Blackhead lowered to another level

How about those north east winds at Blackhead..

Finding that the headland is not providing the same protection from the nor-easters as it used to?
A recent stage of lowering/levelling has just been completed.
Above and below, photos taken on the first of July 2009

Pics below:
31st December 2008

19th October 2008

Now, how far is this quarrying going to go?

answer:
In 1985 Fulton Hogan had plans to mine the centre of the site to 50 metres below sea level and then blast an opening into the ocean creating a safe boat harbour.
Eventually through negotiations with the group 'Friends of Blackhead' a covenant was drawn up with the Department of Conservation in 1991 to protect the outer rock formations, including the Roman Baths and the Dock.
This is why the large prominence remains untouched at the end of the headland, so spill does not fall down the slopes to the sea and ruin the protected rock formations.

.

If it wasn't for the group 'Friends of Blackhead' we may very well have ended up with my 'artists vision' 'D' near the end of this century, which would mean the disappearance of Blackhead headland altogether! No more sheltered surfing there in the nor-easter.
There is still the real possibility of 'C' developing, which in my eyes seems the only way the covenant can be preserved and mining can continue in the predicted volumes as close to the original intention as possible.
B is where we are at now, today.
A is from a photo taken in the early 1980's - photo courtesy of Lloyd Godman, the red line above the headland traces the natural landfall outline. The coloured arrows point to the same rock formations in A and B. these photos are taken on slightly different angles, but still illustrate the picture.

R.I.P Jonathan McCarthy

Founder of S.E.A. (Surfers Environmental Advocacy) local Sumner surfing identity and lawyer Jonathan McCarthy passed way on June 24th. A funeral service was held for Jonathan yesterday in Christchurch attended by family, friends and surfers from throughout the country. ‘Fang’ was held in huge regard by everyone who knew him with St Anne’s Church packed to overflowing with attendees spilling out to the street. A great send off was held to celebrate his life and the local crew all went for a surf after the service.

There will be a paddle out at 9.00am Sunday 5th July at Sumner beach in front of the clock tower to celebrate his life. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Jonathan was a tireless campaigner as an environmentalist and put in countless hours lobbying at all levels to protect surfer’s interests and preserve and protect our coastal treasures.
He is a huge loss to the local community and surfers throughout New Zealand.

He is survived by his adored wife Di and daughter Rima. A trust fund has been set up for his daughter Rima with donations to be sent to Trust Fund for Rima Box 17582 Sumner, Christchurch.
Guardian of the sea, protector of the environment, champion of the underdog, kia kaha brother.

Payments can be made by cheque payable to,

White Fox and Jones fco Rima McCarthy Trust
and can be posted to White Fox and Jones at PO Box 1353 Christchurch 8140
Payments may be made by electronic banking to
White Fox and Jones Trust Account BNZ Christchurch Branch 020800 0548015 00,
reference Rima McCarthy Trust 38327.1.

Kua hinga koe te totara nui, te kaitiaki o te taiao
You the great totara tree the guardian of the environment have fallen
Hoki atu i te rangimaarie i runga i to paparoa ki nga ngaru roa o te Kaihanga
Go in peace on you longboard to the endless waves of our creator
E kore rawa koe e warewaretia
You will never be forgotten
Haere atu ra e hoa

Farewell our friend

Above article sourced from www.surf.co.nz

Another article sourced from The Press by MARC GREENHILL

SISA tag team event

Saturday at noon on the 27th June, the SISA tag team event was held at North New brighton.
5 teams entered.. I don't know the results, but Nic Warrens team wasn't last, and the combined Dunedin team was third. Winning team took $250 cash.


I didn't take my camera up to Christchurch as it is not working, I took the photos above with my video camera. I have a little video I am editing for the tag team event, which should be up in the next few days.
Apologies for the sparse photos and posts lately, as I said, my camera is not working, and I'm trying to sort out how I'm going to get it fixed if at all, it seems the shutter has gone in it.

Caitlins Surf Poems.

Early last year my daughter Caitlin wrote a few surf themed poems for school.

She has just written a new one too, and she'd love some comments.

A longing desire
to fuel your fire
A heart of gold
which cannot be sold
The love and lust
is only just
The burnt hole

is thy lost soul

2085ks to the beach

The winner of name the DVD comp is Hayley Coakes.

2085ks to the beach.

Which is quite fitting because we travelled together and attended all the events on the DVD.
2085ks.. because on google maps, thats how far the round trip to all the comps took us.

The next issue is I'm having issue with exporting the files to all fit on the DVD! fingers crossed I can get over this technical hitch!

Phoam DVD launch Saturday

Posts have been sparse because for the last two weeks I have been working on a DVD for the SISA prize giving in Christchurch this weekend.

The Premiere screening of my first 'professional' production will be shown on the big screen on the Saturday night, and will be a compilation of photos and film of all the SISA events I attended in the 2008-2009 season.
Featuring original music from three Dunedin Surf bands: Shakes and the Swell Guys, Junk Shop Star and The Dark Beaks.

The DVD will be available for sale on the night, pre orders taken if you can't make it.
I'm stuck for a title for the DVD, so if you have any suggestions, I'd welcome some creative input, winning title gets a free copy of the DVD. leave a comment.

Matariki celebration - Big Rock Comp

Celebrating Matariki,. the Maori New Year, Big Rock Boardriders held its second annual mid winter comp on the day before the shortest day of the year, which was also International Surfing Day.
A good turnout gathered at Ocean View at 9am.

Above, morning light .. first up the womens event which saw a straight final of 5 surfed.

Results Women

1st Hayley Coakes
2nd Jean Davis
3rd Nic Reeves
4th Mary Sutherland
5th Caitlin de Bruyn

Next up on the events list was the Ugly Fun Board . This year, not to be outdone, in the second heat Jimi and Nathan teamed up on an old windsurf board and paddled out the back to do a tandem ride, sharing the points to go through to the finals. Below right: lucky they decided to go for this wave so they didn't get cleaned up on the set wave behind! below again, they did manage to stand up together for a second or two, although going left might have been a longer more impressive ride!?

Above and above left: Andy went out with a body board, and proceeded to score negative points for his shameful rides. Then Jimi styles on the winsurf board, pic taken by Ollie Crooks.
Below right: Jimi and Jono doing the pose with their real nice retro 'ugly' boards for the finals... left: Judges look on from the road.

Results Ugly Board Comp:
1st Jimi Crooks
2nd Jono Pascoe
3rd Chris lamb
4th Nathan Lungley
The Open Comp was three heats with Hayley and Jean competing with the men. There was a bit of sweating and comp talk going on which pushed the surfing whch was impressive in the conditions. Great to see Matt really improving and making it to the semis.

Open Results:
1st Hayley Coakes
2nd Jimi Crooks
3rd Nathan Lungley
4th Rob Millburn

Snow from Yesterday

Our vege garden sitting 10 metres above sea level gets a dusting of snow. All that is active now is a row of carrots, two celery plants that are still going bananas, parsley, and the silverbeet. Oh, there is your lemon tree you bought us mum, in the blue pot. Along the fence at the right Jay has his two compost bins he has been working hard on, with the nutrients for the vege patch in the spring.

morning sun hits the house with Saddle Hill well dusted in the background. After this was taken at 9am it continued to snow till 1pm

Jays scooter, Caity made the snowman.

Something Old, Forgotten but Found

I was doing a major clean out of old files on my computer, and backing everything up ready to have it reformatted, as it has been playing up shockingly the last few weeks.
I found a sequence I put together of the photo shoot I did of when Dean Morrison and Dion Agius came to Dunedin in April 2007. Music is Symphonic Pink Floyd 'Us and Them" played by the London Symphonic Orchestra.
All the images from the session are unedited straight from camera, I never got around to fixing it up and changing the music, so never published it.
I took the photos with Chris Garden's Canon 30D, as I was looking at buying one myself, which I did the next month. Sorry Chris, I didn't mean to take so many shots, cats out of the bag now.. Other surfers featured: Scotty Todd, Jack Lewis, Kaniela

Cold Water Classic - Kaikoura 2009 another day

More from Mondays Offshore Gales

post coming tomorrow of Day 2 of the Cold Water Classic.

Dunedin Champs - SISA Circuit 2009

In Saturdays Otago Daily Times, above.
Official prizegiving for SISA will be held later in the month.