News

The good news is that my camera now has a focal length of roughly 836mm. This brings me in the league of those guys with their big lenses. The setup is still very light, and I don't loose any f stops because of the tele. (If you're a photographer you know what I am saying.) The lens I ordered of E Bay arrived already in J Bay, on 3 July. The post office sent several notifications to me, but the postman decided to not hand deliver them like he normally does, but  just  chuck them in the post box we never use. Absolute bummer. I had a lens sitting in J Bay, waiting for me in the post office, weeks before the Billabong PRO ever started.

The housing I ordered got lost in the post, or so the guy said who I ordered it from. It was ensured so he processed a re order and apparently tried to hunt down what happened to it between JHB and CT with the postal service. I am not sure who to believe here because a parcel cannot just vanish in transit ans surely that have a record of who the physical person was that handled the parcels and scanned them. Eventually after now news for weeks I phoned him and then he said that the Germans are not willing to work with him as a dealer anymore because they just got a new sales manager. He is apparently chopping and changing a lot of stuff in their structure. Fortunately I got all my money back.

The bad news is that I am still without a housing and it is driving me up the wall. 

I am tired of local guys grumbling about how crowded J bay is. They say it is because guys like me sell the place out. I hate it when there is this atmosphere in the water. It takes away my liberty and I feel I don't have the right or freedom to surf in my own home break.  The fact of the matter is many of those guys that grumble would not be able to make a living if it was not for the waves and surf industry. I guess it is never going to change and maybe I will become one of those guys in 30 years?! We all need food on the table. Yes. Even Bruce.

I'll catch you in the water. My cam's batteries are done charging and I have to go and do a shoot.  People are actually paying me to take photos of them. If you want to hire me, just get in touch with me on the "drop me a line" page and I'll get back to you ASAP.

The Surfboard Factory and Rebel Surfboards are synonymous with the shaper and surfer Thys Strydom. They manufacture custom quality boards of all shapes and sizes that will fit your pocket and float your boat. 

If you are in J Bay and need some ding repairs or a proper board, you'd better leg it over there and check it out! They also manufacture boards for export and make a nice gift from J Bay to yourself or your mates over in Auz or the States or wherever you made you pilgrimage from. 

They are located in St. Croix Street.

You can give Thys a call at 027 823240849

Click here to visit their website 

So you stand on the rocks, it is the second to last heat of the day. You are armed with your Snugg wetsuit and booties and your absolutely not waterproof camera. Everybody is looking at this crazy guy with the camera on the rocks and they all wonder if he is going to slip and mess up his camera. Then it happens. A big wave comes your way but you stay focussed on the shot... Next thing you know you are slipping and trying to keep the camera out of the water. The rest was history and shame on you if you laughed.

At this point I want to thank South African Postal Services for loosing my water proof camera bag that I imported from Germany specifically for the Billabong PRO, half way between JHB and Cape Town. (Scanned in Jo'burg but never reached Cape Town?! I kid you not!)

Oh. The camera is doing fine. I took it apart and rinsed it in clean water and baked it for a minute in the oven. Put it together a few minutes ago and it works perfectly. My wrist should heal in a week or two and I am sure some sea critters are feeding of my flesh and skin left on the rocks at this moment.

I still got sick photos for you, and you can see them under Friday the 13th in the Billabong PRO section of the Gallery.  

Working hard to bring you quality photos.

Later 

I made it in time for the opening ceremony of the Billabong PRO this morning. It included a very good presentation of some traditional dancers. The best I have seen to date. (Oh, and another loony guy with a candle and some cow dung that said he is worshiping the ancestors. He blew his whistle over at the sea by Super Tubes, but the crowd sort of ignored him and I could see many of them were uncomfortable and unhappy with this gesture.) Let him blow his whistle, God made the sea.

Right after that, the waves looked fun and they started with the VonZipper wild card trails. It is about at that time that I discovered I am late for work! Anyway.  I will try to upload the best shots a few hours after the action went down on a day to day basis. After work I had a chance to take some photos of the heats, so you will find it up already. Head over to the new section on the website dedicated to the Billabong PRO right now.