Carve Surfing Magazine

Carve Magazine Issue 180

Jul 4, 2017

New issue is in stores this week and available on the app now for you iPad folk. For next time how about letting the postie take the strain and subscribe?!

WHAT DO FRUIT BATS EAT?*

I did a boat trip for a feature in this issue and it was different to the norm as it wasn’t a boat full of sponsored frothers.

Sure there were a few crew with stickers on the beaks of their boards; but Markie and Josh have full-time jobs and being sponsored is a happy bonus for them because they surf good. So with a shaper, a senior lifeguard, an ex-Brit champ/surf coach/property developer, a boat builder, a lawyer, a ladies QS hopeful and a chap who makes his living selling coffee shops the stuff they need to do coffee (who’s part owner of the boat) it was the very definition of ‘mixed bag’.

The surfing level was from pro to just about intermediate. If there’s one thing that’s good for your surfing it’s sharing a trip with guys and gals better than you. We all get stuck in a rut with our surfing and it takes the trained eye of coaches and pros to point where you’re going wrong. Arm, body, feet, head position make a huge difference and someone pointing out how you might try something subtle but new can rock your world. The main takeaway from the trip, apart from the wisdom that hangovers in the tropics when it’s 36C in the shade early morning suck major ass, was that it doesn’t matter what your level as a surfer if you can stand up and trim you can have a blast in the Maldives.

And no matter where you are in your life. A life that frequently gets in the way of surfing as you get older, as work, family and other balls crowds in; a week away in fun waves is a real tonic for the soul. Also, put a bunch of random Brits on a boat and they’ll take the piss relentlessly for a week. Because that’s what we do. We bang on about travel a lot in Carve. That’s because it’s one of the best things you can do. Be it two hours down to the British coast to get your fix or on a catamaran dream trip grazing the equator.

You’ve got one shot at this life. Do your utmost to make it a good one.

*Genuine question asked on the trip in a brainfart moment of post-surf tiredness. Narrowly pipped by ‘why are you called Sharpy’ as the daftest question of the trip.

Sharpy
Editor