Summer fun -

So, the Mentawais was an interesting trip. It took us a few days and night to get there but it was worth it, as you can see from the picture above and below.

I think we got pretty lucky with 1 of the first solid swells of the season i’ve never really experienced waves like it. was quite blown away really, especially as i had the shits  the whole time. Pretty devastating when your looking at waves of such calibre and thinking, ummmmm ok i might drown due to fatigue and lack of energy in my body, but fuck it least if i shit myself the fish will have a nice dinner .....

 The waves on this day were out of control, from perfect rights to perfect lefts, i couldn’t believe what i was seeing and about to surf. It wasn’t just the fact that it was pumping, there was also only a few guys out, now theres something you don’t see these days.

 Even the small days were really fun, but sometimes crowded, with a few charter boats around. We stayed on pei pei island, with a friendly family that have just started up there surf camp. http://www.mentawai-surfcamp.com/  

 Don’t think the action stopped there !!!!    

 this was only the start of the summer. when i arrived home after the wqs in scotland, france and the epic journey to the Mentawais, i was pretty content with just chilling and catching up on myself . But chilling is not what happened, well maybe for a few days. 

Summer in cornwall is my comfort zone and i was caught right in the middle of it. 

There was also some good fishing this summer don’t worry vegetarians or animal lovers, i eat everything i catch. I only kill fish when i’m hungry and appreciate all the goodness and omega that fish give to us humans......

and allot of festival appearances, reading  being the highlight of them all, thanx to relentless energy sorting the boys out with free gust tickets . 

Oh i did surf through out the summer as well, but i thought i might as well just share the fun parts of life with you guys, after all that is what life is all about.... isn’t it ?   

https://vimeo.com/26598884

A year down the line _the tropics_

from cold to warm, theres no escape from the storm.

its wet season again in bali,

hot, humid days, stormy nights.

There's good and evil here, its taken me a few trips back and forth to  figure this crazy place out.

theres no doubt about it i love it here, the waves, the temperature, the religion, but i've heard stories about bali 20-30 years ago, and can only imagine how beautiful and pure the island was before it was invaded by people like myself, westerners.

In my short visit 

this time i managed to schedule in my normal escape to lakey peak for 3 weeks. The waves were fun as per usual. 

we had 2 swells whilst i was  there. A week into it i found out some bad news about the small town, that relies on surfers passing through. Westerners have traced gold in the forest about a mile inland from lakeys. They have the rights to dig and destroy miles of land surrounding lakeys. Locals are protesting in the the closest city about an hour away, but what they don't understand is that money talks,  not just in indonesia, but anywhere in the world. 

If more gold is found lakeys will be destroyed, the quant surfing paradise in which it once was will be taken over by the indulgent western world.

bali can only go one way now and we all know where this path leads.

money, money, money, thats what its all about.

Which leads to an increase of structure, traffic, fumes, greed and a decrease in natural beauty.

https://vimeo.com/21596860

Fuerteventura -

Fuerteventura for me has always been a special place. Since the age of 10 it has been a quick and easy winter retreat for my family and friends. 

the waves never seem to fail us. without a doubt i woulds say its in my top 3 surf destinations.

only a four hour flight south on the same longitude and you arrive on this baron, moon like, volcanic landscape. named the canaries.

 - lobos -

The chart looked amazing we booked 4 days before flying. from day 1 the surf was relentless 

we surfed this wave 5 days in a row sometimes 3 sessions a day. it was unbelievable, every time we rocked up to see consistent perfection, the excitement would take over the tiredness.

 every night we would eat like kings and watch the constant flood of tourism flow through the streets with a scoop of ice cream. I find it weird that most of these people look over at lobos not knowing what goes on over there, on that flicker of white water, that rolls smoothly down the mountain side.

https://vimeo.com/19237543

Images - nick pumphrey

A Dogs Life -

Im currently in paris on another photo shoot.

some news came to me yesterday that my dog had to be put down.

to here this whilst being alone was very sad.

after sharing 15 years with a dog, you bind a connection, you understand it and get to know its personality, even though its not human. 

shady was 15, she lived a long and happy life on our farm, chasing sheep, horses, badgers and any other animals she could snout out. 

we’re all gona miss you shades......... r.i.p

 especially sunny ladkins ...

and treacle dog .

Seasons Come And Go -

The end of summer has come,

say goodbye tot he cornish sun.

The rush or tourists from west to east,

leaving us with the very least.

Fear not the fish are still swarming,

the taste of sea bass is still very warming

A cold breeze breaks the stem of the old brown leaves.

clocks go back darkness dominates.

collect the logs for those long nights in.

Not long now the christmas spirit will soon begin.

Winter swells have just begun,

all surfers are on the run.

Snowy hills, Icy lakes,

hope my new van has trusting brakes.

The whistling kettle never seems to stop.

Warm your cockles on the uk’s finest crop.

Crisp and clear, do not fear,

easter is on its way,

summer is near.

If only it went this fast,

us surfers may be able to last.

Still we plough through, with a sigh of relief,

leaving winter behind, with nothing but grief. 

Parnassus surroundings -

I was invited to do the rip curl, wct trials in Peniche, Portugal 

The waves were lambasting. 

The vibe was intense.

To come 3rd was an achievement, but to be so close to surfing against the guys that i have looked up to since i started was demoralizing. 

Surfing with the best guys in the world has given me faith that there is still light at the end of the tunnel. 

Its only a few steps away, fame, glory,money !!!

But to be honest it doesn’t seem like the be all and end all. I think i would prefer to be underground just come out every now and then and do what i do, shame it doesn’t really work like that. You need to have a certain style or personality to achieve that lifestyle. 

I seen some stuff down there that really put my thoughts into perspective, stuff in which is normally covered up by the media. I’ll tell stories in person, but to blog it on the internet would be indecent. 

Home Sweet Home -

After a long 10 days of small, summer surf in france, i yet again arrive home to the amazing sight, of the refreshing landscape in which i call home

words - Tori  - Ok so when someone says you can’t do something, no matter if their older, wiser or stronger, you should never let them make that decision for you. Unfortunately from my own knowledge so far of life, and how it works, which isn’t allot as am only 18. But I have never been more aware of things u need written on paper to get places and past certain levels in life, people relying on impressions, expectations and security created by dare say it but ‘money’. Rather then the highest perfection of intellectual nature lies in a careful and constant pursuit of true and solid happiness. Even if happiness forgets you a little bit, never completely forget about it. . .

As it’s the most important thing to your life wherever, whatever, or whoever you are or trying to be. 

A few days of camping with my best friends puts everything into prospective. blessed with the end of summer sunshine, the purity and secret nudist beaches of the southwest tip, frowns upon the rest of the world.

http://mpora.com/videos/wi2lM001r