Back in the saddle

Today's post is for Laura. 

May you travel safe and be inspired to write and shoot and share and laugh.

"Every day in itself is a blessing.

It is all we ever have anyway, 

the moment we are in."

 Bronnie  Ware

from The Top Five Regrets of the Dying

Respect Your Elders

This guy is 66 years young and retired, looks to be living the dream. So what?

Well, he's survived prostate cancer and two open heart surgeries and he's still paddling out somewhere between Byron and Noosa every Wednesday with his fellow Wednesday Wandererers and every other weekend.

And he's the most stoked surfer in any conditions.

What an inspiration for the rest of us.

Go Bazza!!!

RESPECT

Thoreau, bikes and fear

Today's post is dedicated to the memory of the late Brett Whittaker (RIP) and our dedicated team of amateur cyclists and crew who have been training and fund raising and getting out of our fearful, comfort zones to raise money for cancer research.

None of us have fundraising or long distance cycling experience. Yet, tomorrow we will embark on a 200km cycle trek, through what looks like quite a bit of rain. Even if we dont make the whole course, we know that we have raised (so far) $17K and have become a little bit better in so many ways.

"What you get 
by achieving your goals 

is not as important as 

what you become 
by achieving your goals."

Thoreau

#nikonosproject

Photo below is a collaboration between two different cameras with two different lenses in two different places and the wonderful tech of Photoshop Elements (which came for free with my scanner - can't afford the Real Photoshop and am precious about stealing as should any creative be).

The sign and trees are near Brunswick Heads shot from the car while travelling south to Byron Bay. As the usual highway driver, I always wanted to get this shot but never stopped...rule one, stop and get the shot. 

But this day I was the passenger. We didn't stop, but I gave the Nikonos II and 35mm len's "manual-everything" combo my best guess.

The surf shot was captured on the Sunny Coast with a Nikonos V + 80mm combo (a tricky lens to use while treading water in the surf). 

But the real point of this post is to highlight the analogue wonders of the crew over at #nikonosproject. Great to see the next generation of surf shooters embracing the awesome analogue technology (is that a tautology, Rebecca?) of the last century.
Check them out. Go film!

The BIG Ride

I'm riding my Electra cruiser bicycle 200kms over two days as part of the 2014 Riotinto  Ride to Conquer Cancer It's to raise money for cancer research so consider yourselves "hit up". I'm $500 short of my goal of $2500 AU. 

My niece is now a widow in her 30s and has organised a family team in memory of her hubby who passed away earlier this year from brain cancer. I lost a 22 year old niece last year as well. So I know first hand  the impact on family.

If you want to make a tax deductible donation please follow this  basic formula

a  go to the site, click Donate in left hand column

http://br14.conquercancer.org.au/site/PageServer?pagename=br14_homepage

b  type in my name

c  donate and organise your tax receipt

Ta and many thanks

NAIDOC

Going on the paucity of news, you wouldn't know that this week is NAIDOC and one of the most important in the year for Indigenous Australians. So it's only fitting we feature Indigenous artist Colin Wightman from the small mission town of Toomelah. 

On Sunday the 13th of July, to celebrate the closing of NAIDOC Week this surf board will be up for grabs for $1000 plus postage.It's ready to hang in the boardroom or ready to use, gloss coated and painted both sides, as above.

Colin says: "I paint what I see and what I was told by my Nan and other elders of the Goomeroi tribe. The color in my art depends on the location where I am and what I am feeling at the time."
Contact him on faceybook.

another analogue memory

I've sat at this old silkyoak desk 

for several decades.

It's seen my pencil drawings 

of warplanes during the Vietnam War era 

become 

Captain Goodvibes-inspired doodles 

of perfectly barrelling waves.

It's seen my primary school homework,

 my university assignments 

and even words for which magazines paid me.

For a while 

it was my kitchen table

when I lived alone.

And as my typewriter became 

another analogue memory

replaced by a shiny laptop, 

the yarns continue to seep 

deep into its grain.

The Good Ship

Caffeine, Sheep and Mid-day Sharks

With the surf looking small to nothing tomorrow, it could be a great chance to avoid the mowing, the pruning, the annual tax return mess and head to the Teneriffe Festival in the Big Smoke to eat, drink, watch the runnng of the sheep (real animals, not politicians) or to catch Amy Shark (midday), The Belligerents, Caffeine and a bunch of other lesser known but hugely entertainng musicians. FREE

Non-surf images in this post courtesy Teneriffe Festival

Nikkor 135mm F3.5

Wach Wach

Never tire of observing the fine balancing skills of Christian Wach on a long, uncrowded point wave.