ok..  so I’m a little out of practice on the drinking front. I mean i’ve sunk a few beers as it would be rude not to during the Simmer Photo Shoot…  especially as it went so well. But it was pretty much a month of detox in maui…  anyway after the shoot I flew straight home and with in hours of touching down in Manchester I was flying straight out again this time on the way to Poland for my Girlfriends Friends wedding!

Now this next bit of the story i’m going to tell in Pictures…  dont worry i’ll think you’ll work out what happened..  hahaha

Ooooow.. very smart!!

Early in the night.. bring on the vodka!

She's got the moves..

Typical polish dinner!!

Busting out the napkin Chicken.. always a winner!!

Typical Polish Dancing!! haha

They'd not seen this move before in Poland!!

or this!!!

Well you get thirsty with all this dancing!!

errrrr... and tired!!

A nice comfortable spot!!

Bad back... bed was a bit soft!!

The Simmer shoot has gone really well and i think we have nailed it. Still a bit of work to do but it’s pretty much in the bag. Big up to Peter for organizing and the new Photographer for simmer this year a Mr Simon Crowther.. who has worked his nuts off! The amount of time he’s spent in the water this year i’m surprised he’s not gone wrinkly!! haha..  in fact i think he has!!  But its worth it as he has some awesome shots!

The New Kit is looking cooler than ever and working really good..  but we’re still going to have to wait before we get our team rider sets in the summer.. Boooooooo!

Sorry I’ve been pretty slack on the updates. Its mainly because we have just been shooting every day so not had any pics to put up but i’ve added one to this post. Its from Jay at Global shots and me in action with the Go pro harness mount.

I pretty much landed on him after this…  as for any of Crowthers shots..  you’ll have to wait for the Brochure and updated Simmer website!  …We have a Heli shoot tomorrow so lets hope for sun and wind..  and few waves wouldn’t go a miss as well!!

It always makes me laugh as i spend all year sailing Port tack and then for the Photoshoot i fly to Maui and crash for a week relearning Starboard tack. While trying to come up with some cool pics. haha..  Would be so nice one year to go to a Port tack place…  then i could bust out some proper stunts!

Still it’s always fun to spend a week looking like a kook and getting back into it…

But this year i thought i’d go crazy and come a week earlier… then i could spend a week looking like a kook and hopefully look a bit better in the pics when we start shooting!

So far i’m a week in and still crashing like a kook haha..  so the plan hasn’t exactly worked!! Luckily i have a few more days before we start…

It’s been a pretty eventful trip so far..  here’s a quick run down of the action… Highs and lows

Lows:

• $1000 excess baggage..  gutted!  No getting round it..  i even tried crying but the guy didn’t fall for it..  he was a proper twat!

• Stole a car..  Ooooopps.. got in late at night and went to the airport parking where the car was meant to be. Tried to ring the number to find out the reg but couldn’t get through. So found the one that looked like what i’d ordered and had the door open with the keys under the seat. Problem was i took the wrong one and it got reported stolen!!! hahaha..  oooooopps!

• Bought crap suntan cream…  Burnt my snout!

• I’m in a bunk with the loudest snorer in the hostel.

• Did a rocky style gym session with the boys at camp one (you need to see pics to understand what i’m on about..  just think outside home gym… bricks, tyres, ropes etc) Anyway i’m broken today.. cant walk! cheers boys

• Crowded Hoooooookipa..  can’t stand it when its like that.. need to be more aggressive!!

• My Starboard tack backloops..  hahaha..  always low!

Highs:

• First class upgrade, and 2 flights with Exit seats..  sort of helped with the excess charges!!
• It’s been windy/wavy everyday. 4.5 stacked..
• I’ve not been on the rocks!
• Bought some ear plugs..  best purchase of the week.
• Finding this great soap.. haha
• Had a sweet session with 4 people out at the end of the day..  much more fun that the zoo at midday!!
• Had a free Physio session..  it was with a hippy so doesn’t really count. But seems to have worked! haha

Forecast is still looking good so fingers crossed it carries on until we start shooting.

Pics courtesy of a Jet Lagged Simon Crowther…  I told him it was a bad idea to swim out but he wouldn’t listen!! Still got a few shots..  pretty impressive as he was only out for about 2 mins!

Well at least she’s taking good care of it!! haha…

Check out all the pics courtesy of Windsurf Australia.com HERE

But if you keep your eyes peeled it will be coming to a windsurf mag near you …as  JC is doing a big (well hopefully big)  article for Windsurf on the trip!

ok, ok ,ok…  here’s a couple of random shots just to give you a feel for the trip:

Yes, that is snow on my nose!!

Drink of champions!! (must remember to take the cap off!)

Yes Steve.. it was your fault!!

Nice place to get stuck though!!

Well we couldn't go any further!! ...or could we? Errr... no, we couldn't!

Athlete in training!!

Now thats proper winter gear... and my god i needed it!

..I'm a little teapot!!

Thorpey at sandside.. pretty much dark!

Yes that is ice on the side of the van!!! Brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr..

Number 10's.. errrrrrr... dont think we'll be going out there!

The small day..

A set on the small day!!

Such a nice wall...

Murkle magic!!

Ooooopps!

Where's wally?

Izzy... keeping an eye on Thopry to make sure he's ok!! haha

So thought i’d ask the question can anyone tell who it is? Me or Thorpy?  Answers on a postcard!

Well sometimes when you haven’t had a wave for a bit..  you see one walling up and as your speeding  down the line some dude is right there..  Bang in the place where you want to land..  hmmmmmmm…  what do you do?

Pull off and wait another half hour for the next one?

…or just go for it and hope for the best….  hahahaha..  well it was close but i made it!!  (Actually felt a lot closer at the time)

I have to say god knows how people have beards… quite annoying…  worse thing about the beard was i grew it to do a cool thing (well i thought it would be cool) for my movie but it all went wrong on the last day and i couldn’t do it!! ..bugger..  what a waste..  and now i have a white chin!! haha

Anyway..  its gone now and it wont be back for a while…  well at least until Maui!!!

So..  what a winter..  very different from usual. But i have to say i really enjoyed it..  and considering most people said it was the worst winter in OZ for some time i thought it was really good..  well the last 3 weeks were pretty bad but the rest of the time was awesome!

So give me a chance to sort a few pics out etc and i’ll stick some up..

Not exactly the best 2 weeks to be ending on..  well still a week left and at least there is some swell on the horizon!! Fingers crosses something changes with the wind…

Oh actually i’m lying…  i did do something….. I managed to grow a fantastic beard!!! hahahaha…

Also should mention if your over in Oz and want some pics doing…  especially in Gero…  he’s the man to speak to. He’s really sorted me out this year and has taken some cool shots…  especially the ones from the jetski (I mean who wants to be swimming over here!) haha…

Well he’s a top bloke so give him a shout…  Just dont mention the Ledge to Lancelin Race and the fact he got beaten by his Misses!!!!  (Sorry mate it just slipped out)

Interview

UK Top Gun and voice of the PWA Ben Proffitt has rolled into Australia for his off-season, trucking up and down the West Oz Coast with girlfriend Justyna, chasing wind and waves Aussie style. Bens’ laid back, down to earth, larrikin type character fits right in with the local Aussie windsurf culture.
So while Tourism Australia asks the world “where the bloody hell are ya?”
Gunfire asks Proffitt “what the bloody hell are ya doing here?”

So what made you come to Oz this year instead of Cape Town?
Well to be honest I’ve been to Cape Town for the last eight years, and after eight years although it’s a good place you still want a change and Australia’s always been a place I’ve really wanted to come and check out. There’s always a lot of talk about West Oz and I have my girlfriend over here, she’s working in Perth which was a little bit more of a pull, so it was a good time to do it.

I’m told you’ve been staying in some pretty nice hotels. How’s the accommodation here in Australia?
It’s been absolutely beautiful mate! It took me a while to get a van but since then it’s been luxury, we’ve got the double mattress in the back and stick all the kit underneath, it’s pretty hot but it’s alright you’ve always got a sea view!

Read more here http://www.gunfireimages.com.au/?p=555