Berlin Street Photography

I spent the last few days exploring the city of Berlin with a few of my friends. We managed to get some cheap flights and accommodation so there really wasn’t an excuse for us not to go. Of course the fact that Germany is famous for incredible beers and Berlin is rumoured to have some of the best night life in the world made the decision that much easier.

We spent four days checking out the sights, learning about the city, eating good food and washing it down with great beer. The only disappointment was the club scene, we never found a club that was busy/had that party vibe. The ones we went to were good, but nothing special unfortunately. We did get turned down from one of the supposed “best clubs in Berlin” due to not knowing it was Drum & Bass night. Seems a rubbish reason to turn down what probably would’ve amounted to 200+ euros in entrance fees and beer.

The city did have some great photo opportunities, but, the fact there was also a lot of construction going on around some of the more famous buildings did ruin quite a few shots. You don’t really want a photo ruined by unsightly scaffolding running up the side of a classic piece of architecture.

A snowy scene in one of Berlin’s parks.

 

A section of the wall near Checkpoint Charlie.

 

Snow-covered VW Beetle.

 

A quiet city street.

 

Night skyscape. 

 

Flyers from a couple of decent bars, and a beer mat for my favourite German brew.

 

 

 

Just Around The Corner

Sometimes you become frustrated with where you live, you start to see the things you hate most about the area more, the things that grind on you become more noticeable and your longing to leave increases dramatically.

This has been happening to me a lot lately. The town I live in isn’t anything spectacular, it’s nothing terrible either, just mundane. There is stuff to do, just not much, and a lot of it depends on the weather. With summer this year barely happening it’s been frustrating to say the least, bike trails have been rendered out of service, skateparks became slippery and worthless and worst of all, there was a distinct lack of good swell.

However, yesterday the sun was shining and I headed off to the small town of Knaresborough, a place I’d never been before. It’s a pretty quiet town, and as it’s September the majority of schools are back and people are working again so there weren’t many tourists around. This meant that when I got to the local riverbank it was deserted and I found a piece of Yorkshire that ranks up there with some of the most spectacular places I saw travelling.

If I’d of had some boardies with me I would of been straight in for a swim.

 

So if you are bored with where you live, take a step back, visit somewhere you’ve been overlooking, you never know you just might find something beautiful.

Solitude

Many people dream of surfing in Hawaii and Indo due to the warm water and perfect reeling waves. But the crowds really put a big dint in the experience, making the wait for a wave ages and the chances of being hit by a loose board goes up.

For me I have no problem surfing the cold water breaks of Yorkshire, the waves might not be perfect all of the time, but occasionally they get incredible and when that happens the line-ups get busier but nowhere near as crowded as places like Pipeline.

Small waves, but no other surfers getting in the way.

It’s rare but not unheard of to score empty waves on this coast, usually it’s down to a dawn patrol or catching the swell if it arrives early, something that is almost impossible at some of the world’s most well known spots.

So if you want waves to yourself, get off the beaten track, prepare to get cold and settle for waves that aren’t quite perfect. Your wave count will go up and the stoke you get from discovering a new spot (or quieter spot) is pretty special.

Waiting For Swell

During the 5months I spent travelling I probably surfed the most that I ever have. I only had a handful of sessions in Australia and none in Fiji and California, but during my time in Hawaii and Costa Rica I surfed practically everyday. Sometimes upto 3 times per day depending on the swell and how tired I was, something I’ve never had the privilege to do before.

So you can probably imagine how much the lack of surf back home is getting to me. Yorkshire does have some pretty spectacular breaks, the problem is they don’t work much in the summer so there isn’t much chance to get in some good surf from May through to around September time.

Even a trip down south to the more dependable coastline of Cornwall and England’s self-titled “surf city” of Newquay didn’t yield good results. A couple of sessions in weak slop that never got above 2ft was the reward for a 600mile round trip.

I’ve been back for just over 4 months now and in that time I’ve been in the water 4times, depressing really. And out of those 4 sessions only one provided a challenge, Cayton Bay was offering some nice, if a little short, wedge type waves at about 3ft, sometimes 4ft, that were breaking quite heavy for summer, shame it only lasted for less than an hour.

South Bay, Scarborough on a small but clean swell.

Surfing with friends just about makes small days tolerable.

Hopefully September will change all this, traditionally a good time for swell, the water is still warm (by local standards anyway) and I have some time off work.

Relentless Boardmasters 2012

The swell in Yorkshire has been pretty poor since I got home, so with that as one key factor, and Europe’s biggest surf/skate/music festival the other, myself and two friends decided to load up the car and down to Newquay.

It took about 7hours to get there, but unlike this year once we had arrived there was no need to set up tents, we’d booked a 6person static carven to base ourselves from.

Whilst we were down there I only managed two surfs, which is very disappointing. It didn’t matter that the waves weren’t big or powerful, it was just fun sitting out back in the fairly warm sea (by English standards) and picking off the waves which had the nicer shape to them.

Unfortunately, due to a few too many beers one night we slept in and missed probably the peak of the best swell that week. Guess you have to live and learn though.

The crowd watching the comp.

 

Now, when I travelled to Hawaii I got to watch a couple of surf comps (The Pipeline Pro & Pipeline Challenge) both of which were held in absolutely pumping conditions at one of the planets best waves. After seeing these awesome events I wondered how a comp in England would seem (I’ve been several times before, and though I’ve always enjoyed it the swell was never good).

Getting into “the zone”.

 

Despite the small waves I still enjoyed the bits of the comp I saw (mostly the longboard heats, I left before the main comp was over). The style the riders showed was top quality and even though the wave lacked any form of consequence it was still great to see good surfing in my own country, at a break where I actually have the ability to surf (even when big! Something that I can only dream of doing at Pipeline).

The waves are small but the enthusiasm is huge.

 

The highlight of my short time watching the comp was seeing Ben “Skindog” Skinner come second in the longboard division, great to see a Brit do well.

My favourite shot from the trip. If it wasn’t for the wetsuit you wouldn’t know it was England.

 

So, whilst the surf was nowhere near the standard of that in Hawaii I was still impressed by this years Boardmasters. I think it’s because of a combination of location, fact I can surf the same break, English competitors and great atmosphere that make the long trek down to Cornwall so enjoyable.

 

World Wide Waves

I was fortunate to spend 5months travelling the world chasing waves and in the process experienced the best surf of my life. This post focuses on my favourite break in each country I surfed in.

Australia: Tea Tree Bay, Noosa

This break is a practically perfect right point break about 10minutes walk from the centre of Noosa. I made a bit of a mistake by paddling out from the beach, in hindsight it would of been much easier to jump in from the rocks. Once I made it to the take off spot I waited around a long time for my wave to come through as it’s a pretty competitive lineup. Once I paddled in it was a pretty special wave, peeling perfectly and giving me my longest ride to date.

Eric and myself after surfing the point.

Hawaii: Freddyland, North Shore

During my time in Hawaii I surfed at several different spots and pretty much loved them all. They all taught me different things but I think surfing Freddyland improved my surfing the most. It’s a pretty mellow break by North Shore standards but compared to waves back home it was still powerful. A big crowd wasn’t a massive factor here due to it’s distance from the spectacles that are Waimea Bay & Banzai Pipeline, meaning more waves for me.

My favourite experience at this spot was getting called into a wave by a local, something I really didn’t expect after hearing so many tales of fights in the lineup. This guy seemed genuinely stoked for me to get the wave making it all the more sweet.

Enjoying the benefits of a quiet lineup.

Costa Rica: Pavones

Costa Rica was my favourite country on this trip. It had tropical warm water, lots of sun, friendly locals and some pretty awesome surf spots. Oh and not to mention some great travellers who I met too.

I surfed a lot of different breaks down the west coast of the country, especially in the area around Tamarindo, which is a good place to base yourself to maximise surfing and party time.

However my favourite break was the glorious point break know as Pavones. On it’s day it offers rides of upto half a mile and it’s location keeps it fairly secluded, not many people make the drive down the dirt roads, especially in the rainy season.

Surfing as the sunsets, doesn’t get much better.

Panama: Wizard Beach, Bocas Del Toro

I headed into Panama for a couple of days and managed to snag a quick surf at a really secluded beach break. Me and a few friends organised a boat to take us there and scored some small, but empty surf. Warm water, sun out and just you and a friend in the lineup, can’t really beat that.

Enjoying empty waves in Panama.

I feel very privileged to have been able to travel and surf perfect waves, enjoying the tropical waters and in some cases empty lineups. Hopefully it won’t be long until my next adventure, as much as I love the waves in the UK I much prefer surfing in boardies than a wetsuit.

The Sky’s the Limit

Surfing is a sport that is constantly evolving and it’s barriers are forever being pushed. From the 1950’s when surfer’s began to charge big waves, the 1970’s when charging the heavy barrels at Pipeline was all the rage, to more modern times where tow-in surfing has pushed the limit’s further still with waves in excess of 70ft getting surfer and riders slotting into some of the heaviest barrels imaginable.

Alongside the push in heavy waves, waves that hold consequence, the basic moves of competition surfing are changing. There was once a time when all a surfer needed to win a World Title was a good hack, times have changed though and surfing has gone aerial.

Kai Berger at Pipeline.

 

Now it’s almost impossible to watch a contest without someone landing an aerial, more often than not there can be a few in one heat, especially in smaller waves. The aerial has become a new tool to try and earn more points, but it does seem that some surfers have sacrificed other skills in an attempt to be the most dominant in the air.

An unknown surfer at Pavones, Costa Rica.

 

So aerial moves are even becoming common in regular lineups, it’s not just the pro’s aiming high. However, the aerial revolution had to start somewhere, and in my opinion it was started by bodyboarders.

For years bodyboarders have been flipping off the lip of a wave and in the process have come up with some awesome manoeuvres, ones that surfers haven’t really got close to yet:

Ben Player, backflipping at Pipeline.

 

Unknown rider, ARS at Pipeline.

 

 

Renzo Fassioli, El Rollo, Pipeline.

 

 

Another unknown rider, invert, Pipeline.

 

Looking at the crazy moves bodyboarders are currently pulling (a double backflip was almost landed by PLC) you might be able to get a glimpse into surfing’s future.

 

Banzai Pipeline

The North Shore of Oahu is littered with incredible surf spots that have helped to earn it the nickname “The Seven Mile Miracle”.  A short bike ride away from Waimea Bay lies another spot with legendary status, a place almost every surfer will have mind-surfed at some point, a place that is so over-saturated with photographers that the majority of the public will have seen this wave (not necessarily knowing where it is). Of course I am talking about the one and only Banzai Pipeline.

J.O.B showing the benefits of having a house with this wave in the back garden. 

It’s a wave that up until recently had a reputation like no other. Almost every season someone tragically dies there in search of their perfect barrel. The wave is incredibly heavy and breaks into shallow water with a razor sharp reef underneath, a sure-fire recipe for disaster. If you just sit at the beach and watch there’s a very high chance you’ll see some spectacular wipeouts and surfers limping up the beach with snapped boards and cut limbs.

The drop is critical, mess it up and you are heading for a world of pain.

Every year from December to the end of February the North Shore is bombarded by swell and the majority of the world’s pro surfers set up temporary residence nearby to maximise their time on quality waves and of course to enter the comps, the most famous, The Vans Triple Crown of Surfing, is made up of 3 separate contests, held at different beaches with the final, the Pipe Masters, held at Banzai Pipeline.

Unfortunately, during my time on the North Shore I managed to miss the Pipe Masters but did catch the Volcom Pipe Pro and the IBA Pipeline Challenge (https://johnpullan.wordpress.com/2012/02/08/hawaii-part-2-the-pipe-pro/ & https://johnpullan.wordpress.com/2012/03/13/hawaii-part-3-pipeline-challenge/). Some of the surfing I saw was unbelievable, it was a real treat to sit on the beach and watch the pro’s trade waves and get some pretty amazing barrels.

Bruce Irons, about to get some tube time.

Personally I’m not a very good bodyboarder, average waves suit me fine and Pipeline is way out of my league. However one evening I found myself paddling out to 4ft Pipeline with a friend who assured me it would be easy. He was wrong. Getting out wasn’t hard, getting into a good position wasn’t too hard either, the amount of people in the water is one of the reasons why getting a wave is hard, so I decided to paddle closer to where the wave starts to peel to attempt to get one first. Once I’d got my spot I looked further back to see a big wave heading my way (every few sets and a double up set will come through), it was about 7-8ft and I was sitting right in the impact zone. I knew there was no way I’d be able to duckdive my board under it so I ditched it and dived as far under as possible. When the wave hit I was thrashed about a lot but came up quickly, minus my board. I cleared my eyes and looked up to see another big wave heading my way so I dove down again and waited it out. I swam towards the channel and bodysurfed some whitewater in to find my board waiting for me at the shore, someone had generously grabbed it on their way in.

For the next couple of months I had quite a sore shoulder and eventually went for physio on it, only to discover that Pipeline had hyper-extended my shoulder!

Unknown bodyboarder trying his luck at Backdoor.

So despite the injuries, snapped boards and deaths Pipeline still holds a allure over travelling surfers, the thought of getting a perfect barrel often outweighs the consequences of the wave itself. As long as it breaks people will travel to surf it, it’s what surfers do and the danger won’t put many off, just look at all the mental footage coming from Teauphoo of late.

Waimea Bay

In surfing folklore Waimea Bay is the stuff of legends, it’s where the big wave movement first gathered momentum with pioneers like Greg Noll charging waves that were once deemed impossible. It’s a place where hero’s are made and lives are lost, boards are snapped and bones are broken. Out of season the sea is tranquil and almost as still as a lake, but when swell starts bombarding the North Shore of Oahu in the winter months the bay comes alive and the eyes of the surf media are never far away.

I was lucky enough to spend a month living on the North Shore of Oahu, about 5minutes walk away from Waimea Bay so it goes without saying that I spent a lot of time there.

My first visit to the bay was a memorable one, the biggest swell of the winter had hit and waves were breaking off the point at about 18ft, I just sat on the beach for a couple of hours snapping pics and just staring in amazement:

Unknown surfer, on one of the smaller waves of the day.

Some of the waves were pretty brutal, with surfers suffering some pretty nasty wipeouts in the process. Nevertheless fearless wave riders continued dropping into the waves and riding them with style:

Wave of the day.

As mentioned the waves at Waimea Bay can be quite powerful, offering long hold-downs and the potential for snapped boards and bodily injuries, risks that people are willing to take in search of the ride of their life:

What can happen when it goes wrong.

If the wipeout itself doesn’t snap the board its highly likely that the shorebreak will finish it off as it gets washed in. On the day I was there watching surfers take on big waves the shorebreak was going off too, with the waves varying between 5-10ft in height, breaking onto about 2ft of water, a very intense wave. A group of bodyboarders had a go and ended up getting smashed but caught some ridiculously heavy waves too:

About to get pounded.

After a few days the swell started to drop off and the shorebreak was a consistant 3ft with the odd 4-5ft wave coming through. I decided that I had to paddle out and try for a couple of waves, a couple of duck-dives later I was in the spot and waiting for my first wave at Waimea Bay. I was quite nervous sat there, but within a few minutes I saw a wave that looked perfect for me, it was about 3ft and I knew it’d be a good start so I paddled for it, dropped down the face,  hit the bottom turn and started to trim then BAM the entire wave closed out on me, pushing me down to the bottom and spinning me around. I came up after a few seconds, grabbed my board and paddled out for some more.

The wave breaks quite strangely here, instead of peeling it holds its shape for a few seconds, giving a short ride and possibility for tube time, then all comes crashing down on you, it’s like nothing I’d surfed before or since, can’t wait to go back for a few more!

Me on a small wave at Waimea.

During the time I spent on the North Shore I had many great sessions at Waimea, I took a lot of beatings, hit the bottom a lot and caught some of the best waves of my life. One of my favourite sessions there took place on an evening, just before sunset, a few of us grabbed our swim fins and heading down for a bodysurf. The waves were about 4ft but without a board it was much easier to get out and just sit waiting for a wave, it’s one of those sessions that’ll stick with me for a long time, new waves, new friends and awesome weather, hard to beat really.

When I saw this wave I ran back to ditch my camera and grab my fins and board.

 

Unfortunately my time in Hawaii had to end but I’d had some incredible surfs, surfed spots that I’d dreamed about after seeing them in movies and made good friends along the way.

Danger! Proceed With Caution

Travelling can have it’s fair share of dangerous moments, many of which come completely unexpectedly, whether it be a near miss when crossing the street or seeing a poisonous sea-snake while snorkelling. There’s not much you can do to avoid these situations except stay indoors and shun contact with the outside world.

Obviously that’s a stupid solution and events like that aren’t common at all. However on my travels I did find I’d been in one or two dangerous situations without fully realising it, on one occasion I spotted a sign for box jellyfish after I had got out of the sea. The majority of the time though I spotted the danger signs and decided to carry on with what I was doing anyway.

Here’s a sample of the signs I saw:

Surfer’s Paradise, Australia. Never even got to go in the sea here, conditions were horrendous.

 

Venice Beach, California. Fortunately I never had to run for high ground.

 

Sequoia National Park, California. Watch out for your pic-a-nic baskets!

 

Hollywood, California. Didn’t see a snake here, did in Fiji where there wasn’t any warning signs though.

 

Playa Grande, Costa Rica. Different language, same meaning.

 

If you let the signs dictate what is safe and what isn’t you’ll probably not do much, use them to heighten your awareness and you’ll be fine.

 

And here’s one that I found funny:

 

So I think the sign is supposed to read like “Slow, Children At Play” but to me it reads like “Slow Children At Play”, which is completely different, just goes to show how important punctuation can be.

*Side note, I appreciate that most road signs don’t contain punctuation, this one just made me laugh.