SWELLNET;THE DEATH OF THE SECRET SPOT +or -
So, what's your question?
read the post!!
....i so want to hear your opinion on wether you think you are doing the right thing ???
exposing the surf or not?
No reaching for a Guinness now ..........
You said "i so want to hear your opinion on wether you think you are doing the right thing or are you gunna water it down".
Do the right thing? That doesn't make sense. Perhaps we should use your question from the SS3D article instead:
now big ben what do you think about exposing australian or international secrets?? surley u of all people are'nt against exposure??
By: "jeff-schmucker"
First and foremost: everyone's got a different view of what 'exposure' is. And everyone's got a different view of what a 'secret' surf spot is. So, I can't offer you a simple answer to your question.
However, Swellnet works very hard to walk the extremely fine line between both of them. After all, with 365 days every year to fill with surf content, we've gotta keep things fresh - and there's only so many photos of the Superbank you can run. Sure, sometimes we make decisions that are unpopular with some people but on the balance I think we do a pretty good job. It's a very hard job to keep everyone happy.
So, if we publish a photo of a surf spot that may be considered sensitive (and keep in mind that everyone has a different view what is sensitive, and what isn't), we won't name it or reference it in the accompanying article. Our reports and forecasts are regionally focused so as not to concentrate surfers to specific breaks, and our surfcams are positioned at the most popular waves in each region - where crowds have been well established prior to their installation.
Otherwise, we look at everything else on a case-by-case scenario. We've come to an understanding with locals at some locations that are definitely NOT secret, that we won't mention the name of their break if we do choose to run a photo. We sometimes crop out identifying land features at other locations, or perhaps run a photo in reverse, if we deem it necessary. We spend a LOT of of time deleting Facebook comments when overenthusiastic grommets name a WOTD location that might be considered sensitive. Sometimes we won't run a shot at all. It depends on the situation.
But, you will never see any of this work, because it happens behind the scenes.
On an international level, we haven't really run very much overseas content (as a percentage overall) as our audience is mainly Australian. However, if and when we expand internationally, we will adopt the same policy wherever we go.
Does that cover everything off for you?
yes thank you...
in summary from my slightly non sensitive point of view.....you are working feverishly behind the scenes to cover up the fact that you are one of the major surf break destroyers of this country.....just sayin
i never did respect or encourage the photogs to hide in the sandhills....
i like yaz tho.....so at this time i'm 1 or 47 of your 45000 hits a day and you have my homepage choice.
any chance of running a shot for the WOTD from today if i send it in?? you dont have to pay me either....its fresh content and its pumping....an if you remove the background or reverse it any surfer in the country that knows anything about surfing will know that it pretty much is on the westcoast of SA......so Ben...please stop undermining peoples intelligence by talking such crap and trying to change the truth because thay just laugh at you...juz sayin
Jeff, I simply detailed what we do every day - I'm happy to discuss any of the points I raised above if you like. However, if you think I'm "talking such crap and trying to change the truth", that's fine by me. I've got plenty of work to do as it is.
no, thanks for your detailed explanation on how you operate, i appreciate it...
speak and show the truth and you wont have to dodge the bullets in the long run....
.if you really think having 'Fredo" or "Jeff Schmucker" or 'Rich pix" in the corner of your WOTD doesnt blow the joint outa the water to the more "sensitive types" then i dont believe that a man of your skill and stature wrote the intelligent reply in the post above by "thermalben"
Hi Ben, I know this is off topic, but I fell it is not actually worth being its own topic. I would just like to ask you about your obsession with being on topic, I like to look at swell net as a central surfspot carpark that we can all pull into wind down the window and have a chat, usually after chatting about how crap the surf is the conversation can lead anywhere, should we move to the back of the park cause we are no longer talking about surfing. If an original subject goes way of topic thats how conversation works, what's wrong with that, you closed one thread and it took over another thread. Just sayin
Jeff, in the last fortnight we've run six WOTD shots from locations that could be deemed 'sensitive'. Using your logic above, I assume you can therefore pinpoint the precise location of every image.
You can see 'em here: http://www.swellnet.com.au/galleries/waveoftheday. The actual images are:
Empty peaks of blue (Mitch Fong)
Dylan Longbottom about to become extremely slotted (Ray Collins)
Enveloping Ryan Bignold (Alex Gibson)
Weekend A-frame perfection from the Apple Isle (Nicholas Green)
Sam McLennan at the bottom of a Tassie monster (Finn Whitla)
A moment of solitude on the NSW South Coast (Josh Tabone)
Picked up the latest Surfing Life to check out Jeff's double page spread of one those South Oz secret spots you here so much about. Sick pic Jeff!
South African Grant "Twiggy" Baker charging a big blue piece of the Southern Ocean! He gives big wraps to young Josiah Schmucker too! "Josiah really needs to get off the prawn boats and take his act to the world" Twiggy says.
Might we see this happen one day?
There's no doubt, the kid rips! Would you tag along too Jeff?
A parent/sibling act in the surfing world to rival what Damir and Jelena Dokic did to woman's tennis?
like button
Shaun, I don't have an obsession with being on topic.
We've closed ONE article to comments ('RED ALERT - Billabong Pico Alto 2012') because it had amassed 413 comments - about four hundred of which were irrelevant to the topic. We're just trying to keep things a little tidier, because of the regular feedback from some punters annoyed about certain people clogging up multiple articles with off-topic comments.
However, we're not censoring anyone - just trying to make it easier for people to navigate to the content they're after.
far out ben i would juz call dyl or ryan or sammy an juz ask em...if i didnt know them id juz check out their facebook page....if i hadnt found it by then i'd be surprised.....i could call you??
get a grip on yourself mate...YOU BEN MATSON of swellnet fame are killing surfspots one by one in some peoples eyes!!! namley 1 Mr.Maurice cole to start with...and thats just the start....i can see it {and i dont care}...why cant you??? please reply on this one...the views are going thru the roof and the ratings are up and you will crush coastalwatch!!!
.if you really think having 'Fredo" or "Jeff Schmucker" or 'Rich pix" in the corner of your WOTD doesnt blow the joint outa the water to the more "sensitive types" then i dont believe that a man of your skill and stature wrote the intelligent reply in the post above by "thermalben"
By: "jeff-schmucker"
far out ben i would juz call dyl or ryan or sammy an juz ask em...if i didnt know them id juz check out their facebook page....if i hadnt found it by then i'd be surprised.....i could call you??
By: "jeff-schmucker"
Yeah, everyone can just called up dyl, ryan, sammy or juz. Page 83 of the White Pages.
Don't twist your arguement. You said that having the photogs name on the image would 'blow the joint outa the water'. I dispute that.
Look Jeff, I really don't see your point. What are you trying to say? That I'm killing everyone's surfing experience?
no...u are making everyones surfspots more crowded...so some believe....jus sayn
do you understand that you have a part in it for these poor defensless souls?...i'm serious
So taking that line further, if Swellnet were to disappear the crowds would somehow fade in numbers?
i dont think so but others may beg to differ my friend
a few screws loose... jus sayn
I definately think so..How many crew esp. young crew can actually read a weather map? the old fashioned way. All the information is given here to pin point exactly where,how,when a swell will hit and what conditions it will have. Are you serious? You can honestly say that it doesn't have an effect. Ben, you have been quoted when you first starte this gig you got into it because you couldn't work out how the maps would say no swell and yet the grapevine would tell you it was pumping..Lots of people live on the internet.plan their surfs on the internet, buy , sell , eat on the internet. But hey my spot has been quite Uncrowded this year and I might have to thank Gillard and Jeff for that!!
haha piss off barley....i shoulda bn at the %$%## today....my facebook buddys have shots all over it and it was smokn without 1 ski!!!....u and yorkey should get a ski together..??
grogan...2 strikes you are out u wanka
bahaha.. 2 strikes? ah. ok. your mental condition is worse than i thought. ill ease up.
its not that nakerz its just that instead of paying out you really should get ya info sorted.....ya juz look like you know fuk all is all...peace...nice night here in SA
i juz said the 2 strikes thing coz i heard slata saay it on the swellnet interview thingy today....thought it sounded cool.....no wonder he won 10 world titles...gald he's not a whiting fisherman...ther'd be none left!!
I don't think that was down my way Jeff..It was twice as big as that today!!
grog....what do you think about swellnet v exposure ??? or are they in bed together....simple q simple man simple answer...ta
west cape was cooking barley?? maybe i got it mixed up with peuorto.....i know mavs was 10-15 ft this morning with 15-20 guys out ...some fog...one of the boys from lincoln was there
Didn't see anyone out when I was watchin' it!! yeeoow..
Speak and show the truth and you wont have to dodge bullets?Your dodging plenty of bullets yourself caused by past king hits pussy you got no respect from anyone..
was that a bullet or one o them pesky mosquitos that are out tonight....i dont rekn you have said anything worth listening to on any forum ive seen yet mister tripod....if we knew who you were then we would call you a wanker....but because we dont i'm gunna give you the title of ^%$#@!
king hits??? hmmm is this what you are afraid of??
get on the topic at hand then....or start a new one with sumthn ligit you digit
swellnet destroying a surf spot near you Tripod?? yay or nay??
Aw do i upset you coz deep down you know what i say is true?3 strikes and your out.King hits are your specialty i hear so watch your back lads!Any lawyers out there?Would a jetski be classed as a deadly weapon,assault with a deadly weapon has a ring to it dont it Jeff?3 strikes...and your in ha ha
no u dont upset me at all...you are not saying anything except paying out...lets see your real character and tell us all what it is you think about swellnet and the death of a secret spot?
or are you hell bent on trying to bring somethn up from the past to try to bring ol jeffy down/? well thats not gunna happen...keep trying if you want tho tripe coz you seem like you are close to home...it'd be good to hear what you really thing about this exposure thingy the keep talkn about?
No.
Swellnet on its own is not responsible for the death of the secret spot.
You can blame the internet. You can blame the development of digital cameras. You can blame Google maps - earth. You can blame population growth and urban sprawl. You can blame surfers who travel with a camera and post their travels on the net (pro or otherwise). You can blame 4 wheel drives. You can blame surf schools. You can blame mals. You can blame Engel fridges and long life milk.
There are NO secret spots any more, and its not due to Swellnet.
Even with all the information fed to people on sites like this, it is still possible to have a surf with NO ONE out for near on 2 hours in good waves at one of this state's more visited beaches.
There are no secret spots. They are just spots that are a little more difficult to get to, or a good bit more difficult to surf. Those 2 points are enough to keep crowds down despite crew knowing about a spot.
If Swellnet were to disapear I'd be sure that the internet would spawn another forecast - report web site in it's place and photographers and surfers would line up to hand photos to them as content.
You can blame me.
there are still secret spots mate, you just don't know about them, which is just as well if it all your fault.bloody long life milk, changed camping forever.
haha.. long life milk
more like attention seeking wankas destroying secret spots. people who continuously send in photos of themselves. now looks like they having a bit of a sook. hasnt swellnet put any of your pics up for a while damir?
How come Jeffs feeling so entitled to an empty break? Kid invent foam or something?
bencolyer....definitley on its own swellnet is not responsible.....but it does play its part....why does it not attract heat like other things?
my understanding is that we dont generally bite the hand that feeds us..thats all of us!!
grog...nuthn like that at all...you can see my latest shot in ASL or the spread of the same session on here or surfline. Been busy like you champ.
lickdik...i dont feel entitled to an empty break, i juz find myself at one regularly...like the last 4-5 sessions....do u like uncrowded waves??
back on tpoic ben net?
I think in this day and age, we kinda do have to protect some spots... if people are really into surf and surfing, they will track down swell and places were its rippin. But the environment of the break will be damaged if over-used...yew..goin surfing!!
no i havent seen it Damir. I dont buy surf mags. dont get me wrong, i saw your pics on here and on surfline and they are great.
but you say "my understanding is that we dont generally bite the hand that feeds us..thats all of us!!"
you started this thread and have had a go at ben and swellnet who provide you with your soap-box so you can publicize yourself, your son and all the surf spots in your area. bit ironic.
few screws loose.. jus sayn
Hey Ben, what I don't get is why you would want to bring a good set of conditions to anyone's attention. (take the commercial aspect out of it). Those that choose to live remote get it anyway and those that learn how and watch know it's coming. Don't they deserve it.
I remember not long ago an epic swell that came a few hours late ( hit about 11.00am) and as soon as it did it was all over your (may have been coastal watch) site/fb page as a "go get it boys it's here". The people that deserve it are the ones that are observing.
I live near a popular spot and the local crew who put up very patiently with the persistent influx of crowds hang for those sneaky uncrowded days and mate your camera takes that away pretty efficiently.
What are your thoughts on that.
These Aussie (not just Aussie) tall poppy comments remind me of my gf who has a respectable well earned position in a gold mine (not Aussie). people bitch and moan about her and she tells me all about it.
They want what she has.
Thing is, they didn't go to uni.
They are not as smart as her.
They are not attractive.
They can not speak many languages.
ETC ETC.
Thing about competitive behavior is, people at the top rarely bring others down.
Its easier for a loser to bring others down, than to improve him/herself.
You dont see KS talking shit about other competitors.
Why is that?
hmmm good stuff groundy
had a go at ben grog?? are you serious?? thats not havn a go at him....he's a solid guy....what it is that makes you and some others think i have this desire to publicize myself is comn from your way of thinkn....like ben my ID is not concealed becauset hats the way we roll....its ok i presume....just not with you.
publicize the surf spots?? hmmm thats not my intent thats your understanding at work again....heres the irony and the reality of it all.......
yesterday Vic Bitter was alltime...6-10 ft ...1 ski out no one there....grans and indys was 6-8ft glass no one there 1 ski out and smoking.....the bommie 10-15 glass smoking pits...no one out
now we have school hols and awesome weather and there is no one surfing....jus sayn.....why is it that you and your friends think that the surf is ruined around the world.....it seems your glass is always half empty brother.....try to see it as half full....the days are the same length and the sky is just as blue....peace my friend
Jeff, The main problem with the exposing of breaks by anyone or thing is the sort of people that are being encouraged to go looking at coasts such as the one you live. They trash the place through either ignorance or not giving a rats, they don't realize how fragile the coast is. I've seen the damage surfers do when they free camp, they come for a week and leave a blot on the landscape for 6 months or more. photographers take pro and wannabe pro surfers on hit and run surf trips and write stories to accompany the pics that disrespect the towns they visit and the people that serve them. I'm not that concerned with the people the media leads to these quiet places in the water, it's the mark they leave on the land.
I'm confused - so Jeff will submit photos to ASL, Swellnet and Surfline - but will complain that exposure of those spots is killing them. Seems a bit contradictory to me.....
There are heaps of secret spots and some that have not even been discovered. I found one last week and there is next to no way it has ever been surfed. It could never become crowded either unless an ocean liner full of surfers parked up next to it.
It's about getting off your lazy ass, take a chance and explore. The more remote, the less chance of a crowd. Places become crowded because they are easy to get to.
If you want to keep a spot uncrowded, you have to learn to keep your trap shut and stay off things like disgracebook etc.
noserip...what makes you think i'm complaining about spots getting killed?? Yes i have showcased a lot of waves in the surf media along with many others...i do not reverse or try to conceal where they are in any way at all....i am not afraid of places getting crowded and if you come this way to the main breaks i'd like to see you try to get a wave off the locals on any pumping day. The place looks after itself, if you get it wih no one out then dont rush home and tell your mates if you think you can save it from further exposure.....and stopsupporting swellnet if you disagree with jeff putting his photos up here....i know you all wont boycott swellnet coz underneath you really like my photos.....all of you!!
shaun...hopefully there is enough concerned locals roaming the coast to keep a lid on crew damaging the environment...education is the way to go with these guys....i find most are very respective....of course all these swellnet readers and writers wouldnt leave a mess or damage anything in my backyard here would they??no rubbish?? would you pick up rubbish blown onto a bush in the granites carpark if you saw it??
Just out of interest,does someone own these "secret spots"?
@jasper Ha ha ha well played sir!
I think I can answer your question, the answer is: No! Nobody owns them, but the people who live closer to these spots than others think they own them and have more right to them than others.
I know, it makes no sense but it's the supposed 'locals' right and law? We live and work in this great free land but these parts of the ocean/land/earth are to be kept secret and are for the sole use of the real owners (the 'locals' that is), not any other countrymen.
here then ben....i so want to hear your opinion on wether you think you are doing the right thing or are you gunna water it down... iremember you copping flak a longtime ago and i supported you....i still do....your website is and has been my home page ever since my kids taught me to left clik with the mouse....so cmon ...straight answers....anyone else feel free to stik your 2 bobs worth in coz this is australia....girt by sea!!!!