10 Year High School Reunion 2009

Maile, my best mate from high school, whom I have not seen much in the past 5 years, ended up in Australia last July....We met up and reminisced about days past, especially those from high school. Ten years after high school graduation, did we ever think we'd end up where we were?

We took a walk in Manly, past Shelly Beach, up the headland and around a few of the tracks. We sat at the wharf and ate hot chips and had a few coopers. A night ride on the ferry through the harbour and to the Rocks.

Lookout from the headland. Northern Beaches beyond.

Opera House

Revisiting Australia.

Weekend down in Sanctuary Point, Winter in Aussie.

Food and friends, a few of my favourite things.

Cronulla

Sydney......

So I have settled in Cronulla for a while, renting a friends flat while she is in Bali. So far so good, now all I need is some good surf.
I have landed a job as part of the functions and waitstaff in a motor boat club, and also another one in a restaurant, which starts next week. A much appreciated change from the dirty ditch dwelling I have been doing.

Where I used to live in Sooke BC, the local pub had a sign up for weeks that said "BUY A BEER WIN A CHAINSAW!".....
Cronulla is very different from Sooke, there are many well dressed young parents, pregnant and pushing baby strollers. I admit I feel a little out of place in my dorky bike helmet, wearing big wool socks on my hands while riding my bike at night. But all in all it's a nice urban seaside town. And there is work to be found for those who seek it out, and hopefully surf.

I have taken up Tae kwon Do again, after a 9 year hiatus. The school is great, I appreciate their philosophy about martial arts and training, and the instructor and students have been very welcoming. TKD is a passion I had forgot about over the past years and I am finding it rewarding already, and I think it is a good supplement to my surfing.

Down the stairs......

....and out the back door....

...down the path...

..to the water.

A visit to Warilla and Beyond

I don't know why, but when i am in Australia i always win the meat raffle, me and my winning leg of lamb at the Warilla Pub.
Another beautiful beach, rocky and wonderful.
Saddle back mt. look out.
The spoils of a lovely sunday drive.

Sydney Opera House all lit up for Sydney's Vivid festival of lights in June.

A few Snaps From NZ

On the way to Opunake...
Morning Toast

Chris and I

Photo shoot at Green Meadows with a few new friends.

Contest Site

Green Meadows

Last Brunch together, new friends and old friends...

Just when I thought I had left Kneeboard Surfing Extravaganza behind.....These crazy kneelo characters showed up in Port Waikato a few days after the comp. We had a surf together, fish and chips and ice cream.

Corrogated Iron Sheep in Tirau, NZ

What ever happened to the lone Canadian Competitor at the 2009 Kneeboard Surfing World Titles

Local Paddock Advertising, NZ style

The Contest officially started Saturday April 11. All the teams met around 11am for a parade down teh main street in Opunake. There were representatives from Australia, NZ, UK, USA, Argentina, Puerto Rico, Ireland, Tahiti, South Africa, and Canada. The opening ceremonies were held in a large tent where the competitors and community members congregated to listen to speeches and watch/listen to a cultural performance by a local Moari childrens dance group.

It was a wonderful welcome. There is a great video put together by by Visual Journalist, Michael Fernandez, that captures a bit of NZ and the atmosphere of the contest:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GS-QH5dpo7E

The surfing events started sunday. The first heats of the contest, which included the womens, cadets and teams event, were held at Opunake main Beach. Conditions were small, the wind was predominantly on shore and overall made for really challenging conditions.

I made it thorugh the first round of the womens event, but with conditions becoming more difficult, and small as the tide went out and the day went on I was unable to get the waves and score the points to move on to the final.

The following day I surfed the Open (mens) Trials, challenging for me and did not make it to the next heats.

The surf seemed to get better as the week wore on. By the time I had to surf again a few days later in my age division we had much better waves than sunday. I had one decent scoring wave and was surprised to be in second place for part of the heat, however, I was unable to connect and catch a second waves to hold second place.

Contest surfing is a bit nerve racking, but it is a great way-a catalyst- to push your surfing. I was disappointed to not make the womens final, but I certainly enjoyed free surfing the rest of the week. I also really enjoyed seeing so many good surfers out showing their moves. Heat after heat, wave after wave, it really was a treat to see so much performance kneeboarding.