What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger

So that’s it. My foot’s pretty fucked. Out of the water for 8 weeks, and then a week or two to get my groove back. Slap bang in the middle of the Pro Junior series. Well, as the headline reads, ‘what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger’ so there is something to learn from all of this.

Firstly I just want to say well done to Shaun. He kicked it at the Quik Pro Junior, and so he should have. Great surfing, lame waves. I heard it was a good event and I was bummed I couldn’t be there.

Hobbling along on crutches.

So all being well, I will be back in the water in July. Just hope we will have some winter swells left by then so I can get a couple at Supers. Going to miss the Pro Juniors, going to miss the Xcel, and a bunch of other events.

When I get bummed about it, I remember what happened to Mick Fanning. Tore the bum muscle off the bone, was predicted that he would struggle to walk, let alone surf, and he turned the whole thing around to a world title, and then followed it up with another. So there’s hope.

Injured.

It’s one of the risks we run whenever we go surf – a bad wipeout that results in an injury. It doesn’t happen that often, but when it does it is always a bitter pill to swallow. I caught a few bombs at New Pier, and after a few I lucked onto this one good little runner. I went for a nice little off-the-top on this new board that has been going like a dream, and I felt pretty confident. Then the bottom dropped out of the wave, I fell, and my foot crunched under me.

So I am out of the water for a few days, maybe weeks. I’m out for the Quiksilver Pro Junior, I’m out for a while. One of those things. It is a bummer but I am not going to get too disconsolate about it and will just use this opportunity to get ready for the next time I am in the water.

Crutches, swelling, the works.

Durban, friends and etc..

Waves have been banging in Durban. It’s been good to hang with my mates, get some bomb waves, and have a few coaching lessons from QJ. The bank at New Pier is pretty much as good as it gets and we have had a few days of it. I’ve been on a 5’11 Baron since I have been up here and it does seem to fly. Good to try a few different boards out – everyone knows that these days.

Video dude took off the other day with our car keys. We were so hungry the only way we were going to survive was to knock out the car window and get to out wallets so that we could chow down. So funny in hindsight, but at the time we were bumming.

Three of us

Been doing most of my surfing with Beyrick and Matt Bromley. It’s do good to surf with them. They push you and make you want to surf harder and harder. With the Quiksilver Pro Junior coming up we’re all going to be so motivated and frothing for a result. Hopefully one of us will get a good finish.

Hanging in Durbs.

Got involved in a tag team contest. Was pretty cool.

paddling around that the tag team contest

Fun waves on the north coast

Got a new Baron and working with QJ in Durban and all going good so far. Getting some fun waves, enjoying the morning offshores and just surfing my brains out. can’t beat that…

Waves in Durban

Been getting some waves and cruising around Durban. Hit the south coast yesterday, and also scored some fun waves in town. Looks like we’ve got a few days ahead of us with plenty of good surfing in amongst it all. Found this cool little video of Durban beachfront from a little while ago, with a bunch of guys getting some sick barrels and all.

Off to Durban

I’m off to Durban. Looks really good for a few sessions in KZN. The banks are good, the swell is coming and the land breezes are up. Going to be hanging with Beyrick and with Chad, and then going to be sticking around all the way until the Quiksilver Pro Junior. Hopefully get some waves like this

Yes that’s Josh in the pocket of a New Pier drainer. Hopefully this is what’s going to be happening on the Durban beachfront for a long time to come. Either way, looks a bit lame in the EC for the next few days, maybe the guys will get a few tomorrow, but as per usual the reports and the forecasts are over amping.

Got my new board coming as well. Simon Fish has made me a new stick, called ‘The Squirter.’ Can’t wait to give it a spin.

back n the hood

As previously mentioned, I am back in the home town and have been greeted with freezing water. The water was chilly, but I got that 4/3 Xcel so I was warm as toast. Very few people in the water apart from a few mates and a couple of longboarders from out of town. Still lots of waves to be had.

Check this cool foto of me and a few mates from a recent trip we took up to PA.

friends in black and white

So now that I am back from Australia, what did I learn from my trip this time? Well it was a great trip because I was surfing against all the other pro juniors from around the world, and it was really amazing watch the World Tour event, so good to see Jordy do well, and be there to check that out.

The biggest bummer was the prices for food and drinks. It was off the Richter scale.

The best thing about coming home is sleeping in my own bed, and the fact that there really is no one in the water.

We were all  on quite a bad food program over there. We ate loads of quick and easy junk food.. really got to get that sorted for the next time I go travelling.

I most definitely picked up a bit of weight, but my plan is to just go surf, to start training and get back into the swing of things.

The most important thing I took away from my trip was I spent quite a bit of time looking at boards, and getting my head around equipment. This is something I want to get into more in the future.

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The return

Australia I have to love you and leave you. It has been an awesome trip and while I didn’t clock up the best results it is all about progression. It’s good to get out there and see what the rest of the world is doing and is up to. While coming home is always great, our little corner of the woods is a tiny little alcove compared to what’s happening out there.

One of the highlights of my trip was watching Jordy blazing a trail at the Quikkie Pro.

Jordy ripping at Snapper © cestari/ASP

While I didn’t see him go all the way to the final, I did check out some of his earlier heats and his surfing was insane. Makes one proud to be a South African and see just how hard he was ripping.

Anyway, back in the hood soon. Couple of cream sodas lined up and hopefully some waves. Wouldn’t mind a little JBay swell to start the season off…..

Bone Loss Again..

This was myself and Shaun Joubert having some fun down the beach. Saulks shot the whole thing, and we put the soundtrack and bam – an award-winning video, apparently.

It’s called Bone Loss, and you might have seen and heard it all before.