Curves, lines, ain’t it awesome that we are able to dream, think, then build things of beauty. Yea, I ain’t no shaper, yes, I once finished glassing a board in the dark cause my wife turned of the lights and locked the door to the shed when she went out shopping. Yes I’ve once glassed in thongs and stepped in my resin bucket. But all of us wether pro’s, backyard shapers or hackers like me share one thing that’s common. Curves and lines, we dream about em, gaze at them longingly when we see something special, sit in awe at creations special curves. It must be built into our DNA. They keep us humble and we all have this common denominator, curves and lines. Back to dreaming I must go.
This dream of mine to travel in a bus started around five years ago. As of last month it has officially ended. It seemed that father time caught up with my body and I just needed to stop. Over the five years I travelled up and down the east coast of Australia many times. I surfed waves I had never surfed before and visited many old haunts that are still relatively uncrowded for the mid coast of Australia. In winter its easy to find quality waves with no one to surf with and my best sessions on the east coast were always solo at dawn for as long as the body could last. My children discovered places that I would have ever taken them if it wasnt for these travels. The inland of Australia holds a special place for me and I almost packed up and stoped permanately at Lighting Ridge. I was shocked with how beautiful and peaceful it is. Untouched beauty at our doorsteps. I know understand why those who live in outback Australia never want to leave. It has that same connection for me as the ocean does, the peace, the solitude, the quiet. I get the same sort of rush as taking off on a wave as I do standing somewhere inland where no one else may have stood for a very very long time.
I watched my kids grow, devolop, learn what is needed for happiness and what is not. That is all that I wanted to achieve in my travels and I was lucky enough to witness it come true.
The semi gun that Huei shaped for me in the above pics was fully tested out at half moon bay on a six to eight foot swell. I caught it at the beginning of the season and only a few were on it. I have never stood on a stick that gave me more confidence and belief in what was under my feet than that board. The speed, the pure lines, at fifty years of age I just feel like a very blessed man to have ridden this beautiful board and it now will hold a very special place in my shed.
My very last surf on my travels was at Jakes in Kalbarri. It was possibly the most intimidating surf I have ever been in. I cant guess the size though all I know was it was more than overhead and so bloody thick. I only had my 6’4 huei shaped me and I only caught one wave. I sat out there for around a hour watching the local chargers before I turned to paddle. I caught a wide one and savoured every second of that ride.
We needed to rush back to queensland for medical issues for my oldest boy and I did not stop to surf. If I had known that I would blow out my back causing massive injury to my L3;4 and 5 I might of went for one more session. I was out for nearly a year while I waited for major surgery. Luckily the surgery was successful though I have still not been back in the water and im not sure if I will ever surf again. For me its more mental now, as Im scarred from the injuries and never want to put my family through that again. Its happened twice, two operations over time, and both times drugged to the eyeballs while waiting and in recovery, with an end result of missing large blocks of six months each eposide where I just cant remember a thing.
While I was injured my wife saved every red cent we recieved and we had enough for a deposit for a house in Queenstown Tasmania. After recieveing a bit of help from mum we settled a little less than a month ago. We know own a very cheap 100 year old home in a small miners town in the middle of nowhere. Its incredibly cheap in Queenstown though if you looked up the weather and the town you can see why, though we love the isolation and peace of the place. The closest surf is around 45 minutes to a place called Trail Harbour or Bay, cant think of its correct name though I know it holds some powerful waves so Im looking forward to seeing it break one day. Possibly getting in the water or taking some shots of the place.
The bus is up for sale. Im spending my time renovating the home, looking after the kids, setting up a shaping bay in the sheds in the back yard, and dreaming of shaping some belly boards. The damage to my siatic nerve running down my left leg seems to not be settling and my balance may not come back so if I get back in the water it will probably be on a belly board. My sister works for the veteran affairs dealing with injuries so my dream is to shape a belly every now and then, once the standard gets good enough I plan to give them away to vets, use my sisters contacts and get some vet surfers back in the water that may never get back on boards. Thats the dream anyway. I will add some pics of the house and the sheds Im going to convert over the winter. I hope everyone is well. Pics of the house will be added at a later date as they are not on the computer but rather on the phone.
WOW THANK YOU , I have loved following your adventures over the years on Sways , you have managed to do what so many only talk about with so little except an abundance of love , I can only wish you all the very best on the rest of your lifes journey . Much Aloha
Did you choose Queenstown without going there first digger?
I’ve been twice on my way to Trial harbour, I was there at xmas this year.
This right hander is pretty fun.
sorta did mate. We did a hell of a lot of research, travelled to most cheap towns across oz in our travels over the last five years, sussed out the weather and access to ocean. To tell the truth Queenstown came up trumps on them all for what we were after. I hate dept as I have said early and we will have morgage paid off in five to seven years its that low without trying hard at all. We knew what we were getting ourselves in for and had a friend look at the house. What I didnt know is how friendly the people are and how community based it is. I reckon we scored on all levels. Im itching to get in the water in a few months to take photos or surf once I build some renewed confidence in my back. If ever you pass by again make sure to drop in mate, I will have a cold beer waiting for ya.
Mate I think its awesome, the only reason I was surprised is that you’ve chosen something so far different from the ‘average’ person, you’re literally moving to the edge of the world!!
The beauty of the area is unbelievable, even the old mine site that looks like the surface of the moon, I could stare at it all day.
Good luck digger, see you next time I’m back in tassie!!
Exactly Marsh. I’m tempted to get a top quality camera to take some nature shots. Every morning I wake up and look at our kitchen window I’m blown away by the mountains.
I reckon the five years in the bus with the family changed us to such a degree that living at the edge of the world now feels like the natural thing for our family. Maybe if I can get my bay ready by next time you come I will have a few 5’0 belly boards ready for us to test at that point. I’ve heard it gets bloody hollow when the stars align.
Hey Marsh, you passing this way this year. I’ve now damaged my next so im outa the water for longer once more. Though my mate had a near death experience and if I’m honest with myself I need one more session in the water to say good bye to the ocean. Catching waves is no longer my priority in life though it will always be an itch that can never be cured. The shaping bay now has power and a air con is going in after Christmas to keep the air temp at 21. I’m going to use the bay to make epoxy river tables with Tasmanian wood, this will then fund shaping a few sticks for fun. I hope to catch up marsh, maybe I could take some pics in the water sometime?.