Finished my Mosaic Table

finally put the hours in over the weekend and got the coffee table finished I started a few months back. No surf photos of late - its just been drizzle and grey clouds for weeks.

Ocean Beach Erosion Update

I haven't reported much recently on the erosion management saga at Ocean Beach. Pretty much after the last public consultation rounds in April I realised there is nothing a single member of the public can do to make a difference to any outcome.
This was verified a few weeks back after I received the Emergency Response Teams minutes of their meeting over the public submissions made.
The deliberations recorded that the following be investigated and implemented:
* St Clair Sea Wall - information on the consent process, in particular why an offshore reef was rejected.
* Monitoring and analysis on the failure of the ramps and stairs.
* The formation of John Wilson memorial Drive.
* Items for funding
* Ongoing communication and work with the community, including the formation of a group of 'Key Stakeholders'
And that the information and Data gathering process outlined in the 13th November 2007 report from the Parks and Reserves team leader be confirmed and approved. View here pg 8
(Note, nothing new, nothing less)

What got my goat was; attached to the above meeting minutes was a short council written summary of some of the public submitters from April. In these what some said was twisted, misquoted and dotted with inaccuracies.
This affirmed that these submitters were not properly listened to or understood, which is both a disappointment and a negligent act of disrespect.

10th June 2008 Community Planning Committee meeting on Ocean Beach Public Feedback

Above & below: 10th of July, more sand replenishment, see article above, another $40,000 worth.

Below, some images from the 18th Of June 2008


Below: 5th Of February this year

KIWISURF 105

Above: My first 2 page spread! Of the South Coast Boardriders Clubrooms and lineup, I also got a thumbnail of St Clair in the club writeup.
Below: Half page of me and Hayleys car at St Kilda for an item on the cost of petrol. I also wrote the interviews with two locals, Luke Grubb and Radar + their pics.

and finally, right at the back of issue 105 is a small bit on the South isalnd Surf Champs 2008 I wrote with some thumbnail pics.

Blackhead loosing its Backbone

Update, just did some research after the comment left by Finny:
check out this link created by past founder of Friends of Blackhead, Lloyd Godman which covers the sacred history of Blackhead, along with images from the 1880's. Even more detailed history of the Blackhead prominence by Lloyd here, where he shares his personal connection complemented by more stunning historical photos.

22nd April 2008 - Driving over the Waldronville to Blackhead hill I couldn't help but gasp at the sight. A two story high and wide gash in Blackhead's back. Yes, I'm not silly I know its a quarry, of which the purpose is to remove rock, so its an inevitability.. but still.. if you think, the lowering.. less protection from the North East winds at the break, effects on sand dunes etc.

Above: a progression of the lowering and flattening of the Blackhead prominence from 1970 to 2007.

Below Left - the headland in July 2006

Above right -October 2007, Below February 2008

The 'knob' at the end is a result of a covenant placed in 1991, when spill from the quarry works were destroying the sacred 'pipes' rock formations at the base (this was was drawn up with the DOC (department of conservation) to protect the outer rock formations, including the Roman Baths and the Dock.)

Below, Blackhead seen from Tomahawk in the opposite direction.


DCC District Plan
Rule 6.5.8
Scheduled Permitted Activities
In addition to the activities in Rule 6.5.2, the following activities are permitted on the specific sites listed below:
(ii) Quarrying and aggregate processing situated at:
(b) Blackhead Quarry, as defined by Sec 3 Blk XIV Dunedin & East Taieri SD and Secs 153-155 Green Island Bush SD (CTs 255/200 & 255/278), except the area as defined by
Conservation Covenant 779741/2.
(xi) At Blackhead Quarry, extraction of material shall not occur on Sec 153 Green Island Bush
SD and shall not occur within 100 metres of Blackhead Road on Secs 154 and 155 Green
Island Bush SD. However, these areas may be used for quarry activities not involving
extraction such as stock piling overburden.

14.5 Landscape Management Areas - Description
The landscape values of Blackhead which is culturally significant to Manawhenua.
The outer edge of Blackhead has been protected by Conservation Covenant
779741/2. [Amended by C175/2001

(iii)Principal Threats to Visual Quality
Quarries and Other Excavations:
Inappropriate siting and scale of quarries and other excavations such that they
become visually dominant focal points.
(iv) Other Threats to Visual Quality
Significant Natural Features: to be preserved
Removal or diminution of significant natural features such as significant natural
landforms.

a little bit of light

A couple from yesterday, the light was real weird


I figured converting some of the badly lit images to black and white might fix them up, but the chop on the waters' surface made them look pretty crap. But here they are anyway:

yin and yang

yin and yang, whose interaction influences the destinies of creatures and things.
yin is the feminine and represents cloudy overcast, yang is sunshine.. they are two complementary qualities, in dynamic equilibrium. As one aspect declines, the other increases to an equal degree. For instance, in the cycle of the year, the long days of summer gradually shorten and the nights gradually lengthen as winter approaches.
In microcosm, today (thursday) there was the golden late afternoon sun and dull cloud-cast light. Captured within that these images of the soft feminine empty breaking wave, and the masculine aspect of surfing power and style upon their faces.

Life is a balance in flux, what may seem for me a gross act upon my life can transform to a beautiful thing. Energies go up and down, inspiration comes and goes. None of this is bad, none can be grasped and kept as good, as all naturally transforms. For me riding the journey wave through all these transitions without an emotional attachment to a phase or act can be challenging at times. What helps me is the vision of a breaking wave as an analogy to my life.. when making the drop, I'm not thinking about paddling back out or putting petrol in the car, the only thing that exists in that moment is the drop as it happens in that moment/now. In life we only have now, the constant thought of the future/outcomes/consequences and past mistakes/lost joys and regrets can really stuff up your takeoff!

My life is my surf, I can't change the waves on the day, so just ride them as I can, be present and accept all that comes through. Its all just one drop in the ocean.

having fun

It was a gorgeous winters day on Saturday and an uncrowded lineup of Jay, Caity and Beano swapping boards and having fun. 2 foot sets peeled through with a light offshore.

two days at St Clair

After work on monday I settled in my old St Clair shoes, it must have been a while since I spent some time on the Esplanade. With living out of town, and with a limited petrol budget, I seem to skip the city beach alot of late. The hotel development is coming along steadily, with its prefab concrete walls looking like stacked cards, and along the beach more there has been a steady stream of trucks and diggers pushing sand around middles. Meanwhile the previously rocky beach profile has been smoothed over with sand, for now.

And then Tuesday.. at St Clair. in the freezing cold.. I will never learn.