Tasmanian Tripping

   It's funny when you just think of a place because of one thing and you don't know anything else about it. Tasmania has so much more to offer than just Shipstern, the people are as friendly as the Irish and have big hearts welcoming you anywhere you went. On a trip recently there for other reasons than surf I was also pleasantly suprised by the beauty of the surroundings as I was tripping around. From classic stone buildings restored to their original state to the eucalyptus soaked hill sides and the stunning east coast beaches it's certainly a place to return to.
   Not really expecting Shipstern to break I was more driven to see the sights and the first, well you could say delivered. Driving around Hobart in the evening of the first day looking for a nice bar for a pint I kept going pass a Hotel and for some reason it was tempting me to go in. Within 5mins of being in there I found myself in the barmaid's car playing with a baby Wallaby she had saved. Stef did say she had a boyfriend straight away, but I respect bar staff and never have, never will hit on bar staff so she had nothing to worry about, besides I had this a cute baby Wallaby in my hands and it was frign soo cool to hold him. It was so fragile but Stef said Wally was getting stronger every day, she had saved it from the mom which had been mowed down by a car, so sad. Back in the bar I got to know the 2 barmaids better over a few of the best Guinness I've had since leaving Ireland. What a brilliant start to me trip. I got to know them a little more during my stay, really nice young ladies that made what could've been some dull nites so frign halarious that I got sore stomach muscles from laughing so much.
   Oh and by the way if you sit in the corner of a bar and want a drink feckn ask nicely and respect the hard working barmaids, don't just sit their gawking at them and throw sexual verbal abuse at them expecting to still be served. They're their to serve you drinks, not to take crap that they don't need to hear, if i'm in the vicinity of your bullshit I will say something and believe me I feel strongly about respecting bar staff. Sure have a laugh with them but don't cross the line, I told an older guy off at this bar, Stef said to me he's done that for years and thanked me for standing up for them, apparently he's come in since as he's a regular but now is really nice to them. Happy days aye...respect.

Stef & Wally

 The next day was the business part of the trip with a bit of a sore head, so I got what i had to do out of the way quickly and proceeded down to Shipstern. I didn't really know how I'd handle the walk in, with the van parked up at the end of the road I started on me trek in. Oh shit my legs burned so hard, I'm not exactly made for hills but with the thought of Shipstern breaking I pushed on through the bush and got to the lookout eventually. Sitting down catching me breath I saw my first set hitting the reef, holy shit it's truly a scary looking beast but so perectly mutated that you can't look anywhere else. The crack and boom as it unleashed on the reef was easily heard from my vantage point. Considering I didn't even expect to see it break while in Tasmania I just sat there thinking how frign lucky I am, life is great. Having not seen anything remotely like this since Ireland I ended up walking in 3 times over the next 5 days.

The walk in

   The second day I was lucky enough to meet Marti and Mikey, they were walking in to paddle it, fair balls to them because it was big enough and blowing a side shore gale producing over a 1m chop out there. They paddled into a few but it was just too bumpy, stuffed if I know how they didn't get mowed down by the rogue sets. It was a pretty heavy session to watch, I know it wasn't perfect by any means but I was stoked to the eyeballs to see it bigger and gnarlier than the first day. Because the wave breaks over reef the colours that saturate the wave as it breaks is this beautiful teal green, every photogs dream. There were alot of waves unridden as there wasn't anyone towing really but the boys were their to push themselves in the paddle zone, some waves are more stunning with no one on them and that lets your imagination run wild.

Marti & Mikey sitting on the edge

Every beach should have 1 of these

   I also had the honor of meeting the legend Wizz, the brains behind Harddartz surfboards. Not just surfboards thou, he also does wooden carvings. Each piece he brings out is as impressive as the first, a bulldogs head larger than life carved out of a solid piece of fallen tree, so much here so much to see. You know, I went to the world respected "Mona" gallery in Hobart and personally I think some of his work should be in there, one piece in particular of a hand that is just freaky with long gangly fingers and protrudent knuckles simply carved out of a branch. But what really caught my eye was the timber surfbaord hanging on the wall waiting for another day to be ridden. It looked like nothing I had ever seen with it's water channelling system and beautiful grain. I heard that it rode like no other board gliding across the water with ease, balanced to perfection. I heard you needn't force a turn, the natural wieght and grain in the board along with it's unique finless design and channels it does everything for you, I heard that this was possibly the perfect board...

The legend and the future

  Driving back to Hobart along the coast their's some impressive scenery, one of which looked like a scene out of Lord of the Rings with a city of towering pinnacles of stone.
   Hobart is a bustling little city, easy to get around without getting lost. Cafe's, galleries and trendy little shops line the yatch soaked harbour. The surrounding headland's a combination of bush and houses precariously hanging on the edge watching over Hobart. I did not expect to get anything from this trip, it was a trip for other reasons so you could say I was pleasantly suprised. I fell in love with Tasmania and the people and I will be definatley returning.
   I'd just like to say thanks to the friendly people I met along the way especially Marti and Mikey for urging me to head back into shipstern even thou my legs were fecked and cheers for helping me out. Last but not least a huge thanks to Stef and Sarah, I didn't expect to make such awesome friends as you 2, your gorgeous smiles and wicked humour made my trip.
Cheers Tasmania

Mordor

Best mates Stef & Sarah

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

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

Teahupoo's little brother

When I was looking through some shots online from the past week of Teahupoo there was one that stood out, but stood out in a different way. Like i'm sure i've seen a smaller version of this shot somewhere, then it dawned on me, a photo I had taken a few years back of Ferg at Rileys, a place very close to my heart and how lucky I was to be in Ireland when it was being explored. 2 totally different country's, one cold and the other warm, one surfed by every big wave freak in the world the other by just a handful of people but when you look at both these photos there is an uncanny similarity. Obviously not in size but most certainly in shape and definately in power and if you don't believe me just ask the guys who have had broken bones, near knocked themselves out and joints disjointed @ Rileys!

 This Teahupoo shot was on Lairds facebook but it didn't say who the photog was which is a damn shame as it's a great shot, so my apologies to the photographer whoever you are for not crediting you the photo.

Laird

Ferg

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



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