Snap Snap Bluesnapper

Thanks to Sam Edmonds

www.samedmonds.com

www.flickr.com/photos/samedmonds

Thanks to Al Marks for the 'Portrait' write up on the Bluesnapper website.

Check out some of the most amazing photos from all over the Northern Beaches at:

www.bluesnapper.com.au

VQS Championships Manly!

16th - 17th April

The Volcom VQS competitions have been held all over Australia and all finalists were down at Manly to battle out for the national title. The competitions create an explosive atmosphere for the local beaches attracting grommets to participate in their daring games to win free Volcom gear. Coconut bowls, pass the pineapple, Volcom's putt-off and many others.

'L.T.K.R.F' - Let the kids ride free is the slogan Volcom uses allowing all groms, juniors, pro-am and girls compete without having to pay an entry fee.

They put on a great day for the kids and for those who laugh at them. Ultimate positive vibes and simply a great day at the beach all doing what we love, hanging out with mates, surfing and laughing! Job well done

http://volcomoznzevents.blogspot.com/2010/04/volcom-stones-vqs-championships-volcom.html

Sumba Foundation

‘Life is a gift, and it offers us the privilege, opportunity, and responsibility to give something back by becoming more.’

On Thursday 25th March I attended the Sumba Foundation Charity lunch where 175 generous people, including notable Rugby stars and Surfing legends, came together for a good cause. The day included many auctions all rallying to raise money in hope of improving the lives of the Sumbanese. Dr Nolan, a local surfer and father of keen grommets had travelled to Sumba in search of waves and was astonished by the level of poverty. He returned to his home and declared to his wife that he was going to make a difference.

Surfing legends Barton Lynch, Layne Beachley and Tom Carroll

The Sumba Foundation’s water, health, education and economic projects are spread throughout 78 square miles within West Sumba.

Well known surfer, Rob Machado and Bob Hurley have ventured to the poverty stricken island located in eastern Indonesia hoping to create awareness and assist the much needed well and farming irrigation project. Previously, men, women and their children were walking 3km at least 4 times a day collecting fresh water. With the new water structure children are able to attend school and through improved drinking water and irrigation links to better farming, diet and overall better health. Now more than 147 villages receive clean water each day.

There are 13 primary schools in which the Sumba Foundation support, teaching organic gardening and farming skills as well as providing school supplies and nutritious lunches. Malnutrition is a tremendous problem in children, through direct intervention over 227 severely malnourished children have been through the Malnutrition program since being established only a year ago.

Over the past 4 years the Foundation has expanded into 5 medical clinics covering a population of approximately 18,000 people. These clinics are not only providing medical benefits to its people but also training local nurses and microscopist and thus improving their diagnosis and procedures. It has been found that 62% of children tested under the age of 5 had malaria and 105 infants and young children suffering from acute cerebral malaria have since been directly saved from death in the foundation’s clinics.

What makes the Sumba Foundation unique to other organisations is people are able to stay and participate in projects. Many dentists and eye surgeons take time every year to assist the Sumbanese and their efforts are praised upon immensely.

The amazing waves in Sumba

Making Waves from Justin Eeles on Vimeo.

The Sumba foundation puts 90% of their donations directly into its projects and is deeply committed to lessening the consequences of poverty on the island of Sumba by providing humanitarian aid through village-based projects that impact health, education and income generation.

‘Act as if what you do makes a difference... it does’

www.sumbafoundation.org.au

Thank you Dr Nolan for bringing awareness and much needed attention to this beautiful place. And a big thanks to Katherine Nolan and her friends who helped organise a very successful lunch

Magical Findings

Actually written: April 2008

Location: in the warm afternoon sun, on the bench, outside Guy's house, Whitley, England SN12 8QN

Original title: 4xW+H=???

Writing a recount of something (anything, a moment, an experience, a situation, anything) can come from the heart but it isn't accurate.
Expressing your opinion and feelings do not quite explain your past.
20% of a piece of writing is a well description, the rest is always left untold, the sounds unheard, the random sequence of thought, the process the brain endures carefully selecting the words to be written on this page before you.

What is or who are the greatest authors?

Those who have skill in selecting words that will ultimately move the reader?
The talent of creating a realm the individual can escape to?
Or someone who can produce an imaginative and/or reflection that the reader can relate to?
Or are the best writers those who can use their knowledge and experience to guide, influence and teach any individual?

Does the human race depend on relationships?
Whether they are created in a medium, described on paper or generally formed in everyday life, what would happen if relationships didn't exist?
Who would we trust, question, look up to, confide in, despise, like and love?

Do our emotions physically exist?
If they can't be identified scientifically, can they only be spiritual?
How come everything else in the world can be explained scientifically but the most simple, most important qualities/feelings can not?
Does that alter your perception on the credibility of science?
What is science?
A cult?
A rumour?
Another God?
Why does it control our thoughts?
Produce what is right and wrong, influence everything in our everyday lives?
Are we dependent on everyone else to tell us what to do, what to explore and essentially what to feel?
Is the feeling of being lost really something physical or geographical?
Or is it the disconnection to others?
A mere insecurity?
Why can't it be explained?
Why does the paper have to be so thin? It does not hold enough information to be told.

Good Bye Qantas Website!

The weeks have gone by and I think it would be scary and in fact wrong for me to possibly calculate the number of hours I have spent on this silly website. It would surely prove that I devote too much time with my nice white apple companion.

I am proud to say good bye Qantas!

That is, for now, I shall see you in November when I am in desperate need of:

• thawing my bones, escaping the UK's sleet, ice, rain, drizzle - terrible weather and returning to the warm, soft sand of Whale Beach
• hearing an Aussie accent from the fine sheila welcoming me onto the flight
• the euphoric voices of "I Still Call Australia Home"
• and to hear you say that you will not be charging me excess baggage unlike all the other airlines

It was today! Wednesday 17th March, the day I booked my flight out of Aus! What a relief! What an amazing feeling! All the stress that went along with the research has departed, and it is not long till I too skedaddle !!!

Injuries Happen to the Best of us!!!

Tom Carroll, Rob Bain & Barton Lynch

A New Beginning

Wednesday 20th January 2010

The fire has been relit. motivation and desire have been properly reinstalled. The mind has returned to it's frothing grommet stage.

Let there be Waves. Let there be Enlightenment. Let there be Life.

The change from, trying to work as many hours in a day just to get a few extra dollars, to the enjoyment of knocking off early and allowing myself to be free amongst the waves. The time has come, no more overdrive of the mind, no more stress, no more flu, no more exhaustion.

Hello Joy, I welcome you into my heart, I see you have brought with you Tranquility and Balance. Welcome.

I have been blessed to begin my new life in such spontaneity. As I am walking home from work acknowledging the new found member of the Northern Beaches, Swell, I have an eager spring in my step. I know that this next experience will be one to remember. We can only be grateful that Swell has made a visit to our shores. We all know he usually doesn't intend to stay long and sometimes he comes when our banks are not ready. Waste of time really. And time in money if your employed casually. But forget work, we're past that now.

So I'm walking home, ringing around to see which beach is accommodating our friend the best.

North-east wind. Southerly swell. 16:00 ferry. Box Head. Bring nothing.

Jump on the ferry, no looking back, towards the heads we go; lines of swell, invigorating sea spray, 'This area is subject to sea spray take care of valuables,' (lucky we're in boardies) shrieks of joy, breathe-holding smiles, saturated grannies loving the ride, young children exaggerating the boat's flowing movement, surfing up and down, over each wave.

The channel seems narrower as the tide has dropped and we come close to the large pack of surfers scrambling for waves on the outside peak.

We disembark at Wagstaff Wharf and are greeted by a friend on his jetski to take us to the break. Legend! Saved us from the long bush walk over the hill. We were dropped in the middle of it all, everyone was there, and all for the same reason.

The water was alive. The vibe was intense. The waves were incredible.

This beautiful creation of a wave had brought together multitudes of eager surfers; a combination of Cenny Coast crew and Sydney folk, fighting it out to get the biggest and the best waves of the day.

Breathing deeply, no fear, no sense of intimidation, no nerves, only adrenalin. Something is different, no judgement in mind only enjoyment. I'm surfing for me, because it is me, and I love it.

The waves that day have been highlighted in my mind and labelled the new me.

The people we're there, the waves delivered, all that was left to wonder was how were we to get home?