Just days short of his 21st birthday Sam Norwood is already over the hill. Occy's Grom Comp is in town and Coolangatta has sold out of Red Frogs and Gummi Bears. Ain't nothing like a kid half your size that surfs twice as good to put you in your place.

Meanwhile, Joel Coleman powered his flash and lit up the night for the squinting surfers. The trip was a photographic surf mission put on by The Perfect Wave and Saltmotion Photography.

Over the weekend Sunshine Coast natural-footer, Thomas Woods, picked up a bronze trophy for placing third in the mens division of the ISA World Surfing Games.

Pass the time by checking Sam's blog, it's brimming with vids and pics to count down the day.

The shark, believed to be either a dusky whaler or a bull shark, swam within five metres of surfers before the alarm was raised and the crowded line-up cleared. Photographer, Brad Schmidt, said the shark wasn't hostile appearing "more curious than hungry".

Former two-time world champion Tom Carroll and his tow-surfing partner, Ross Clarke-Jones, narrowly escaped serious injury whilst surfing in Western Australia last week. In the middle of filming a sequence for the upcoming movie, Storm Surfers 3D, Carroll towed Clarke-Jones into a mid-size wave on his jet ski, only to be caught by the wave as he headed for the channel. According to Carroll, "The waves were so wild and unpredictable that is was hard to tell what was happening. I tried to manhandle the ski but the wave just took me where it wanted." Unfortunately, the wave completely engulfed Tom and destroyed the ski in the process - ripping large stainless steel mounts away from the ski's frame, and pulverising a $15,000 carbon-fiber 3D camera rig.

More crowded than the take-off at times. Nick Sheffield is one photographer that can't complain about obstructed views, he regularly swims into the pit to get the front row seat as the surfers set their line.

After an incredible late autumn / early winter run of swell the east coast has ground to a halt.

Sam Clift slides into a sly little pit at Snapper, sets his line and rides the foamball, squeezing out the exit in front of photographer, Sam Norwood.

The Surf Travel Co. These days they go everywhere: Indo, Fiji, PNG, Polynesia, Maldives, Sri Lanka...the list goes on. Hutch is still with STC and keeps a loose collection of shots from his travels.

How long's it been, four days? Michael Carter digs up some distant memories from Duranbah on Tuesday.

During one of Sydney's recent swells Richard James chanced upon Isaac Buckley and Tim Taplin whipping each other into the local speedway.

During a recent swell at Trigg Point Mike Maxted unsheathed his camera an hour before dark.

On an overcast day at Currumbin Blainey Woodham captures the crew - amongst them loggers Dane Pioli and Dan Croskey - sliding down a dark Alley. All photos by Blainey.

Mitch Adams twists, grabs and spins through a number of variations while keeping his rails dry on the Sunshine Coast. All photos by Jack Dekort.

It may be one of Australia's busiest beaches but the opportunity to score good uncrowded surf is still available at Manly.

'Keep the tour flexible' say others.  Well, here's an idea: Hold every comp in Indo. The Best West Java Surfing Competition at Cimaja, West Java, ran for six days and it pumped every day.

The Sunshine Coast has been experiencing an Indian Summer - a late burst of summer - this past week, especially in regards to swell.

...a Thousand Miles From Care. I think that's how Manly's marketing spiel goes. After five days of onshore wind, Craig Brokensha spent a carefree morning shooting as the wind swung offshore and the east swell pumped. All photos by Craig.

Up until 1980 Vanuatu was known as the New Hebrides, named after the Hebrides island chain off the west coast of Scotland. With palm trees, blue water and coral reefs Lord knows how the early explorers saw any similarities between it and cold, windswept Scotland. Anyway, the local mob gained their independence in 1980 and ditched the ridiculous name - now Vanuatu it is. Tom Jarratt recently spent his honeymoon there and slipped a board into the luggage.