Scribbles Abroad

Louise and I have gone nowhere.  We are here in Jeffreys Bay and are completely content.  After visiting 14 countries in the past 8 months, the chance to just relax in one has been just what we needed.  We’ve become part of the community in this short time and we feel comfortable.  When we were traveling through Asia it was a non-stop unpack, pack, jump on a bus, catch a plane, hire a boat, and it keeps going.  Here in Jeffreys Bay it goes, wake up check the surf, eat, surf, drink, repeat!  I must admit that at times I feel guilty for currently living such a great life, but like I learned from a friend in Australia, “Treat yourself, if you’re not treating yourself, who will?”

The waves have been epic and during the breaks between swells we’ve been keeping busy.  Louise has been crocheting beanies for our friends, collecting shells, and she has also begun painting with water colors.  I’ve been keeping busy shaping 2 alaias and fixing my other.  I’ve also been trying to fish but so far no luck.  We’re also trying to adapt what we learned in the book 4 Hour Work Week and are currently building a new website.

ALAIA VIDEO

An Alaia is an old style Hawaiian Surfboard made of a plank of wood.  Simple and clean.

Part of Louises shell collection.

Me fishing, not catching.

The surf in general has been world class.  The best waves we’ve gotten on our trip thus far.  I know its been really good at home but its no Jbay.  When we first got here I was really gung-ho on the surf and was paddling up to the peak non-stop.  Needless to say I had a few run-ins with the locals.  Luckily my humorous and Hawaiian vibes have kept me out of trouble and actually I’ve made some decent friends out in the water.  I am no longer a tourist who they will drop in on at any time but an accepted hinderance in the water that they’ll only drop in on every once in a while to keep me in check.  I think one of the reasons they’ve been accepting is the fact that I have such a beautiful companion surfing with me and secondly because I’ve been riding my alaia the majority of the time.  They’re just curious and stoked to see me flying down the line on a piece of wood.

This was a reject piece that was used to protect the rest of the shipment to SA.  It served as a pallet.  It was rejected because there is a big crack down the middle, but I’ve since glued it back together and have finsished shaping it.  Tomorrow I’m oiling it and it will be in the water by the next swell!  I also shaped a regular blank that I may get to ride if I’m lucky, I think the owners want to sell it.  I was just stoked to practice shaping it.

I think this is the biggest wave I’ve caught with the Alaia so far.  How’s the wicked poo stance, uuughhhhhhh.  Clean water lines.  Thanks to Glen for the photos.  If you are ever in JBay and want some photos of you surfing, look him up.  Glen at twiggspics@gmail.com.

Working on repairs for the pine board that broke in half the other day, and then broke again after my fix job.  I need a stronger glue, any suggestions?

EA25ID layback on the Pine Alaia from Roscoe Fowler

Mixing up boiled linseed oil, turpentine, and beeswax, even parts.  I heard the stuff can spontaneously combust.  That’s why I keep it in the shower.  But you’re not supposed to put an oil fire out with water, oh well.  Don’t tell my landlord, oh wait, he’s probably reading this.

Louise has been sitting wide and continues to catch the bombs that everyone ends up being too deep for.  The constant steep hollow rights have honed her pigdog stance.  She’s been getting barreled and all the photogs are snapping pics of her.  We’ll come out of the water or see other surfers in town and they’ll just comment on how graceful she is in the water.  I’m like, “what about me?”

My chick rips!

Our little home is extremely cozy and we’ve adopted a dog, or should I say it adopted us.  This dog is one of those little shit dogs I hate but have come to enjoy, every once in a while I’ll even pet it and maybe talk to it.  Kinda like the locals out in the water and their feelings towards me.

This pic is of our dog, Kalia, Butterface, Butternuts, Pumpkin Head, Scooter Girl, Shit dog, this dog has a lot of names.

We are planning on spending another couple of months here.  We are saving a ton of money.  Our rent is around $275 US a month, our meals are about $2 US each because Louise cooks for us, and our car is $10 US a day.  South Africa is currently very affordable for us.  We are scoping out dream properties and are wondering if we could make a go of it here for real.  Granted we are half way around the world from our true home, perhaps we could do 6 months here and 6 months there.

This is the property we want to buy.  It has unobstructed ocean views of Jeffreys Bay, both Supertubes and Surfers Point along with all the goodies in between.  Anyone want to split it with us?

The Alaia has definitely had a large impact on my life and Louise is getting the hang of it now as well.  Its funny to think that a piece of wood could impact someone so much, but its more than that.  It slows down your life and makes you appreciate every wave.  Its like learning surfing all over again and the stoke of a beginner flows through your blood.  Its a bigger picture item, you end up conversing with individuals out in the water that you would normally ignore and you also get a shit ton of attention.  I guess I kinda like it but it does get kinda annoying after a while.  Some of the attention is awesome, like the photographers sending us photos and the comedians out in the water.  The funniest thing a guy said to me the other day was, “Hey, hows the yank on the plank!”  I couldn’t think of a comeback in time and so I just laughed.

Supertubes empty, this day it was just Louise and I.

Some people are under the impression that the Alaia is a fad but I feel that it will now be with me for rest of my life.  When a surfer rides the Alaia for the first time they are completely humbled.  Their place on the pecking order of the surf spot drops close down to the bottom and kooks seem to paddle right around you.  But if you truly love it, give it time and you will soon be right back up to your rightful position in the pack, albeit a bit off to the shoulder because the boards have zero rocker.

Louise told me that this is me on the Alaia, I’ll take it!

My pops rode a paipo back when he was my age and younger.  I remember seeing that piece of  wood when I was really young and pretty much just disregarding it.  Now I wish it was still around because I bet its a ton of fun.  It makes you open your eyes to other things in the past that you may have disregarded as ancient or useless due to todays technological advances.  But there are some things that will be timeless or at least as good as the expensive remake now.

Although we are now planning a road trip to Mozambique, we currently have no motivation to go anywhere else and I think thats ok.

EXTRA:

We got a new toy the other day and have just started reaping the benefits.  Its a camera that mounts onto your board, either the front or back and takes pictures or videos.  I accidentally erased a bunch of the vids but still have this one, along with these cool pics.  I know the wave isn’t fabulous, just wanted you to get a snapshot of whats possible.  My style is FUNKY.

Here’s a little video that I took.  Its the only wave we have that came out so far.  I’ll post a good one later.

Some of these other miscellaneous pictures are explained in their captions.

These are Kurts youngest kids Majdi and Malik, they were our counterparts for while until they had to leave.  Such a bummer, we had so much more to teach them.  Like how to light your fart on fire.

You might have seen it in the news, how South African labourers were striking.  Here in Jbay they striked by throwing trash in the streets and lighting tires on fire.  I though it was a pretty stupid way to make a statement. They ended up having to clean it up anyways.  One step forward, two steps back.

Louise got punched by her board and wore a shiner for a few days.

Toms concert, this kids 17 and has a lot going for him.  Great musician, greater promoter.

Louise at the concert, she was trying to set the record for least matching outfit in history.  She had the sweatshirt from Duke, the beanie she made, a striped scarf from my parents for xmas, and an asian glow from 1 glass of wine.

Another Braii (African BBQ), they use wood instead of coals.  I got to be the Braii-master this night.

THE FOLLOWING ARE SOME AWESOME PICS I FOUND ON THE WEB.

Heres Derek Hynde Finless in Jbay.  I haven’t met him, but hopefully I’ll get to see him in the water one of these days.  I guess we missed him by a week.  Guy kills it.