It has been a tense week for West coast surfers. While the waves have been pretty good, there has been the ever present tease of a Nor-west swell. Our predominant swell direction is from the south, from the roaring forties. Everything changes in a Nor-west swell. Instead of waiting for high tide, we are amping for low tide. Instead of hoping the swell is a manageable size, we are willing it to be as big as it can. The more north the better, it means the swell runs acutely down our long flat beaches, becoming pseudo giant right hand point-breaks.
A VINTAGE NOR-WEST SWELL AS FEATURED IN THE SOUTH SEAS
A Nor-west is an all too rare treat. Some years we'll get none, but every once in a while we'll fall into cycle and get 3 or 4 NW swells in quick succession. Boards get stepped up, boards get snapped. This week was supposed to be one of those weeks, it just didn't happen.
Matt Ziegler enjoying this week's perfect but small South West swell
Pumping all by itself
Mike Spence wagging work from Freeride- just as well he's the boss
On any other week you'd be fizzing to see this
Matty Ziegler impressing the on-lookers
Sitka Is Back
Andrew Howson, stoked to be in Ponsonby Road, and stoked to have the Sitka pop up- up
The darling of NZ surf scene, Sitka has relocated from it's Newmarket location to Ponsonby. Crippling rent and lack of foot traffic saw the Canadian founded surf brand rethink their flagship store. Closing the doors on the iconic Osbourne St store straight after Christmas, Sitka effectively became homeless for 6 months, peddling their wares at the Silo Park markets.
Yep, he's stoked!
After a couple of false starts, Sitka NZ's Managing Director Andrew Howson has secured the perfect venue for the brand, albeit temporary, the new Sitka is already doing a roaring trade at 133 Ponsonby Rd, just up from Ivan's, just down from Bhana Bro's for us old school Ponsonby noters :)
Four Corners of New Zealand
Last week's web log featured a wee tease of Richard Hodder's [aka@inthedrink on Instagram] first solo exhibition Four Corners and last night was the opening of the event. The 23 works are beautifully presented on fine art photo-rag paper in white box frames. Cleverly, there is a scaling of limited edition prints- in my opinion far too fairly priced, but that said, on opening night there where already a nice amount of red dots [signifying a sale] under the feature pieces.
A happy and relieved Hoddsy
If you are in Auckland over the next month get along to the Allpress Gallery for a shot of stoke. More details HERE