fun while doing it.

North Narrabeen Feb 09

2009-02-24T04:58:00.000-08:00

I was hanging around the Sydney waited for swell and visiting friends in February.

The east coast was having one of the worst summers for swell ever, shitty onshore waves most days, and loads of shark attacks. I was getting a bit fed up after 4 weeks of no surf and shark alarms.

At last a swell appeared so I was itching to get shooting. Mat Capel was at home in North Narrabeen so I went and stayed with him for a few days. The second day of the swell was pumping. When I started setting up my housing I realised that I left my fish eye in Manly, shocker! Mats dad had to drive me back, took 45mins in all, good start. Then I swam out and my housing steamed up! Fuck sake!

It was perfect surf though, 6ft clean barrels.

In the morning it was huge, cloudy and raining. Zahn Foxton and a few people were towing at low tide, but as the tide came up it got a bit more manageable and the sun came out. There were a solid group of surfers out: Barton Lynch, Ozzy Wright, Matt Capel, Kye Fitzgerald. Kye Fitzgerald had the shot of the day. The wave of Kye's was mental, he had pulled into it right outside and I didn't think he'd make it to where I was shooting on the inside, lucky for me he did and the sequence turned out sick! Kye was riding a 6'10 single fin shaped by his dad, the 70's legend Terry Fitzgerald. There had been a load of shark attacks around Sydney during this time, and as much as I tell myself that its safe and no sharks will bother me, I always feel a bit anxious. Anyway, about half way through this session I took about three sets waves on the head, I was getting smashed around and something grabbed the back of my shorts and started pulling me down. I shat myself and thought my number's up here - it turned out to be a surfer who was panicking and just needed a bit of help!

Australia Dec 08 - March 09

2009-02-01T02:14:00.000-08:00

My girlfriend and I escaped the winter at home and spent three months on the east coast of Oz.

We arrived in Brisbane after spending two weeks in Bali. We were our friends Rowan and Lauren. Laurens family live in Noosa so we headed there for the first two weeks. ( I'll finish this later)

Bali

2008-12-15T08:01:00.000-08:00

The Kuta Trap.

The idea was to hit Bali in the off-season/wet season, get lucky and score some uncrowded perfection. There are endless opportunities for surfers arriving in Bali. Java, Nusa Lembongan, Lombok, and Sumbawa are all only a boat ride away. However, we wanted to do the trip on a budget, so we settled in Bali. We had planned to surf all day, do a bit of training and eat healthy. Sounds easy!

Off-season Bali is a bit hit and miss. We had booked our flights in advance so the luxury of watching the chart was out of the question.

We based ourselves at Padang Padang, one of the best and most dangerous waves in Bali. Padang Padang is a 40 minute journey South west of Kuta and sits between a host of grinding left hand reefs including Uluwatu. It’s a good place to be based with the whole of the Bukit peninsula within a short drive and quick access to the east or west coasts if conditions change. Its also very quiet as this area predominantly breaks in their winter.

We were surfing Uluwatu most mornings and taking daily trips up the coast to Nusa Dua and Karamus. The surf was small and the forecast didn’t seem to be that good with 1 or 2 days at the end of the week showing a bit more promise. During that first week we checked spot after spot, surfed a few times a day, but had nothing great. We were all waiting for the small pulse that was forecast.

I was up early the morning the swell was meant to arrive, it was dark and raining, and couldn’t help but think that the trip had been doomed from the start.

I got the boys together and we headed for Nusa Dua. We found a hollow fast right a quick drive from the main break. It looked good and the boys were amping to get out there.

All the boys were having good waves. Colm and Rowan were getting some sick pigdogs and Matt seemed to be in his element in the draining little waves. We surfed this for about 2 hours until the tide got too low and it became unbearably shallow. All the boys were in high hopes after finally getting waves, Matt was relieved we had got a few shots as he had to go home to Oz the next morning.

The swell peaked that afternoon and we were expected better things for the next day.

Colm and I met up with Josh and Marky, we checked the right hander but it seemed like a different swell direction so we tried a spot a little further up the coast. It looked good and there was no one out. The boys were loving it. They were getting shacked and spirits were high. None of us were sure of the name of this wave, but we could all see that with a solid swell it had the potential to be world class.

Although Bali is a destination where you’d expect to get perfect waves, its not as easy as you’d imagine, especially in the off season. You normally have to put some serious hours in on the roads, there are strong winds generally from the west to contend with and the surf can be small for weeks. Then of course there’s the constant lure of Kuta.

That night after checking the chart the boys decided we should have a few beers. We planned to spend only one night in Kuta and then head up to north of the island and get a few more waves before heading home.

Having spent a week in the sleepy village of Padang, Kuta comes as a massive wake up call.

The place is a bustling maze of narrow winding streets filled with restaurants, stalls, hotels, pubs, and clubs. It’s a sensory overload. The smell is indescribable, it’s a mixture of incense, tobacco, petrol and burning rubbish.

You’re instantly bombarded with offers for transport, cheap drinks, massage, clothes, etc.

The Balinese people follow their own unique form of Hinduism and are great believers of karma, which for tourism has massive benefits. Although they are the most sincere friendly people, they seem to have very little concern for their own lives, probably because they believe that if they die their next life will be even better. You see five people, normally a whole family balanced onto one moped hammering up the road overtaking on blind corners. It’s mad!

It’s exceptionally safe (apart from the roads) and crime is extremely low. You can leave your valuables with the locals while you surf and they wouldn’t dream of stealing due to an inbuilt fear of being punished in this and the next life.

To hire a car or motorbike you don’t even need a deposit, the Balinese just seem to trust you. I got a car for a couple of days and ended up keeping it for 2 weeks with no problems or questions asked, I just left my name and paid when I returned it!

With all the locals enticing you into their shops, it can get pretty hectic and so you’ve got to be on guard at all times. I let down my defence for a second and was whisked into a shop where I was set upon by 5 women giving me a manicure and pedicure and pretty much determined to fulfil any need that I desired. Short of telling them to fuck off, there was no getting out, they are seriously good at what they do! Eventually I had to sidestep 2 and make a break for the door.

You can get anything in Kuta. If they don’t have it, they’ll get it. They’ll hop on a scooter and disappear, then reappear with the requested item.

Whilst waiting for my clothes to be washed in a laundrette, I was politely offered a magic mushroom milkshake. I kindly declined, but many don’t. You see people losing their minds sitting in the streets in the middle of the day talking to dogs or hiding in the trees looking for monkeys.

The day turned into night and then the fun begins.

The average night in Kuta goes as follows: a few cheap beers on the steps at the local shop, then onto wherever is giving away free cocktails, followed by a club - usually the Bounty. It’s usually custom to take part in a few hours of karaoke, drinking the fishbowls of arak, and then sweating it out on the dance floor on the top floor.

You see some mental sights in Kuta, there was one 13 year old kid dressed like a rapper, covered in tattoos, playing pool. One tat stated “My Brother’s Keeper” and he claimed he was a Bra Boy, I wonder what Kobi would make of that? I asked to take his picture, and he snapped back in the worst black American accent I’ve ever heard, “how much you going to pay me man, I ain’t no joke”. I offered him a beer and he spouted “I’m 13, I don’t drink!” then walked off, all this while chain smoking cheap cigarettes. You can party in Kuta for days on end, lose all concept of time, and forget about why you came to Bali in the first place.

Booze, drugs, women, everything is ridiculously cheap and accessible, money can buy you anything. It’s like a drug habit, unless you’re strong willed your not going to say no,

the thought of two foot dribble isn’t going to be enough to get you out, its too much fun.

Clubs with pools, bungee jumps, foam parties, seedy bars filled with pissed idiots, its non stop. Before you know it its 6am you’ve been there a week and you’re leaving tomorrow. It’s like a vortex.

A few days in the Kuta madness leaves you feeling hazed and mentally detached from reality. The only way to cope is to get back amongst it or get out, hide, and pretend you don’t know the place exists.

Although much has changed in Bali since Bob Koke, Kim Bradley and Jerry Lopez discovered Bali's secrets in the 60’s, you can still find some of more remote spots that will give you an idea of what those first western surfers experienced. Just watch out for the Kuta trap!

Ireland

2008-11-20T01:00:00.000-08:00

After the final stop of the Quik 3 Degees tour, Nate and I stayed on in Ireland as the surf was pumping. Micah, Mat, Struen and Wilks were also with us and we met up with Oli, Josh and Gabe. We scored some amazing surf around the Bundoran area. The article below was run in Pitpilot and no credit was given. Tidy!

O and I also had my first cover.

Home’s sick!

We’ve been driving for two hours, it’s cold, dark, and there’s a gloomy mist sitting on the hills and fields. It looks like rain, and there’s no chance of sun!

Two weeks on the run with the weather chasing us, every precipitation you can think of on our tails, snow, rain and winds that could roll the car. We’ve had dodgy surf reports and scored no real waves.

Strangest thing is, I’m still smiling.

This is Ireland and I fecking love it!

When I first came to Ireland, I knew it was a special place. For me, everything about the place fits into how surfing should be. It’s old school surfing. Van, wet wetsuits, tents, camping stoves and your mates.

The whole country is beautiful. The sea is clean and full of life. The people are friendly. It’s not that expensive. There’s world class waves everywhere, and it’s relatively quiet.

The only draw-back is, when it’s flat or conditions don’t play ball, you can be driving for days. Then you’re going to end up in the pub drinking Guinness and singing all night. So OK, driving is the only draw back!

We stayed on in Ireland after the Portrush BPSA event because the chart looked classic. The crew were, Micah Lester, Matt Capel, Nathan Phillips, Struan Wilkins and Bennett Atkinson.

We headed for the Easkey area. We’d all been there before, and knew some of the local spots that may have been working. We met up with Oli Adams and Josh Hughes who had the same idea as us, and were hanging around waiting for swell.

From day one, we had good waves. Like a bunch of super charged groms, we’d get to the beach whilst it was still dark and spend the day surfing and hanging about on the rocks. We had it to ourselves most of the time, except for a pod of dolphins that joined us one evening. It wasn’t pumping, but it was still 3 ft super fun waves.

We would make fires to keep warm between surfs, cook noodles and watch each other surfing.

We ate at the service stations every day. What a surprise! It’s not like the service stations at home though - they have freshly prepared food. Hot food, cold meats, chicken curries, pasta dishes, fajitas, every sandwich filling, and a selection of fresh fruit. You can give them a loaf of bread, tell them what to put in it, and they’ll make you sandwiches, all for the cost of the bread and the filling. Imagine asking someone back home to do that, “fuck off, I’m busy” would be the answer. Every store is like this, amazing!

This routine went on for about five days it was like ground-hog day.

Although it was stupendous, the boys wanted bigger, heavier waves, and I needed to get photos.

Our time was running out, we had loads of turn shots, a few airs, loads of lifestyle, but still not enough to get an article. Then our luck changed. I realised we’d forgotten our passports! We came into Northern Ireland from Scotland, but we were going home from Eire into Wales. You need your passport to get out of Eire and into Wales, I think, so I decided you did. So as gutted as I was, we had to extend the trip another 3 days in order for our passports to be delivered.

We were staying at Cain Kilcullen’s house in Enniscrone.

Cain and his girlfriend, Debbie, have a 9 month old baby. With Matt and Micah crashing there, space was tight. Cain’s mum Christine, lives across the street, and insisted that Nate and I stay there. Christine was so kind, she made a full three course dinner every night. We’d be in bed by 9pm full as a bull, ready for the early.

The Kilcullen’s own a ‘Bath House’ which is situated right on the point in Enniscrone, it’s the perfect way to relax after a surf. The water they use for the Bath House is pumped straight from the ocean across the road. I recommend that everyone should try this. To start, you have a steam bath. You sit in your own Cedar wood cabinet where you’re completely enclosed, except for your head poking out the top. You’re then steamed with pure moist vapour, it feels unreal! Straight after, you get into a warm salt water bath filled with seaweed. The oils from the seaweed have homeopathic properties that leave you feeling revitalized, they also provide relief from rheumatism and arthritis.

To finish your treatment you have a shower in cold sea water. It’s a great way to relax, and the best hangover cure I’ve ever found.

The plan for the last few days was to hang at Cain’s, check charts and shoot off at the crack of dawn. Ireland’s north-west coast is riddled with numerous nooks and crannies with lots of potential when the wind and swell are right.

Cain’s the bloke to know if you’re on the north-west coast. He’s got every spot wired, and knows all the correct swell directions. Essential knowledge, that would otherwise see you spending the day driving rather than scoring the one spot that’s working.

We’d been putting in the hard yards for a week and still no reward, each dawnie was greeted with the same dark grey sky which was usually accompined with rain. We’d drive a few hours arrive at the beach and find, once again, that the swell hadn’t arrived.

All the reports were saying the swell, wind, wave period and sunlight were good. So why wasn’t it happening?

Nate’s not the most patient bloke, and I could see he was starting to crack. Struan and Benson’s time was up, they had to leave a day before us. They’d milked the trip, and had to get back to work.

Anyone who’s been to Ireland will tell you the same thing. It’s amazing!

What everyone seems to leave out is how fickle it is, and how much time you have to spend driving around checking spots! You have to put serious hours in on the road. If you don’t like driving, you won’t like Ireland!

We were down to our last day. The passports had arrived, the ferry was booked. We had one last roll of the dice!

We were in the van by 5.30 on the last morning, it was cold and raining. The drive takes a while, but as it started to get light I could see a mist sitting on everything. It was grey, thick with cloud, and I’d written off the article at this point.

However, as we pulled up, I saw a set break. It was perfect, offshore, over-head right hand pits. Matt was so excited. He’s hyperactive at the best of times, but he knew we were about to score some madness, and couldn’t stop twitching. Micah was out there first, scoring a deep pit on his first wave. With that incentive, Cain, Nate and Matt joined him. I hung about for a bit, took a few off the land, and waited for some light. As I was swimming out, the sun appeared from nowhere, this had to be a good omen. Everything went perfectly from that point on. For the first hour Matt was on every wave that came, the rest of the boys were waiting for the bigger sets, which left him cleaning up on the inside. He had at least 5 full drainers in a row. Cain had it wired, picking the better waves and making every one. Micah and Nate were playing the waiting game. They both had some solid set waves. They were all getting pitted on every wave they went on. The spot was like a machine, every wave seemed perfect, predictable and so hollow. The smaller waves seemed to connect a bit better but every now and then a bigger set would unload perfectly.

The boys surfed for as long as they could. Matt and Nate wouldn’t let me get out, even though it had stopped breaking, and I had about 50 shots of them both.

We had a bit of Lunch and then met up with Oli and Josh at the next spot. Oli was getting some serious back-hand pits, Josh was frothing and getting some solid ones. Gabe Davies was also in, he was a major stand out. His wave selection was impeccable, he’d sit patiently letting sets go by, then pick an average looking one and get fully shacked and spat out, you’d swear he was a local if you saw him surfing here.

That final day was unreal.

It’s like that every time I leave Ireland. It leaves that lasting image of perfect waves in your mind, the ones that makes you check the report for Ireland, even before your local spot.

For all the driving, petrol stops, early nights, lost passports, begging and blagging that final day was worth the whole ordeal.

A big thanks to Debbie, Cain and Christine Kilcullen

www.kilcullenseaweedbaths.com

Colyn Dauphyn

2008-11-10T04:23:00.000-08:00

It doesn’t get much better…….. I think we’ve found the best wave in Wales!

Finding a new spot that’s right on your doorstep and scoring it 5 days in two weeks is not the norm for Welsh surfing. We’re normally driving around every corner in Wales checking spots, finally ending up surfing our local beach, and then raving about a head dip that someone almost had!

With all of the mental slab shots coming out of Scotland and Ireland it’s been a bit difficult for the Welsh to get any sort of coverage. The good old full frame shot of a tail slide at the local beach would not be considered as usable anymore.

We’ve been trying a few spots over the years, sand bars, off shore reefs, but it’s been an up-hill battle. Tides, winds and swell all need to be perfect. We were scoring these waves once every two years!

Wales needed something, and I think we found it!

During a run of solid swell in October we finally got it right!

Those first two weeks we surfed Colyn’s were the best weeks of Welsh surfing I’ve ever witnessed.

The place is magical. It was like being abroad, the sun always seemed to be out, there were good winds, hollow waves and no one around but our mates. It was like an adventure from the Famous Five or something joyous like that.

Most spots in Wales have legend and mystery embedded in them.

I remember hearing stories about Carwyn, PJ and the like finding the Gower reefs. As a kid, this seemed like the ultimate pursuit. I thought that everywhere in Wales had been found! I’d never have thought that we had our very own bit of history right in front of us, because believe me this spot is a Jewel!

The area is dripping with countless tales of enchantment, stories of princesses, pirates, knights and ghosts. One such is of the ghost of Colyn Dauphin, who is said to haunt the bay. He was a pirate that was sentenced to death by drowning by a local Lord. He was buried up to his neck in the sand at low tide. Then, as the tide rose he met his watery end. His screams are still said to be heard echoing in the bay.

Colyn's name was a name of terror in South Wales. At the sound of it children crouched around their mothers, and stalwart men trembled. Even in the present century the name of the great pirate is a power in the home, for the Welsh mothers and nurses still say, "Hush! Be good children, or Colyn Dauphin will come again!"

Today Colyn is still filling the locals with terror in the form of a super shallow left and right slab that sits along side his grave!

The wave is mental. It breaks from 2-6ft, in any wind and at most stages of the tide. The only snag is it’s not really ride-able!

The right is the safer option. The take-off is ok, then it warps across a ledge in about 1ft of water, and then closes-out on dry reef beneath the cliffs. The left is a bit trickier. Most of the waves are un-ridable, only Nate, Mark and Page surf it. It’s basically a dry take-off with an almost unmakeable drop, if you don’t get under the lip and in the barrel, you’re having it!

What’s crazy is that we have known about the wave for years.

Nathan and Vaughan surfed it years ago but dismissed it as being too shallow.

Dean page a local sponger has been surfing it for a few years.

The thing is, when we have waves, the last thing you want to be doing is goose chasing. We don’t get swell that often. With our location half way up the river, it takes a massive swell to get most spots to work, and with the combination of the tides, you have a small 2-hour window to surf! You can imagine the shit-fight when there are waves!

However when the waves are on at Colyn’s there’s nobody really fighting over surfing it, thanks mainly how dangerous it is and the injury toll that is racking up with each session.

All the boys have been hurt. Glenn broke his leg, (still managed the walk home), Mark’s been hobbling for 2 weeks after his last session, Nate, Guff and Steve have all have had a few face plants, and Nate’s had all three fins ripped out on one wave!

Don’t get me wrong, it’s no Riley’s, I mean you’re not going to die! It’s highly unlikely we’ll be seeing images of Nate imitating Fergal in a chocolate brown pit!

But this wave can provide those moments we all seek, a deep wide sucking pit and that’s what’s got the boy’s frothing and searching for more!