April 2006 - the month that was

Caity at Blackhead... again

Caitlin came out to blackhead with me again today, and I left her with the camera. She took a few great shots, one of Nat Parsons (going left) and another guy who was ripping at the time.

Blackhead calming down

Carpark was packed when we pulled up at 2 today, with about 25 out in the water, some inconsistent peaks, closing out closer to shore. Caitlin took control of the camera today and caught a few nice shots.

More Stairs at the Esplanade disappear

Another set of stairs down to the beach from the Esplanade have been claimed by the sea, no doubt sparks will fly again over the design flaws and use of rate payers money to fix.

Very messy all along the coast still surf wise. A couple of pics too from 3rd of Jan with the big storm then. Just added in due to the discussion bout the sea wall on the comments here.

Above, surfer tries to exit the water at the stairs and gets washed up and slammed into them.

The Real Storm

Two days of invasive rain, driving winds, and flooding around Otago certainly got the sand banks moving along the coast, alot ended up on John Wilson Drive, and was like driving through a snow drift, big gouges out the sand banks at St Kilda, lets hope it all creates some rocking new sand banks when the swell dies down. So on my rounds today I caught a few pics of the St clair-Kilda coast in its white wash fury,

Above: White Island being trashed by huge waves breaking right over the top.

Above: Don't you love the wee kids shoes that got left at the roadside from the warmer weather in the weekend, which are now entoumbed in blown sand along with the whole fence line at the beginning of JW Drive.

Finals of the National Scholastic Champs

summary

What a mammoth few weeks that St Clair has had with back to back surf comps, and its still not over Rip Curl Gromsearch starts this week coming. An East swell of 2-3 foot and clean glassy conditions marked the final of the National Scholastic Surf Champs today. Congratulations to all the competitiors, organisers and support crew. It has been such a great experience for me, being a relative newbie in the surf photography scene to have followed the competition and to have thoroughly enjoy the buzz that surrounded the venue I also enjoyed meeting new people and especially being able to recognise a surfer in the water by style and name, and by face on the esplanade. Hopefully the surfers learned new skills and made many new friends, I know I did!

I have high resolution prints avaliable of all the pics loaded on my blog of the recent events if anyone would like to contact me for prints .. email me at nic@phoam.co.nz

Day four Scholastic Nats

Again caught the tail end of todays heats and some finals, congrats to local Robbie Burns for his win in the body board event!!! Pics loaded here are of the proud winner, and some from earlier from blackhead that I took, and then again some from the point at St Clair after todays heats.

I am out of a job!

Went over to Blackhead this avo, and took my daughter Caitlin with me, where I gave her a few lessons on how to operate my camera, and handed it over to her .. she took these most excellent shots!!! I am so proud of her, and she enjoyed it so much too. ( of course mum resized them etc, apart from the 'wave tools' shot which is presented just as it was taken.) And for IVOR, just the one that was okay I took of you.. uploaded it here.. the long cropped one :0)

Day three Scholastics

Another awesome Dunedin Day

Unfortunately I had a day of running around town doing lots of small but necessary jobs, so not much time to enjoy the warm weather. About 3pm I swung by St Kilda, and took a few shots there, then 20 mins catching the tail end of todays heats for the Scholastics Champs, just as local surfer Luke Grubb (yellow top) was cutting his stuff.

Finished the Manu Bay Painting

Photo is of the Manu Bay Painting being sent away today with three other paintings I have just completed for inclusion in the grand opening of the SupaNova Studio and Gallery in Hamilton! finally :0) Opening night is April the 21st at 1062 Gordonton Road.