by Franck Gazzola | Apr 15, 2014 | Daily Updates
The weather is a weird animal lately. Like a cheeky dog: when you think you've got control, it bites you from behind.
The swell is still pushing through. There is size and frequency. But it's not completely tidied yet for our side of the Bridge. Bronte is by far the best bet today, if you can't make the trip North. And Maroubra could also be a good option, but I couldn't see it with my own eyes (if someone could leave a comment on the home page of the Frothers website to tell us how it was, it'd be great !).
The sky was dark and gloomy. Showers were getting the horizon line wet, but spared our beaches.
Another couple of days only before the long weekend…Hold on tight. From tomorrow onwards, it's downhill !
Have a nice day !
Franck
by Franck Gazzola | Apr 14, 2014 | Daily Updates
Yesterday I spent a few Ours at Cape Solander. And I did not regret the early alarm clock and the bloody rain ! Blake, Hippo and Gilso have shown everyone how it's done, with control, elegance, and style.
We filled up a car with Joel Pilgrim and Arnaud Thousandfield, and headed South to the Cape, to see Theirs (well, I will not call it Ours, at it will never be mine, that's for sure !). Arrived on the muddy parking lot, I got my vans soaked, and got down to the rocks to check it out. ''Too much water still'' we think. ''The odd bigger set could be surfable, but the rest would be way too close to the rocks on that point''. But then, we realised we were looking where normal people would look, but not where Gilso and Blake were looking. They saw waves in this mess that you can only see with a trained eye, and more importantly great confidence in your skills. Just a little further out, if you'd wait long enough, you'd see them: Big, dark, fat lipped and mean !
Blake and Gilso paddle out, and scored. Flawless style, making it look super easy. Blake got a few, and Gilso seemed shy. But then he dropped on a bomb, came out of the barrel and looked back at it. Click. Mental picture.
Hippo arrived a bit later and got in the rythm pretty quickly.
Soon after, we had to leave. Not just because I started to get annoyed by standing in the pouring rain, trying to protect the gear (by the way, if some of those pictures look ''noisy'', they're not: they're just wet. It's just the rain doing it's magic on the shots, just like it did on my camera ! :-/ ), but because we had some obligations back in Bondi.
The only regret of the day is for Joel. He wanted a surf there. And he wanted to do it on his favorite 9'2ft. He did not get it this time. But he will. And Frothers will be there with him the day this happens. We've got a full winter ahead of us for that ! looking at the glass half full, we came home. No broken bones. No broken boards.
Have a nice day. We're in for a week of waves. The South protected corners will be the best picks for the few days ahead.
Franck
by Franck Gazzola | Apr 11, 2014 | Daily Updates
R U Ok on this Friday ?
Well, if you are, that's great, as things should improve even more as we approach the sacred moment of the weekend.
If you R not Ok, then it's is important you find a way to talk about it, and this is why the Fluro friday guys are there for: make people understand that there is nothing wrong about people who are not in a good space in their heads. This is totally normal, as about 25%+ people will suffer mental health issue during their life.
This is why this morning, the Fluro crew gathered behind the break, to remember Gavin, who started the R U Ok ?-day, and who passed away a couple of years ago. Today is is birthday. No sad vibes down the beach, though, but an energizing sense of purpose for Joel and his gang.
Before I forget: what does the weather man say ?…Well, today, kind of alright, and tiny waves. Tomorrow, well, different story: 17ft swell and 35 knots Southerly ! YES: 17ft South swell at 13 seconds !!
We're in for at least 7 days of waves guys. The only trick will be to find ways to dodge the winds. But the South corners will have some gems for sure…
Have nice weekend, and even if you're crazy, don't be stupid tomorrow: don't break your neck !
Franck (insta: @franckgazzola)
by Franck Gazzola | Apr 9, 2014 | Daily Updates
I did not regret to wake up this morning after such a short night (in my standards): Plenty of waves, some funky clouds, hardly any wind. Things were looking pretty flash down at Tama !
There are still a lot of waves, good size, but not too big, which means that pretty much any spot alongside our 'burbs can handle the size in a fairly clean way. Some barrelling sections, some open shoulders. There was plenty of fun happening in the water.
It seems like yesterday was quite good already, but I was too busy standing on a parking lot for the whole day to get this bloody motorcycle ''P'' to shoot the report. I was not too happy about missing out on such a fun day, really ''P''-ssed off.
I know the days are short to squeeze in a surf after work now, so tomorrow, try the early one. If it is like today, you won't regret it ! Problem is that the forecast is on the decrease in size, and increase in cloud cover…let's hope the forecast is wrong.
Have a great day !
Franck
by Franck Gazzola | Apr 7, 2014 | Daily Updates
An extra hour of morning beach pleasure is what we got back on the weekend. And it is great news. The problem is that the weather and the surf this morning were not the best to enjoy it fully…
Yesterday was the only day of the year when Sunday early morning commitments are bearable, even after a late night at the pub. The difference it makes now is that you can hit the water from 5:45am, and get an hour of surf and still leave the beach before 7am. YES ! And for me, it means a lot more time to shoot you guys, and shoot from the water as soon as the conditions line up. But first, this wind needs to drop right down (Wednesday normally).
Today's conditions looked like the Margie Pro's conditions yesterday…And given how average it was, it is amazing what those guys pulled off ! But, the highlight of the day yesterday was the re-surf of Taj and Bede's heat, due to a claim made by Taj, forcing the heat to be re-done. The tension was crazy, and despite the drama, Bede confirmed his win. It must've been nerve wrecking for him, and he made it: good on him !
This morning, in the South corner, there was a photo shoot, which I found pretty funny. 2 young ladies, in normal sports wear (no bathers, nor steamers) posing with surfboards (no leggies, no fins either, and no wax). I'm not sure what this shooting was for/which client or brand, but I found it pretty funny as there was clearly no sense of reality in there. It's amazing how surfing can help sell stuff.
Have a great day.
Franck (insta: @franckgazzola)
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