We all at time to time misjudge the surf conditions and end it in a tricky situation. It’s good to know that the crew in the line up are there to help you out, whether you be man or beast. Nice one Bambi, see you out back soon.
Check out a few highlights from Leo’s time spent out of the comp jersey last year. Featuring destinations such as the Philippines, Morocco, Indonesia and Ireland. Not to shabby for someone who hails from the outskirts of Rome, watch and enjoy.
GWR use surfing to sell train tickets. Oh the Irony! Cornwall Councillor and Cabinet Member for Transport writes to GWR to ask them to reconsider
So we have been the case of after one followers, Ricard Lowes, made us aware surfboards are now banned from GWR mainline trains. This despite there being room in the bicycle storage area (he measured it and you can get up to a 6’10” in there). We have offered to try and help as we think we can make it work with a bit of lateral thinking but GWR have ignored us.
Meanwhile in Scotland ScotRail are looking to add dedicated carriages for skiiers and snowboarders. It’s also pretty ironic GWR’s summer 2016 ad opens with surfers…. Happy to use the surfing image to try and sell tickets, but not to support the surfers travel”
Geoff Brown, Cornwall Councillor for Newquay Central and Cabinet Minister for Transport got in touch to say he had also written to GRW to ask them to change her policy
“It would show GWR in a positive and supportive light, support those expert surfers who travel widely, whilst not impacting on the travelling public. The surfing fraternity are among the most environmentally aware sectors of the public and already make good use of public transport and GWR’s current policy risks turning them off from rail travel.”
More to follow…
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“Your names not down, you’re not coming in….”
GWR have effectively banned surfboards from their mainline trains after new carriages were put into service.
The carriages have been adapted so there is no room for a guards van – where surfboards were always kept. There is however a storage room for bicycles which our reader Richard Lowes alerted us to the proem and reckons the room would fit boards up to 6’10”.
I have a suggestion. The bike storage is big enough for board bags. I measured. Suitable for 2 6:10 board bags. So perhaps let people book bike spaces for board bags before you find a longer term solution? pic.twitter.com/iCeKkqaJz2
— Richard Lowes (@heatpolicyrich) May 2, 2019
A GWR spokesman said,
“Our new trains don’t have power cars/guards vans so there’s no-where to store them. We have looked at this, but as we have increased room for more customers to sit, the space in the guard’s van previously used for surfboards on long distance trains isn’t there any more. There is dedicated space on our Sleeper Service and boards allowed on local services.”
Carve have offered to help GWR with advice on straps and carriage but are yet to hear back. But the message for now seems to be that surfers are not welcome unless they travel through the night.
This Sunday, in Oslo, NGO’s and surfers will combine forces for a day of action and a paddle out to fight for the bight. This is taking place ahead of Equinor’s AGM which is next Wednesday – a delegation of Australians part of the fight and surf community are travelling over to get involved and highlight the fact Norwegian Oil company Equinor are still planning on drilling in one of the most pristine environments.
The event, taking place at Salt (Festningsallmenningen, Oslo) includes a panel discussion, a screening of Patagonia’s film NeverTown, music and of course the most Australian demonstration of them all – a ‘paddle out’ in front of the Oslo Opera House.
The event is co-hosted by the Great Australian Bight Alliance, Greenpeace Norway, the People’s Action for Oil-Free Lofoten, Nordic Surfers Mag and Patagonia. With a delegation of Australians travelling to Norway to present at Equinor’s Annual General Meeting, this is the perfect opportunity to discuss Equinors’ role at home and abroad.
In attendance on Sunday:
Bunna Lawrie – a Mirning Aboriginal elder and musician from the Great Australian Bight
Ingrid Skjoldvær – from the People’s Action for Oil-Free Lofoten
Peter Owen and Jess Lerch- from The Wilderness Society
Heath Joske – a Patagonia Ambassador and former professional surfer
Join the action and the paddle out from 12pm: More info here.
Thanks for helping us spread the word on this to the surf community! If you can’t make it (as many of you don’t live in Oslo), the crew will share some photos from the paddle out and AGM next week.
Spread the word – Paddle Out – Against Equinor Drilling in the Great Australian Bight
A surfer in his 30s has died at St Leu after a shark attack. He was surfing in a restricted area. Three other surfers managed to get back to shore.
According to reports from local media the fish bit off his leg at 4.30pm local time on Thursday (1.30pm UK time).
The government had issue warnings yesterday ;
“Reunion is entering a transitional period between the summer and the austral winter, with southern swell fronts sought by water sports enthusiasts, and the use of the Reunionese coast by bulldog sharks, potentially dangerous, is more important as one enters the austral winter with a seasonal cooling of the temperature of the sea water.”
It is the 24th shark attack since 2011, and the 11th fatal.
No one really knows why there is such a large problem around the island.
Thoughts are with the family and local; surfing community.
The event that changed the face of big wave surfing as we knew it returns in 2019 for the first time at Shipstern Bluff, Tasmania’s home of slab surfing. Can 2016 champion Russell Bierke reign supreme once again? Will local knowledge of the ‘step’ be key?
We’ll find out on Monday, Sunday night in Europe, as an international field of big wave hellmen take on one of the most notoriously tricky waves in the world. The last event was pure car crash TV and this one is set to be even madder. Watch live here.
