I'm very lucky to have a group of friends that I met at university who are among some of the finest people on the planet. We bonded exploring remote coastlines, surfing incredible waves, sleeping in dune grasses and thriving on the whole experience of what it means to be a surfer in New Zealand.
That was way back – 25 years ago – when surf forecasts were hunches and favourite surfbreaks were never revealed, instead concealed in hush whispers and stifled excitement as winds shuffled into the right direction. We'd load up and go in the cover of darkness. Slip out of university mode into the life of coastal nomads. It suited us. It shaped us.
To this day I share a deep connection with those people and they never cease to assist me in my photography work endeavours. Take Doug Astill for example. When my next book project brought me to Northland, he opened his doors for me. But he went one step further and opened a door to the world of waka ama.
Doug's Dad used to repair all the waka for the local teams and when he passed on that responsibilty landed on Doug's shoulders. He is a great surfer, so it just made sense. And Doug just went to work at it. In doing so he developed a connection with local iwi around Kerikeri that is incredible.
That gave me access to two humans that have breathed fresh oxygen into their community: Danny and Tuppy Kaiawe. Their event, The Pearl of the North, is a waka ama race that attracts paddlers from throughout the world. It's a cultural gathering framed by the healthy pursuit of ocean-going boat racing. It connects the communities with the ocean and the spirit of something new, positive and filled with hope.
All are welcomed and treated like kings with a post-race seafood banquet and hangi. Oysters, paua, smoked fish, ceviche, kina – in copious quantities to revive aching bodies.
Tupuria King won the day. He's the complete high-performance athlete – something special to watch in action. But the Pearl of the North is mostly about the connections and the people. It has a magnetic quality.
While up north I also found some time to learn more about the Seaweed Pickers of Te Rarawa, near Ahipara. They occupy a dreamy coastline that few visit. It is littered with waves. I surfed alone, a fairly intimidating 3-4 foot righthand reefbreak, while the local kaumatua egged me on from his bach.
There's something special about Northland. For all its issues with drugs, alcohol and the family violence that comes along with that, there is an underlying heart of gold.
See you at the beach ... Derek
PS Our latest book Surf Dreams goes on sale on November 3 (that's next week). You can still pre-order yours right here and I'll even sign it for you.
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