This week was always going to be about a mid winter wave hunt. It always is, it's my birthday week. I'm pretty sure I've prattled on about Gisborne holding a special place in my heart, but here I go again. In my late teens when I was living on the Gold Coast I hung out with a lot of surfers from Gizzy. And they all ripped. They'd recall stories of epic Gizzy Island sessions, how hard it was to get out there, how good Stock Route was. It hammered home how good it must be.
This week’s treats
I didn't get down to Gizzy for another 4 years, the first trip was with Col Johnson, Sos [Steve Sosich] and an American surfer. We went to Mahia and slept in the Pines, got skunked with the wind and drove back to Wainui to find it pumping. Clean 3-4 foot lines pouring in at No Access. It was crowded! And everyone seemed to surf really well.
A Tuesday Stock Route Special
Soon after that I started working at the surf mag. I was working with a Gizzy native, Chris [Budge] Berge. And at the the time there was a huge Gizzy push of talent, Clint and Eddie Daly, James Fowell and the grommets; Maz Quinn, Damon Gunness, Brent Rasby, Chrissy Malone and Blair Stewart were all making names through the junior ranks. Budgey made sure we never missed a chance to be back in Gizzy.
It set the tone for the next 15 years. We'd stay right on the beach at Schools, Wainui in Teddy and Smurf's flat with a revolving cast of flatmates. There'd be a minimum of 6 road trips a year to Gizzy, sometimes more, never less. There was criticism levelled at the mag that it was too Gizzy centric. We remained unrepentant, there was a real push of talent from the province. And dammit the waves are so good.
Makorori blurs and hues
Troopy Porn... don't you worry, more to come
Every year I vow to get back to Gizzy more, more often. Every year slips by and the trips are less. I don't like it, life gets in the way.
This week was awesome. The gorgeous Ange and I had 4 blissful days surfing and sunning along Wainui and Maccas. The waves weren't epically epic, truth be told the banks are a bit blown from the swells Gizzy has copped over the last month. It didn't matter, there was still fun to be had. The weekend was packed, the week days were mellow. Good catch ups with old mates. Never enough time to catch up with anyone really.
Lines for days
Young Nick don't surf
Home away from home, heater on full blast
The infamous Stock Route wall, Stick 'Round Maz? Nah, Stock Route Mafia
Stock Route and not another soul out, clearly must've been in the wrong place
Gorge Textures
See ya again soon Giz-Town.
The Book Store
Wanna check out the Photo CPL Media books? Well the link is HERE
10 years of Publishing Hard covers and no sign of stopping anytime soon :)