10 Unique Friends

As you know girls, I have entered us into the Newcastle Jets corporate box competition - mostly because I don't think we get nearly enough opportunities to have and laugh and drink champagne (especially when someone else is paying!)

Saw a humpback leap entirely out of the water today. You know how they normally breach and flop? Well, this one fully cleared the water - dolphin style. No small effort considering the average humpback weighs 30-40 tonnes. The things you see surfing...

SM

Love your life

Annie and I tested out the new waterproof camera this morning. After the fateful tangle-up debacle we had a play and came up with some neat snapshots. The poor camera was covered in wax by the time we finished - I could hardly see through the screen! Still, we had fun, the water was delightful...as was the company.

It took me all last week to recover from our 17 road trip, but what a time we had! Suffice to say the south eastern corner of the continent has been investigated and also, yes, the dirt in the desert around Broken Hill is orange - just like in all the pictures!

The great ocean road lived up to its name and there was plenty of swell the day we drove to Apollo Bay (I have some photos somewhere...they are on new video camera which has not yet made it to the computer...) There were clean, unoccupied right handers all the way along the coast but dang it, I had opted for children rather than board (@#$%!!?). Never mind, it was rather chilly anyway (it was bloody freezing!)


Its a long way to go but the southern coast featuring the 12 (7!) Apostles is awesome! Spectacular to see the real thing. This big, bold country certainly has some unique features. Go see them before they wash away.


We also saw the famous Bells Beach in all its wind blown, freezing glory. No one surfing, but despite the wind the waves had good shape and plenty of size. Such a vast and treacherous piece of ocean - I can see why it's considered the ultimate in surfing trophies.


The kids didn't really appreciate all the getting-in-and-getting-out of the car (don't know why) but I managed to wrangle a smile out of Middle Child for the photo of us in front of what once was London Bridge. Remember that back in the nineties? The connecting sandstone "bridge" fell down and left tourists stranded on the newly formed island?
















Anyway, back in the real world the washing still piles up, the bathroom still gets dirty and children still have an unreasonable desire to be fed. But the verdict is that we live in a damn good part of the world where a couple of surfing gals can get out in the water on a Thursday morn and have all the waves to themselves.

Feels good.

SM

crazy parents embark on 16 day road trip

Ambitious or stupid? that is the uestion (the letter after P in the alphabet isn't working...) we have been asking ourselves in the lead up to this BIG ROAD TRIP. so far Matthew Reilly has helped out with a wild escape, a graphic shooting, a priceless "firestone", and the beginning of an impressive adventure. Ned has loved this talking book, and the dvd player also helps (an enormous amount indeed!!!) - thanks acturv.

Just been for a walk down to coogee beach where eldest bet her father $5 that he would see someone he knows - she won of course. derr! also, children wanted me to announce to you all (!!) that we saw todd carney (he nodded at me but I didn't know who those tattooed biceps belonged to until my 10 year old informed me - hee hee I love being a dopey mum) and also braith anasta (ho hum... no offence braith). spose I should start to get excited about the footy cause we are off to the big semi final between dragons and tigers tonight...

back to more important matters, champagnekate and i had our first surf at blackhead point yesterday!!!! ck dragged me out there - I thought it was too big but she wouldn't take no for an answer. anyway, we ripped. Imagine the photo above but with a 6 foot green monster behind her. she howled, she hooted and she flew down the face and carved her way in to the beach. It was fun, i got a few too. I recomend it girls! can't wait to do it again.

No surf for me for a while. Not unless theres waves at apollo bay and we can hire boards. will cross fingers.

children are happy and Husband is watching footy. so far so good.
sm
(Only one shift button is working, hence some inappropriate lower case. :)

Feels like Spring is here

We said goodbye to Lefty (the southern right mumma whale) a few weeks ago - she promised she, or one of the sisters would return in a year or two. Speaking of wildlife, Franbaby found a fairypenguin playing in the waves on Blackhead beach recently. A little bit off course but nice of it to visit.

Meanwhile, all the surfermums I know have been busy doing more and more of that thing that we do that gets in the way of surfing... work! And that other thing that our children do that takes away weekend surfing time... sport! But we can now see the light at the end of the tunnel - some mums were lucky enough to have their kids bomb out in the semi's as the season came to a delightfully crashing end.

Champagnekate performed well at a recent midweek outing when a bunch of local schoolkids (and their male teachers) were having a walk down the beach. She donned the wettie in record time, skimmed over the surface of the water, paddled through the break, went straight out to the rock and caught a cracking right hander for all to see. Nothing like a crowd to get that girl going!

Husband is taking me out for surfing and lunch tomorrow...hmm. I'm thinking lobster and champagne followed by some gooey chocolate mud. I can dream can't I?

SM

Mum and Bub

Doncha love technology? They say to make a mistake is human but to really f*** up takes a computer! My computer has had the equivalent of man flu recently - something simple and benign that could have been dealt with swiftly but it sooked so bad it had to undergo the full treatment - antivirus doodahs, countless hours at lotsa-money-an-hour and a complete reformat... for what? A stuck enter key! *@#$%!!!

Ooooommm...breathe Carla, breathe...

On a brighter note: Have you surfed with the whale lately? Husband and I had to shoo the old girl and her calf outa the way this morn - there were plenty of other places to mooch around but only one deep hole to surf into! Tough love, huh?


We are pretty sure they are a couple of Southern Right Whales, probably the mummy that has been sighted here frequently over recent years. You can tell a SR whale by the v shaped spout it makes when it comes to the surface. Also, it looks flatter on the surface of the water, unlike the hump of the Humpback whale. Husband taught me all this. In his former life as a Beach Inspector he was a renowned whale watcher and was referred to as 'Pod Boy'. He took this photo at Diamond this morning.


I know Batgirl and Franbaby had a splash with her on the weekend, and will confirm she is the size of an underwater semi trailer (??!!). They average about 15 metres and come to these sheltered backwaters (literally) to give birth. This miraculous underwater event happened on Saturday afternoon...at least thats what the local whale watching rumour mill says. I wanted to know how they knew, but the rumour mill wouldn't go into detail...

Meanwhile I have had 2 surfs in between netball and full time (did I mention that?!) work. Champagnekate and I ducked out for the surf of the week after netball one Saturday. We had a small window of opportunity involving no husbands and no children. So we took it. Brilliant! She is caught up on planet netball at the moment (State age championships) and won't get off for another week or so. Look forward to seeing you at your local rock, Ck!

And we are off to Red Rock this weekend. Never been before but will be hoping for some surf. If not, it'll be great to catch up with the motley crew from the north. Remember Ben and Ali? They haven't changed - still drink like Southern Rights!
SM

PS. Eldest Surfling named the mummy whale Lefty... she's a Southern Right, geddit?

MOB member moved to write...

My friend and I swapped boards when I could see hers was narrow and difficult to control and mine was wide and stable. Check out the dedication that follows -

A tribute to a surfboard called Bessie

Through Bessie I have overcome my fears and gained the belief and the confidence to know that I may just be able to do this thing called 'surfing'.

You see, I have been the slow one of the bunch, but Bessie has helped me in so many ways. She is always there when I need her and I love the times we spend together.

She is buoyant and keeps me afloat when I need support.

She is a little thicker through the middle than most, but she is colourful and pretty to look at.

She is always there when I need her and holds me afloat when I am out of my comfort zone or I feel a little bit wobbly.

When I show up overburdened with lifes demands, I spend time with her and my spirit is once again uplifted.

She encourages me to never give up and shows patience, staying with me wave after wave, responding only when I am good and ready.

Bessie doesn't hesitate to take on the white water for me and deliver me safely to the other side.

Now it is clear to me why Bessie is so special; she represents the collective attributes of the MOB - the girls I share the beauty and power of the ocean with. The ones I share the experience and the exhilaration of overcoming self imposed limitations through surfing. Bessie has given me something amazing, allowing me to do what I never imagined possible.

I have been blessed to know many a Bessie throughout different stages of my life, so I know that good friends really are something to be celebrated and cherished.

So here's to you Bessie - thank you!

Belinda Johnson.

And thank you Belinda. Everyone needs a Bessie ;)

Since I have finished study for the semester I have let my hair down, done a few jobs that needed doing and taken Husband to see Rickie Lee Jones at the Opera House in Sydney. She has been playing in the background of my adult life and it was great to see her live. Nice to be in a room full of other RLJ fans too (Husband was shaking his head in disbelief). The Opera House was in full colour and many other architectural landmarks were lit up along Macquarie St but the only thing that had enough light for me to photograph was this lovely lighthouse. Cute, huh?

While I was in Sydney I read that people only go out to restaurants these days to write about it in their blog so I feel obliged to mention that we had dinner in one of those all night restaurants at the Quay where the burgers are tolerable because its late at night and you are starving, and the chardonnay tastes like it came out of some smelly gumboot emptied over the kitchen sink straight into my wine glass. Well, it was raining that night.

Now, what can I dream up for this weekend...?

SM

Greetings from the desk

Hey, hey! Have you seen the latest edition of Pacific Longboarder Magazine? Jules the amazing photographer who can spot a surfing superhero at 20 paces gets her name in print and Batgirl makes an appearance in all her bat glory. I think its worth posting her up here again with the beautiful Cellito water behind her, don't you?

I have been so busy lately, I have hardly had time to scratch, but I did duck down the beach last weekend when the swell was pumping in around the Headland and snap some surfing shots. I heard Batgirl was out there (in her civvies this time) and I'm thinking thats her paddling onto that huge wave in the main photo just beneath the spray coming off that wave on the right... Look carefully, can you see her? Hmmm




Check out this photo one of the MOB sent my way - a young grommie carving 'em up. See the MOB gene pool showing through...? Go get 'em N.J! (Photo by proud mum Bel)


Anyway, I also heard that Acturv is ripping at the moment on her new board - if anyone snaps some nice pics, send them my way. That girl is all set for the main photo.



End of semester is coming up (Yahoo! Yippee! I might get my life back) and I'm thinking I might need some MOB time. I'm going to reclaim the weekend! Seize the day! Get me some me time! After coaching netball and watching my two other children play soccer and doing all the weekend housework that is...hmmm. Anyway, the surfing will be fun and it will be MINE!




Lifes good. ;)



SM