Never mind your deluxe Maldives and Mentawai jaunts, Phil Jarratt chose a slightly less exotic destination for his most recent surf trip. What it lacked in mod-cons it balanced with a whole heap of heart.

Benji Brand with a quarter mile speed burn down the point. The wave works up a head of steam after 30 seconds, hits powerband around the minute mark, and goes into hyperspace somewhere around 1:30.

"I loathe selling them because they all have a story to tell." It's the lament of the reluctant board seller. The anguished fellow whose collection is the result of years of effort, which epitomises his passion for the craft and for surfing's rich history, and which equates to a shed load of coin...and now he has to sell it.

You've seen Scott 'Whippy' Dennis in many a gaping cavern. Each time a swell smashes his little south coast hamlet footage appears of Whippy taking off deep, pulling in late, and toying with the rocks. He plays a big game, does Whippy, but what about all those in between swells?

Loss of upper body strength reduces paddling power. Loss of core strength causes slow transitions. Loss of leg strength causes loss of power through turns. It's time to rage against the dying light and hit the gym.

Last week the RVCA JBU Super Trial went down in excellent six foot waves at Jeffreys Bay. Featuring 16 of South Africa's best surfers the Super Trials offered the sole local wildcard into next month's ASP Jeffrey's Bay Open.

While testing his GoPro Kelly Slater clocks more barrel time than you or I have had in the last year.