ze corn...

Dear Cornish family and friends...

Missing you loads and thinking of you always...

x

yellowbird memories... RT 192...

Soooo it's once again getting to that time of the year... The islands in the Atlantic start lighting up with swells and the bodyboarders of the world venture en masse to soak up the simple, slab filled lifestyle that this Spanish territory offers... Alas, 2013 will be the first time in five years that  I won't be part of the festivities... My only consolation at the moment lies with 2012 being the best year I'd had for waves by a long shot... Riptide featured a bunch of my words and images in their 192nd issue a while back covering what was surely one of the greatest bodyboarding contests of all time...

Jase Finlay uses his motorboat limbs to scoop into one of the bombs of the contest...

 If BP continues his Fronton form this year, he'll be tough to beat for the 2013 title... 10/10 picture perfect air forward...

 Hubb was flying high all contest long, but came unstuck at the hands of a hard charging Boetie, with a little help from mother nature...

 It was tough to see Wing lose the world title in the semis... Probably the only time a 19.25 out of 20 just isn't going to be enough...

After snatching the title from Hubb last year, PLC technically handed it back to him knocking Wing out in the semis... And came back to take the contest win in an absolutely epic final with an on fire Jared Houston...

 Three main players (Jeff, Wing and PLC) and a lot of big blue barrels...

 Change could definitely be on the way if BP takes another world title this year... Movement RIP...

Below, two of my favourite candid moments from the trip... Good times!

Jeff's pre title preparation secret? Upside down honey rum shots!

All smiles Hack...

'pon de moor portraits...

A little liquor, a library, just enough light and a lot of laughter...

'pon de moor...

Back in February, one of my fabulous friends, Miss Nicola Robey hatched an amazing plan for a group of her bestest friends to join her in a giant old manor on Dartmoor, in celebration of her day of birth... What resulted was an incredible weekend of food, fun, dress ups, midnight margaritas, morning bloody marys, sardines, rambling walks, pub pints, sheep herding, blackouts, interpretive music and dance, all to the soundtrack of Ginuwine's Pony on repeat... All the best things in life... Thanks for organising the raddest of weekends Snicker! 

Much love x

 Manor views...

 Lines...

 The winter swing set...

 Branching out...

 Green and grey slopes...

 Ready for some herding...

 Wooly wire...

 Dead wood...

 'Pondemoor... The band...

 Starring...

 To the top of the moor!

 And down to the pub...

Through the lanes...

Birthday pints...

For the birthday girl! x

the first day of winter...

On the 1st of June this year, I took part in a project working towards a concept magazine for the publication White Horses. As it was to be the first day of winter the idea of editor Gra Murdoch was to gather stories and imagery from his contributors around the world with the hope that the day would provide enough gold for a strong feature...

As it turned out, such were the quality of submissions, the project soon took over the issue, and in early September, White Horses sixth issue "Winterfell" hit the shelves, jam packed with pictures and words from the first day of winter, 2013...

I had a couple of photos make the cut (see previous blog post, here) but thought I would scribble a post on MY day, from start to finish... It was spontaneous, adventurous and fun filled from start to finish, time spent with old friends, new friends and best friends... Sweet life...

 6:37am

Having arrived from the UK less than a week ago, early starts have become the norm for my girl Lucy as the effects of jetlag cling to her bewildered body clock. Though the ripples in Broken Bay were barely rideable, the fireworks in the sky made it a memorable morning.

 8:11am

There’s not too many better ways to start a day, after an early morning paddle, than with a large pot of black gold and a well-filled omlette. Now you see it, now you don’t!

 11:11am

A weekend road trip adventure to Woolongong was decided upon to make the most of welcoming winter. Stopping briefly along Botany Bay to let the dog stretch her legs, I couldn’t help but ponder the incredible view first time visitors to Sydney are afforded as I watched plane after plane touching down from the south east. Welcome to Australia!

 11:15am

Grab the missus, man’s best friend, pack a board and hit the road. What better way to get winter underway?

 2:44pm

After grabbing some lunch in the ‘Gong, we swung by “Stoke Factory” (the ware/halfway house of Zion, Iamnone and Stoke Machine) to catch up with a couple of friends and have a shred on the megafun miniramp! Tom Rigby taking a break from the stock room with a front tail and a fakie 5-0. 

3:30pm to 5:00pm

A small swell and regular rain couldn’t stop the smiles at The Farm. What better way to catch up with friends (and make a couple of new ones) than to share a couple of spillers in the incredible surrounds of one of Australia’s beautiful national parks? Cheers for the good vibes Jase Finlay and Peter Hopkins!