A weekend with Richie Fitzgerald

   You can join Richie this weekend for an exclusive surf lesson and relive the moment that he conquered the biggest swell (60ft+) ever attempted in Ireland with a screening of award winning documentary ‘Waveriders’, on one of the most famous surfing beaches in Ireland at Inchydoney Island Lodge & Spa Clonakilty, West Cork on the last weekend in August.

   Overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, the award winning Inchydoney Island Lodge & Spa invites surfers and adventure movie buffs to join them for a special weekend package combining ‘Surfing & Movies on the Beach’ on the weekend of the 31^st, August.

   The exclusive package includes two nights bed and breakfast in the four star  hotel, a private group surfing lesson on the scenic Inchydoney strand with Irish Surfing Champion, Richie Fitzgerald, a BBQ in the hotel before the screening of "Waveriders".

Guests will arrive on the afternoon of Friday 31^st, August and depart on Sunday, 1^st September. The package is available exclusively from the hotel and is priced at €199 per person sharing. For more information or to make a reservation please visit www.inchydoneyisland.com or call 023 8833143

Richie casually cruising on an average size day @ Mullaghmore

   Richie is one of the most humble surfers I have ever met. Richie owns and runs "Surfworld" in Bundoran and has just opened another shop in Strandhill, he also runs surf schools in Bundoran and on top of all that he charges big surf. If you ever ask him about any big waves he surfed he always plays it down but when you look at what he has accomplished it's pretty darn amazing. With tow partner Gabe Davies they were one of the first to pioneer big waves in Ireland. In particular the ferocious beast Mullaghmore, a wave that is known worldwide to break people.

  Richie and Gabe were part of the crew that surfed the massive 13m swell that ended up in the movie "Waveriders", a story that focuses on Irish surfing roots and some incredible footage of the biggest surf ever surfed in Ireland to this day! The movie got global applause winning 2008 Audience Choice Award from the "Jameson Dublin International Film Festival" and Best Documentary Award at the "2009 SURFER Poll & Video Awards".

  If I was in Ireland I'd be going to this myself, I think it's a fantastic weekend offer with alot of bonuses. Did you know that Richie fractured his ribs on one of the first waves ridden one session we had out at Mullaghmore, he went and sat on the boat for a while not saying much to anyone about the pain he was in. A couple of hrs later he couldn't bear it anymore watching these waves going past so he grabbed the rope again and pulled into this wave pictured above...respect.

Aaron

Cotty power

  I decided to do this blog not just after seeing this picture of Cotty at Mullaghmore but because he's a damn good surfer and deserves the publicity of what he's done over the years in big waves. He's been invited and attended big wave comps, not only in Ireland either, but in other parts of the world. Cotty's been nominated numerous times for Billabaong's XXL awards, in particular his latest nomination you have to admit is pretty impressive and soooo heavy. Cotty's paddled some pretty big stuff but doesn't gloat about it calling it the wave of the day just cause he paddled, he's also towed some pretty impressive waves but once again he never blows his own trumpet. Cotty just wants to enjoy himself with a few mates, simple.
  The very first big wave photo I ever took was of Cotty at Aileens on a less than perfect day and the last big wave photo I ever took in Ireland was yes again of Cotty but this time at Prowlers. That very first photo I was originally told it was of his tow partner big Al Mennie and after getting the print done I found out from Al that it was actually of Cotty, oh and it also got printed that way in the "Irish Times"! Never mind, lesson learnt to check your sources(Al's girlfriend at the time) hahaha.

My first ever big wave photo. "Cotty"

   Cotty never has backed down from a wave, tow or paddle. He just doesn't have it in his vocabulary to say no. Yes he's not just towed, doing a few stints to WA in Australia in his younger days paddling some pretty big stuff gave him great knowledge of the true power of the ocean on the hard hitting reefs. But it wasn't until he got to Hawaii and surfed Waimea where he found his true love for big waves earning the respect from the Hawaiians Cotty returned numerous times, and will return in the future.

Cotty @ Aileens getting chased down

Cotty on a bomb @ Aileens

   Cotty has adopted Ireland as his big wave haven. Spending countless sessions at Mullaghmore in the most harsh of conditions he still loves it and making the lengthy trip to Aileens numerous times. There was one session in particular where Cotty got nailed at Mullaghmore, his first wave of a dodgy day. Getting ripped apart by the wave, his expensive knee brace got torn off him and lost then the wave procedded to pull his leg almost out of joint leaving him in agony. I'll never forget the pain and dissapointment in his face and voice as he couldn't go back out due to his injurys. Seeing everyone else out there from the van on the hill would've been driving him nuts.

Cotty's face says it all...just after the leg ripping wipeout

Cotty @ Mullaghmore

I sent Cotty a txt asking him to answer a few questions about biggest waves he's towed and paddled and how big they were. I was curious to know what his answers were going to be size wise. Here is his humble reply...

"After last year I'd have to say Prowlers for both, surfed out there a few times now and i think it has so much potential for both tow and paddle. unfortunately this winter we didn't get to surf it once. I'm not one to put measurement on big waves, everyone judges differently and has different opinions on how big waves are, I've paddled some pretty big waves by my own personal standard and towed some even bigger ones, just hope it continues for years to come and both get bigger."

That day out at Prowlers was something else, with an 8m swell running we all sat over a mile out at sea watching her break. Blown away by how far it was throwing out, the barrell mad huge. Cotty and Al were originally thinking of paddling it until a outside set came through sending plumes of whitewater sky high and imploding out the back of the wave on itself! Cotty's reaction was hell give me the rope, lets see what this wave has. That's Cotty for ya, balls to the wall charger, tow or paddle he's out there giving it everything not backing down. Since that day out at prowlers he's padlled out there a few times bagging himself some great waves.

Here's some of his waves at Prowlers...

Cotty @ Prowlers

Cotty exiting the barrell on his first ever session out there!

Cotty and tow partner Al Mennie...yes that is a paddle board and they were seriously thinking of paddling

A proud moment for Cotty and I, my first surfing mag cover and my last big wave photo in Ireland

phantom Teahupoo

This below is a piece of moving art recorded Chris Bryan. This is exactly the kind of thing I live for, being able to see Teahupoo maxing at such a slow speed is an honour in my lifetime, I can't count how many times I've watched this. It's like being at IMAX not knowing where to look on the screen as you can see every detail. One part in particular at the end when the surfer slips and turns upside down looking straight at the inside of the lip exploding on the reef a few feet from his head. I cannot start to think what would be going through his mind or his pants! You can see how when a wave of this speed and power stretches the water leaving strips of air bubbles in the lip, I have seen this before in a couple of my shots at Bumbaloids and Rielys. I do hope one day I get the honour to photograph such beauty and capture things going on not usually recognised by the naked eye.
  A big high five to Chris and Billabong

Shipsterns

This little clip is tells of what really happens at Shipsterns when it's big, expect gnarly wipeouts


shipsterns from Dave otto on Vimeo.

Pacific Liquid Storm

Towards the end of the road

   Is it the perfect storm I ask, well the answer to that question would be debated forever so here are a few things to consider. Firt of all how damn lucky we are, how many people from the Chathams, Polynesia, the Americas to Alaska will enjoy this swell smiling from ear to ear as they glide along the long period glassy walls of LIQUID produced by a STORM pasing under good old New Zealand...millions?
   Tahiti was hugely perfectly wrong with waves ridden on the tow day rediculous, beyond belief to say the least. After some mammoth waves rode on Saturday they went back to running the Billabong pro the next 2 days allowing the best surfers in the world to have the wave to themselves with no more than 3 people in the line up, how sweet is that. Kelly took the honors to re claim the lead in the title race, some say he was over scored but really who gives a toss, they just got one of the best barrels in the world to themselves.
   I'm stoked that all this was broadcast on the net live to all who couldn't be there and shared with joy around the world. Now as the swell spreads from Tahiti it will smash into all of the Americas including Hawaii and a shit load of islands inbetween that aren't regurlary documented then onwards to finally gently caress the Alaskan coastline. Think for a second how many miles of coastline the swell will hit? How many breaks known and unknown will be going off, beach breaks, river bars, slabs, reefs, point breaks and how many waves will be ridden by this 1 Liquid Storm...?
   If I find any stories as it hits I will try to post them on this story so keep an eye on this page, and oh you might've figured out by now I'm not anywhere near these waves and maybe you're asking the question why am I'm posting all this,,,the luv, passion of it and to keep me alive inside

Clik here for a Puerto shot on magicseaweed

Clik here for surfline's take on the swell

and here for surfline's Puerto experience

Hawaii


Teahupoo

Teahupoo ohh my Teahupoo

Copyright ASP

If things had gone the way they might've I could have been on one of those boats today at Teahupoo witnessing some of the heaviest waves ever surfed there. Unfortunately at all ended weeks ago when I couldn't get a day off work but hey I can't cry about it too long and just have to stay tuned to the net and watch in awe the videos and photos streaming ontot he net  faster than a cheetah on steriods. The last hr facebook has been saturated with shots, surfline has stuff up and youtube's going nuts. Fair balls to everyone surfing it and for me I'm stoked there was such good photographers there like Ted Grambeau and Kirstin Scholtz to record it for all to see. Here is a couple of ahots and vid from the net so far

Clik here for ASP full coverage from yesterdays Tow session

Clik here for ASP photos

Clik here for Surfline photos 

Clik here for Magicseaweed photos





1000 frames per second camera

May 17 Shippies overload

Well on the 17th of May 197? my mother brought me into this glorious world, 30 odd years on on the same day Shipsterns has a fit, some of the photogs, film crew, surfers are calling the biggest surfed yet. Biggest or not these guys are feckn nuts, just look at the photos and video in the links below, it will blow you away. I really want to see this place break and take a few shots back with me, bring on next year maybe...

Clik here for "Australian Surfing Life" photos

Clik here for "Surfline" video 

Clik here for "Jamin McLean" footage on vimeo

Dorian's a freak

Shane Dorian paddled into possibly the biggest wave ever paddled into. Just looking at this footage freaks me out and then to top it off he pulls into a massive barrel on the last wave. We will see how big they say it is at the Billabong XXL awards, but I'm guessing it's more than 50ft...


Walsh and Dorian on a Tuesday... from Justin Clark on Vimeo.

Filth, pure filth

 Sorry Roo but I knocked your photo, sweet shot.

 Clik here to see more of Roo's work

This is what's been going down the last few days, unfortunately i'm not there but thank the webster for youtube and facebook to keep me sorta sane, will add clips as more comes in the coming days. Some pretty amazing surfing went down at the 1st towin comp in Ireland organised by Paul O'Kane in junction with The Irish Tow Surf Rescue Club and sponsored by Billabong and Monster energy at Mullaghmore. Paul did an amazing job putting a lot of this together, if it wasn't for Paul this would not have happened this year so a big thank you to him. Even though I wasn't there on behalf of everyone I would like to thank the RNLI from Bundoran and Sligo, The Irish Tow Rescue Club, Billabong, Monster Energy, which ever council gave the ok which I think might've been Sligo to run the comp and The Pier Head hotel at Mullaghmore. It sounded like an epic day. Apararently there was hundreds of people watching the comp, great turn out and support for the extreme sports people. Bring on next year...
Results:
1st. Eric Rebiere/Benjamin Sanchis
2nd. Peter Conroy/Glynn ...
3rd. Andrew Cotton/Al Mennie
4th. Gabe Davies/Richie Fitzgerald
Gabe also got best Barrel, it's in the clip below at around 28sec in, Richie also got most gnarliest wipeout

Roo has an awesome photo in the Irish Times, just clik here to view it

This the latest clip is pretty wicked, it's good to see a few camera people putting there heads together to do a pretty cool clip and using there imagination. Keep an eye out for a documentary maybe later this year by these talented videographers. 4 different angles. The water angle is sooo close to the action that it makes me fell like a scardy cat not being closer myself in the sessions before. Big congrats to Peter Martin, Peter Clyne, Dave Mottershead and Daniela Gross. Well dones guys, cool bananas

Mullaghmore Head "Tow in Surf Session" from Mully Productins on Vimeo.

The latest and best footage so far, 3min 10sec in...


The following clip insane barrel at 28sec

This next clip at 2.08 in, what a barrel


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Also more from around Ireland

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more to come...

2 waves, 1 county...

Been living on the East coast for most of the year I didn't get much of a chance to catch the swells. But what swells I did get were pretty damn impressive. So here's 2 of the best swells of the season I caught up with at 2 totally different breaks in 1 county. Happy new years to ya all and hope 2011 treats everyone with good fortune and great waves. Some parting advice, I could rattle off over a dozen breaks virtually unsurfed in Ireland, quality breaks so go search, walk over that hill where beyond could be your dreams come true, it won't kill you...


The Mighty Mullaghmore



Dave before he got barrelled of his nut

Mikee loving it, his favourite big wave



Neil eyeing the beast up




Pete getting the ride of his life




Rick cruzzing it




Prowlers perfection




Paul just chilling out




Richie look behind ya mate...cool & calm




Barry about to get engulfed but makes it




Jeremy's 1st wave in Ireland...ever!!




Al charging it




Cotty going for gold



Not Pipe's day...

Not Pipe!

  I walked down to the Pipe Masters today early thinking I might be one of the first photogs there..errr ummm NO I wasn't. Had to be at least 100 when I arrived at 7:30am! Still thou I got me self a cosy spot down in front looking into the barrel of about 45 degrees. The 600mm lens photogs must get pissed off with the 400mm lens photogs, then they get pissed off with the compact camera people and then they get pissed off with the stoned spectators who just stand in front of everyone hahaha. Pipe wasn't breaking at all really so the comp was held at Backdoor. It was good early in the morning but the winds swung slightly and gave it a crumbly look later on. Some sik barrels went down. I took a few shots amongst the madness then decided to look elsewhere for waves. Found this spot going off it's nut, the perfect big wave paddle spot. About a dozen guys out at most and it was firing. From what people were saying the best it's been for a long time. These guys were ripping it, serious drops, pulling into insane barrels and carving it up. They were really going hard so I've knicknamed this session the "The real Billabong ******* Masters"

My time in Ireland

Here's a few shots of my life in Ireland, that to me are important and others life changing. I'll let the photos speak for themselves.
cheers and fairwell
Aaron

Zoolander party in Strandhill

Halloween party in Strandhill

Mum & Dad visit

My very first surf photo with a digital camera

Just good mates

The bro visits and my photo in the best bar in the world...The Strand of course

The big swell, that whitewater is at least 200ft high!!

My first ever Tow photo, Cotty the man at Aileens...the passion starts

The legends of Strandhill

"PROWLERS"

My first outing in a boat to shoot, Tom DH at Aileens

Rileys

The Surfer's Path does an article on me, such an honour, cheers Alex

Rolling Stones

Up close & personal at U2

Paul O'Kane, first time Prowlers surfed in early 2009

Mikee Hamilton charging big Mullaghmore

My fairwell party, Strand bar

Prowlers pumping top to bottom

Cotty at Prowlers

My first surfing magazine cover, cheers Cotty