Back to some surf chat on Friday in the long room. Whats the best left you have surfed and the one you have always wanted to? I am looking for some inspiration as its time for me to book myself a trip. Any advice welcome.

I had the joy of surfing Raglan for 4 yrs during my Uni days from 91-95 and loved it. Here is a shot I took last time I was home and scored it big time for a few days. I am also a big fan of a left down TB and Gizzies way and another long left in Taranaki that reminds me of the sweet potato (don't worry boys no photos).




I have always had a soft spot for Bingin after my first trip there in 95 and had a week of heaven. What a spot. Its only a short wave (compared to others) but its unreal. Especially that first section after takeoff. Sadly when I was back there last year it was not working



I spent a 3 weeks surfing a really long left in northern peru a few years back....not at the more famous Chicama but its apparent poor cousin Pacasmayo - which I think is a better spot as it picks up more swell as the waves do not need to bend around as much coastline. Wicked wave, super cheap place to hang out, dogey spot with a massive amount of water rolling down the point. Great fun though. Longest rides I have ever had by a long way. We used to get up and walk 40 mins to the top of the point from town and catch 3 or 4 waves back. Have some food and then do it again. All day long. We were to cheap to buy a lift out there!




The left I have always dreamed of surfing though is cloudbreak. I went to Fiji in 2002 but we never got to surf it sadly. We did surf some other great lefts though. Now that anyone can surf it these days (not just on an allocated Sunday) I can not wait to get out there. I would love to score it at 6 foot. Looks like heaven.

My best ever left was in my shortboarding days at d-bah,one wave off loves into the middle of the beach back hand top to bottom all the way,one wave that still sticks in my mind.Kuta reef on a 901 in 2006 mid tide some nice ones had.Beit it took an hour to settle the nerves and stayed wide for a while until things started to click.

Happy Friday off to the Bay tomorrow with young Chrispy

The best lefts I have surfed are Chinamans (evans head) and Mookies (2) is my all time fave - not gunna explain Mookies cos those that know ......... well, they just know !

For me Raglan in my younger days Indacators Whangamata Bar also early in life , In the presant Tuamotu Island is world class two LH breaks the bowel & insides , at Xmas we were catching lefts on outsides riding them into the bowel never done that before must have just had the tide right . Don't think you could ride a mal on insides , but I do SUP it . Also this year have had over head hollow & fast lefts at big river There you go Ted make you home sick .

89 Uluwatu for me




and believe it or not NTH Narrabeen in the late 70s

this easy as for me. summercloud. i was 14 when i first surfed there. an amazing wave in a amazing part off our beautiful country got pushed into alot of waves that day that i would not have ridden by myself,the older crew would just send us grommies straight into deathpits

Cheers fellas - I should point out that I will be travelling with my SB's - not SUP or LB's - all too hard around airports etc. I like an easy life. I am also a natural footer - but just love lefts!!

I was thinking I could head home for a 3 week roadie around the North Island TB - but I have done that too many times and wouild prefer to go somewhere new and semi adventourous!

Select to expand quote

chrispychru said...

this easy as for me. summercloud. i was 14 when i first surfed there. an amazing wave in a amazing part off our beautiful country got pushed into alot of waves that day that i would not have ridden by myself,the older crew would just send us grommies straight into deathpits

Down there in 2 weeks for the w/e!! Love that place. Can get pretty busy down there but a wonderful wave that one.

Been the worst summer here I can remmber Ted crappy little swells must get somthing soon , yer so na don't come this way

Select to expand quote

Ted the Kiwi said...

Cheers fellas - I should point out that I will be travelling with my SB's - not SUP or LB's - all too hard around airports etc. I like an easy life. I am also a natural footer - but just love lefts!!

I was thinking I could head home for a 3 week roadie around the North Island TB - but I have done that too many times and wouild prefer to go somewhere new and semi adventourous!

I would say Uluwatu and for long boarding Green Island. Great photos there Ted. You get around.

Great pics Ted.
In my early years I also enjoyed Green Island and Blackrock on NSW south coast. A place called The Spot in my hometown of Newie was awesome, also Blacks and Granites (SA) and Jakes and Gnaraloo (WA). - Mark

Select to expand quote

towball said...

Been the worst summer here I can remmber Ted crappy little swells must get

Same here TB - after 11 yrs in the lucky country my luck has run out this summer! We have had one decent swell and that was at Christmas. April May June are usually amazing on te East Coast over here so fingers crossed that the good times come back shortly.

SMH - I was lucky enough to spend 5 yrs working in England which meant I had 6 weeks holidays a year. These had to be used to go and find waves otherwise I would go crazy. These days I do a bit of travel with work and the boss is kind enough to let me tag holidays on the end if it suits - which saves me on airline tickets. I have had a few good days out at Green Island - when I lived in Manly we would always go done to Bendi for weekends camping.

Select to expand quote

BoardCulture said...

Great pics Ted.
In my early years I also enjoyed Green Island and Blackrock on NSW south coast. A place called The Spot in my hometown of Newie was awesome, also Blacks and Granites (SA) and Jakes and Gnaraloo (WA). - Mark

We have a spot called "the spot" as well and its a left, not a bad wave but on its day it can get good.

Spot on doggie

Select to expand quote

62mac said...

Spot on doggie

Select to expand quote

asea said...

62mac said...

Spot on doggie

You guys are on funny pilz today lol

pigs ar-se

back on track here don't forget about macs lefts at LM straight into the rocks

Select to expand quote

asea said...

back on track here don't forget about macs lefts at LM straight into the rocks

Haha, going left on a right with a backflip dismount!!!!

Select to expand quote

doggie said...

asea said...

back on track here don't forget about macs lefts at LM straight into the rocks

Haha, going left on a right with a backflip dismount!!!!

you remember doggie

Select to expand quote

asea said...

back on track here don't forget about macs lefts at LM straight into the rocks

Dont laugh boy's with the right swell direction you too can go left @ LM

Doggie the girls are in the water atm

Select to expand quote

62mac said...

asea said...

back on track here don't forget about macs lefts at LM straight into the rocks

Dont laugh boy's with the right swell direction you too can go left @ LM

mac is correct as i did jag a couple the other day but not so on that day when mac showed us what tricks he could perform on a longboard.Lacey you would have been proud of the old cock

Select to expand quote

BoardCulture said...

Great pics Ted.
In my early years I also enjoyed Green Island and Blackrock on NSW south coast. A place called The Spot in my hometown of Newie was awesome, also Blacks and Granites (SA) and Jakes and Gnaraloo (WA). - Mark

Shhhh, don't give away our local secret, spot has been sanded up and was working nicely the other day, hadn't surfed there in years.

Best lefts. chickens, Maldives., another nice place is PNG, also been to Fiji, nothing wrong with namoto & cloud break, although we couldn't surf cloud break, but it was 10ft plus so wasn't that interested anyway.

Hmmm, SP, i loved Nomotu too although it was 20 years ago (and Wilkes, if i can mention a righthander!) - Mark

Ahipara (also known as shipwrecks) near Kaitaia....is a rocky headland that those big swells from the south wrap around creating a series of breaks that on a really happy day link up together to make rides nearing a kilometre long. Quite fun driving through the night to get there also
Never buy a second hand car from kaitaia though....they drive them along the beach heaps!!

Select to expand quote

GizzieNZ said...

Ahipara (also known as shipwrecks) near Kaitaia....is a rocky headland that those big swells from the south wrap around creating a series of breaks that on a really happy day link up together to make rides nearing a kilometre long. Quite fun driving through the night to get there also
Never buy a second hand car from kaitaia though....they drive them along the beach heaps!!

i just leaked a strange substance wiked pic there mate

FAAAAAAAARK

I need to get there!!

Select to expand quote

GizzieNZ said...

Ahipara (also known as shipwrecks) near Kaitaia....is a rocky headland that those big swells from the south wrap around creating a series of breaks that on a really happy day link up together to make rides nearing a kilometre long. Quite fun driving through the night to get there also
Never buy a second hand car from kaitaia though....they drive them along the beach heaps!!

Hey gizzie - now you have em all excited - tell them how often it does that

And I'm glad you did not give away my secret - although, not far off it hey

I go left at Rainbow bay just for something different.Does become a bit boring surfing rights all the time.

Select to expand quote

tankchamp said...

I go left at Rainbow bay just for something different.Does become a bit boring surfing rights all the time.

Don't feel bad about that mate - I've seen mac go left at lil marley before - and on a regular basis

My best 2 left waves ever:

Backsides at Flatrock Ballina. First proper reef break ever. Did not want to paddle out, 6 foot spitting barrels.

Sat out there for about an hour freaking out. Fish everywhere, waves cracking on the rocks. Finally took one, got completely picked up and went head first in the lip. I was sure I was dead. I did not hit the bottom and came up easily. If I survived that there was no dramas. Spent the next 3 hours getting wave after wave and had the best surf for a very long time.

Next was Ulu's. 6 - 8 feet. First surf in Indo ever. High tide, climbed down the old bamboo ladder into the cave that was washing through and rebounding. Made it out and sat there for ever. So spooked. Eventually paddled for a set and was dropped in on by 2 Brazo's. I got faded and went over head first in the lip. Lived, no scratches and once again had an amazing surf.

I remember those first 2 waves more than any of the others from those sessions.