Couple of weeks back, me and a friend were walking back up the beach after a sesh and he turns and says to me "you don't like going left, do you?" it then turned into a big joke because by that time, we had just got to where the guy who built my board was standing, so my reply was "that's because the board is faulty, it won't go left". After a few laughs and some gentle ribbing, I admitted to my friend that, no, I don't like lefts and he's not the first one to notice it, Lfish said the same to me a few years ago.

Because I learnt to surf so late in life, and because all my local points are rights, it's a skill I never developed to any great degree, so I don't enjoy doing it, and I surf purely for enjoyment not because I'm in any way competitive or I want every wave.

That was not good enough for this friend, because he's someone who's always genuinely interested in people and he always wants to help, that's why he gives up his free time every couple of weeks to work as a volunteer feeding the homeless, he's just one of those people who can empathise with everyone.

So this morning, he dropped in on me on a tiddly little left and I start shouting at him "look, look, I'm going left" and we both had a good laugh. He then starts to tell me what I've got to do to make a good forehand turn while going left, because he knows that my cutbacks are quite acceptable when I'm going right, so there's no reason why I can't do something similar on my forehand, so he explained how I had to plant that back foot good and hard and not lean as far as I do on my backhand.

I take his advice on the very next left and he's genuinely please that I did what he told me to do, so much so, that he congratulates and encourages me to do more.


I'm not saying this because it's some sort of watershed in my surfing life that will forever change me, I'll probably just go back to my nasty right only ways as soon as tomorrow, I'm just saying it to show that there are nice people out there, people who don't take the waves too seriously and just want camaraderie along with their daily dose of stoke, and I don't write stories like this too often these days, but I just felt like it because there's another thread that got put up today about some twat on the goldy who let his board go into some guys face and almost cost him his eye. I just wanted to show that not everyone we share the water with is a coont, there really are some very decent people out there.

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obct said..

Couple of weeks back, me and a friend were walking back up the beach after a sesh and he turns and says to me ?you don?t like going left, do you?? it then turned into a big joke because by that time, we had just got to where the guy who built my board was standing, so my reply was ?that?s because the board is faulty, it won?t go left?. After a few laughs and some gentle ribbing, I admitted to my friend that, no, I don?t like lefts and he?s not the first one to notice it, Lfish said the same to me a few years ago.

Because I learnt to surf so late in life, and because all my local points are rights, it?s a skill I never developed to any great degree, so I don?t enjoy doing it, and I surf purely for enjoyment not because I?m in any way competitive or I want every wave.

That was not good enough for this friend, because he?s someone who?s always genuinely interested in people and he always wants to help, that?s why he gives up his free time every couple of weeks to work as a volunteer feeding the homeless, he?s just one of those people who can empathise with everyone.

So this morning, he dropped in on me on a tiddly little left and I start shouting at him ?look, look, I?m going left? and we both had a good laugh. He then starts to tell me what I?ve got to do to make a good forehand turn while going left, because he knows that my cutback are quite acceptable when I?m going right, so there?s no reason why I can?t do something similar on my forehand, so he explained how I had to plant that back foot good and hard and not lean as far as I do on my backhand.

I take his advice on the very next left and he?s genuinely please that I did what he told me to do, so much so, that he congratulates and encourages me to do more.


I?m not saying this because it?s some sort of watershed in my surfing life that will forever change me, I?ll probably just go back to my nasty right only ways as soon as tomorrow, I?m just saying it to show that there are nice people out there, people who don?t take the waves too seriously and just want camaraderie along with their daily dose of stoke, and I don?t write stories like this too often these days, but I just felt like it because there?s another thread that got put up today about some twat on the goldy who let his board go into some guys face and almost cost him his eye. I just wanted to show that not everyone we share the water with is a coont, there really are some very decent people out there.

It's only just February, but the Post of the Year is in folks.

Nice work ob. Nothing beats going left!! Keep it up. Even though I am a natural footer I have mostly always favoured my backhand - probably due to 5 years having Raglan on my backdoor. Took years for my forehand to catch up. I find I can do much better top turns on the back hand than forehand as you are swinging your shoulder and hips back down frontside. Same when I snowboard - its my preferred side. Now do not get me started on backhand cutbacks

Now back to the moral of the story - your mate helped you by dropping in - the irony

Nicely said Obct.

and it's funny - some of us over here would just lerve the big right action Obs ..... fark I hope the Prez gets his shizz together and stock lists us , we need our own plane

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Ted the Kiwi said..

Nice work ob. Nothing beats going left!! Keep it up. Even though I am a natural footer I have mostly always favoured my backhand - probably due to 5 years having Raglan on my backdoor. Took years for my forehand to catch up. I still think my backhand is better than my forehand once it gets overhead. I love nothing more than a big bottom turn on a big left with your heels really digging in. When its 2ft crap though I would much rather go right as I find it a lot easier to generate speed. When the wave has the speed backhand rocks! Especially top turns - you can really feel the power as you slam it round. I find I can do much better top turns on the back hand than forehand as you are swinging your shoulder and hips back down. Same when I snowboard - its my preferred side. Now do not get me started on backhand cutbacks

Now back to the moral of the story - your mate helped you by dropping in - the irony

This mate is like me and MR, we drop in on each other all the time when it's tiny, we sometimes go out of our way to do it.

It's funny, me and MR have this game where, if we do find ourselves on the same wave, we just stay on it, no mater how crappy it is and no matter how close we get to the sand, there's even been times when we've both stepped onto the sand together. It's like a mark of shame if you don't go as far as the other guy. We always end up pissing our pants laughing at each other.

Nice post Ob, credit where credits due.

Mac & I also have our own personal coach in Lacey, only today he was passing on valuable pointers to improve my surfing stance & it's very appreciated, there are good blokes out there. It's funny though when Lacey demonstrates the moves in a coffee shop, you can see people looking and saying wtf???

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Ted the Kiwi said..

Nice work ob. Nothing beats going left!! Keep it up. Even though I am a natural footer I have mostly always favoured my backhand - probably due to 5 years having Raglan on my backdoor. Took years for my forehand to catch up. I find I can do much better top turns on the back hand than forehand as you are swinging your shoulder and hips back down frontside. Same when I snowboard - its my preferred side. Now do not get me started on backhand cutbacks

Now back to the moral of the story - your mate helped you by dropping in - the irony

i agree with you ted. there is nothing like a workable backhand wave.if your on the money and the waves are good it almost gets to the stage were you can just about up side down snapping the board over what seems like your head before you swing around.

of course you always end up thinking your slater or something, go too far and get a panel beating

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vanders1 said..

Mac & I also have our own personal coach in Lacey

Very envious of this

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Ted the Kiwi said..

vanders1 said..

Mac & I also have our own personal coach in Lacey

Very envious of this

haha, no telling mac anything- wouldn't dare

the old dog

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vanders1 said..

Nice post Ob, credit where credits due.

Mac & I also have our own personal coach in Lacey, only today he was passing on valuable pointers to improve my surfing stance & it's very appreciated, there are good blokes out there. It's funny though when Lacey demonstrates the moves in a coffee shop, you can see people looking and saying wtf???

More disturbing is one of you guys eating fruit salad for breakfast and both guilty of drinking tea.Keep this up boys and I'll be cutting you loose

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laceys lane said..

Ted the Kiwi said..

vanders1 said..

Mac & I also have our own personal coach in Lacey

Very envious of this

haha, no telling mac anything- wouldn't dare

the old dog

You two are like an old married couple

turning? just lean over !

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obct said..

This mate is like me and MR, we drop in on each other all the time when it's tiny, we sometimes go out of our way to do it.

It's funny, me and MR have this game where, if we do find ourselves on the same wave, we just stay on it, no mater how crappy it is and no matter how close we get to the sand, there's even been times when we've both stepped onto the sand together. It's like a mark of shame if you don't go as far as the other guy. We always end up pissing our pants laughing at each other.

I NEVER drop in on you OB..... well, almost never........ oh, OK, the occasional fatty at the Roy........ OK, almost always when it's right..... As our German mate says, "Dis is der most efficient vay to utilise der vave.... if everyone goes straight you get more people on de vave!

On a more serious note, when you drop in on someone and surf along side them, you can give them lots of pointers on their style, because you're right there with them! You can give them a running commentary and stuff......

Had a crappy morning yesterday at Lugga, I've never seen so many people out there, not to mention the dads teaching their kids bad manners and poor surf etiquette! Still, it was good to sit out the back and yak with a few blokes..... beats mowing the grass...

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obct said..


This mate is like me and MR, we drop in on each other all the time when it's tiny, we sometimes go out of our way to do it.

It's funny, me and MR have this game where, if we do find ourselves on the same wave, we just stay on it, no mater how crappy it is and no matter how close we get to the sand, there's even been times when we've both stepped onto the sand together. It's like a mark of shame if you don't go as far as the other guy. We always end up pissing our pants laughing at each other.

You taught MR well Ob, he showed me the same trick when he was up here, we caught a wave together & surfed almost all the way to the beach at an average range of 2' away from each other, at first it was a good laugh but then I realised he was just trying to hold my hand .

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obct said...
[br] .

I'm not saying this because it's some sort of watershed in my surfing life that will forever change me, I'll probably just go back to my nasty right only ways as soon as tomorrow, I'm just saying it to show that there are nice people out there, people who don't take the waves too seriously and just want camaraderie along with their daily dose of stoke, and I don't write stories like this too often these days, but I just felt like it because there's another thread that got put up today about some twat on the goldy who let his board go into some guys face and almost cost him his eye. I just wanted to show that not everyone we share the water with is a coont, there really are some very decent people out there.

Great post OB...

On the inspiration of this thread, I made a point of going left as often as I could this morning...lefts are not my strong point
thanks OB.

obct,
We don't go left too much around here either!

We have a mate who didn't go left for way too long so we called him Zoolander. Hope you guys have seen the flick as it's not funny when you have to explain it.

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vanders1 said..

obct said..


This mate is like me and MR, we drop in on each other all the time when it's tiny, we sometimes go out of our way to do it.

It's funny, me and MR have this game where, if we do find ourselves on the same wave, we just stay on it, no mater how crappy it is and no matter how close we get to the sand, there's even been times when we've both stepped onto the sand together. It's like a mark of shame if you don't go as far as the other guy. We always end up pissing our pants laughing at each other.

then I realised he was just trying to hold my hand .

I know this man, that wasn't your hand he was trying to grab

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obct said..

I know this man, that wasn't your hand he was trying to grab

You been drinking again ? I thought you had given up

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obct said..

vanders1 said..

obct said..


This mate is like me and MR, we drop in on each other all the time when it's tiny, we sometimes go out of our way to do it.

It's funny, me and MR have this game where, if we do find ourselves on the same wave, we just stay on it, no mater how crappy it is and no matter how close we get to the sand, there's even been times when we've both stepped onto the sand together. It's like a mark of shame if you don't go as far as the other guy. We always end up pissing our pants laughing at each other.

then I realised he was just trying to hold my hand .

I know this man, that wasn't your hand he was trying to grab

explains a few things about the last Point Plommer camping weekend!

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Prawnhead said..

obct said..

vanders1 said..

obct said..


This mate is like me and MR, we drop in on each other all the time when it's tiny, we sometimes go out of our way to do it.

It's funny, me and MR have this game where, if we do find ourselves on the same wave, we just stay on it, no mater how crappy it is and no matter how close we get to the sand, there's even been times when we've both stepped onto the sand together. It's like a mark of shame if you don't go as far as the other guy. We always end up pissing our pants laughing at each other.

then I realised he was just trying to hold my hand .

I know this man, that wasn't your hand he was trying to grab

explains a few things about the last Point Plommer camping weekend!

Oi you blokes! First I have some bloke telling me I look like a council worker, when in fact the work I do is highly artistic and without it, people wouldn't know what they should buy, or where they should piss, now you're insinuating I want hold someonee's hand, or worse!

Fact, the purple sheets in my Caravelle were there when I got it, I haven't had a chance to replace them, but I did wash them three times...... And I'm not gay, but I did sleep with a bloke wh was, once......

My van was locked solid last PP weekend, didn't want to run the risk of having one of you shirtlifters drop in for a cuddle

I remember th wave Vanders, the one just before the one you got all the way to Greenmount, ya lucky bastard.....

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vanders1 said..

laceys lane said..

Ted the Kiwi said..

vanders1 said..

Mac & I also have our own personal coach in Lacey

Very envious of this

haha, no telling mac anything- wouldn't dare

the old dog

You two are like an old married couple

well mrs vanders, one thing we do have in common with old married couples is ' we don't hold hands and ride waves together'

unlike others so it seems

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laceys lane said..

vanders1 said..

laceys lane said..

Ted the Kiwi said..

vanders1 said..

Mac & I also have our own personal coach in Lacey

Very envious of this

haha, no telling mac anything- wouldn't dare

the old dog

You two are like an old married couple

well mrs vanders, one thing we do have in common with old married couples is ' we don't hold hands and ride waves together'

unlike others so it seems

Hey don't knock it until you've tried it Lacey, it can be a 'special' moment.

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MichaelR said..

I remember th wave Vanders, the one just before the one you got all the way to Greenmount, ya lucky bastard.....

Yeah one of my all time best.