Free-surfing yesterday and psyching Kelly out with a belly flop. © Joli
It seems that tomorrow is going to at last go back to beautiful Teahupoo … The first heat against Dane went well and, now, the big daddy of the circuit (Kelly Slater) …
We must seize this golden opportunity!
Besarkada haundi bat eta Maururu por todos los animos.
IUUPP.
– Aritz
Trekked through some wild seas to get there. © Shield
‘The Cape’ had the best banks ever but too small so we towed in to one footers then bodysurfed for about 200-300 yds on some after diving off the boards. Crazy.
Benji Wetherley broke his nose when his board hit him at the end of the session as we were both riding one. Trevor Hendy (6’3″) rode my 5’4″ on a few and loved it. Jimmy O’Keefe, Tom Servais, Shieldsy, and our friend Jacko joined us and most everyone got a few waves.
Bodysurfing the sandbar earlier with Benji. © Shield
It was a hell ride upwind on skis to get there made all the worse when we arrived to small surf but we made the most of it, and the erosion on the coastline ride up revealed some pretty crazy earth below that we don’t normally see. Colors I didn’t know existed in sand, from pinks to blacks to reds to oranges and yellow and everything in between. I hit the shore and collected some for keepsakes.
Benji with a pound of ice on his nose at the pub. © Shield
Watched the Coldplay gig in Brisbane last week, which was an amazing production. Chris Martin headed down one day to see the event but it had been cancelled for the day just shortly before. He spent time watching the free-surfing instead and we couldn’t talk him into joining us and our best three hundred friends at the Superbank running into Greenmount.
Snapper. © Joli
I didn’t quite have the success I was looking for in the event obviously, but it was a first for me and quite enjoyable riding my own shaped equipment. Maybe it was a good thing I lost early and it’ll throw ’em off the scent for a while should I have some success with it in the future.
Everyone seems to have their opinions about my choices but that’s just fine. They’ve gotten me here and I think that’s ok for now. If you’re not a genius I guess you’re a fool. I’ll tell you what, I almost couldn’t steal my board back off of Tom Carroll the other day. Might need a safe to put ’em in shortly if he’s around much.
Don’t want that back foot stomping my tails down before I can lay a few turns on rail without getting it out of the ding shop first. Small man, heavy foot. Just watch him drive. I’m off back to CA now. Back to the drawing board and having some fun.
Bye for now.
ks
The new Snake digs under construction at Canggu. Check the photo at the bottom of the blog to see what it’ll look like when it’s done.
Well, it’s been a while. So much has happened in the last couple of
months so I will give a quick recap …
Firstly, I have a new job at Quiksilver Indonesia working in sports
marketing!!! Yeah, I have an office and a desk and stuff, haha, pretty heavy after having the ocean as my office for about 20 years!!! I’m stoked to be working in the industry that I know and love.
I’m still doing some work at the Quiksilver events: I was in France for the Quiksilver Pro where we saw Ace Buchan have his maiden win and holding off Kelly in the final.
The Champ, in Bali a couple of months back. ©Shield
Stoked for Ace, but it would have been great for Quiksilver for Kelly to win and be crowned the 2008 World Champ at that event. He didn’t have to wait long as he won it the next week in Mundaka. What a freak — nine World Titles!!! I’m sure he will have a shot at winning two fists full.
After France, I was back in Bali for a couple of weeks then I was off to Portugal to coach the Australian team at the ISA World Games. It was one of the best events I have been part of – the camaraderie is unbelievable and just to be a part of the whole thing was an honour. Australia smashed the field winning by over 3000 points so our team made me look pretty good as coach! Haha.
I’m back in Bali now and look forward to getting some good waves and finishing the house we are building up here in Canggu.
This is how it’s going to look when it’s all done.
Yes, I have been in the office the last few days catching up on everything but hopefully next week I will get some time to get in the water, swell looks good all week.
Until next blog,
Take it easy,
Jake the Snake
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