On Surfing, Silence, and Civil Obedience
As the doctor pushed and prodded he tried to distract me with conversation, "So what do you do for a job?" The simple ploy worked and I replied with a small amount of pride that I worked for a surfing website, adding casually, "I write the odd article here and there."
"Surfing, eh?" said the doc who by dint of his clothes and comportment I'd already pegged as a devotee. "There's nothing like it to forget about the worries of the world. What sort of stuff do you write?"
I told him I had a column called 'Surfpolitik' that dealt mainly in the politics, business and culture of surfing. The quizzical look he gave betrayed the fact that despite both being surfers there was a fundamental disconnect between the doctor and I. Politics, business and culture clearly weren't part of his experience. Surfing, I imagined him cogitating to himself, is the simple act of a person standing on a board sliding along a wave. All else is unnecessary.
In one sense my doctor was right, surfing is a simple act, but there's an inconvenient truth within surfing – especially within urban surfing - that needs to be addressed: surfers must involve themselves in matters beyond the simple act.
In July 2012 the Gold Coast City Council chaired their once-a-year stakeholder meeting to discuss the annual dredging of Currumbin bar. Currumbin is one of the few breaks where surfers and boaters have to co-operate; surfers on the bank need to watch for boaters crossing the bar and vice versa. In 2011 a surfer was killed at Currumbin when struck on the head by a powerboat entering the bar.
In attendance at the meeting were representatives of the local fishing community, the recreational boating community, as well as representatives of the tourism minister, local councillors and state members of parliament. Considering the popularity of Currumbin to surfers conspicuously absent were any representatives of the surfing community.
As surfers weren't present the meeting focussed on the needs of the people that were. The fisherman and boaters stated their cases with little regard for the surfing requirements at Currumbin. It was less a case of the squeaky wheel getting the oil and more of one wheel falling right off.
It's been estimated that 2,000 surfers move to or begin surfing on the Gold Coast each and every year. Surfing on the Gold Coast is bigger, both in terms of per capita participation and money generated, than both fishing and recreational boating put together. Indeed it's the image on which the Gold Coast sells itself. See the latest Gold Coast tourism campaign with a female surfer paddling on an empty beach and try and think of any campaigns that haven't featured a surfer, beach, or a wave.
Yet when it comes to involving ourselves in the often-tedious but ultimately necessary political process surfers are often left wanting. It's not like surfers can't organise themselves, within a few minutes drive of Currumbin are numerous boardrider clubs, the Gold Coast Surf Industry Task Force, the regional office of the ASP, the office for Surfing Queensland, and the national office of Surfing Australia. It's just that when surfing crosses into other spheres we rarely present a united front.
Dan Ware is a PhD scholar at the Griffith Centre for Coastal Management, he's a also a principal player in the recently established Gold Coast Surf Council. When I put it to Dan why surfing interests aren't adequately represented he questioned the notion of the surfing community. "Perhaps as competition for waves increases we become less a community and more a mass of individuals, or at best clans, all in it for ourselves."
It's often said that surfing is a very selfish pursuit, although I doubt my doctor would say he's 'all in it for himself'. Surfing is done solo and it's the apparent solitude and self-reliance that make it therapeutic and relaxing. Ignorance of matters above the high tide mark may not be a mark of selfishness as much as a reluctance to turn the surfing experience into something heavy and burdensome. It's an understandable response.
Yet in a perverse exchange ongoing ignorance can lead to a reduction of enjoyment in the surf over time. This is more likely in urban areas where pressure is felt from other coastal users and if surfers don't respond by involving themselves in matters of concern then they'll simply be ignored. Exacerbating the problem of amenity is an ever upward participation count in the sport. Urban surf breaks are bursting in an impending Tragedy of the Commons scenario.
Artificial reefs have been proposed as a way to alleviate the strain of overcrowding. Although the myth of the perfect man-made wave has been debunked it's possible to believe that strategically placed reefs built with environmental conditions in mind could provide, if not great, then certainly good waves. At the very least they would increase options and reduce pressure at name breaks. There are, however, no artificial surfing reefs on the agenda anywhere around Australia.
Meanwhile, the NSW State Government announced last week that it would build the state's second artificial reef for fishing near the mouth of the Shoalhaven River. The first artificial reef was sunk in 2011 off South Head, Sydney. The NSW government has also sunk five artificial reefs in estuaries up and down the coast.
Surfers may be curious why a government is building so many reefs for fishing and none for surfing, yet they should know that anglers are organised and politically savvy, and that each reef, including the new one, is paid for by funds raised by recreational fishing licenses.
Surfers are incredibly vocal when it comes to artificial reefs, articles on Swellnet about artificial reefs have seen some of our highest traffic, yet would surfers be prepared to do what fishermen have done to get their amenity improved? Would they entertain new ideas – Reef taxes? Surfer levies? - to aide the construction of an artificial reef?
The answer to that is obvious – at least for the moment – but the more worrying aspect is that there is very little dialogue or conversation happening anywhere. In most surfing publications artificial reefs are mentioned in a hooray for everything, can't-wait-for-a-perfect-wave style in keeping with the fantasy photos shown on every other page. Real on-the-ground facts and hard-boiled discussions are nigh on impossible to find.
Just as some people surf to escape from the reality of life, so to do they expect fantasy and escapism in surf media. Or at least that's what the powers that be provide. Debate, dangerous ideas, and rigorous discussions – hell, counter-cultural rebellion - are largely spurned for superficial celebrations of surfing.
Unfortunately for surfers the absence of critical commentary and strategic reflection within our community only reinforces the well-worn stereotypes of surfers. You think it doesn't matter how other people perceive us? Why then do we allow politicians photo opportunities on our stages but not engage with them at the political level? The tag of pushover is looming large for surfers and regardless of its accuracy without media and institutions to lead reflective discussions about surfing issues that stereotype will provide all the ammunition necessary to keep us forever on the outside.
Comments
Very interesting article.
I wonder how much of it comes down to the license fees and restrictions on other pursuits essentially forcing those communities to engage. Rec fishers have to pay the government to do what they want to do (at least in a few states), and how they do it is checked by the govt (size and bag limits etc) with fines for breaking the law. So they're gonna engage because what they do is already restricted by society and if they don't, that will only increase.
We don't have that so I think that results in apathy. Until there are consistent restrictions by government, I think we'll all just carry on.
Local groups engage when a surf break is under threat, like kirra, straddie etc, but that's not cross the board restrictions on surfing. I reckon it would change if we had to pay the local council for a surfing license or had times we weren't allowed to surf no matter how good it was, or something like that. Then you'd get a bunch of cranky surfers showing up to meetings and so on.
Most rec fishing lobbying is led by the rec fishing industry, not by everyday fishers...
As in say, Qicksilver; :"Come on, we're having a contest next week at Snapper, get some some sand pumped around that point".
Government; "How many tons sir".
Don't ever expect the surfing industry to use their influence to do any favours for recreational surfing unless it directly feathers their own nest.
Imagine how much goodwill could be generated if say the big 3 sent a couple of their representitives to act in a community liaison type role at relevent coastal management meetings and events in countries where they had a large market share to advocate in the interest of their customers?
They could then advertise how much they were doing to represent the surfing community and fighting for our right to surf and be heard against other competing interests such as fishers and boaties.
It would be a big step in maturing as a sport/recreational pastime for our brands to show that kind of corporate responsibility.
Surfers are getting older, wiser and wealthier so there's no reason to still market to us all like we're a bunch of immature school kids. Maybe more of us would be compelled to buy their products then?
Dream on Yorkes, as my well informed friend Shauno stated not unless they're feathering the nest.....
But they have all printed a t-shirt at some stage boasting environmental awareness, Such as Rip Curls "trash the waves not the beaches" which should have had in brackets underneath(cept when we want to have a contest)
Geez stu, your PhD Dan is showing himself to be a blind man.
And I guess all those lobbing for their own agenda on any coastal subject will deny surfing as a cohesive community..... But when push comes to shove and a surfer and surfing is under a real threat, I'm going back the surfer.
Let us watch with interest what unfolds at the bar.
And contact PhD Dan and read him the dictionary definition of community and let me know his comment .... It's my guess he can't see what he can't understand.
And often these polital threats to surfers go unnoticed because those carryning out the lobbying work behind the scenes, do so to shore up their positions trusting they can get a foot hold and a bit of solid ground under them before surfer's unite.
Possibly true that surfers are lazy around such politics stu.... Until the beast is awoken.
When the bell rings, I'm backing the goldy to floor the opposition ...
"But when push comes to shove and a surfer and surfing is under a real threat"
When it gets to that stage surfers are on the back foot and reacting rather than driving the agenda. Sure, there are plenty of surfer groups out there with gusto fighting for their interests - full props to Andrew McKinnon and his ongoing Kirra campaign, and Luke and Phil at the Save Our Spit Alliance - but in a broader sense there's no-one representing surfing in the same way as competing interests.
Surfing has a certain Hobbesian aspect to it of the war of all against all. In most other comparable activities people need to cooperate to a greater extent than surfing, either because more participants are essential or to improve the status of the activity and gain additional infrastructure. Surfing needs no other participants and beyond a few their presence actually detracts from the amenity of the experience. Surfers have always therefore had a vested interest in discouraging participation and as a consequence organising surfers makes herding cats look simple.
My sons call surfing magazines 'surf porn' and the name is more apt then they realise: surfing magazines run pictures of waves but it's all surface and looks. The European magazine Surfers Path is an exception having excellent articles by scientists, environmentalists and persons of interest. Fishing mags aren't just bought by teenagers and nor are golfing magazines.
Firstly, Queensland doesn't have Recreational Fishing Licenses, except if fishing in certain stocked inland impoundments. No annual fee is paid to any department to fish saltwater.
Secondly, Currumbin Estuary has always been designated open ocean access, some form of passage is essential for safety and rescues, otherwise the nearest is either Tweed or Southport Seaway, Tallebudgera is way to hairy in general. This safe passage / rescue capacity extends for all forms of water craft traveling the coast, wherever they've launched, hence the Air Sea Rescue infrastructure at Currumbin. We've been thru this on other threads.
Currumbin is one of 3 ocean open access points (IE: Currumbin, Tweed, Brunswick Heads) between the Southport Seaway and Ballina. I wouldn't count Tallebugera, Kingy or Hastings Pt. as such on a dependable basis.
From a regulation standpoint, I'd doubt you'll unravel the above.
If you don't mind me quoting you MM...
---all those lobbing for their own agenda on any coastal subject will deny surfing as a cohesive community---
surfing as a cohesive community ? I don't think there is any such thing, my visits to SN forums always reflects this to me. Very little rational diplomacy. A heard of cats springs to mind.
When/if the creek mouth gets dredged, you'll see many more boats, 50-60-70+ was not uncommon in years past. Everyone needs to have their wits about them and co-exist. An example, this especially means NOT paddling across the bar before dawn in the dark, boats don't have headlights and surfers don't have safety lights.
BB, herd of cats, SNAP !!
And yet guys.....
You know, in all I have witnessed in surfing, the galvanizing of the surfing community does happen and can and has bought councils and even the monster that is a surf life saving club down to the ground.
Cats? Yep, sat in the middle of em. On the back foot? Yep again, and watched the establishment give way as a structured bedate and legal representation by surfers, for surfers took place.
As you all know, we surfers come in all shapes and sizes, and uni qualifications!! We have some big honchos amongst us.
For my local, the threat had to become real and immediate danger before the boys came out of the wood work. But when they did, all the pettyness that we humans go on with was pushed to the side and we quickly formed a community that gave such a strong voice that not only were we listened to, but we were heard louder than those who wanted to take our break away.
So just on a guess I'm going to put my cash where my mouth is (along side my foot) and as I said, back the goldy surfers to come out as one If and when they are really under the pump.
I don't doubt that you're right mouse. I am sure surfers can get together when there is a direct local threat but that is a kind of minimalist, reactive approach that means, since we can't win every battle, the gradual, perhaps quite literal, erosion of our surf zones. Ideally we would have a high membership organisation with professionals actively planning for artificial reefs, sand slugs and other useful technologies.
In other sports the businesses that benefit from the sport have been active in forming and directing these types of organisations - in surfing they have failed to provide any leadership of that type. The model of professional surfing developed in the seventies was great if you were a successful pro or wanted to make your living in the clothing business but it has been an absolute negative for the rest of us. As I have said before I think some leadership and smart investment in getting an organisation like this started could make a huge difference over the next couple of decades. You think you have crowd issues now ? What do you think the future holds the way we are going?
Wow bb, that's an extension on where I was going. Ie local issue, local solution by local surfers.
However, now that you've gone there... Why not have a Surfers Party in the up coming fed elections..... Now who's in on that?
As for waiting or hoping Al Green, Bob McNight, Bruce Raymond, Gordon Merchant, Claw, Chris Athos, etc etc etc will do anything but fleece surfing .... Those guys only know how to take.
Well could be a Surfers Party is an option... ?????????
Who's the first candidate???
Hey stu I nominate you....
Too many skeletons in my closet BB, a muck-raking journo would have themselves a field day. I nominate myself for head of media and communications - The Spin King.
On a more serious note Brad Farmer has begun agitating for a ‘National Coastal Act’ and a dedicated Federal Ministry/Department for Coasts.
A Surfers Party? No I was thinking more of a broad based association to raise funds and lobby. I mean if the arms industry can hold the US to ransom over gun laws via the NRA we should be able to manage a small scale recreational issue without too much drama. A reef here, a sand pump there, a sewer outfall - NOT THERE IDIOTS, that sort of stuff. Anyway I think my ASIO file would probably bar me from parliament!
Stu, why do I know the name brad farmer ? Be dammed if I can put face to the name though??
Can you help out with info.
This article did not do any justice to the truth nor complexity of the issue at Currumbin, and only segued into a more conceptual affair. The local political deceptions did not allow or invite the local boardriding club a place at the table (as is their standard ploy given that they serve the economics of boating), but it has been raised that there will be significant resistance to heavily dredging the bar while it is in such good shape for surfing (which sucks for boat access). It is true that there are many, many times more surfers than any other user group, yet if you looked at it on Sunday it was a massive mess of SUPs, mals, kooks and beginners. Try organising that...
I wonder what else Dan Ware had to say to Stu that was omitted - I'm sure it was far more in depth than what is presented here.
@MM,
Brad Farmer is the fella who began Surfrider in Australia and also started the National Surfing Reserves program (World Surfing Reserves too). Prior to all that he was involved with Greenpeace where his activism and civil disobedience saw him jailed in Russia at one point.
@Surfinado,
The 'conceptual affair' of surfers being outside the political process was the point of the article - Currumbin was merely the embarkation point. Not sure what you're alluding to in your last sentence but don't really like the tone of it. Are you suggesting I've misrepresented Dan?
Nah Stu, relax, no 'tone' intended; I'm just saying that surely Dan had more to say on this issue than the one quote, given his introduction within the piece. Re: your choice of words, there's been a lot of discussion about misrepresentations around the place (Currumbin/Palmy) lately by various parties.
There are numerous options being bandied about by the authorities regarding sand movement and artificial constructions, including ones which would be designed to both stabilise beaches and create surfing amenity.
Cool. I've spoken to Dan at length about Currumbin and also the developments at Palmy, which are worrying from a surfing perspective. Hopefully there'll be dedicated articles coming soon (time dependent).
The political issues currently facing surfing have roots that go way back.
The apathy that currently exist within the surfing psycology, also has roots that go way back.
As the whole idea of being a surfer, living the surfing life, was based on an idea of dropping out of main stream social border lines, it has fostered an insular psycology deeply rooted in the surfing psych.
Then you add to that the underlying feeling within surfing/surfers of past generations, that the ideal was too big for most, thereby most surfers not committing to the ideal and its there maybe you find the answers as to why there is a perception that there is no surfing community.
Isolation is like a band aide.
Eg... I know three guys who I can say no matter how you look at it they measure up to the surfing ideal of the marketing captions that dare their consumers to "surf yourl life away".
They are... George Greenough, Chris Brock, David Trealor. And yes all three of them live in an isolation.... Not many have the guts for that type of commitment to going surfing.
Is it healthy is another subject as is the subject of what has it cost them socially.
Have I got a point here?
I'm not sure.
There's all sorts of fellings floating through as I contemplate a belief I hold that surfing is a community.
I guess its because I feel a part of something. I feel a brotherhood of sorts to all who in their way have committed to the surfing life as best they could along with making life work for themselves... As my friends have.
Have we much to show for it other than mems?
Na.
Have we come together at times and felt like a community?
Yep.
Just you and I chatting here gives a sense of community does it not?
Looking forward to it, as always OCD on Swellnet...
'And yes all three of them live in an isolation... not many have the guts for that type of commitment to going surfing.'
Hey, that's fuck'n hilarious! As much as I respect George Greenough, I've had some great talks with him... isolation? Byron/Lennox/Ballina/Angourie isolated... cheepers, make sure you pack rescue gear and supplies... that is hilarious. It reminds me of setting out on this hardcore, isolated journey with some local guys to Evans Head. A quick drive on the bitumen highway (don't fall asleep behind the wheel its a loooong way), recuperate in the shops, 5 minutes more on the bitumen, into the carpark, quick stop in the toilets, prepare for the quick walk up the beach, phone the wives in case they don't make it...say hello to all the people sunbaking and fishing up in the corner... Yah gotta love the East Coasties, they try their little hearts out!
Your a funny cat uplift.
Your isolation is one of local. Such shallow isolation was never what I was referring to.
Theirs is one of heart.
For your stupid comment I'm going to have a soft dig at you here....
If you ever get past yourself and read what is written and not your own reflection, you may end up contributing esomething of interest to my comments like once you did a few weeks back.
Until such a time you do nothing but give credence to the perceptions that surfing is a disjointed bunch of guys and far from being a community.... & maybe your right.
Couple of things. Stu, I recognise Currumbin was used as a case study for the topic of surfing community cohesion. I haven't meant to make light of the subject, merely offer some of the complexities the location has faced for 40 'ish years.
Surfinado, could you fill us in on the last time the Currumbin creek mouth was effectively dredged. Post Tweed By-Pass, the excercise would be all but futile I believe. The estuary was dredged regularly back in the day, however sand supply these days is massively infinite. Cheers.
OT - Great to hear Chris Brock's name mentioned. Great surfer, great shaper. Had some awesome long rakey, Greenough inspired, box single fins of his when I was a grommie. From back in the Sky surfbaords era - Chris Brock, Micheal Cundith, etc. and the up&coming Gary Timperley . fuck yeah Timpo ripped the bag. They were really good times. Epic days. If I could turn back time...
MM, I really enjoy your prose, but mate, you've gone too deep for me.
Can I just stick to being bamboozled by the Bhagavad-Gita and Vedic texts ?
Thanks.
Hey Sid that's really funny.
And also probably spot on. A bit too much for a little forum.
Still, somewhere in there I got a feeling, at least on a local level, when required surfers unite.
Now where did I put my copy of the Gita?
Mighty-mouse,
I'm reminded of a saying "I'd say whats on my mind but id rather have friends." Not to say Greenough, Brock and Baddy bad mouth people but that living a 'true' life can mean hurting people close to you. All those guys made choices that have set them apart (not geographically Uplift! Sheeesh take your anus hat off) so they could be true to themselves and what they wanted. Few people could live that way.
Hey Sid,
Old mate Freeride Shearer has got an article on Cundith in the latest Surfers Journal Vol 22 Issue 3. Read it?
Yeh top, that's what I was pointing to. In fact exactly that.
And Yeh, few people could or have lived that way. And the price is high.
It was a big ideal that was put in place. But I love those guys for taking it.
And I love surfing for offering just that.
Reading those Spiritual books and understanding and experiencing them are miles apart. There is no isolation, other than a mental one. The truth is the exact opposite. Keep trying.
Uplift,
How do you know what other people understand and experience?
From Dan Ware to Mighty Mouse (the Swellnet rego page is on the fritz so Dan sent the correspondence via myself):
"Cheers Mighty, I'd love to be proved blind, as you say, here is the evidence I'm basing my comment on:
It takes 13 years to get $800k to extend Kirra Groyne and now its going to be marketed as an international tourist destination. Only 2,000 people show up to a rally to protect TOS at the Save Our Spit protest. No-one questions the Qld. State Government investing $30 million over 4 years into increasing recreational boating use of Gold Coast Waterways including Currumbin Creek. GCCC has just announced $30m in coastal engineering projects in the form of the Mayors three point plan without even speaking to any surfing groups.
Check out www.surfcouncil.org if you want to get in contact which I would really welcome. Check the statement, I prefaced my comments with 'perhaps', I'm not making a statement of fact, just trying to make sense of recent events on the Gold Coast where I see surfers continually marginalised in government decisions that have big consequences for our interests.
Stu, I don't read or buy surf mags, only interlope on SN, but would like to track that one down for prosperity. Freerides stuff is great, and Cundith is an amazing character if not at least ecentric, maybe not as much as Greenough.
In primary school days, the olds' would farm me out in summer holidays, ship me down to stay with Cundith at Broken for a few weeks. Got to hang out and surf an awesome range of mainly twin fins, double concave with fluted flyers. I reckon Michael Cundith probably took twin fins to the next level from MR.
All those sorta guys put the color in my life, along with no doubt many others. Definitely a bit weird, but the world is better for it, methinks.
Uplift, are you challenging my Krishna-ness ? How dare you. Hare Rama Ding Ding to you !
Stunet, and siddarthafish in reference to the Spiritual texts mentioned, the source of the thoughts is the subject matter. The opposite to difference and isolation. How can your Krishna-ness be challenged siddarthafish? See reading doesnt automatically equate to knowing. Try harder!
But good point stunet, how does the mouse know what those 3 people think, experience,feel and live?
Come on Kundalini. Are you giggling to yourself while typing your posts? Makes little sense to me, though Siddhartafish gave me a wry chuckle.
Sid,
Copyright infringing PM sent your way. Let me know if it works.
Hi Dan, all along this thread I have maintained that surfing is/has community. It may not be what each individual within that community wants to see or would like to see, but it is there, is does exist. It's lines might be blurred but it is there.... that's been my claim.
That's been my call and while your facts are a hit in the guts to my proposal that a surfing community exists, the fat lady hasn't sung her final tune yet..... on many of the current issues we face.
Now there's more than uplift who will see me as a fool worthy of a payout.....
But with respect to you, and even if this mythical community of mine is but a personal dream, I call it today a community. In the past I've heard it called a sub culture.
What ever it is, it can be mobilised is my experience.
Cheers.
Sid in the 9 years that Ive lived up this ways, Ive never seen Currumbin mouth dredged, maybe I missed it while being away. Correct me tho.
I know about 2-3 years ago the estuary was getting dredged.
Is the Kirra groin getting extend at the moment? Was looking at the Snapper surf cam.
Yeah it is Welly, and what a time to do it with a strong long-period E/SE groundswell on the way for this Friday. There's been plenty of opportunity over the past month to get started but they've gone about it now. I reckon they should have held off one more week.
Actually I thought Siddarthafish was pretty clever too.
Like I said Stunet, its hilarious claiming any sort of isolation in the Byron/Lennox/Ballina/Angourie region. Well by now its probably, the Goldy/Byron/ Ballina/Yamba/Angourie suburb.
Then there's all those isolated, un-isolating interviews, products and clips.
Next there will be quotes from Nat Young's laws of peace, buy one get two for free... almost sold out!
Oh mate, I understood MM's comments as being 'isolation of the mind', alienation, whatever you want to call it. The point being they were separating themselves from social norms - not geographically separating themselves as such.
I'm sure a sage such as yourself could appreciate that.
Yeh, I realise that, which is a fallacy if you choose the social norm of a mega, super trendy, image mecca, suburb to live in. And do interviews, make films, sell products and so on. Its like the Nat Young comical, lets be bros sharing the lineup blurb, on sale now, autographed copies going fast!
How does that old Stones song go again?
I'm a lonesome gymjunkie and I just got in to town
I heard so much about Port Lincoln I just had to check it out
Now where do I get.........
Remember that one uplift?
Isolate.. place apart or alone. Isolation.. made into an island. I didn't invent the word uplift, but according to my Oxford Dictionary I did use it correctly. Especially when used as "an isolation".
So your other beef is how do I know anything about those guys?
Because I'm the mouse!
The properties behind Broken Head back beaches have hardly changed in 30 odd years, apart from the size of a few dwellings, nor has Broken really. So technically not isolated but certainly a time warp.
Pretty sure Greenough just still does his own thing, which could be seen as reclusive. I've always seen him as an eccentric idividual following the wanderings of his mind. That's his type of luxury, cos he can afford it. You'll still see him around.
Siddhartha Gautama ?? gimme a break uplift, I'm not THAT old.
Definition : Isolated on social media websites. See Uplift.
Uplift, I'd be sure Greenough lives closer to his God, than do you or I, to ours.
Ha ha... Hey Sid your a funny dude. Thx for the giggle.
'Just as some people surf to escape from the reality of life, so to do they expect fantasy and escapism in surf media. Or at least that's what the powers that be provide. Debate, dangerous ideas, and rigorous discussions – hell, counter-cultural rebellion - are largely spurned for superficial celebrations of surfing.'
So, the beat goes on, God lives in the isolated, pristine backwoods of Byron, in a sub - division, drives a car, pays rates, only talks to magazines, makes movies for... enlightenment, Rabs is the greatest athlete who ever lived, Nat is just a peace loving hippy that has fought a long, hard, lonely battle for sharing waves, Dora... and once, Mr Uplift (the gracious winner of the Swellnet 500 Posting Championships) caught a bomb at Caves, rode the fucker through to Castles, connected up to inside Castles, and then stepped off down the beach miles away... well, that's we we told Snig, and that's what he told the Penong pub... Black's is a small, shitty, unchallenging washthrough.
And anyone who says otherwise, you'll be fuck'n sorry ya ####ing, smart arse *****ing #####****... And... In fact:
Either, we will never, ever, ever, never ever, ever speak to you, or anyone who even, ever, ever, ever, even ever, ever even ever, heard of you, ever. I REPEAT... NEVER... EVEN EVER!!!!
Or we will get a team, no, in fact a 'gang', of really, really mean, like, really, really, really mean knife wielding, mma bashin', karate totin' inked, barrow pushing, heavy, gigglin' units to beat the living ####ing ***p outa you, and really, really, really get you, you blasphemous ####ing... so there!
Ok, fair enough, who would actually say that sort of ludicrous crud?
So it's back to stream of consciousness then is it uplift? I much prefer it when you make sense. Here's that Stones song in case you missed the reference.
http://m.
'Ok, fair enough, who would actually say that sort of ludicrous crud?'
Blinder? Did you say...
I can just picture you down the front at the 'Stones', squealing ya head off.
Nah mate never was a fan, I was more the Englebert Humperdinck type myself. What about you?
'blind confessions of an east coast surf groupie',
'jaggs'farted on me! 'Rabs' seen it!
Uplift, please seek a doctor, all those eggs are making your brain fart. Give it a break, you're just being a cockhead. Again.
Greenough has never made movies for enlightenment, nor has he made movies for the money, he doesn't need any more.
Surfing is a vehicle. Cinematography is his sometimes hobby. The ocean is his medium of mystery, both above and below the waterline.
The man is an aqua-astronaut who occasionally shares his experiences with us mortal regular folk. The space component of his domain is not geographical.
Hey Dan, a little research has shown you have every right in the capacity you are currently working in, to be frustrated by the lack of response from the goldy surfing community.
Like with all forms of motivation its about finding the right triggers to get the performance
you require. Don't have the answers for you there. Maybe check in with big Mal for ideas. We've been at a loss for such ideas for eight years now down my way.
Cheers.
Who's jaggs?
Fish, when I've spoken to him we just spoke about things that made him seem human. However, you obviously know his inner workings through some mystical link.
@ Jaggs, pm me mate.
Yes, yes, yes, I agree with you profusely Jaggs, that is the exact point that I am making. Thankyou for your praise, and intelligence. Naturally there will be certain 'others', who cant grasp our sophisticated discussions, but it is a cross I am prepared to bear. Again thankyou for your prolific praise and wisdom Jaggs, and validation, not that either of us needs any validating or cuddles. It is a pleasure to be able to have an intelliigent, life changing, aqua astronaut like conversation for once rather than the usual 'tits, arse, and sea breeze is in drivvle. So, again, thankyou Jaggs, mate.
Imaginary friends at your age uplift? That's a bit sad isn't it?
Too much DMT ?........
Upbum, lying on the ocean floor filming dolphins surfing thru the face of waves so they look like spaceships in the sky isn't "mystic" enough for you ?
What about stirring up tiger sharks on your windsurfer off the back of Lennox Bluff, just so you can watch how they move thru water.?
That being first to share travelling inside the tube was ho-hum in the day.?
It may be a hard boiled egg hard to swallow, but there are actually people out there more interesting than we find you.
If I need a spiritual personal trainer, don't call me, I'll call you, if I ever get really, really, really, really (is this enough REALLYs for you) desperate.
Now get back to sucking your own cock.
Uplift, I get the vibe, you are, or have been, a Real Estate Agent. Yes ?
Or is my esoteric intuition undeveloped ?
Maybe he sold real, real real, real, real estate.
Come on lads, you've gotta try much harder than that! Try ya litle hearts out! And, you'll need many, many more of you's too.
Jaggs, pm us mate.
weight in numbers ?
Talk about scraping the barrow...I mean barrel.
March of the lemmings?
Ok uplift, I'll bite, I'll have a go.....
You post words thinkig to yourself you are kicking arse... All you do is show yourself as an ignorant fool.
You post a photo of yourself thinking you show you kick arse as a surfer... All you show is your a kook who's got the balls to take off on a bigish wave.
Look at your track, your not looking for the juice at the bottom, your loooking for safety.
Look at your stance, unbalanced, stiff as a board, no sign of any rotation that will take you anywhere near the energy ... Your ideas of yourself are just that, ideas only.
Yep one of God's flops.
UPyourarse uplift, you really are a nob, I can just imagine you sitting there behind the computer screen laughing at your own comments, just shut the fuck up, you add nothing of importance, intelligence or humour to this forum. go away
Left, right, left, right, left, right.
Here's another one just for you uprcut.
- GEORGE GREENOUGH is a MAN whose BODY is HUMAN, but his MIND is AMPHIBIOUS. -
There you go big nuts, give it your best, make it all about you, then try harder.
(note the big nuts, is in lower case.)
And there goes another one over the cliff.
Is that the best you've got big nuts ? Lame, Try harder .
No prize for second fishy.
... Said the bloke coming last.
We can't hear you properly down there fishy, stop whining, pull yourself together and try harder getting back up the cliff.
On a serious note though, this document is probably as good as its ever going to get, slap your signatures on it, have you, mouso, or one of your side kicks deliver it to the powers to be, perhaps with a little speil about isolated God like amphibians, arse kicking goldie gangs, hobbesian like back foot cats, east coasty surfy parties taking over the country, and yipppiieee, Currumbin is saved!
@ Jaggs, yeh exactly mate, I know, I know, I know, and agree with you 100%, but I like to think that there's some hope for 'them'. Jaggs, call me a hotty, call me a brick shithouse, or call me an incredibly good looking dreamer, but I will not give up on the poor, lost, feeble little geeks.
Bullseye! Your ego is bleeding, obvious for all to see.
Sorry to have hurt you sunshine but you've been such a dick.
UpRcut, You are having convos with yourself, like having sex with yourself, IN PUBLIC.
Really, why can't I believe in aquatic alchemy by oceanic wizards if I want ? What's it matter to you fuck face ?
I heard you mention TC somewhere once. It's common knowledge it took him years of yoga to unravel and rebalance the damage done by weight training. Compressed vertabrae, blocked chi, manifested in physical rigidity and mental frustration.
Let me happily ride my magic rainbow boards, even call them gay.
You can keep eating eggs, pumping lead and farting sulphur. Knock your self out guru, once you've finished knocking yourself off.
@upskirt, I was wondering where bigwayne went to. Welcome back.
@Sid, Mate Greenough isn't as special as you make out, he's just a trust fund kid with a lot of time on his hands. I'm sure a lot of normal people could do some amazing things if they were able to spend there whole life not having to work, just contemplating there navels and pursuing there hobbies just trawl through youtube, greenoughs are a dime a dozen.
That is certainly true Shaun, but don't know of many other trust fund kids that did things like he did with stuff like fins and flex or foil, especially at that point in time. It was just as revolutionary as 3 fins for the day.
There was no textbook or computer programs around, just sight, touch, feel, imagination and yeah, free time.
And I disagree, not a lot of normal people could do some amazing things, most of us rarely do, wouldn't matter how much time or money we had.
Give me all your money and I'll prove you wrong.
This conversation shows why nothing will happen until its much harder than it is now. We go from a serious question or problem to talking about greenoughs trust fund.
Like I said in comments section of the report of the boat/surfer accident, swellnet please provide details of this organisation defending our position so we can join if we wish.
The so called peak bodies of SUrfing Australia and Queensland don't even get a mention by the punters because they are doing nothing for us.
As noted previously by myself the government will ban surfing at this spot eventually if we don't do something about it. They get rego fees from boats, they get nothing from us and the don't let people ride skateboards on freeways. That's how they see surfing in the Currumbin creek.
Ok, keep working on the document if you insist. Its the ultimate example of the actual theme of the article.
Fishy and Shauny, glad to see that you have been riveted to my every word. What would you do otherwise. Shauny, I understand your bitterness, having been publically and ludicrously flogged by me in the Swellnet 500. You couldn't even get that right.
If that happened to Tom Carroll through weight training, then he should have got a decent trainer. That scenario isn't uncommon though. My friend helped him heaps with his back, as he did other elite athletes, at their wits end who came to him
Don't expect me to make you happy fishy, you have to do it yourself.
They will never ban surfing at Currumbin. If they did, the ban would be ignored. Anyone atempting to enforce the ban would be met with extreme violence.
The boaties just want the creek mouth dredging.
I repeat, have your wits about you and co-exist.
You guys totally lost me, many comments ago..
But seeing that aerial pic in this article and talk of Kirra and Currumbin gets me so nostalgic, if it wasn't for the crowds and concrete jungle i would definitely still live there.
Imagine how good it must have been 100 years ago it would have been such a perfect coast, those sand point set ups are just so fun, a lot of people dont rate the alley, but I remember having so many fun surfs there and days where it was super hollow from behind/next to the rocks then running through endless fun rippable sections down to lacys (sp?) then having to walk, paddle across river and then walk back out and jump off the rocks, my memory has even forgotten about the crowds, but im sure they were there and I don't even really remember any problems with boats?
... in a nutshell Indo.