Elite Surfing - Weekend Away

ES Surfing weekend away from Nicholas Damen on Vimeo.


miss you lil grommets!!

Blue Floating Shapes

'Stoked & Broke', a film by Cyrus Sutton encouraged the inner stoke and basic want to surf something one could create. While packing to leave Peniche, Pumps, Brendos and Crille spotted some stored materials for the construction of the apartment we were staying in. Blue planks of styrofoam. These basic blocks were to become our creative outlet in an attempt to make stand up, body board like surf craft. We each had our own vision, discussing tail shapes, rail lines and buoyancy. Not wanting to disclose too much to each other a quiet day arrived in Armaçao de Pêra and we got to work with our basic tools.

Finding Walls - Lisbon

On our day trip to Lisbon, Nick Pumphrey and I set off on a search for some epic walls. Lisbon is full of great sites but it is their colourful walls we desired to explore. Job done after a few laughs, big smiles and goofy looks. The shot of ginjinha at midday - a traditional Portuguese alcohol may have help a little too. Photos will be used by Rhythm Europe hopefully early next year on their website www.rhythmlivin.eu

Brendos, Crille & Pumps having a shot of Ginjinha

Stereotypical Drug Customers

Young, blonde traveler - not potential customer.

Sun tanned, facial hair, surfy looking, long hair, cool alternatively dressed and covered in tatts - bingo! potential customer - harass and likely sale of goods. 

Poor Brendos, Crille and Pumps were constantly bugged by Pakistanis coming up and saying 'hashish! hashish!' - 'NO!' 

Fernando Pessoa

Concentrate!

Running through my mind.
A continuous jingle.
An unwanted repeat.
The limited lyrics that circle.
STOP.
This is what hinders minds to be aware of each individual’s presence.
Why do we enjoy a catchy tune?
And once it has ‘caught’ you, how do you escape it’s forever repeating insignificant words?
In daily life we have the desire to expand our knowledge however in one way or another it is unfortunately dumbed.
The industry of what is called music includes many talented artists yet the diversity allows repetitive crap to be constantly played on the radio.
I am not saying that I do not enjoy singing along to their catchy tunes.
Nor do I not enjoy dancing to the same songs every time I go out.
It’s the times when you have been captured into the realm of poor lyrics and repetition that the mind is incapable of returning to it’s unique thought process.
Music takes us to a world of rhythm, insignificant to our surrounding, we have the choice to fill our ears with tunes that do not, if chosen, coordinate what the eyes see.

Brazilians Can't Barrel Ride

De Souza, Pupo, Alves, Medina, Andre and Muniz all successfully posted high scores in the Ripcurl Pro Peniche. Supertubes was pumping and the barrelling waves were only a few meters from the shore line. The crowd practically had their toes touching the water's edge and as each set sucked up and spat the jerseyed competitor out the salty blow swiped out faces with amazement. Each succession of every barrel threw the crowd's arms up with applause. People had travelled from far to watch the final day and see Kelly Slater be beaten by the Brazilian, Adriano de Souza. Such incredible entertainment. Perfect waves with the best in the world showing us how it's done. The strong Brazilian contingency on the tour consists of 6 surfers, most proving to excel in ariel manoeuvres. Coming from a country where waves are weak and competition is high, their aggressive approach and lack of bottom turns is evident. These guys however have proved themselves in the more surfable waves completing turns top to bottom and dominating their heats in the Ripcurl Pro. Coming from Hawaii, John John Florence has Pipe in his backyard, we could see how at home he felt in the similar conditions here in Peniche.
Where you grow up shapes the way you surf.

A Treat for Spanish Roadies

Travelling late at night, through the deserted roads that cross Spain flashing lights flicker along the highway. A method of attracting and luring fatigued truckies into what lies within. 'Club Jamaica' remains in our minds the rest were thankfully forgotten. It is said that in Spain for a new town to develop there needs to be a church, a whore house and a bar. We passed many stray 'Clubs' so they could possibly be hoping to start new towns or have their independent business excel in the scarceness.
Onwards we go, Portugal in the distance.

The Sound of Change

Completion of one chapter encourages the commencement of another. I am grateful for the support O'neill Europe has given me over the past 2 years and now I am happy to be returning to a more fashion minded surf label. RHYTHM.

Road trip on! lets get Rhythmized!!

Headed down to Peniche for the Ripcurl Pro and the Rhythm event 'By the Sea'

Quiksilver Pro France

Another year has passed, the circus has come and gone. Looking back, 2011 was a better experience than previous years. Before the fuss started everyone anticipated the arrival of the elite, I the opposite. I knew that along with the incredible display of surfing there was the side I wasn’t too fond of. Late nights fueled by alcohol and the uncomfortable blind eye turned from the consumption of other substances. Last year I don’t think I surfed very much while the crew were around, late nights got the better of me and I even missed seeing Fanning win the final. This year I watched almost every heat and as the competition progressed it became more and more exciting! 5 minutes to go in the final, Aussie Jules gets up and announces he’s grabbing a victory beer as it was clear Julian had smashed it! Gabriel blew everyones’ minds! The ability he has to pull maneuvers in such a pressured moment deserves immense applause. Needless to say I now do enjoy the ASP events as the level of surfing in the competitions has risen and to watch it live on the beach is so intense!
Off to Portugal for the Ripcurl Pro! Yew!

EFF YOU SEE KAY

certain people make you say fuck
it's contagious
it casually rolls off your tongue before you can consciously stop fucking staying it

fuck!

'Why is it that images and words so often contradict one another?' Cloudy Rhodes
http://cloudyrhodes.tumblr.com/