Robby Naish - Kanaha, June 06

Heres a video I recently edited, well had a play with, of Robby Naish going for a uick sail at Kanaha. It was the last day of our holiday in Maui last year, Kym had just finished a sail and was packing up. I was on the beach taking some last memory shots. I was chatting the our NZ friends and they had noticed a black labrador dog, they said it could be Robby Naish's dog. Next minute, Robby walks past, keys in his mouth, craziest looking board, hops in the water, sails out, blasts a big air, the most aggressive gybe I have seen, tacks high up in the wind and aims for a beach about 500 metres up the beach (probably his house)

My life was complete.

Dolphins off Christies Beach

Sorry for the lack of posting, been too busy looking at other peoples Blogs and not concentrating on my backyard, so to speak.


Last Sunday I was invited to be a crew member on my father in laws boat, I think its a Ross 740 sailing boat, its really good fun, always an adventure (always an adventure with spinnacer changes). We all had to be on deck at 10am for a full rigging of the mast and course debrief. I for once made my lunch, so pies and donuts were off the menu (plus I am training for a fun run in three weeks, so gotta step it up!)

Captain Murray the helm! Aye Aye sir!


We started raving at 12noon, wind was a variable inconsistant 7 knots, so slow going. There were 7 boats in the fleet, about five classes covered so racing wasnt going to be too close.

Anyway to cut a long story short, no wind after 1 hour, so doldrums.....race abandoned!

Lucky some dolphins rocked up to entertain us!

And lastly, dont buy your children face paints, as I found out, you will be used as the first experiment! Apparently I am meant to be a tiger!

Holidays Day 1

Started a week of holidays today, well yesterday really......went down the coast looking for wind and as the photos suggest there wasnt too much around! Gorgeous day at Middleton Point though.

Interesting trip down to south coast, got to the end of the freeway, Noarlunga, and could feel a real wobble coming from the front end and then banging, not good me thinks. So after my mechanical skills were tested, ie finding the button to release the bonnet, I found that the CV boot on the passenger side was torn off and the drive shaft looked a bit worse for wear. So a limp home for 20kms at about 50kms an hour. Only just made it, was making a hell of a racket when we got up the drive way. Mechanics did warn me a few weeks ago that this might happen. I feel an expensive week coming on......

Anyway heres a few shots of Middleton Beach today......

A few sets came through, only about 2 feet at the most, the mal riders were dominating.

This is the view from the carpark back to Goolwa and Day street.

I love coffee

After reading another blog regarding ethically sourced coffee, I though what a great time to introduce you to our local coffee shop. I spend many hours and money in this place! It is Illy on Waymouth, a chain cafe in the city, right next door to my work building! I love you coffee bean, you are my reason for exisiting! Strong flat white all the way!

Just a quick post to show you some photos of our valley up in the hills all fogged up. Looks cold eh?

Not a lot of wind to try out my new board this last month, have only managed two outings, the first at a local kiter beach in 10 knots, a bit disheartening, and another effort on the weekend at Beachport, two blistering runs in very shallow fin destroying water in Lake George (was all going well until my boom ties snapped in the jaws of the boom clamp)



Very happy with the performance of the new board, feels really light and responsive. I have only done a few runs on it, but already feel comfortable on it. Quick onto the plain, but not as quick as the old Bic. Yet to really put the hammer down on it. I will get a good run on it soon, fingers crossed, looking good for this Sunday.


Heres a few photos of the last couple of weeks activities....kicking off with last weekend catching up with my sister Fiona. Heres Kym and Fiona on the back beach at Beachport.



Back beach again, place called Post Office Rock, Lochie and the fam doing a bit of Dune sliding!

Kym and I laxing on the beach, looks cold eh?

A very dead puffer fish on the beach at dust bowls.

The track down to the back beach coast line. This is a fairly easily accesable track with any kind of four wheel drive, the little subbie (Subaru) did it with ease. One thing that really dissappointed me was the amount of dead Wombats on the roads around beachport this season. I heard from a local that the rabbit colesi (spelling) virus is affecting them this year, I saw 5 dead Wombats in and around Beachport. To me they looked like the had been run over by speeding drivers and four wheel drive enthusiasts. I have only seen two live Wombats in the wild, so to see 5 dead ones in one weekend was distressing! Slow down people.

Lake George, still abit shallow, but still sailable. This is the Saturday, 7th July, just as a squall came in, I am in the water somewhere there, broken boom fitting, trudging back in the mud. Nice rainbow though

The wagon on the spit at Lake George, not much wind, or water to speak of! Lachie doing his best to get the car bogged!

Lano's new board

Well I took the plunge this week and bought my first ever new board. Big thanks to Pete at Onbord for his help and service (and not a bad deal either me thinks)

I decided to go up in size to maximise Adelaides fickle winter conditions and to be up and cruising all summer. My previous board, a 1996 Bic Vivace is getting a little tired, collapsed foot straps, big dents, a dodgey repair from when we left it in the sun in 2000. I have been eyeing off new boards for years so thought it was about time. I went for the 2007 Starboard Carve 122 ltr, was looking at 111 ltrs but thought it would be too similar in size to what I ride now. Heres a pic of my new board and Phoebe on her 5th birthday!

I so excited!

Happy birthday gorgeous!

Also thought I would also post up a new sail I purchased for Kyms and my aniversary last month, this sail looks indestructable, which is a good thing as I, especially, have a reputation for putting limbs through sails!

The sail I got was a 5.0mtr, will be great for wave sailing and real windy days for me, dont ya love the black?

Footnote: Conrats to Giampaolo Cammarotta on his Windsurfing magazine feature, keep up the good work brah! You can see GP's blog here....http://mauisurfreport.blogspot.com/