Beaches set for protected status

ODT 15th July 2009 by Chris Morris
Beaches set for protected status
Eleven of Dunedin's coastal reserves look set to be given new protected status, at the expense of some recreational rights, in an effort to protect vulnerable sand dune systems.

Under the Reserves Act 1977, local authorities were required to classify the primary use of the reserves they owned. read the rest here

• Kuri Beach (two areas on coastal side of Taieri Mouth Rd)
• Brighton (coastal side of Brighton Rd)
• Ocean View (coastal side of Brighton Rd)
• Island Park
• Ocean Grove (coastal side of Tomahawk)
• Te Rauone
• Long Beach
• Warrington
• Karitane
• Waikouaiti (in the vicinity of Matanaka Dr)

The changes would become part of the council's draft Coastal Dune Reserves Management Plan, due to be released for public consultation in October.

Hi from the Taranaki

Pretty stoked to now be part of the crew at

As a new committee member representing the South Island

For now I am sitting in an internet cafe, pissing down outside, waiting for it to clear so I can walk back to the backpackers.
Hoping to make it to the Surf Film festival showing New Plymouth tonight at Breakers Cafe, if it stops raining.

Homa on the Meyerhoffer

I had these shots set aside for something else, but it didn't happen.
All pics of Homa at the Oneill Cold Water Classic this year, surfing in a comp on a Meyerhoffer for the first time in NZ.

Great article here about the Meyerhoffer, read up.
In a marriage of opposites, nimble designer-surfer Thomas Meyerhoffer of Montara has joined forces with distribution and manufacturing powerhouse Global Surf Industries (GSI) to unleash his latest design breakthrough on the surfing world:

"The “Modern Meyerhoffer” was sculpted around the principle that longboarders turn off the tail and noseride up front, with the middle of the board an excessive transition zone in between that could be reduced. Accordingly, the board has a relatively traditional nose up front, leading to a tapered waist in the middle, a dynamic, wider rear end and elongated tail for stability and drive. This gives the Meyerhoffer its distinctive organic “parabolic” shape. Meyerhoffer is quick to point out that “the negative curve is only there so that I could shape a more positive curve … as on a surfboard you turn around the positive curve.”

SURFFEST SCREENINGS & Feestix Draw

It's that time of year! Drag your friends and family along to see this years fantastic entry's into the NZ Amateur Surf Film Festival.

Check out the website for where and when the nearest screening will be for your region. All proceeds from this event are going to Surf Aid international.

AUCKLAND: 7.30 Thursday 24th Windsor Cafe, 550 East Coast Road, Mairangi Bay. $5

NEW PLYMOUTH: Monday 28th September, 5.30pm at Breakers Cafe & Bar. $5 *not Friday as previously advertised.

WHAKATANE: Friday 25th September, 7pm at 33 Melville Drive. $5

GISBORNE: Sat 3 October, 7.30pm at The Dome Theatre, Poverty Bay Club, Childers Road. $10 adults $5 grommets

DUNEDIN: Venue: St Clair Boardriders Club Friday 25th Sept @ 8pm ENTRY ON DONATION- Please give generously!

Also the draw for the FEESTIX board to raise money for Sea Shepherd. Will be 3 bands playing, spot prizes and the draw of the Feestix board.

WELLINGTON - NATIONAL FINAL!
The top two films from each region will be entered into the National Finals to be in for a chance of the grandprize!

The national Prize giving will be held in Wellington on
Friday 25th September at 7.30pm, venue: The Pines at Houghton Bay.
Entry fee: $10 Adults, $5 Grommets. $30 Families

Winners will be notified.

Educational signs being put in place at beaches

From the Otago Daily Times By Ellie Constantine on Wed, 23 Sep 2009

Information signs, like this one at John Wilson Ocean Dr, are being erected at Dunedin beaches to educate the public and encourage them to pay more attention to their surroundings. This particular one (at left) was designed by Solomon Baldock as part of a Sea Week competition.

Dunedin City Council parks officer Renee Gordon said yesterday signage was going up now at council-managed beaches, and had already been erected at Tomahawk, Brighton and Waikouaiti. The frames of the signs were made to allow the sticker-based signs to be changed easily so relevant issues could be highlighted.

Ms Gordon said existing signs encouraged visitors to take their rubbish with them, but if sea lions were to become an issue, for example, signs could go up informing the public to stay clear of the animals.

"Hopefully, it will make people pay a bit more attention," she said.

Time in the Water

Above: Jimi Crooks, below left: Matt the super grom, and right: Jay finding some quiet time.

SEPT. EQUINOX: Today, Sept. 22nd at 2118 UT (5:18 pm EDT), the sun crosses the celestial equator. This event marks the beginning of autumn in the northern hemisphere and spring in the southern hemisphere. It's also the beginning of aurora season around the poles. Happy equinox!

Larnachs Castle

Yes, I know, another non-surf post.

I did get out in the weekend though, but haven't processed the photos yet.. tomorrow.

For work on Thursday we did a day trip up the peninsula to Larnachs Castle which is the only inhabited castle in New Zealand.
The Dunedin City council has this local residents passport promotion going, that you can get in to the castle for 30% off and get a free hot drink. Heaps of other local touristy promotins in there, like Swell Cafe (Enjoy either: a tea and coffee with half-priced baked goods, half-priced dessert with your main meal or your first drink at half price.) What cool about the passport cover picture is the scotsman in kilt holding a thruster. I hope to visit and document as many of them as I can over the next few months. Remember.. don't leave the city till you'e seen the sights. Check out www.dunedindifference.co.nz

Dunedin Passport is a booklet of a range of restaurant, tourism attraction and accommodation offers from participating businesses and tourism operators throughout Dunedin city.
Passport holders are also entitled to enter in a prize draw to win $1500 worth of rates relief.

Top: looking down the Otago Harbour towards Dunedin City from close to the castle. Above: the traditiional view of the castle. below: two alternative views, from the back at right, and from the side. You are not allowed to photograph inside the castle, but it is an incredible work of art. one of the ceilings to three people 6 years to carve working full time!



Above: kaka Beack flower with castle behind, and the view from the top of the turret looking towards the entrance of the otago Harbour, Harbour Cone to the right.

Hollow Board Dogs

Jay picked up an old hollow core fibreglass longboard last month.
Its been out for a few test drives, the first one, the seams split, and it took on water.
A bit of a novelty, but it seems to go well.

Top image, is the board on top of the No Dogs sign st the entrance to Brighton Beach from the top Domain.
Brighton, Aramoana and St Clair Beaches have a no dogs allowed policy enforced by the DCC.
Most abide by this, but some don't and it affects both the people using the beach, and the wildlife. I had a bit of a talk to the local paper, the Taieri Herald, who ran a bit of an informative story on it a few weeks back. Shocking phot of me!

New Card Designs

I designed up some new business cards, as I had run out of the last lot. They are set up to print on a 6x4 photo with three 'cards' on each photo. A mixture of artworks and photos of wildlife, surfing, lineups and empties.

Stripping down another level now

looks like Blackhead quarries are stepping it down another level, and have bugun cutting away yet another layer of the headland.

UPADTE 18th September
Below is a copy of the 1991 Covenant on Blackhead, photographed not scanned as promised, my scanner died.

Below: photos from today... the rock breaker machine is fully into it with a few more bites out of the south face

Daisy Thomas wins Cleo Young Achiever Award!

A big congrats goes out to Christchurch surfer Daisy Thomas who has taken out CLEO's Young Achiever Award in association with Neutrogena for 2009.

Twenty-year-old Daisy beat out some strong competition from five super-talented young women — a singer/songwriter, youth worker, glaciologist and author — to win the $5,000 prize money to help fulfill her dreams.

Not only is Daisy aiming to win the World Title at the ISA World Surfing Games this year but she also wants to open her own training school for up-and-coming surfers in her area.

"I am often thinking up new projects but would love to develop a business and give the kids in the area I grew up surfing, the opportunities to fulfill their talents and reach for the stars," she says.

She also has ambitions to help the environment, get into travel journalism and learn Spanish.

"Life throws all sorts at you so I set goals and go hard for them," Daisy told CLEO. "But I am also flexible with opportunities that may need to be taken up along the line."

You can learn more about Daisy in the September issue of CLEO magazine, on sale now.

By Cleo staff

Three New Artworks

Priced to sell, get in early for christmas, if you are interested in purchase please email Nic at phoam.arts (at) gmail (dot) com - postage within NZ $10 2 day courier

Uposted Empties

It has been over a week since I posted some surf shots.. with being away, and also the flatness that engulfed the coast the last week.

So here are a selection of unpublished empties from various breaks around Otago the last few months.

Memorial Mosaics

Arrived in Ashburton via bus on Wednesday night to stay with Amber for 5 days. Yesterday it was her 20th Birthday, we spent the day going around a few op shops, nothing but rubbish, so saved a few $$ there.

I was keen to get Amber into a new hobby, so bought up a mosiac kit for her, damn my pack was heavy! Our first project was to make some memorial plaques for our lost loved guinea pigs. My beloved Floyd, and her recently passed Amma. Above: we designed the blocks to go on large pavers. here we have got as far as laying out the letters.

Hi caity! missing you babe, hope your science exam was better today than you thought.

Update 12th Sept09:

Below: more progress... Amber working on Ammas, you can see hers in the reflection in the window. And to her left, the plastic tray she bought today to keep all her cut pieces in. Just waiting now for the adhesive layer to dry for 24hours, and we should be able to grout tomorrow arvo.

Update 13th September::
completed.

Bad News at The Cove

The Taiji Dolphin Hunt Begins. Eight days later than usual, but still arriving, this year's seasonal dolphin killing has begun at Taiji with about 50 pilot whales and 100 bottlenose dolphins being driven into the cove. this morning

http://tinyurl.com/CoveHunt

Update 15th September 2009
from the Otago Daily Times

70 dolphins released ... following an international outcry.

The released dolphins were part of a catch of about 100 on September 9. The Taiji fishing association had said it would sell about half to aquariums and set the rest free.

The town has said it is unclear if it will continue to release dolphins.

read full article here

Blog Reader Share

Some useless information about the blog readership from sitemeter.
Got a good readership in North America going, interesting only 2% in Australia.

If you are an overseas viewer, pop in to the comments and say gidday!

I also spent ages a few weeks ago going through my old posts from all of 2006 re-formating them, because back then I didn't really know what I was doing.
Comparison below: before on the left, after on the right