Headin home

I've spent most of August in Moorea in the same anchorage next to the same reef pass called Haapiti. The days kind of all blur together. When there is surf, Dave and I surf. When there's not, well we're bored and we try n find other shit to do. There have been days of mindless perfection, magazine quality barrels. There have been fun days and flat days and too big days and everything in between. My life has been on hold while I've lived out my surf rat fantasy: to jump off a boat and go surf a left hand reef pass as much as possible.

The highlight of the French Polynesia trip thus far was definitely sharing a day of perfect surf with a handful of rippers and the girls from a boat called Swell. Liz Clark is a surfer and UCSB Alum who bought a boat and has singlehanded it all over the South Pacific for the last 10 years or so. She's a cruising celebrity and I'm a fan. She and pro surfer called Lea Brassy dropped anchor a stone's throw from our boat. Dave had more luck chatting up Lea than he did getting waves. Sure enough, he convinced the ladies to join us aboard Tusitala for some dinner and drinks. The evening was tame enough but I still couldn't believe my luck. Here we were, dining with a couple of semi-famous and beautiful surfer girls after a day of epic surf. A dream come true to be sure. After a few days they were on to the next island and we were left with a rainy and empty anchorage. The silence was deafening.

It's been a great experience. I feel truly fortunate to have been granted this opportunity of a lifetime. There are drawbacks to paradise, however. The hours and days and weeks of lonely downtime wore on my sanity. I thought I could use this time to reflect and to gain clarity on my aspirations in life. Instead my mind spun in circles and I became filled with anxiety about mistakes I've made and my uncertain future. My ability to stay present and motivated melted away in the hot tropical sun.

I needed to make a change and to take the next step in life. With NPAC Hurricane season in full swing Dave and I were to be pinned down likely at least through September before being able to make the intended passage to Hawaii. To make matters worse, we were 'flying under the radar' with the authorities and couldn't really risk hanging out in Tahiti proper. The thought of spending 2 more months on anchored of remote islands followed by a big three week passage was daunting. I was already stir-crazy and August had just started. Dave decided to take Tusitala west towards New Zealand and I finally booked my ticket home.

The last nine months abroad have certainly taught me a lot. I learned more about myself than I did about Australia, that's for certain. I have no idea what the future hold in store for me. More adventure, more love and more happiness is what I hope for. Optimism and perseverance is what it will take to achieve those ends. Time has come to get home and get back to work!

Thanks for reading! Til the next adventure... adieu.

Tahiti and Moorea

Hey friends!

It's been over a month since we left Fakarava so I figure it's time for an update! After one last amazing snorkel of the pass in Fakarava we made the 2-day passage to Tahiti. This was my first taste of blue water sailing and I couldn't have asked for a better intro! We had decent (albeit shifty) breeze and reasonable seas the whole way so I didn't get too seasick but I definitely felt it coming on. We landed a nice size skipjack tuna while trolling underway. According to Dave, this fish was surprisingly good eating compared to other skipjack he's caught.

We had a lot of business to handle upon arrival in Papeete, namely bureaucracy, boat work and food shopping. I also got my first taste of Tahitian surf, and more aptly, my first taste of the reef! The wave, called Taapuna, is a dredging lefthand tube. The takeoff is steep and the lip lands in no more than two feet of water over a very sharp coral reef. The local surfers and boogie boarders have it dialed and this is a tough spot to get waves. I paid for the scraps I got with skin and dings to my surfboards. You most definitely have to pay to play around these parts. At least we made time for a post-surf sand-barbeque one fine sunday afternoon. The locals here are about as friendly as they come.

Next we headed down the coast to the infamous slab at Teahupoo. We arrived just in time to witness the best day of the year thus far. The experience was nothing short of spectacular. You can sit in the relative safety of the channel and still feel the spit get blown out of the barrel of these giant perfect waves. The surf was out of my league on this day, fortunately my boards were safely stowed on Tusitala so I couldn't be tempted. I still wanted to get a feel for the lineup so I swam out with my GoPro and got a couple of shots.

The next day most of the crowd had disappeared and there was still some mixed up swell, with the occasional bomb in the water. I knew we were leaving the next day but I needed to have a piece of the action. I gave the beast a paddle. I was scared shitless to be completely honest. It's hard to tell how big a wave is going to be as the swell approaches. The wave drops out below sealevel more than it rises as it breaks. Adding to the intimidation, I was sharing the lineup with pro-grom phenoms Taylor Clark and Jack Robinson and a few other surfers who surfed nearly as well. I scratched around the lineup trying to nab a small one without getting caught inside. After about an hour I finally mustered the courage to get into position and push over the ledge on a smallish one. I aimed my big-wave 6'7 pintail straight down the line and shot like a rocket right to the boats. No barrel, no turns but I didn't care, I was psyched just to get a wave out there. I decided to stop while I was ahead since we needed to get going to the next anchorage.

A few days later we cruised over to the island of Moorea and surfed a much more friendly left-hander at Haapiti. This spot is idyllic, with beautiful mountains and a relatively consistant wave in perfect, clean blue water. We've spent the better part of the last month here surfing ourselves silly. My surfing has definitely improved leaps and bounds; I've never spent this much time at a lefthander before. Surfing a long wave, frontside is a whole new world for me and I've really gotten to practice just the functional fundamentals of riding waves. My timing and positioning has improved, my balance for manuevers etc.

Surfing has been great, but boatlife has it's pro's and con's. The hours and hours of downtime when the surf's not great or it's raining can most definitely can mess with your head. You have all the time in the world to make mountains out of mole-hills and it's important to stay busy and keep the mind occupied lest you go crazay!

Till next time folks!

Pacific Atoll: Fakarava

Hey everybody,

I've spent the last few weeks in Fakarava, an atoll near Tahiti.

But first... I had to leave Australia. I'm not gonna lie, I teared up a little bit on my last day in OZ. Flying out of Sydney and seeing the sea cliffs and the harbor from above just as I did when I arrived last December made me nostalgic. Even if I never make it back, I'll never forget that view. Coming to OZ was a major leap in my life; I booked a one way ticket, I packed just about all my shit worth keeping. I had no idea what to expect. I abandoned the whole life I had built back in the bay area to embark on this no plan journey down under. Sydney looked so beautiful the day I arrived. I was excited about all of the possibilities of the trip. I was excited surf in warm water, go rock climbing, party like an Aussie. Maybe I would land a sweet job and just settle there.

No such luck; the Oz leg of my trip is over. It didn't last as long as perhaps I had hoped but in the end I accomplished just about everything I set out to. I didn't really fall into the job of my dreams and enjoy any of that good Aussie money. Instead I spent most of my savings financing an epic road trip around that giant hunk of land. As far as my 'balance sheet' in life, I'm probably worse off than when I left: I have a lot less money, a big hole in my resume, no job, apartment or girlfriend. I might be in a bit better shape physically but even that is hard to say. All told that's a lot of 'cost' for this trip. But shit, that's life and the journey was incredible and life changing. I'm truly grateful for all of the experiences I had in OZ and especially the people I met along the way.

Now I'm off on the next adventure. After 2 days of air travel and an interesting night spent in the Papeete airport, I arrived on a remote atoll in the Tuamotus Islands called Fakarava. This 'island is actually a sunken volcano that has left behind a ring of sand and coral that is 20 or 30 miles across. The scenery is straight out of a magazine: Lush palm tree's, pink coral sand beaches sitting atop the bluest water on the planet. The island is pristine (apart from the disconcerting amount of plastic that has accumulated on the windward shore).

I touched down in Fakarava on the evening of my second Friday the 13^th in a row. I hitch-hiked into town. I easily spotted Tusitala from shore and knew Dave and Briana must be nearby. I wandered around until I ran into them at a tiny grocery store that sold pricey but refreshing bottles of beer. We knocked a couple back and got all caught up before loading up their dingy with all of my luggage and schlepping it to the boat. It was good to see them and the boat in good condition this far down the road. They have sailed from San Francisco to Costa Rica to the Galapagos to the Marquesas to here. Both Dave and B are salty vets of the cruising game now and have a pretty mean tan going.

I spent the first couple days getting situated and helping with a bit of boat work. Then we did some grocery shopping, I had a nice long run with Dave and we went to a pearl farm which was a cool experience for sure. I learned a lot from an interesting German ex-pat who had been in the pearl farming game since the 70's. Turns out, even with modern techniques, it's difficult to produce a perfect pearl. After getting an in depth rundown of the process, we visited their boutique. The quality of their best pearls was stunning. Given the difficulty to produce these shiny nuggets and their beauty, it's easy to see why they fetch such a premium.

Once we were done with town stuff in the north we set off to the 'South Pass', some 30 miles away at the other end of the island. The passage was smooth sailing on the inside of the atoll with flat water and a nice consistent breeze. There was still some excitement: a nice windy rain squall would pop up here and there; we also had to have somebody on deck keeping an eye out for rogue unmarked coral bommies. Fortunately the water is so clear you can see them from a mile away. Halfway down the island we threw out an anchor near a nice little beach. We paddled ashore and set up a sweet little slack-line between two palms. It was good times, save the mozzies and sandflies that showed up in force at dusk.

The next day we arrived at the pristine anchorage next to the 'South Pass'. The anchorage is protected on one side by a shallow sandbar and then a 'motu' or strip of island on the other. Immediately after dropping anchor we see a couple of small but intimidating fins cruising along the surface. Blacktip sharks. The's fella's aren't particularly dangerous but they can get up to about six feet and they aren't afraid to get close to you (especially if you've speared a fish... more on that in a few).

This place is great and there's no shortage of fun stuff to do. The first day we went to the 'South Pass' to snorkel. The pass itself is a few hundred yards wide gap in the reef. Simply put, the diving and snorkeling here is world-class. We jumped in the water outside the pass and let the current sweep us past a half mile of amazing scenery. The water clarity is stunning: you can see the bottom clearly in 50+ feet of water. The coral is vibrant and colorful, interestingly similar to in appearance but quite different in formation to the Great Barrier Reef. The wildlife, however, was on a whole 'nother level. In the shallows there were a brilliant array of reef fish of various sizes; this was a very healthy and colorful ecosystem to be sure. Towards the center of the channel is where things got interesting. There were dozens of massive schools of fish, swimming in unison, avoiding predators etc. Oh and the predators... laying in wait on the inside of the pass were dozens and dozens of sizable sharks who were having a grand time snacking on the fish passing by. We also saw a couple of big barracudas, which were both odd looking and intimidating at the same time.

Seeing all of this fish made us hungry. Dave was keen to put his sweet spearfishing rig to use. We spoke with some locals about where was good hunting and which fish were good to eat (many fish are contaminated with algae called siguetera). They told us to avoid the pass because it was too sharky and pointed us in the direction of a few bommies inside the atoll. We cruised over, suited up and jumped in. Spearfishing, as it turns out, is really good fun. It goes like this: You snorkel around and look for a good fish to shoot. You hold your breath and dive down deep while trying to relax and equalize the pressure sinus's with the depth as you go. Then you try and sneak up on the fish by hiding behind coral heads, playing dead etc. Then, if you're lucky and you get close enough, you shoot the fish in the head. Now's the fun part... within seconds there will be a half dozen or more sharks worked into a frenzy vying to get a nibble of your kill. At this point you can either, hold the spear and fish out of the water, which confuses the sharks since they don't know where the dying fish went. Or you can swim like hell to the dinghy trailing the speargun and fish with a long leash so that at least if all hell breaks loose with the sharks you are a little ways away. Most times I chose the latter.

For the most part our spearfishing was successful and uneventful. Unfortunately, on one occasion, I was a little over aggressive with my free-dive and didn't equalize properly which resulted in a bit of a bloody nose. I was fine, but this meant I needed to give the freediving and spearfishing a rest. Good thing the wind kicked up for the next couple of days. At long last, on borrowed gear, I was able to give kiteboarding a try for the first time. This is something that I've been wanting to do for ages, and now that I've done it, I just want to do it more. The first day went surprisingly well. After 10 minutes of getting dragged around by the kite in no particular direction and swallowing a lot of saltwater, I found myself skimming across the water, in near silence, at breakneck speeds!! My sailing speed record is officially shattered, I musta been going 20 knots. I haven't quite figured out how to ride on port tack since I'm terrible at surfing with my left foot forward. On day two I got a little carried away on starboard and ended up a mile or two downwind in the atoll and had to be scooped up by Dave and our other friends in the dingy.

All in all our time in Fakarava was amazing. We hung out with other cruisers on the beach and barbequed our fresh fish, crabs, konks etc. We did loads of fun activities. Dave and I played lots of chess. I also had ample opportunity to reflect on my previous trip and my life in general. I was tremendously grateful for the change in scenery. Next stop: Tahiti!! Stay tuned :)

Wrapping up OZ

I've felt a little lost in my last month wandering around OZ and it's been difficult. I returned to Arapiles from Cairns a month ago with hopes of getting more climbing done. My hand injury from my fall was on a different schedule and I wasn't able to climb much. I hung around camp for a few days and kicked it with Sofie and the rest of my friends with whom I'd become quite close. Alas, the time came for me to say goodbye to the Arapiles and my friends once and for all.

Despite everything, the Arapiles will hold a special place in my heart. I've never 'lived the life' quite like that before. The Piles was a dirtbag dreamland: free camping, slacklines, flaming hackeysacks, campfires, dance parties and of course that bulletproof bright orange rock. I learned a lot about life and myself in my short time there; it's humbling to think about. It was disappointing to leave without reconquering the route that nearly killed me. I will return one day, older and wiser and more ready to crush than ever.

After some tearful hugs and goodbyes I set out on the Great Ocean Road - solo as can be for the first time in a while. Just me. Just me and Sheela. And some boards. And fortunately I stumbled on some waves. I might have lost my shit had I not scored that week, but score I did. Every day I hopped into the clean, cold water and surfed until I couldn't paddle any more. I got out and ate some food then suited up and surfed some more. The waves were juicy and the wind was offshore. I was lonely, but the surf was cathartic and it felt good.

I decided I needed to buy a board for Tahiti (did I mention I'm going to Tahiti?), a step-up if you will. Something I could get into big waves early and get barreled with. After much deliberation and several visits to various board shops, I settled on an Al Merrick pintail. 6'7”x19”x2.5”. She's not quite the dream board I was after, but she's good value and I reckon she'll get me into the waves of my dreams in the months to come. A day or two after I pulled the trigger on the step-up, I turned the corner of Cape Otway in search of some bigger surf. After too much driving around, I found the perfect spot to give my new whip a test drive. Following the advice of a nice waitress in Port Fairy I cruised to a nice deepwater reefbreak just outta town. The surf was about as user friendly as overhead reef surf gets. The lineup was easy to read, with a boil marking the takeoff. The drops were steep, but not heinous and they were typically followed by a long rolling wall, which was perfect for some cruisy carves and cutbacks. With plenty of foam under me, I had a pleasant and uneventful outing in the relatively serious surf.

Call me a softy, but a week on the road alone was enough for me so I cruised over to Adelaide to hang out with my friends Derek and Jane (who was also injured from my fall). Jane was in good spirits and recovering well. It was nice to be among old friends and explore a new city. I mostly chilled out, played Wii golf etc. My buddy Vlad from Araps made his way out to Adelaide and we caught up for a bit of partying one night and a couple of easy climbs at a local crag the next day.

Since then I've made the loooong drive over to the Blue Mountains where I've worked on staging Sheela to be sold. I crashed with my friend Simon who put Sofie up way back in February when I met her. I got my hand looked at and was given the go ahead to climb. It was a little discouraging to be shut down on routes I've climbed before but it's been really good to get out regardless. I still need to sell my whip. I'm flying out to Tahiti Friday whether it gets sold or not! Wish me luck. Can't wait to meet my good buddy Dave in Tahiti. Check out his adventures thus far here: www.tusitalasailing.com

The Far North - R&R on the Great Ocean Road and the Great Barrier Reef

After the crash (see last post) I spent a solid week at camp in Arapiles recuperating and just hanging out. I revisited the scene more than a couple times, I spent a lot of time reflection on the accident, my travel plans and just life in general. I was glad to have this time to take a breath and reflect, but after a week I was ready to move on and have some fun. It's pretty rough sitting in Arapiles with a busted hand not being able to climb anything ;)

Fortunately I was due to meet up with my parents in Melbourne. I had a few days to kill yet before they arrived. I was very keen to explore the 'Surf Coast' of Victoria which is west of Melbourne on the Great Ocean Road. Unfortunately, I was still missing a bunch of skin and my hand/the rest of me was probably too sore to surf. I made the tough call to leave the boards behind. Sofie graciously agreed to look after my car whilst I travelled with my folks; we set off to explore Coastal Victoria together so that she could drive Sheela back to camp at Arapiles once I'd met my folks in Melbourne.

The coast of Victoria is beautiful, unique yet very familiar. The cool crisp ocean air, big trees, high bluffs above the sea are all very reminiscent of Central California. I was happy, fascinated and homesick all at the same time. This was one of those beautiful Fall surf days that I left behind just 6 months ago. We drove the coast pulling over from time to time to soak in a beautiful view or check a potential surf spot. I found myself saying this over and over: 'I can't wait to get back here with my boards, it's like Big Sur with point breaks!!'

Halfway down the coast to Melbourne, we stopped for a hike in the Cape Otway National Park. This region boasts a stand of giant eucalyptus which are some of the tallest in Australia. Interestingly, they also have planted a grove of California Redwoods in the area. I guess the climate etc. is conducive to growing big trees! We skipped the redwood grove and went on a hike through a lush forest of giant ferns and gum trees. We saw a few gorgeous waterfalls along the way. The falls and pools beneath were difficult to access so swimming wasn't an option. This was fine since it was pretty chilly anyhow, instead we kicked back and enjoyed the sights, sounds and smells of this serene forest.

The next day we picked up my folks in Melbourne at the airport. It was nice to see them after what seems like a very long time. They were excited to see me and perhaps more excited to be on the other side of the world in a country they had never visited before. We enjoyed a delicious lunch on the warf and got caught up. They were pretty tired after a lot of travel so they retired to an afternoon nap.

The next day was a big one which involved quite a bit of driving. In the end it was worth it and my parents were delighted to see an excellent variety of Australian flora and fauna. We set off early in the morning for the big drive from Melbourne to Cape Wilson's Promontory. The tip of this peninsula is the southernmost point of mainland Australia. Just after entering the gates of the park we saw giant emu's and kangaroo's. After taking some pictures we drove down to some gorgeous secluded beaches on the western side of the Cape. We saw gorgeous red parrots in the parking lot. There was even some nice granite bouldering to be found right on the beach! Next time... Next stop was Phillip Island to see the famous march of the penguins. We watched hundreds of these little blue and white critters waddle up the beach in waves to their little holes. Definitely entertaining. Of more interest to me.. the penguins made their march from a cove inside what appeared to be an epic right reef-point. I asked one of the rangers and sure enough, on a good swell, this spot fires!

I spent the next couple of days touring Victoria with my folks before flying up to Cairns for our boat tour of the Great Barrier Reef. I'd definitely been looking forward to this trip and was very glad that my injuries wouldn't prevent me from partaking in the snorkeling and diving. The GBR is one of the most spectacular spots in the world for snorkeling and SCUBA. I hadn't done a whole lot of research or looked at many pictures; I relished the surprise of what lurked below the bright blue water. Bright and early in the morning we stepped aboard a 60ft steel hulled sailboat along with ten or so other reef-bound tourists. We were given a quick tour of the amenities onboard (which were luxurious by my sailboat cruising standards, but some might feel differently), and then we set off out to sea to see the 'Outer Reef'. The reefs furthest from shore are said to have the clearest water and the most abundant wildlife due to their proximity to deep water.

A few hours later, the crew had us tied off to a mooring ball in the lee of 'Tedford's Reef'. The reef was a crescent of even brighter, light blue water which stretched for a mile in either direction from where we were anchored. In no time at all I was wetsuited up, snorkel and flippers on and swimming eagerly towards the reef. Immediately any expectations I had about the experience and the wildlife were blown out of the water (no pun intended). The water was crystal clear and I could see 40-50 feet in every direction. There were fish of all sizes, shapes and colors all over the place. I hadn't even made it to the reef yet! The reef itself is a fantastic array of shapes and colors and textures. Giant blue cauliflower, bright red and razor sharp pitchforks, mushroom caps, brain looking thingys. It's hard to describe and the pictures can't even do it justice. Although a few of them did turn out pretty well ;)

During our two days at the reef I saw just about every character in Pixar's Finding Nemo. I saw majestic golden turtles, creepy white stingrays, small but intimidating reef sharks and a wide assortment of colorful tropical fish. Let me tell you, as fantastic and colorful as that movie was, it doesn't hold a candle to the real thing. I spent as much time as I could snorkeling around, practicing my freediving technique, finding epic tunnels and canyons in the reef with big sleeping fish and other critters abound. Next it was time to put on the tank. Initially I was a bit hesitant, worried about clearing my ears, getting the bends etc. but given all there was to see I felt like I shouldn't miss out. My SCUBA instructor Zac, from Arizona of all places, was excellent, knowledgable and made me feel extremely comfortable about the whole process. By the end of the trip I had done 3 dives and now I'm keen for more! Some day I'll have to get my SCUBA ticket.

It was awesome to hang out with my folks and see them having such a good time. This boat trip was the perfect blend of excitement and relaxation for all of us to enjoy. In addition to the reef we had excellent food and company and an exciting sail to and from the reef. There was a minor hangup when our anchor snagged a coral head on the last day. The windless winch failed and pulling up the anchor proved to be a rather dangerous situation as the length of the chain flew out of it's compartment and into the water (twice) each time the brake failed. In the end my Dad (a lifelong sailor) helped the crew to position the boat over the anchor. The captain of the ship, jumped into the water with a scuba tank to free the anchor from the reef, and the remaining crew and I pulled 40 meters of chain out of the water. Fitness party!! Whew it was physical and my bad hand hurt like hell, but it was fun nonetheless. I hadn't had an adrenaline fix like that for a few weeks... The sail home was wild, we arrived back at port in Cairns a bit later than expected, exhausted and content. Back in Cairns, we enjoyed one last meal together before my parents flew out to see Sydney and New Zealand.

Lucky me, I had a couple more days to kill in the 'Far North'. I took a bus up to the sleepy, tropical town of Port Douglas. When I arrived in town I went straight to the beach. The water looked a bit murky due to the onshore breeze blowing so I op ted for a run instead of a swim. The beach was long and gorgeous. The southern end formed a nice hook turning the breeze sideshore and there were a bunch of kiteboarders haning out. There was a reef which kept the water dead flat and a very consistent/moderate amount of breeze. It looked like the best place to learn the sport in the world. Boy I was wishing I had a setup at that moment.

That night, I enjoyed some lively conversation at the hostel and a bottle of wine along with some salami and cheese my folks had left me. I woke up the next morning a bit later than planned and caught a bus to Mossman's Gorge. I could only spend a couple of hours, but I enjoyed every moment. I strolled through the lush and bright green rainforest. I took a dip in the clear blue and refreshing river. I've never swum in fresh water that was both warmer and clearer than this. It was a gorgeous swimming hole. Out in the middle of the river, the water moved at a nice pace so that you could swim up river indefinitely, without moving. Somebody threw some bread crumbs into the river and a lively school of decent sized fish came out of nowhere to eat the crumbs.

In the end my trip to the 'Far North' was exceptional, unique and far too brief. I think with the right gear I could spend months up there exploring the reef and the jungle and not get bored. I would recommend a stop here to anyone traveling this side of the world.

Check out this video! http://youtu.be/cWZytRRTjaY

And these photo's: Click one to expand/ see a slideshow.

Pumping surf way out to sea near the 'Twelve Apostles'

Sofie leaning on a leaning tree

Small lines wrapping into Winkipop near Bell's Beach

Chillin' Hard in Mossman Gorge Queensland

Swimming hole in the jungle

shark

Zac the SCUBA-MASTA

Turtles can be hard to spot!

The colors are magical!

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