Occy: over and out

The great man retires this week after the Pipe Masters. A short article on his ups and downs.

Blue and Clear

What a magic day! Dave and Tobes met back at the factory at dusk, must have been good to keep them out that long. Light offshore, fun waves and best of all, clear blue skies and clear blue water. The guy beside Dave in the bottom photo didn't have such a great time though! Video above of a short full right at the Cliff.

Surfboard ban on BA

Check this article. Seems British Airways has put in place a complete ban on boards as baggage about a month ago. Let's just hope this sick attitude doesn't spread, or on your next trip you might be hiring a beat up old clunker to get some waves...

If you have a Facebook account, you could join the Facebook ‘British Airways Surfboard Ban’ group to add your voice to the protest.

Kamikaze Reef Rockers

Dan and Dave were keen to test Green Ball out on their dawn run, but Jinshan's size indicated it wasn't quite going to do it. Could that thunderous fast left on the other side of Jinshan point give them what they needed? After checking various, back to this spot: paddled out straight off the rocks and both boys got some screamers!

After a few heart stopping rides hugging the rocks, they moved over to the point to get more big boppers, steep critical drops then long carvable walls . Even though Dan nearly got hypothermia with no wetty, it was a top shelf morning and a new gnarly spot has been tamed.

Mixed bag

wushi harbour blown Taj a little better...
Rivermouth with potential
local girls...

Dasi's clean fast cross shorers (above and below) Saturday saw Tobes and Carl get some clean 1 1/2 footers at Baishawan early all to themselves. Dan had it a little bigger at Jinshan but shared the peak with 20. Sunday, Tobes and Garry went north early, but all blown. Dave headed east and Wushi didn't look good. The Taj was OK but Dasi was worth the little extra drive. The cross shore was holding up some great fast little shooters across the bay...fun for all! A rivermouth spot was spied with some potential too...

Cliffs burning

Scott writes in about a session on Wednesday morning : "...did a dawn patrol session yesterday before work. We ended up going to Cliffs which was somewhat clean (compared to the last couple of weeks) with a steady 3' swell. We had a couple of fun rides.
As always, a great way to start the day."

Corpulent Pork and Rusting Wrecks

It's certainly not the best looking beach in Taiwan, but apart from the pigs roaming the foreshore and the burnt out car wrecks, when other places are a foaming mess, the Pillbox often turns it on.

Offshore 3-4 footers pumped through for 3 hours plus this afternoon as the tide dropped; the surf just got better and better.

Who cares if it stinks and has a few pebbles?!

Fanning: World Champ

Slater and Taj got knocked out, Mick Fanning won and is now the 2007 world surfing champion: Australia's first champ since Occy.

Reality Check: Korean Style

...and you thought Jinshan got crowded?

Chilly Pilly

Tobes and Gary hit Baishawan early but found it to be blown out, strong NE winds ruining any surf. Both Dan and Dave hoped to find something up Pointies/Rocket way, but Dan's car had some trouble, so Dave and Cass ventured out. Jinshan, Pointies, Rocket all blown mush...Green Bay not much better, but every surfer in Taiwan was out there!

So off to the Pillbox: bit cold, wetsuit on and a little cross shore with an occasional puff of offshore...Dave got a few little entertainers. Pillbox best of a bad bunch and you have to love that crowd...

(photos:Cass)