One minute of mad Burleigh barrels

20/6/17 at Burleigh saw an epic surfing by some of Queensland’s best crew. 10 Jet Ski’s were out to help them negotiate the hectic conditions.

Ski driver goes over the falls while his buddy is in the barrel

An unidentified jet ski rider went over the falls while his buddy was in the barrel at Currumbin Alley during the latest swell. It’s unclear if the surfer knew what was happening as his jet ski partner floated over his head while he was kegged.

The incident was the latest highlighting the growing danger so ski use in the Gold Coast lineups to combat swell, sweep and crowds. A lot of Currumbin locals have been pretty pissed off as those with the luxury of skis dominate the lineups. Tempers have been flaring as the increasing numbers fail to respect paddlers as per the old unspoken ’tow in’ rules.

Maritime Safety Queensland code of conduct states a jet skis “must not” operate PWC faster than six knots within 200m of paddle surfers. The rules also state unless there is no one else in the water tow-in surfing, jet ski freestyling and wave jumping is not allowed near the Currumbin bar and Tallebudgera Creek. Yet more and more complaints are coming in of skis ruining ‘paddle’ surf sessions at the Alley and other spots.

Gold Coast water police Senior Sargent Kim Hill said a patrol was sent down to the Alley following reports but said there were no paddlers and fewer skis out when officers arrived so they did not enforce exclusion zones.

Gold Coast City Council Chief Lifeguard Warren Young would not explain to the Gold Coat Bulletin what the tow-in surfing rules are and whether they are enforced.

Local photog Luke Workman rightly called out the ski driver saying he was doing “the wrong thing multiple times and had close calls with more than a few of my friends.”‘

Comments on the Insta post include

snapper_1 What a kook
switchfootnz Massively lame to have jetskis on a paddle wave.

What do you think? Is a ban near? Should skis be banned?

Discover: Baleal Surf Camp

Baleal Surf Camp nestles among the dunes overlooking one of Europe’s most dramatic and beautiful surf spots. 

The camp, founded in 1993 was Portugal’s first and although it started off as a humble wooden beach tent, now 24 years later Baleal Surf Camp is hailed as one of top surf operations in Portugal attracting beach lovers and surfers from across the globe and offering a rare but welcome ‘old school’ focus on customer service and the environment.

It’s secret:  first class accommodation and surf tuition combined with an all inclusive beach-party vibe that few who visit once can resist returning for. Novices mix with experts; a clean beach is as much a priority as clean waves, and good music, food and company underpin both the family run business and its wider location.
It all started in 1980, when I was 11 years old and rode my first wave in Prainha, with a Safari surf board bought by my Dad from Duarte Baltazar. I remember that first wave as if it were yesterday, and the influence that moment had on me. In 1993 I started giving my first lesson to some kids from Baleal island who asked me from help, I never imagined that surf would revolutionise Peniche in the future and this would be my calling for the next 24 years. When surfing picked up with the tourists and more surf operations began to emerge, I realised for us to be different and stand out from the crowd we would have to work harder and better. That’s exactly what we did - I built a beach bar and a surf centre on one of Portugal’s best beaches, my brother Marcos took on bookings and online marketing and we managed to take Baleal Surf Camp to a prominent position in an extremely competitive market.
Bruno Bairros

Baleal Surf Camp Founder and Director

Baleal itself sits on the northern edge of the Peniche Peninsula, about an hours drive north of Lisbon and is the center for surfing in the area. Over the last few years it has won international attention after becoming an established stop on the ASP World Tour. There are waves for experts but also plenty of shelter and security for novices. It’s one of those rare places where, on one beach, the waves can be head high and barreling, while five minutes away its a mellow longboard day. In short, there is nearly always a wave for everyone.

The surf camp has its own excellent bar and cafe,  a place famed locally for chilled days, followed by long nights of live music and dancing. And if food and wine is your thing you will be spoilt for choice. The area is famed for its seafood, which is delivered live and fresh to the port of Peniche each morning and the local restaurants are excellent, serving fish and meat dishes that put most big-name city chefs to shame on both quality and value.

To celebrate the camps many years of surf camp history, check out this video to get a real feel for things:

 www.balealsurfcamp.com

Should Surfing be in The Olympics?

SURFING WILL MAKE IT’S OLYMPIC DEBUT AS A SPORT AT TOKYO 2020, BUT SHOULD IT?

Professional GB surfer Emily Currie, who wants to compete in Tokyo, and Hannah Bristow, lifestyle surfer and YouTuber, discuss whether the Olympics is actually a good thing for the sport.

Listen to them, and let us know what you think in the comments section below…

Dream days for Rip Curl Grom Search – Croyde

Wall to wall sunshine and consistent dream like waves? That’s what contest organisers order, and so very rarely get, so this weekends Rip Curl GromSearch at Croyde Bay in North Devon, in association with Goldcoast Oceanfest and organised by Surfing England, was one to remember.

The event saw 94 entries across the 6 boys and girls junior divisions of under 16, 14 and 12’s and with 16+ hours of competitive surfing to complete the day one of two was a packed out day of heats, matched by the sell-out music festival running alongside. Conditions on day one varied from 3ft glassy low tide a-frames, to slightly onshore high tide peelers, and as one of the most consistent summer swells to date rolled in the juniors took full advantage. The judges were impressed by the speed, power and flow of the surfers as they battled against their peers to earn their spots in the next round, some moving on and others disappointingly exiting. The competition was fierce but the free surf areas were a hive of friendship and froth, as the surfer’s trialled the Rip Curl SearchGPS watches and attempted to rack up the highest speed on a wave. As day one drew to a close, the festival ignited and thousands of festival goers left the beach and enjoyed the entertainment.

Day two was a scorcher, the surfers were at the business end of the event and had their eyes on the prize. The swell defied the forecast and actually got bigger as the tide pushed up, holding the light winds and providing a spectacle at the high tide for the 4000+ beach goers who witness some brilliant surfing from all divisions. The heat intensified, challenging surfers and staff to manage the unfamiliar tropical like conditions. So by the time the finals had all been signed sealed and delivered the surfers eagerly awaited their final placings, the heat passed the 30degree mark and presentations were made tricky by the sand being too hot to stand on, but nothing would stop the champions lifting their prize. All champions were then swept up and taken into the festival to celebrate their wins in front of a few thousand happy festival goers.

The results are as follows and a final congratulations to all the finalists and winners. Surfing England and Rip Curl would like to thank all the staff and the supporters for a brilliant weekend and also all the sponsors that make this event possible: Citroën, Smith, FCS & Gorilla. Attention now turns to the next and final event of the UK Grom Search at Watergate Bay on August 19th & 20th.

Under 12 Girls
1- Lauren Sandland
2 – Tegan Blackford …
3 – Georgia Thomason
4 – Eva Blackford

Under 12 Boys
1 – Gabe Llewellyn
2 – Fynn Gillespie
3 – Tom Hook
4 – Arthur Randell

Under 14 Girls
1 – Bonita Whitelock
2 – Lauren Sandland
3 – Claudia Cosgrove
4 – Asha Sykes

Under 14 Boys
1 – Alex Townsend
2 – Bertie Norman
3 – Sam Hearn

Reflections of Mundaka

When I paddled for that wave, I never thought that could happen.

We had been surfing Mundaka with much more dangerous conditions for weeks. January 2nd was a smaller day and it was very slow, but there were a few perfect waves.

I jumped in the water and waited about an hour until a wave of about four feet arrived. It was a bomb, a shaky wave, but not much different from the thousands of waves I’ve caught there in the last 25 years.

I got a lot of speed because the section was growing, entered the tube and suddenly the foam ball took the board off my feet as if it made me trip. I remembering being sent flying to the bottom and suddenly feeling a strong blow to the head. I do not remember much more. It was like when you turn off the television. My head went out.

Seconds later, I woke up under the water. I tried to give several strokes to reach the surface and breathe, but I realized that my arms and legs did not respond. I literally thought I was going to drown. Luckily, I was wearing a very thick suit and floated to the surface. I lost control again and lost my sight. I was blind and could barely move my body. I cannot believe how close I was to death.

Fortunately, a friend was very close and saw me floating. Iñigo, along with other friends like Gaizka, Eukeni, Natxo and Nando saved my life. They pushed me to the edge and called an ambulance. I gradually regained my sight and mobility. The moment I got ashore, I thought it was over. I was taken straight to the hospital.

When I arrived at the hospital, I was very sore but very quiet. I had an MRI and when the doctor entered the room, he had a somber face. I did not know how bad the news could be. He did some sensitivity tests on my arms and feet and fortunately, I could move decently well.

He then told me that I had two broken cervicals, a cervical displacement and a broken back. He told me it was a miracle I was not in a wheelchair.

I burst into tears and ever since that moment, I have been giving thanks to life every single day.
I had surgery a week later and luckily everything went well.

It’s only been 5 months since I had surgery and I’m nearly back to 100% surfing. I am planning to go to Africa soon and keep doing solo expeditions.

Sustaining an injury like this is difficult. But at the same time, it was the most beautiful and enriching experience I have ever lived. Being in the hospital and having friends and family visit you is something unique. You feel like you’re about to die, but you’re surrounded by people who believe the world is better when you’re here. Humanly it is a fascinating experience and you learn to value friendship and value every moment.

I have always said that you have to enjoy life, but after having an experience like that, I say it more forcefully. As soon as I get better, I will not stop traveling and fulfilling my dreams.

For rehabilitation, I would advise anyone who suffers an injury like this to be passionate and have patience, to not lose hope. Enthusiasm is an engine in life.

I have been happy to think that I will return to Mundaka and that soon I will be paddling into same wave with which I had the accident. I dream of getting into that tube again.
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