The dither. It's not that uncommon to be honest, but this one is a good one. This past week has enjoyed an exceptional East Coast swell.
Sunday: The day of days, everyone got to surf their favourite East novelity spots. And then gloat about it on social media.
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday... varying degrees and moments, with shades of Sunday.
Thursday another pulse in the swell, a re-boot. This was the window that could be seized upon. Que The Clash, 'Should I Stay Or Should I Go' ...more dithering, but not the aforementioned dither. After dozens of affirming texts and phone calls, trigger pulled, GO!
Yesterday, Thursday, was not epic by any means. These photos lie. That said the East Coast Shuffle, for me anyway, did not happen. In rare form, the venue was chosen and the key stayed out of the ignition for the next 6 hours.
The breeze would fluff between cross and off shore. This created a very convivial and social car park scene. The tribe was assembled, but on hold. Some would over-froth, breaking rank to become the lab rats. Us beachside would actively indulge in critiques. The paddle out method, the waves just missed, or hoot for the rides completed. The fails, the victories celebrated. Of equal importance; the korero with old mates. The cast revolved as some couldn't contain their amp. Somewhere up or down the coast must be better right? It wasn't.
Wait. The hardest thing, just stay put.
Ever-grom-frother The Champ Billy Stairmand.
14 year old Duke Land whipped into a death pit by his dad Matt. How good!
A switch didn't get pulled. Slowly the cross shore became more off shore. There was a war with the setting sun that could never be won. Imagine how many beautiful waves peaked and tapered in the dark.
One of the Mud Bay contingent
Surfer/Shaper Luke Hughes between catch ups
Jarrod 'Chopper' Blewit compressed and about to spring
Sean Peggs dealing very well with the cross fluff
Best photo of the session? Hell yes!
Rungi Ormand beast slaying
A session for the big boards for sure
Rungi... perfection
Luke Hughes’s version of pretty and perfect
The best way to bookend a session... Cam McKeg heading in for a deserved brew
The real dither. Back at the keyboard. And the realisation that there is now a large folder holding beautiful images from yesterday. It comes with a burden. By sharing the images am I another Instagram hero showing off? Am I another chiming in with a 'ya should've been here yesterday?' Is this an ego stroke? Am I blowing a beloved stretch of sand for the next swell? Has the real intent been perverted?
The hope is to share the stoke of the swell window. To record a great moment in time. To stoke out the surfers that surfed. To share the love of surfing. Corny and verbose as that may be. I wonder in this digital world if noble intent becomes lost in cynicism. The search for viral glory. The prophetic 1988 pop song by The Bros 'When Will I Be Famous' haunts.
From The Waves Gallery
This was taken nowhere near the session above, Piha Bar in fine vintage form. You like? You can view it bigger and even buy it HERE