Box of Light is made possible thanks to these visionaries:
There are a lot of dead-end roads in the Catlins. Most of them lead to some amazing beaches. This past week I figured there was a window for a wave that I have grown very fond of. The window would be too small to attract too much attention, with just enough swell for the wave to work. But, it is always a gamble.
By the time Keo and I traversed the farm track to where we could see the lineup there was hardly a wave breaking. Just the odd pulse looking semi-surfable, but far from great. We decided to head in anyway ... it wouldn't feel like a real adventure if we pulled the pin too early.
That was a master stroke. By the time the sweetspot of the tide worked its magic, those little pulses were reeling off nicely. We nearly had it to ourselves. Then Will and his mate Paris turned up. Paris commentated the whole session. Keo particularly liked it when Paris paddled into a wave screaming to himself, "Don't be a pussy Paris, paddle, paddle!"
The Catlins is such a refreshing tonic after the hustle and bustle of the city lineups and life. The weather is cold, abrasive and right in your face. Seals, sea lions, and penguins look at you as if you're the first human they have ever seen. It feels like an adventure every time and we could all do with more of that in our lives.
See you at the beach ... Derek
PS Over at NZ Surf Journal we test a lot of surf gear ... and we actually use it and provide an honest appraisal without any bias. Want to avoid the high-end leash that's fundamentally flawed? Or want to find out which low-cost wetsuit outperforms most of the big US and Aussie brands? You can check out our latest reviews here.
Box of Light is made possible thanks to these visionaries: