Smorgasboarder Edition 47

mental health, inner strength, positivity and the importance of eating well 

issue 

47 

SPRING 19 

f r e e 

SURF MAG 

simple 

pleasures 

how the beginning of something uncertain 

lead to a surf trip covering the globe

Tree to Sea Australia Eco Board workshops are held over 2 days, 

we have 14 or so models to choose from ranging from performance 

shortboards, fishes, guns, longboards and our popular custom service. 

If you prefer Tree to Sea Australia can build an Eco Board for you. 

Further info, workshop dates, to view boards for sale go to 

www.treetosea.com.au

smorgasboarder 

photo supplied courtesy of Filipe Alvarez 

mental minimalism 

So much clutter. So much waste! In the 

environment it means litter, over-stressed resources 

and pollution, largely thanks to our consumptioncrazed 

culture. But these next few words aren’t 

going to be about the environment. 

Instead, when you step back and consider 

litter and pollution, let’s think of it as a physical 

representation of what most of us tend to put 

into our bodies and brains through our day-today 

activities. Clutter and waste… Screen-time, 

(anti)social media, ruminating about last week’s 

arguments and fearing the future, eating crap food, 

worrying, stressing… It’s a steady diet of waste and 

clutter. 

The World Happiness Report 2019 shows that 

over the past few years, we’re spending more time 

online, and less time on the simple things in life like 

talking to friends in person, or even sleep. It seems 

the more time we waste on the internet, playing 

video games, texting and watching TV, the more 

happiness goes down. 

And it’s nothing new. We’re not unique, and it turns 

out, neither is the challenge of wasting our precious 

time here on crap. For example, 2,000 years a 

Roman Emperor called Marcus Aurelius – top dog 

in the world at the time – didn’t have Facebook or 

Insta to monopolise his brainpower and waking 

time, yet was similarly struggling with how to strip 

back the clutter and live his life more simply. 

“Would we cut off the most part of what we say and 

do as unnecessary, we should have much leisure 

and freedom from trouble. We should suggest to 

ourselves on every occasion this question; is this 

necessary?” 

Meditations, Book IV:24 

Basically, what he’s saying is: take time to ask 

whether what you’re doing, thinking or planning 

actually matters. Then, be brave and simply cut the 

crap out of your life, so you can make space for 

the good things. 2,000 years later, this advice is as 

simple and relevant as ever, if not more so. 

So, is it easy to do? Maybe, maybe not… But, 

this edition is chock-full of inspirational stories of 

people who have bitten that big, bitter bullet and 

come out the other side happier, calmer, more 

content and living a fulfilled and self-directed 

life. And funny enough, these positive people are 

channelling their time and energy into people, 

physical activity and doing good for others – all 

major points that the World Happiness Report 

shows pump up the happiness score. 

Why are the big lessons always simple ones? 

Maybe it’s because life is only complicated because 

we construct it to be. 

Like Marky Marcus says: “we should have much 

leisure and freedom from trouble.” 

So let’s go get some of that and start asking, “Is 

this necessary?” 

3

BRUSH 

ON 

CLEAR 

GRIP 

• Easy, DIY clear and clean 

paint-on grip 

• Gearbox fin boxes with all wood covers 

• Wood coloured fin boxes 

• Fin box install kits 

• Timber fins 

• Surfboards 

• Blanks 

• Cork tail pads & SUP deck grip 

• Aussie-made leashes 

• Raw balsa / cedar DIY board kits 

• Instructional DVDs 

• Timber Board racks 

• Pinch and Roll storage 

• Tide clocks 

• Sharkbanz shark deterrent 

wearable devices 

ALSO AVAILABLE 

Clear board grip tape - Let the beauty of 

the balsa show through with clear Versa 

Traction Grip Tape. Environmentally 

friendly and suits all size boards. 

Wholesale enquires welcome 

Australian Environmentally-friendly handcrafted 

surfboards for the individual in all of us, with a 

guarantee. Enjoy Responsibly

The 

Diamond 

Series 

Last month we released The Diamond Series 

range of performance surfboards. Featuring 

a diamond shaped tail with a paulownia/ 

cedar tail block, the design provides added 

strength and weight for hard back foot 

driving (paulownia twice the weight of 

balsa). 

We have already crafted a number of fun 

boards we have called the Diamond Python 

along with several performance shortboards 

called the Diamond Ring. With a recycled 

EPS foam core, balsa skin and double layer 

of glass on the deck, finish coated and 

polished to perfection, the Diamond Series 

looks incredible and performs the same. The 

Diamond Ring in particular is amazingly 

light at only 2.6kg and not only flies but can 

turn on a 20c piece. As always, all of our 

boards come with a one-year snap guarantee 

and can be customised to suit your needs. 

Call 0412 376 464 or 

Email mark@riley.com.au 

www.balsasurfboardsriley.com.au 

HANDCRAFTED IN AUSTRALIA 

Riley Balsawood Surfboards are made using renewable resource balsa and recycled 

polystyrene for performance, durability, beauty and lower environmental impact 

SHIPPING WORLDWIDE 

Photo: Lime Light Creative Studios


scan this! 

to get into listening at smorgasboarder.com.au/podcast/ 

issue 

spring 2 0 1 9 

forty-seven 

03 foreword 

10 smorgaswear, comp & letters 

14 controversy 

18 summer threads 

22 stuff 

26 simple pleasures 

38 turning over a new leaf 

44 the friendliest of pirates 

46 gut feeling 

50 gear 

63 art & music 

cover photo 

surfer: filipe alvarez 

photo: @ikertonix 

WINNER 

BEST NON-DAILY 

PUBLICATION 

QUEENSLAND MULTIMEDIA 

AWARDS 2013 

FINALIST 

BEST NON-DAILY 

PUBLICATION 

QUEENSLAND MULTIMEDIA 

AWARDS 2017 

want to get your hands on a copy? 

there’s three ways to score yourself a 

copy of smorgasboarder. 

1) subscribe - the mag is still free - you 

just pay for delivery. 4 editions per year - 

$25 annual subscription (Aus and NZ) 

2) call in to one of the businesses 

featured in this mag - they’ll have some 

free copies. If they're not, they won't. 

3) download or read it online at 

smorgasboarder.com.au 


Smorgasboarder is published by Huge C Media PTY 

LTD ABN 30944673055. All information is correct at 

time of going to press. The publication cannot accept 

responsibility for errors in articles or advertisements, or 

unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or illustrations. 

The opinions and words of the authors do not 

necessarily represent those of the publishers. All rights 

reserved. Reproduction in part or whole is strictly 

prohibited without prior permission. 

listen up! 

the 


podcast: 

full-length interviews and 

conversations 

enjoy an intimate listen-in with 

alex and dave, as they have 

interesting chats with interesting 

people about surfing, surfboard 

building and completely unrelated 

things. 

available on: 

iTunes/Apple Podcasts 

Spotify 

Buzzsprout 

(search for smorgasboarder and 

remember to hit subscribe) 

or listen on our website 

smorgasboarder.com.au for 

additional links and show notes 

8 

editorial 

dave swan 

dave@smorgasboarder.com.au 

0401 345 201 

editorial contributer 

alex benaud 

alex@smorgasboarder.com.au 

0423 950 235 

advertising 

tami argaman 

tami@smorgasboarder.com.au 

0466 439 330 

new zealand 

jiff morris 

jeff@smorgasboarder.co.nz 

0220 943 913 

south australia 

jimmy ellis 

james@smorgasboarder.com.au 

0410 175 552 

design 

the team at horse & water creative 

mark, kate, helen, taylah 

mark@horseandwater.com.au 

accounts 

louise gough 

louise@smorgasboarder.com.au


new smorgaswear 

dumbest comp ever 

Time to refresh the wardrobe! New smorgasboarder 

t-shirts are available now for only $39 online at: 

www.smorgasboarder.com.au/shop 

This is the dumbest competition we’ve ever run. 

As a joke, asking for you to send in nice thoughts 

and compliments about the mag, we honestly 

expected a few sarcastic, tongue-in-cheek jabs and 

jokes along the lines of “I read it in the dunny - now 

send me free stuff…” 

What happened instead was a tidal wave of 

appreciation and heartfelt stories about the impact 

of our little mag on everyday surfers’ lives. 

This has made choosing a winner the worst job 

ever - it was a nigh impossible task which is why 

we have taken so bloody long. Sorry. 

Good news is, we finally committed to it, and the 

lucky winner of the major prize is Paul Tickner - 

congrats! Paul’s entry and kind words are below. 

That said, not leaving all the rest of you great, 

magical supporters unloved in return, we’re 

shouting every single entry some $ to spend on the 

smorgasboarder shop online. It’s the least we can 

do, so please check your email in the next few days. 

Stylish 

pocket print 

Look dead sexy 

in this season’s 

design, available 

in deeply 

contemplative blue 

and cool, classic 

white... 

Thank you all! You make the trip worthwhile! 

The reason I love Smorgasboarder is that it is 

the only water-sport magazine that centres on 

board riding (snow, land and water), the culture 

and people that are involved at the ‘grass roots 

level’ throughout Australia and New Zealand (and 

sometimes overseas!). 

It takes us back to the roots and reasons we all are 

involved in whatever form of board riding/wave riding 

we enjoy and the creative juices of others and our 

own creativity in the water, whether we are on it, in it, 

or under it! 

Smorgasboarder talks to all surfers/water folk, 

regardless of ability and presents surfing as an all 

embracing culture with a combination of friendship, 

environmental awareness, news, art, pure stoke and 

the reason we do it - fun! 

Classy, 

retro-inspired 

surf couture 

backprint, 

spiced with 

custom 

illustration 

Oh, and did I mention its free! 

Paul 

Thanks Paul. We couldn’t sum up what 

Smorgasboarder is all about any better ourselves. 

It also goes to show the far-reaching appeal of our 

mag. Lower Snug in Tasmania, where Paul resides, 

is just about as far as you can get from the warm 

shores of the Sunshine Coast. 

10


A 

B 

O 

U 

T 

SECOND HAND SURFBOARD STORE 

BUY - SELL - TRADE - RENT 

A little over 3 months ago a man named Grey, stumbled 

upon 10 boards up for sale for $250. Too good to turn 

down, he took them up on the offer. 

He asked around his circle for anyone who had any 

boards and ended up buying 30 more by the end of the 

day. With a growing quiver of single fins, twinnies, mals 

and high-performance thrusters, he was forced to open 

up shop. 347 B King St, Newcastle became his new 

home. Three months on, Grey’s newfound addiction is 

in full swing and trading is now his forte with a current 

quiver of around 400 boards… he thinks. 

Boardwalk now is a Newcastle-based second-hand 

surfboard store who buy, sell, trade and rent quality 

watertight surfboards at realistic prices. 

From single fins to mal’s 

and right through to highperformance 

thrusters, 

Boardwalk has an extensive 

quiver sure to get you out in the 

water soon. 

If you buy any board and it doesn’t suit you for whatever 

reason, bring it back and trade up or down, assuring you 

find the perfect board. Come have a browse through 

Boardwalk and find your next magic carpet. 

Their preference is to trade so bring in your dust 

collectors and swap them around for something you’ll 

love. Contact them for freight options via email or 

website. 

CONTACT 

374 B King St, Newcastle 

New South Wales 11 

E boardwalksurfboards@gmail.com 

W www.boardwalksurfboards.com


we got it wrong! 

We must admit it happens, and when it does, we 

are more than willing to confess. 

On the cover of our last edition we featured the 

amazing work of NZ surf photographer Craig 

Levers, but we incorrectly named the surfer as Sam 

Mathers. He was in fact the surfer on our editorial 

Foreword on page 3. The surfer on the cover was 

Dune Kennings and there is an interesting story 

behind this photo. Craig Levers filled us in. 

Brooooo! 

Dune Kennings text me late last night, we got the 

cover of the latest Smorgasboarder! 

I’ve just read through the online version and I 

have to say I am absolutely stoked with it. Love 

the edit of photos you’ve used, I feel like it really 

showcases my deal. 

I reckon the interview is excellent, especially 

considering the waffle you had to rifle through. I 

have been thinking for months, man, Dave has got 

a onerous task distilling that down, you’ve done a 

great job mate. LOVE the layouts. Thank you bro. 

When I left NZ Surfing Mag, knowing that the new 

editor did not want to use my contributions, it was 

hard to know I’d never get a cover again. I could 

not be more stoked. 

So there’s very cool story behind the cover shot. 

Dune’s dad Lynden shaped that board for Dune 

when he was four years old, on January 1st 2000 

[after/during a huge Y2K bender.] Dune learnt 

to surf on that board. The day we shot that 

sequence Dune had left his ‘proper’ boards in a 

mate’s car but he had ol’ Orange, so he paddled 

out on that, and we got some great hook ups. 

Lynden and I are good mates, and I remember 

the board being shaped, seeing Dune stand up on 

it, Lynden ‘giving’ me the exclusive in 2000- not 

doing anything about that exclusive.... but then 18 

years later shooting Dune ripping on his very first 

board. 

There’s always a ‘BUT’ and sorry to bring this to 

your attention. Both Dune and I are absolutely 

stoked to have the cover.... but it has been 

credited as Sam Mathers in Raglan... I suspect 

the caption from the Intro page got transposed 

over. 

Only tiny, tiny blight on a huge stoke out. But 

could you put a correction in the next issue? 

Here’s Dune and THAT board. Great little story. 

What do they say, every cloud has a silver lining. 

12


13


#fightforthebight 

oil 

& 

water 

Petter Foshaug 

Instagram @its.petter 

DON’T MIX 

the fight continues 

words: jimmy ellis 

Following on from our #fightforthebight feature 

Oil & Water Don’t Mix in our Sumer edition last 

year and again in Autumn this year, there is more 

to report and further action for our fellow watermen 

and waterwomen to take. 

In May 2019 the Great Australian Bight Alliance 

sent a delegation to Norway raising awareness 

about Equinor’s plans to carry out deep sea 

exploration drilling in the Great Australian Bight 

Marine Park. 

Within hours of arriving in Norway’s capital Oslo, 

the delegation’s Bunna Lawrie, Peter Owen and 

Jess Lerch were in Parliament House meeting 

Norwegian Green Kristoffer Robin. He has been 

raising awareness about Bight drilling risks in the 

Norwegian Parliament. There were many packed 

public meetings. Events where the beauty of the 

Bight was on full display accompanied by music, 

film and panel discussions. 

The Alliance then held one of its now famous 

paddle out events at the Oslo Opera House. 

Patagonia ambassador, fisherman and surfer Heath 

Joske led the call from his surfboard “Fight for the 

Bight”. Hundreds of Norwegians joined in with this 

spectacular action. 

It was emphasised that Equinor have so much 

potential to be a world leader in renewable energy 

and part of the climate solution. Why risk their 

reputation and our future with Bight oil drilling? 

14


It was emphasised that 

Equinor have so much 

potential to be a world 

leader in renewable 

energy and part of the 

climate solution. 

Why risk their 

reputation and our 

future with Bight oil 

drilling? 

The delegation returned to Parliament House for a 

meeting with Lars Haltbrekken from the Socialist 

Left Party who shared our concerns. Then came 

a significant meeting, with a line-up of Norway’s 

senior Government officials. Including Norwegian 

Ministry of Petroleum and Energy State Secretaries 

Rikard Gaarder Knutsen and Liv Lonnum. The 

delegation discussed Norway’s tremendous 

potential to be a leader in renewable energy 

solutions and climate mitigation. 

With the delegation still in Norway and just 48 

hours before the Australian election, Wilderness 

Society SA Director Peter Owen performed a 

live interview on ABC TV across Australia. Peter 

outlined the delegation’s activities in Norway and 

what it hoped to achieve through addressing the 

Equinor Board a few hours later. 

“We need to be transitioning out of the 

fossil fuel industry in order to have a 

liveable future” said Peter Owen of the 

Wilderness Society. 

Petter Foshaug Instagram @its.petter 

Australian delegation (L to R) Heath Joske, 

Peter Owen, Brynn O’Brien, Bunna Lawrie, 

Jess Lerch and Rune Woldsnes 

The ALP and the Liberal National Party committed 

to: “commission an independent audit of 

NOPSEMA’s current consideration of exploration 

in the Great Australian Bight” and that “The 

independent audit will be jointly commissioned by 

the Minister for Resources and the Minister for the 

Environment. The Chief Scientist will be asked to 

work with NOPSEMA to assure all environmental 

considerations are thoroughly considered as part 

of the assessment process and decision making 

of the independent regulator.” The Chief Scientist 

would undertake targeted consultation with a range 

of stakeholders to inform his audit. 

Thus far NOPSEMA has been unable to make a 

decision on Equinor’s plans and has requested for 

further information twice this year. The next update 

will coincide with the press release from Australia’s 

Chief Scientist at the end of August 2019 [when this 

issue goes to print]. 

Thanks to all Australian and Norwegian citizens, 

surfers who paddled out across Australia and 

around the globe for your support, along with the 

delegation... and maybe you… Join and sign the 

statement of concern. 

fightforthebight.org.au 

15


luminary 

words: dave swan 

A focus on good design permeates every aspect of 

the surf industry from surfboards though to fashion 

and even the development of the individual brands 

themselves. We recently caught up with Lucy 

Borrill, co-founder of Lumo Design Studio to talk 

about these very topics given she is an avid surfer 

with a love for creating authentic brands. 

Looking through your social media feed, aside 

from an array of stunning creative work, you 

appear to have a real affinity for the ocean. When 

and where did this begin? 

The ocean has been apart of my life as long as 

I can remember. My dad is an avid sailer so I’ve 

spent my whole life on the ocean. Once I started 

surfing, my life was changed forever. It became 

a core aspect of who I am and what inspires my 

creativity, curiosity and values. 

I noted you recently worked with the Burleigh 

Longboard Club. I saw you have put together 

a nice little website for them. How did that 

association come about? 

When I moved to the Gold Coast I wanted to join a 

board club, so I jumped online and quickly realised 

most of the local board clubs had such outdated 

websites it was hard to tell if any were still running. 

Luckily, I met someone who knew the president of 

Burleigh Long Boarders and soon enough I joined 

the club. Straight away I updated the website and 

the response from the members was overwhelming. 

I managed to resurrect the history of the club and 

make it accessible once more - that was a great 

feeling. 

So I take it you are interested in working with 

businesses involved with the surf industry? 

Yes definitely. I already have a few surf industry 

clients and I have found that building brands with 

people that share the same passion as I do is so 

inspiring - there is just some level of understanding 

between ocean lovers that is so special. 

So what would you say is the core focus of your 

creative work? 

To create bloody good branding. 

What is your approach to achieving this? 

We view every project holistically. Building brands 

rather than just designing something one-off 

creates authenticity and that is what we are about. 

Tell us about branding? Why is it so important? 

So recently I shaped my own surfboard in a 

workshop with the legendary Richard Harvey. It was 

here I realised that shaping is a great analogy for 

the importance of branding. 

A finished hand-shaped surfboard is a visual 

pleasure. The board style, colours and logo all 

work to tell a story. However, just like branding, 

the visual identity is only one part. The true beauty 

of your board is how it is shaped for the rider and 

the waves for which it will be ridden on. Plenty of 

research is put into the dynamics of the board to 

optimise it for the surfer. These ‘dynamics’ are also 

present in branding. The verbal identity and values 

of your brand are just as important. If you get these 

right, you will create authenticity for your brand’s 

values that will connect with the right audience and 

create longevity and trust. 

Our field of work is fun, but it is also a means of 

funding some leisure time. What’s your dream 

surf holiday? 

Crescent Head with a few mates and my dog. 

Coffee, surfing, beach driving and making pasta in 

the evening. Keeping it simple and appreciating the 

beautiful country we are so lucky to live in. 

lumodesignstudio.com 

16


What’s 

your 

dream 

surf 

holiday? 

Crescent 

Head with 

a few mates 

and my dog. 

17


s u m m e r t h r e a d s 

1. 

1. Baku - Covent Garden Bikini $80 tops, $50 bottoms 2. Billabong - Sunday Two Ways Tie 

Bikini $59.99 (top), Sunday Maui Rider Bikini Bottom $59.99 3. Billabong Crossfire Stripe 

Jumpsuit $109.99 4. Instore at Natural Necessity 5. Afends Sarah Hemp Playsuit - $109.99 

6. Salt Gypsy - Mid Tide Mustard $955 7. Huge range available at Natural Necessity 

18


2. 

3. 

4. 5. 

summer threads 

Natural Necessity Surfshop has 

over 5000 swimwear pieces in 

stock right now, plus a massive 

range of surfwear and fashion. 

It’s not your typical surfshop 

limited to the major surf brands. 

For 42 years the shop has 

chosen the best styles from the 

best surf and fashion labels for 

your Australian coastal lifestyle. 

6. 

Check out naturalnecessity. 

com.au online, or visit beautiful 

Gerringong and while you’re 

there, get expert help with their 

mega range of wetsuits. If that’s 

not enough, a must see is their 

amazing surfboard quiver with a 

1000 boards in stock. 

naturalnecessity.com.au 

7. 

19


coastin bali 

Our good mate Jason Ade Ardhi Putra whose inspired freehand artwork featured in Issue 

39 back in 2017 has recently launched his own handmade clothing label aptly named 

Coastin Bali. Celebrating Bali’s tropical island vibe and laidback lifestyle, the piece’s derive 

inspiration from Ade’s love for the art of Jim Phillips and Kentaro Yoshida. 

20


kenoath 

Kenoath is an Australian streetwear label blending wheels and waves 

subcultures. As explained by founder Des Hughes, The Kenoath namesake is 

born from what he considers is “one of Australia’s most loved slang words. 

“For some, finding our brand is a sense of discovery, ‘does it really mean 

that?’ For others, the brand immediately speaks to them and resonates with 

their positivity and enthusiasm.” 

In a nutshell Kenoath is Australian for YES. 

“Our designs veer from trend. More like wearable art, Kenoath captures 

the detail and richness of the 1970/80’s and blends a vintage feel with a 

modern style. Wearing Kenoath is fun. You see the downward glance, 

the smirk, the nod and the wink. ‘Where’d ya get the shirt?’“ 

The Kenoath logo has two spears in the design element and they 

have a special significance. The left spear points to our past with 

love and reverence and the right spear points confidently to the 

future. 

Said Des, “Fashion is a material expression of you and it conveys 

your personality and vibe. Kenoath is all about positivity and 

enthusiasm and we hope this aligns with you.” 

kenoath.com.au 

21


stuff 

board traction for the 21st century 

Looking for a wax free traction solution? Contribute 

to a more sustainable planet with RSPro traction 

products. 

No more mess or missing waves while you’re waxing 

up! HexaTraction is a modular traction system to suit 

any size board and can be combined with our cork 

front foot deck grip where a greater level of traction is 

required. 

rspro.com.au 

real surf 

In the creation of the Wellington surf scene, only 

slightly less important than the Duke bringing surfing to 

Wellington in 1917, was Roger Titcombe picking up the 

planer and sureform in 1971. A place where dinosaurs, 

humans, savants and degenerates frequent to babble 

questionable surf chat, REAL SURF is a Wellington 

surfing institution. The Wellington surf scene may have 

changed a bit since 1971, but like the Wellington wind, 

Roger and the Real Surf team remain relentless in their 

pursuit of being Aotearoa's No.1 core surf store. 

realsurf.co.nz 

pedal and paddle 

Explore Whangamata in Spring! Sea and land are both 

uncrowded, crisp and clean. It truly is an amazing place 

especially at this time of year. 

Pedal and Paddle have extensive knowledge of their 

area and will send you in the right direction with all the 

right equipment. Simple fun. 

pedalandpaddle.co.nz 

coastal sports kaikoura 

The cold water specialists. "We get you further and out 

there for longer. Not just your average surf shop, we 

believe in gettng you out having more adventures in the 

water or on the land, need quality gear we’ve got you 

covered, need info, we’ve been sharing our passion for 

the surf and outdoors since 2003. 

Same Location for 16 years." 

Call on +64 3 319 5028 

coastalsports.co.nz 

22


stuff 

Get a crew together and head to the 

best left hand breaks NZ can offer 

ghost racks 

You read about it in the last edition, there just 

wasn’t much to see! It’s one of the downsides to 

promoting something that is near invisible. 

However, there’s no hiding the strength of these 

Ghost Racks. This is their latest creation - a corner 

rack. This one is taking pride of place at my house, 

caressing my much loved Wayne Lynch single fin. 

ghostracks.com.au 

Raglan holiday park is expanding!! 

Our new group lodge can accommodate small 

surf groups, family groups or school groups. 

You can have exclusive use of the complex plus 

conference facility if required. 

We can organise surf lessons, board hire, 

catering, paddle boarding, kayaking, just 2 

minutes walk to town. 

Stage two will be available for bookings 

May 2020, this will include kitchen dinning 

plus bathroom / laundry block and two more 

accommodation blocks. 

Contact us now to enquire about our new 

complex. You can book online or 

email stay@raglanholidaypark.co.nz 

raglanholidaypark.co.nz 

Photo Credit Jwan Milek 

23


stuff 

“Out of the crooked timber of 

humanity, nothing completely straight 

was ever made”- Isaiah Berlin 

Robert Hollis, 

Sunshine Coast 

solicitor at Tomamu, 

on another NZSHRED 

Japan Tour 

24


stuff 

Robert Hollis, Sunshine Coast solicitor at 

Tomamu, on another NZSHRED Japan Tour 

wood be good 

Man’s affiliation with wood and timber has been with us 

since the dawn of time. Wood has directed humans very 

existence … from the ability to create warmth, through 

the fashioning of tools, to a more modern day aesthetic 

appreciation in terms of the toys that give us both 

pleasure and release. 

From our own very early days we've had an affinity with 

it, remembering how you’d get some offcut plywood from 

Dad’s shed, place a besser brick at either end and one 

in the middle … then start watering it. After a few days 

of sag and some sunny hours to dry, you had your new 

skate deck. Nowadays there are some beautifully created 

pieces created by brands such as Sector Nine and 

Globe, as well as the aptly named Arbor. 

Snowboarding too draws it’s early day development from 

the simplicity of fashioning wood, as seen in boards such 

as the Burton Throwback. As the name suggests, it's a 

modern replica of those earliest of days sliding sideways 

down a snowy incline, balanced, but untethered … a 

treat for the accomplished rider, a yardsale for the novice. 

And now at the pointy end of modern snowboarding, 

brands such as Jones base the majority of their range 

around that human connection to the naturality of wood. 

In fact, every board produced starts its life as a tree, is 

then made into timber laminates, through to its finality 

with a wooden top sheet - as seen in classics such as 

the Hovercraft and the Flagship. Sustainability is not 

just a catch phrase, it is a life virtue when it comes to 

manufacturing by this brand. 

In fact, in Jeremy’s own words... 

“If only snowboards grew on trees, 

born from simply seed, soil, water and 

sunshine…” 

These are the values that NZSHRED stands for and these 

are the brands that NZSHRED partners with! 

NZ Shred 

nzshred.co.nz 

25


26


p l e a s u r e s 

words: jimmy ellis 

Filipe Alvarez surfs anything extremely well, and whilst he is a qualified 

architect, he has no grand plans laid out for his future. 

photo: @ikertonix 

27


I DIDN’T 

REALLY 

DECIDE TO 

CHANGE MY 

LIFE TO LIVE 

MORE SIMPLE, 

IT JUST 

HAPPENED BY 

FOLLOWING 

MY INTUITION. 

SIMPLENESS 

ALWAYS 

FITTED ME 

AND BY 

GETTING OUT 

OF CITY LIFE 

I COULD LIVE 

THE WAY I 

LIKED. 

Looking through truckloads of photos from his 

surfing adventures around the globe we were 

keen to hear how Filipe came to live his life so 

free. 

“I studied Architecture, liked it but not to the 

point to get passionate about it. I got my degree 

and went straight to Patagonia (the region 

encompassing the vast southernmost tip of South 

America, shared by Argentina and Chile). 

“I stayed one year in one of the most beautiful 

places of the world, Torres del Paine National 

Park. I worked as a guide, doing amazing hikes 

and advanced horse rides since I was already 

familiar with horses. It was just a sublime time 

there.” 

Following his sojourn, Filipe returned to his 

hometown of Reñaca, a beachside area within the 

Valparaiso Region of Chile. There he worked for a 

couple for years in his profession as an architect 

on various social projects. 

“It was nice to help many people, but it wasn’t 

really developing my creativity. It was more 

coordination - being a connector between 

government, people and contractors. 

“I was working there when I got a call from me 

good friend Roberto telling my about a cheap 

flight to Australia. I bought it immediately and 

applied for the working holiday visa. Got it. I knew 

it was going to be the beginning of something 

uncertain and good, that’s what trips are!” 

Filipe set off for Australia in August 2011. He 

stayed mostly in Margaret River for a period of 

about 11 months. 

“A solid bloke called Glenn, (I see him sometimes 

ripping outside corner in Uluwatu) exchanged 

with me his car for a carton of beer - Emu Export 

ha ha. 

“It was an old but faithful car. It saved me those 

11 months. I then went to Bali for the first time.” 

His trip to Bali was followed in quick succession 

by trips to Mexico, the Dominican Republic, 

Hawaii, Mexico again, Hawaii, Nicaragua, Hawaii, 

Bali, Hawaii, Chile, Hawaii, Bali, Hawaii, New 

Zealand (or Aotearoa as Filipe refers to it), Chile, 

Nicaragua... 

28



29


I KNEW IT WAS 

GOING TO BE 

THE BEGINNING 

OF SOMETHING 

UNCERTAIN 

AND GOOD... 

photo supplied courtesy of 

Filipe Alvarez 

30


“Mostly Bali and Hawaii. I lost a bit of the exact 

order but something like that. 

“I’ve met so many amazing people, all kinds: the 

good, the bad, the evil, the ugly, the wise and the 

others... all carrying some lessons. 

“I’ve worked on everything you can imagine. 

“I didn’t really decide to change my life to live more 

simple, it just happened by following my intuition. 

Simpleness always fitted me and by getting out of 

city life I could live the way I liked. 

“Life in the city is supposed to simplify our lives but 

for me it was exactly the opposite.” 

Filipe simply continued on his journey with no 

particular end in sight. It’s been 8 years now and he 

sees no reason for the endless adventure to stop. 

“Opposite to how an architect thinks, I don’t plan 

anything. It just doesn’t work for me. I like the 

uncertain future. I like living simple day by day, 

aware and awake, easy, calm but never too relaxed. 

“I am grateful for every day we have. How sublime 

is to be able to walk on the beach, get in the 

water, hold your breath, go down and observe 

this underwater world for a few minutes, remove 

yourself from the routine.. and then remember you 

need to... breathe. Go up and really breathe !! (He 

laughs) It’s just so simple and good. And then surf... 

every surfing session is a pure connection with ALL, 

the inner and outer.” 

In February 2018 Filipe received a message on 

Instagram with a photo of a poster promoting 

Buffalo’s Big Board Surfing Classic to be held in 

Makaha that very month, saying ‘come down’. And 

so he did. In a move that would have most of us 

reaching for the brown boardies, to Filipe it was the 

chance to go on another adventure, to live life to 

the full. 

“Yes, I went there and camped in my van. Bought 

it for $500 from surf legend Jock Sutherland. It 

was supposed to work just good enough for 1 or 2 

seasons, it’s been 6. 

“It was great to see everyone come together to 

enjoy the different forms of surfing. Hokule’a was 

there too with some crew from Rapa Nui learning 

ancestral sailing the traditional way.” 

For those unaware, Hōkūleʻa is a traditional 

Polynesian double-hulled voyaging canoe that 

brought the first Polynesians to the archipelago 

of Hawaii. These canoes had reportedly almost 

reached cultural extinction until artist Herb Kane 

dreamed of rebuilding a double-hulled sailing canoe 

similar to the ones that his ancestors sailed. 

Launched on the 8th of March,1975 by the 

Polynesian Voyaging Society, Hokule’a conducted 

numerous voyages exclusively using Polynesian 

celestial navigation techniques. These voyages 

included the likes of Japan, Canada, mainland 

United States, Micronesia,Tahiti, New Zealand and 

Rapa Nui, one of the most isolated islands on earth, 

at the far southeastern corner of the Polynesian 

Triangle. 

“I went for a swim and got to see the voyaging 

canoe from inside. Chatted with my Rapa Nui 

friends. Ooh Rapa Nui, that’s a whole new episode. 

I went there in 2009 - powerful mana land in the 

middle of the biggest ocean.” 

The whole atmosphere in Makaha was pure surfing 

joy for Filipe. 

“What most surprised me was to see others surfing 

alaia. Until that point, I had only seen people surfing 

alaia on few videos. 

“Wooaaa, in Makaha I saw really good alaia surfing: 

amazing style, speed, flow manoeuvres. They really 

deal with the backwash and even use it to boost 

something on it, with such naturality. I was so 

impressed and happy to see it.” 

He noted the Hawaiians were ripping on 5’6” alaias. 

It brought him to the realisation that he needed to 

try a smaller alaia. Filipe was surfing a 6’7”. 

“All good Aloha vibes, everyone cheering and 

sharing ! It is a sacred land. I wish the very best for 

the Hawaiian people. They have opened their arms 

and welcomed so many people, but sometimes the 

visitors take more than what they should.” 

At this point Filipe referred to The Mauna Kea 

conflict. Mauna Kea on the “Big Island” of Hawaii is 

reportedly the highest island mountain in the world. 

It is considered sacred to native Hawaiian religion, 

being the home of several deities. It is also the 

site of the world’s largest observatory for infrared 

and submillimtre telescopes. With plans afoot 

to susbequently build one of the world’s largest 

optical telescopes, the Thirty Meter Telescope 

(TMT), protests were waged to discontinue further 

development of the mountain. On the 30th October, 

2018 the Supreme Court of Hawaii approved the 

resumption of construction of the TMT. 

“It is bringing native Hawaiians a huge sense of 

unity and revival of their roots. I hope they achieve 

their right to defend their land and keep the 

mountain sacred.” 

31


REMOVE YOURSELF FROM 

THE ROUTINE... AND THEN 

REMEMBER TO... BREATHE.” 

“After what I saw in Makaha I started shaping and 

trying smaller alaia boards. So far my favorites are 

a 6’0” that glides amazingly good. But it got broken 

in Uluwatu in a non-repairable way. Another is a 

5’6” that I’m currently using. I have broken and 

repaired it about 6 times and it still rides amazing. 

“At the moment I’m trying to find some wood here 

in Bali. I can’t wait to shape a few Alaias here in 

Uluwatu.” 

It is here our conversation turned to surfboards and 

their cost to local islanders. 

“It’s expensive. Within the whole spectrum of 

surfboard qualities and prices, the average price 

of a surfboard is around $500+ USD (around $740 

AUD). So to buy a new surfboard you must either 

have a good salary (most of the population don’t) 

or sacrifice a lot to buy a surfboard hoping it won’t 

break in your first session. 

“I have been surfing for 25 years and I’ve never 

bought a new surfboard in my life. I always get 

second hand surfboards, some decent, some hard 

to adapt, but I’ve always made them surf. In places 

like Oahu, where some of the best surfboards are 

made and people are constantly renewing their 

quiver, it’s easy to find good second hand boards. 

But then in places like Indonesia, where if you are 

a lucky local you earn $150 USD per month, it 

becomes very hard to get a surfboard, especially 

on remote islands where most surfboards are 

donated or traded by visitors. 

“You will see kids paddling on half boards or 

chunks of wood trying to catch anything similar to 

a wave or a white water rush. That’s where it gets 

interesting!” 

With a true sense of passion, Filipe speaks of the 

local kids’ desire to surf using whatever they can 

find to “go on this supreme joyful activity called 

surfing.” It is then he speaks of project he is trying 

to get up and running. 

“I would love to go to remote islands to share and 

spread the simplicity of alaia surfing. Exchange 

knowledge with locals, learn as much as I can from 

them, and share with them as much as I know. 

Show them how easy it can be to make their own 

surfboards. Alaia surfing has endless benefits and 

it’s positive from every point of view.” 

Filipe lists all the benefits as he sees them. 

“It’s a direct connection with the ocean and the 

roots of surfing. (I realised I was reading the book 

of surfing from the middle, now, on Alaia, I’m 

surfing it from the beginning). 

“It gets you on a very healthy and fit state, just by 

having fun. 

“It’s Earth friendly, and a great opportunity to 

encourage sustainability - care for the environment. 

“It’s very cheap if we use resources the right way. 

“It’s pure surfing! The sense of non-friction just 18 

millimetres from the water, fully connected, it’s just 

a sublime joy. 

“I also see this as a great opportunity to create 

awareness. Grow in the right direction. 

“We all need food, shelter, health and education, 

conscious progress. But we must be very careful 

with this hungry monster called development, 

which is not making us grow, it’s just making us fat. 

It’s important to recognise what life quality really is 

and the simplicity of happiness. To not disconnect 

from the essence of Earth.” 

Filipe recalls when he first started surfing and 

shaping alaias he said to himself, “I’m going 

forward to the roots. 

32




photo: @juanpabloreyes 

Alaia shaped in Punta de Lobos, 

Chile. June 2017 

photo: @juanpabloreyes 

Alaia shaped in Puertecillo - Chile 

photo:@juanpabloreyes 



33


photo: @martin.sanchez_photos 

34


OPPOSITE 

TO HOW AN 

ARCHITECT 

THINKS, I DON’T 

PLAN ANYTHING. 

IT JUST DOESN’T 

WORK FOR ME. 

I LIKE THE 

UNCERTAIN 

FUTURE. I LIKE 

LIVING SIMPLE, 

DAY BY DAY, 

AWARE AND 

AWAKE, EASY, 

CALM BUT NEVER 

TOO RELAXED. 

35


“A couple years later, on a documentary, I heard 

this quote that goes in the same direction: ‘History 

has shown in many native cultures that the path to 

a better future comes by following the way of the 

ancestors.’” 

Filipe is always refining his beloved alaia. It has 

broken many times, and somehow it lives on. 

Last year whilst on Hawaii’s North Shore, Filipe was 

hanging out with Kohl Christiansen and tweaking 

an alaia’s tail shape when out of the pathway came 

Gerry Lopez. Interested in Filipe’s modifications, 

they chatted about what they had learnt through 

experience riding alaias. Gerry was so into it, Filipe 

offered to make him one. In Filipe’s words, “I was 

honoured to make him one”. 

Apparently Gerry was beaming with excitement as 

he was planning a trip to Mexico later that year 

and had a small point break in mind that suited his 

type of alaia surfing. With the deadline set, Filipe 

ensured he delivered, and both were stoked with 

the end result. It marked another notable chapter in 

his life’s adventure. 

This current surf season Filipe found an abandoned 

bungalow near his regular homestay. With a mate 

and the Balinese family Nyoman whom own the 

land, they have renovated the space. 

Filipe and the family now rent rooms out to couples 

for IRp 250,000 ($25AUD p/n), and families for 

IRP 500,000 ($AUD50 p/n) a night. The proceeds 

are split between the family and paying for further 

garden renovations. 

Next season they hope to generate a modest 

income and for Filipe it’s further opportunity to 

continue the endless Alvarez summer. If you’re 

interested check it out: @saranguluwatu 

To follow more of Filipe’s adventures go to: 

@nomademares 

Whilst not for everyone, the simple pleasures Filipe 

seeks out has been the making of his contentment. 

Filipe’s approach to surfing is the same as his 

approach to life - going with the flow. Half a year in 

Hawaii, the other half in Uluwatu, wax and wane. 

When in Bali he stays in the same simple home stay 

each year, just 8 minutes walk from the Uluwatu. 

36


photo: @motto_photography 



37


TURNING 

over a new leaf 

Red Leaf Surfboards is a small company based 

in Gisborne, New Zealand specialising in custom 

made high quality timber surfboards and Build Your 

Own workshops. They design all their boards using 

only the finest natural and recycled materials. 

Founder Peter Claydon, was driven by a passion to 

create beautiful, durable, performance orientated 

surf craft in an environmentally responsible way. 

Starting out he used his skills as a furniture maker 

to build hollow wooden surfboards and quickly 

became addicted to the feeling of riding boards 

built by his own hands. Wanting to share that 

stoke, he began Red Leaf and now runs workshops 

teaching people to build their own timber board. 

Over the past couple of years Red Leaf have 

developed their board building techniques and 

experimented with materials to make lighter weight, 

more affordable eco boards, so that even more 

people can experience the joy of riding and even 

making their own beautiful eco surfcraft. Peter filled 

us in on how it all began. 

38


photo: derek fryer 

surfer: brett summerlee 

39



surfer: brett summerlee 

photo: phil yeo 

photo: jane putnam 

40


“I’ve been on a bit of personal journey over the 

past couple of years and to be honest it’s changed 

me, well changed the way I think really. I used to 

think I had to convey an image that everything was 

perfect in my world and with my business or people 

wouldn’t buy my products or join me on a course. 

But for a number of reasons, I am now realising 

that this is not the case. There is no right or wrong, 

things don’t have to look a certain way, it is what it 

is, and is what it is meant to be. Some people will 

connect with my story and some won’t, which is all 

okay. 

“I’m a pretty simple guy really; I want to spend my 

time doing what I love – making surfboards - with 

flexibility and freedom to enjoy life along the way.” 

Peter grew up in the UK, it is there where he 

trained and worked as furniture designer/maker, 

before immigrating to the stunningly beautiful New 

Zealand in 2013. 

“I’m a beekeeper, surfer and craftsman. I love good 

food, good music and have probably never said no 

to a cup of tea in my life. 

“But back tracking a bit… I was working as a 

furniture maker in the 9 to 5 routine, I was happy 

enough but not completely - I had dreams; one of 

them was to live in New Zealand and one was to 

make my own surfboards.” 

Timber surfboards became the conduit for Peter’s 

change in lifestyle. It was an obvious choice. He 

loved timber, understood it and admitably being 

a closet hippy, appreciated it’s sustainability, 

durability and beauty. 

“In 2011 I had some shit show up in my life. I found 

myself without a house, without a job, on my own, 

with all my future plans out the window. I didn’t 

realise it at the time but this was both a test and a 

gift for me. A test to make sure I really wanted what 

I thought I wanted and a gift because I thought 

‘Well f#ck it, what have I got to lose?! Now is the 

time, let’s make some wooden surfboards.’” 

With no real idea of how to run a business, Peter 

gathered his tools, rented a workspace, begged 

and borrowed some machinery and just stepped off 

the cliff. 

“It was awesome, I spent the first year in business 

having the time of my life, being my own boss, 

making prototypes and developing my products, 

sh*t, I even won an award and ended up on the 

front cover of a magazine! I didn’t make much 

money, but who needs money, right? 

“Despite all the fun and all the money I wasn’t 

making, certain things had aligned in my personal 

life that made it the right time to move to New 

Zealand… my other dream. If I went into details 

here this story would turn into a novel! But what I 

will tell you is that every imaginable challenge that 

could present itself when immigrating to the other 

side of the world happily presented themselves in 

all their fabulous glory.” 

Fast forward a few years and Peter was finally in a 

position to re-awaken what he had started with Red 

Leaf and commit one hundred percent. But that is 

where things got interesting and where his personal 

journey really started. It put everything into focus 

for his future and the future of Red Leaf - after all 

Red leaf is really just an extension of Peter. 

“So everything was set, I could live in New Zealand 

permanently, I had a house, a home by the sea, a 

workshop, a loving partner and even a mental little 

cat. And then boom - I got sick, real sick. 

“In 2009 I was diagnosed with an autoimmune 

condition called Ulcerative Colitis; a condition the 

medical world says there is no cure for and doesn’t 

know how it is caused. I had a few little niggles with 

it early on but nothing very serious, then I had five 

years pretty much symptom free and I really didn’t 

consider that I had it anymore. But at the end of 

2015 it gave me a savage beating and made me 

pay attention. I’m talking hospital admissions (x3), 

blood transfusions, internal bleeding, anaemia, 

extreme weight loss and fatigue. It was pretty 

shitty….Errrm…Literally!!” 

Peter’s on the other side of it now but for a fair 

peiod it kept him away from the things he loved. 

“It kept me out of the surf, it kept me away from the 

workshop, it kept me away from life really. But as I 

sit here now recalling it all I feel kind of happy that 

it happened, which sounds a bit messed-up really, 

but let me explain…. 

“I started working with some epic mentors who 

helped me to find the positives in my situation - 

As they say ‘The gift is in the shit.’ I used to feel 

like a victim to Ulcerative Colitis, that it was just 

happening to me. The biggest change came for 

me when I became aware that my actions had 

a part to play in triggering the disease and that 

I was fueling my condition with a lot of negative 

thought and behaviour. I have come to understand 

that I have the option to respond in a different way 

and therefore have a different outcome. After all - 

Attitude dictates experience.” 

41


The more accepting Peter became of his situation, 

the easier it was for him to let go of the negative 

thought patterns and stories he had running 

through his head. 

“It allowed me to respond differently, get a different 

result and . . . I started to get better!” 

There was another positive to come out of his 

recovery. 

“Spending so long out of the water, out of the 

workshop, away from being able to build the 

business gave me the time to think about where I 

really wanted to take the business. Now more than 

ever I want Red Leaf to be a journey about people. 

“I would love to share my skills and passion with 

as many people as possible, to share the stoke of 

building and riding beautiful, sustainable surf craft 

made with your own hands. 

“To share waves, laughs, stories, experiences and 

knowledge and to learn from everyone along the 

way. I want to set up events and gatherings, a 

community of like-minded people simply wanting to 

have a bit of fun and wanting to create. 

“This realisation is for me one of the gifts that was 

in the shit.” 

redleafsurfboards.com 

42



surfer: pete claydon 

43


the friendliest of pirates 

words and photos: alex benaud 

Ash Keillah is one of those people that just oozes 

positivity, it’s infectious and inspiring because 

positivity is fundamental when life throws a spanner 

in the works. More commonly known as ‘The 

Friendly Pirate’, Ash is a surfer who rips, a soon 

to be father, and someone that has overcome an 

incredible ordeal that risked to ruin his competitive 

surfing career. We recently sat down with the 

Friendly Pirate to find out more about his story and 

how we can be as happy as him. 

Ash, tell us a bit about yourself and where you 

come from… 

Ash Keillah, I’m 34 and I live in Byron Bay, I’m 

better known as ‘the friendly pirate’ and I’m a 

mad keen surfer! I was born down in the Northern 

Beaches of NSW near Mona Vale hospital where 

I did a lot of surfing with my dad! We then moved 

up to Coolangatta on the Gold Coast when I was 

fairly young and that’s when I really got into surfing. 

There’s such a competitive surfing environment 

on the Gold Coast which I think really helped me 

choose my path as a competitive surfer. 

Obviously they call you the Pirate because you 

wear an eye patch, how did it happen? 

I got hit with a glass when I got caught between 

two people fighting about 9 years ago. I had 

nothing to do with the fight, I was just in the wrong 

place at the wrong time. After the incident I had to 

wear an eye patch in between surgeries and when 

I finally got my eye out, they offered me a fake eye, 

but I was so used to the eye patch that I wasn’t 

quite sure what to do. I got a fake eye anyway and 

as soon as I had my first surf after the accident, I 

tried to pull into a little tube and got lipped in the 

head and lost my fake eye. That was enough to 

help me make the decision to return to the eye 

patch. It was just a lot easier and more comfortable 

for me. 

My friends gave me the name ‘the friendly pirate’ 

because of my friendly nature and obviously 

because I wore the eye patch, and that’s how it sort 

of kicked off. 

When you were recovering from the incident in 

the hospital what was going through your mind? 

My main concern was am I going to be able to surf 

again? Just before the injury, I was really thinking 

about committing to competing full-time, so that 

was quite stressful. But as soon as my friends got 

me back in the water, I knew I was good to go. 

44


What are some of the biggest physical and mental 

differences you have noticed after the incident? 

Has it changed the way you surf? 

It took some time, especially the first year or two 

to get my timing back and my depth perception. I 

noticed that it was hard to find where the wave was 

actually going to break, for example, if I saw a set 

coming, I would paddle too far out or too close to 

shore which was quite confusing. Eventually, it all 

dropped away after doing a lot of training focusing 

on getting used to the new circumstances. 

What followed after the recovery? 

I really focussed on getting myself mentally strong, 

which for me was being in contact with the right 

people, listening to a lot of podcasts and dropping 

a lot of negative people around me. 

Physically I need to turn my head a bit more 

(laughs). Mentally I think it has shown me that if 

I have come through such an experience, I can 

get through absolutely anything. At 34 I’m just 

about to start doing the QS, I think my mindset 

is strong enough to take me a long way and I’m 

really looking forward to it. You just need to listen 

to yourself, I have people around me that say at 34 

it’s a bit late to be kicking off a QS campaign, but at 

the same time, they don’t know what’s in my head 

and what I am capable of. 

Have you become more of a positive person? 

Yeah I think I have definitely become more of a 

positive person. I wouldn’t change it for the world, 

I’m happy having one eye, my girlfriend loves it and 

I surf better now than I did with two eyes. 

What advice would you give to someone who is 

experiencing a rough moment in their lives? 

For me, it’s important to seek out positive role 

models, and in the age of internet, it’s not that hard 

to do. There are heaps of podcasts on amazing and 

inspiring people that have overcome some of the 

most demoralising situations. More than likely there 

is someone else who has already been through 

what you’re experiencing that you can learn from. 

No matter how rock bottom you think you are 

you can always turn it around, as long as you’re 

breathing. 

For the bigger, longer conversation listen at 

smorgasboarder.com.au/podcast 

itunes spotify buzzsprout 

45


gut feeling 

words and photos: alex benaud 

The environment and our mental health. 

An insight into how our environment can control our mind. 

Living, playing or simply being near the ocean has 

an all-around positive effect on our bodies and 

our minds. Surfing is without a doubt one of the 

healthiest sports to enjoy, as it offers a chance to 

disconnect from the fast-paced modern day life 

that surrounds many of us and connect with the 

peacefulness that the ocean provides. It reduces 

stress, lifts our mood, and even helps us overcome 

loss and grief. But sometimes we are faced with 

psychological and emotional issues that are more 

difficult to handle and overcome, sometimes a 

simple dip in the ocean isn’t enough to wash away 

our troubles. 

Jess Gardner, a qualified naturopath with a 

bachelor degree in health sciences recently sat 

down with Smorgasboarder to explain ways our 

diet and certain foods we eat can not only affect us 

physically but also emotionally. Jess also spoke of 

how our environmental footprint can be linked all 

the way back to how we think and feel. 

“It’s interesting to see how our mental, nutritional 

and physical health are all interconnected. It’s 

important not to pigeonhole people with mental 

health issues such as anxiety, depression and 

stress, without looking at upstream factors that 

could be influencing and having a flow-on effect on 

one’s mental state.” 

“Gut health is probably the number one place to 

start. Research has interestingly discovered how 

our bacteria are involved in the process of making 

our neurotransmitters. 80% of our serotonin, which 

is our happy neurotransmitter, is actually formulated 

within the gut. And our gut’s nerve, ‘the vagus 

nerve’, is actually the nerve that communicates 

the most with our brain. Scientists have found how 

much of a profound effect our gut health can have 

on our mental health and the way we think and 

feel.” 

So what does all of this mean? As Jess infers it 

basically means ‘you are what you eat’. If you eat 

bad food, you’re going to feel that way. 

Another way that we tend to develop underlying 

issues relating to stress, depression and anxiety is 

feeling the need to close ourselves off to anyone 

and everyone. This leaves us susceptible to social 

isolation and loneliness, but as surfers, help is 

never too far away. 

“One of the things that I have really tried to 

encourage in people feeling this way is to do the 

opposite of what we feel, and that is to connect. 

Within a surfing community that can be something 

much easier to do, when you are in the water 

with other surfers it’s a great chance to connect 

and interact. Research shows that when we are 

stressed out and have got hormones running 

through our body that impact and contribute to that 

stress, they can be quietened by connection, which 

releases a hormone called oxytocin. Oxytocin is our 

love hormone, which is involved in giving us those 

really warm and fuzzy feelings.” 

So instead of stowing away our problems and 

shutting ourselves off to the ones closest to us, 

we need to learn to push ourselves to open up 

and speak up. Release that oxytocin and you’ll be 

surprised by how much it can help. 

We all react differently to how we handle certain 

problems that we may face in our lives. Some 

people will cut themselves off from those around 

them, some of us will battle through and hide our 

worries behind a brave face, but one of the most 

common ways for us to deal with our problems 

46


is by developing a bad habit that can give us a 

temporary high. Whether it’s smoking, alcohol, 

drugs, binging on unhealthy food or even shopping, 

these decisions can be influenced by our diet. This 

is called the dopamine neurotransmitter, and if we 

aren’t careful to maintain a healthy and balanced 

diet it can become one of our worst enemies. 

With this in mind, I was keen to ask Jess how we 

keep our neurotransmitters balanced and fully 

functioning? 

“Maintaining nutritional density, is something 

that I’m very passionate about educating. It’s 

about getting enough protein, fat and fibre into 

our bodies. So our eggs, meats, dairy products, 

nuts, seeds, beans, legumes and vegetables are 

all important for sourcing the protein, fats and 

fibre that is required to help create, maintain and 

balance our neurotransmitters.” 

Alarmingly, we have all seen how plastic seems to 

be overtaking our lives, along with the world we 

live in, filling our creeks, rivers and oceans with 

one of the most destructive materials the human 

race has created. So I was curious to hear Jess’s 

perspective on whether the effects of plastic are a 

contributing factor to mental illness? 

“BPA or simply, plastic, is something we call an 

endocrine-disrupting chemical, which is a chemical 

within our environment, that has a hormonal-like 

effect on our bodies. An example of how BPA finds 

its way into our bodies is through sea salt, which 

has been found to be highly contaminated with 

BPA. Now plastic is proven to not only have moodaltering 

effects on the human body, but it also 

makes us more susceptible to chronic diseases 

and drives inflammation within our gut, which again 

links back to how that has an effect on our brain.” 

While we were on the topic of our oceans and 

the potential health effects that contaminated 

substances can have on our physical and mental 

health, I asked Jess about Equinor’s intentions to 

drill for oil in the Great Australian Bight and the 

potential health risks it could have on the human 

population. 

“There is a lot of anxiety that is born from natural 

disasters taking place that increases a lot of 

psychological distress, which then leads to further 

mental health conditions. So if there was an oil spill 

it would mostly impact our food sources. The toxins 

from the oil would not only contaminate the food 

that we eat but change the whole process of where 

and how we source and produce our food. So we 

must look at it through a larger lens and understand 

the effect it would not only have on the Bight but 

the human population in general.” 

Although there may be a lot of stigma surrounding 

mental health, it is distress within the body. It’s 

about understanding that it is a biological and 

physiological process that our brain is telling 

our body and that there can be larger, broader 

elements that can contribute to our problems. Our 

environment can have an enormous impact on our 

physical and psychological health, and as surfers, 

we are involved with the environment more than 

most, which is why we must take responsibility 

in creating awareness and advocating for the 

protection of our beautiful planet. 




47


healthy 

food | mind | life 

Our diet is one of the most important components of our lives, it’s the core contributor to our 

physical and mental wellbeing, which is why it is so important that we make it as healthy as possible. 

For some people, maintaining a healthy diet can be overwhelming, leading us to make poor decisions. What 

we need to understand is that these poor decisions can have, and most likely will have, a profound effect 

on our mental health. Here are a few quick, simple and nutrient-filled dishes that will help put you on the 

pathway towards a healthier lifestyle. 

turmeric chicken and mixed nut stir fry 

Ingredients 

1 cup of sliced chicken 

1 tablespoon of fresh turmeric 

2 tablespoons of olive oil 

1 sliced onion 

4 cloves of garlic 

1/2 cup of raw, mixed nuts 

1 tablespoon of fresh thyme 

1 bunch of broccolini 

1 cup of kale leaves 

1 tablespoon of cooked quinoa 

salt and pepper 

Method 

Simply heat the pan with olive oil inside and sauté 

chicken halfway before removing. Now add the 

onion, garlic, turmeric and mixed nuts to the pan. 

Sauté until they begin to brown before adding the 

broccolini and half sautéed chicken. Finally, when 

the chicken is cooked, add the thyme and kale 

before seasoning with salt and pepper. 

For those looking for something with a bit more 

substance, the Turmeric Chicken and Mixed Nut 

Stir Fry is your answer. Chicken is a great source 

of lean protein and offers a balance of brainhealthy 

compounds. Like broccoli, kale contains 

glucosinolates and other key antioxidants, vitamins, 

and minerals to help combat the free radicals that 

enter our bodies. 

48


thinkers’ salad 

cacao chocolates 

Ingredients 

fresh green leaves 

1/2 avocado 

1/2 tomato 

1 tablespoon of blueberries 

1/2 tablespoon of walnuts 

1/2 tablespoon of pepita seeds 

4 tablespoons of egg yolk dressing 

Dressing 

1 egg yolk 

2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar 

1 tablespoon of mustard 

4 tablespoons of almond oil 

1/4 teaspoon of cayenne or black pepper 

1/2 teaspoon of salt 

Method 

Mix the egg yolk, mustard, almond oil and vinegar 

together to create the dressing. Then simply pour 

over the plated ingredients and garnish with pepper 

and salt. 

Quick, easy and full of nutrients. The Thinker’s 

Salad is a great dish for those who don’t have 

much time on their hands and are looking for 

something light and refreshing. Berries are full of 

antioxidants and help improve communication 

between brain cells and also reduce inflammation 

throughout the body. Nuts and seeds are also rich 

sources of the antioxidant vitamin E, which protects 

cells from oxidative stress caused by free radicals. 

Ingredients 

1/3 cup of coconut oil 

3 tablespoons of cacao powder 

1/3 cup of maple syrup 

1 teaspoon of vanilla 

1/3 cup of dried fruit 

1/2 cup of melted cacao butter 

4 drops of peppermint oil 

Method 

Combine all of the ingredients into a blender 

and blend for one minute at full power. Pour 

the blended ingredients into a holding tray and 

refrigerate for 10 minutes. 

Who doesn’t love chocolate? Many people think 

that chocolate is a portion of unhealthy food, 

in some cases they are right, for example, milk 

chocolate and other chocolates containing added 

sugars and preservatives are not beneficial to our 

overall health. However dark chocolate contains 

cocoa, also known as cacao, and cacao contains 

flavonoids, a type of antioxidant. Antioxidants are 

especially important for brain health, as the brain 

is highly susceptible to oxidative stress, which 

contributes to age-related cognitive decline and 

brain diseases. When buying your chocolate, 

always look to purchase the chocolate containing 

the higher percentage of cacao. 

49


gear 

clear winner 


He shapes all manner of custom surfboards, each with a performance orientation in mind. 

Steve Del Rosso of Clearwater Surfboards cut the power to his planer for just a little while 

recently to shed some light on the focus of his designs. 

Not too long ago, Steve opened a retail shop at 

46 Currumbin Creek Road. Part of the reason 

was to have some stock boards on display, the 

main one however was to enable him to dial 

into his designs even more. Steve picks up the 

conversation. 

“Separating the two gave me a better head space 

for shaping. I was finding the constant interuption 

with crew dropping by the shaping bay was 

throwing my rhythm. I can get into the flow of 

things better now, which is reflected in my shapes. 

“The shop enables people to come in and have 

a look and we still of course take custom orders 

there. I reckon 95% of my boards are still custom 

orders.” 

Looking around the factory I could see a variety of 

different surfboards and was keen to find out what 

Steve enjoyed shaping. 

photo: @matttmacphoto 

50


51


52


“So many crew are riding different craft today. I am 

literally shaping everything from twin fins to singles 

and a lot of longboards, more than ever before. A 

lot of high performance shortboards as well. 

“I enjoy shaping all of it. I am particularly finding 

inspiration in the feedback from customers. That’s 

the biggest thing, that feedback and the feedback 

from our team riders as well.” 

Steve’s team of riders had always enjoyed a fair 

deal of success. Aside from the shapes under their 

feet, I asked what else played a part in their winning 

ways. 

“The teams tighter now. I cut back on the number 

of riders but funnily enough, we are getting better 

results. It’s more about their attitude. That’s where 

the results come from. If their attitude is great, they 

often get great results. I just want a team of good, 

positive, happy people. It keeps the vibe going 

around doesn’t it?” 

Clint Guest is still Clearwater’s main team rider. 

Presently on the WSL World Longboard Tour, 

he is placed 9th and has a number of Australian 

Longboard/ Logger titles under his belt. Clint has 

been pivotal for Steve in developing his range of 

longboards. 

“These days you’ve got logging to stylish 

longboarding to performance longboarding, it’s 

awesome. There is a whole heap of variety there. 

“Clint (Guest) is riding my performance log in 

comps. You still get the best of both world’s. You’ve 

still got the trim and glide, but you can still do the 

turns and have that looseness.” 

I questioned Steve as to how his log designs 

differed from say old school logs. 

“I have a model that is more old school with a 

piggish outline but find those boards are very 

restrictive. And you have to be a really good surfer 

to ride those boards. You also have to have perfect 

waves to ride them on. I respect those guys from 

the 60s who rode those boards. I have a big 

collection of old mals and to ride those boards, 

holy dolly it takes a lot of skill. I take my hat off to 

Midget and all the surfers from that era. 

“But I don’t want to copy those kinds of boards 

like a lot of crew do. I want to do it a bit more 

modern so the boards are more forgivable and surf 

suckier waves and turn a lot easier. Those boards 

may have turned easy but you needed the right 

technique to do so.” 

Steve’s designed his high-performance logs so 

folks can mix it up a bit. 

“You can surf beach breaks on mine. You can get 

around those sections and that stuff. They are not 

just made to surf point breaks. Clint’s won two 

Australian Logger titles on them so it’s sort of nice 

because I’m not known as a log shaper.” 

Looking around the bay I noted a midlength in 

progress and asked about the reason he had 

introduced flyers to the design. 

“Flyers loosen the boards up. They create more of 

a pivot point. It breaks up the rail line so the board 

turns a lot tighter. This one is 7 foot but the flyers 

make it feel 2 to 3 inches shorter. You still have 

the paddle power but can bury a rail and hook it 

around. 

“I’m always trying to keep them performing. That’s 

the key. I am still always thinking about making 

them turn easier and even if someone wants to do 

a re-entry on them. A lot of boards out there are 

restricting that sort of stuff. They are easy to surf 

but restrict you if you want to progress and do 

more on a wave.” 

Steve likes to introduce a chine rail into a number 

of his designs as well. 

“So many crew are riding different craft 

today. I am literally shaping everything 

from twin fins to singles and a lot of 

longboards, more than ever before. A lot 

of high performance shortboards as well. 

“I find chines really forgiving, really disperses the 

water better. It allows you to get off rail so you’re 

not catching – bury and release you know. Most 

of my logs feature a chine rail as well. I also do 

it on my mid-lengths and wide nose fishes. I feel 

anything wide needs a chine because all that area 

creates catch and I find the chine just alleviates it.” 

I noted Steve mentioned he was making a lot of 

twin-fin fishes and asked what he thought of quads 

(4 fin fishes). 

“Twins are faster, better and more manouverable. 

You know, you can go vertical on a twin whereas 

quads are very restrictive. But I will say one thing, 

if you’ve got a very wide tail board, quads are a 

necessary thing. You need the quads because you 

can’t bury the wide tails easy. They’re great for that 

mushy, gutless surf because it keeps you above 

the water going fast. When you go to do a turn, the 

quad on a wide tail allows you to bring the board 

around and not fight it as much as say a thruster. 

Quads in a wide tail board are a necessary evil.” 

53


photo left: clint guest 

photo right: steve chairing clint after another aussie title 

“Anything though with a nice clean outline doesn’t 

really need it (a quad fin setup). You’re better off 

with a twin, single or thruster in my opinion.” 

There is no denying the twin fin craze has 

continued to gain momentum. 

“Should never have left the earth I reckon. I 

remember as a grommet some of my best small 

wave boards were a twin. They’re fast, free, they’re 

loose and you can go wherever you want. Then 

in the Kelly Slater era the boards went to high 

performance, they were just ridiculous. You were 

fighting boards back then.” 

Steve went on to explain he shapes the tails to his 

twin fins according to the waves they’re ridden on. 

“On weaker waves I will tend to leave the tails quite 

wide. However, I am finding the ones that are pulled 

in a bit allow you to bury, pivot and turn a lot easier. 

I am generally keeping my fishes wide in the nose, 

in terms of the outline from the centre forward so 

you still have the paddle power benefits. But by 

bringing in the tail a little tighter, with those twins 

you can really do turns like a thruster if you want to, 

again that performance aspect.” 

I enquired whether Steve had designed any fishes 

with the sidecut tails reminiscent of the Winterstick 

snowboard designs. 

“They’re awesome. I have only done a few. It is 

allowing the board to carve so it is giving you the 

best of both worlds. When you are on rail they just 

carve smoother but it does take out a little pivot 

as well. Personally, I would rather a flyer as it gives 

you the same benefit but enables the board to be 

more free.” 

The bottom contours of Steve’s fishes and high 

performance shortboards tend to be single to 

double (concave) or just single. The longboards 

vary but more often than not feature a nose 

concave and a single running into a double 

concave through to the tail. 

“It makes the rail to rail transition a lot easier. It 

plays a critical part in wider boards. That’s where 

the double always plays a part but with a single 

(concave) under the front foot so they have that get 

up and go. 

“I will have a little subtle bit of vee between the 

fins in the wider boards as well so it allows a bit of 

release when you are in the last bit of a turn. 

“I am getting the inspiration from the old boards 

but putting a modern performance spin on it so you 

can throw them around.” 

cwsurfboards.com 

If you have enjoyed my chat with Steve Del Rosso of 

Clearwater Surfboards, there is a heap more to it. 

Simply tune into our Smorgasboarder Podcast for the 

full interview. 



54


5’2” 

Custom shortboards, 

hybrid & fishes, 

mals & logs. 

Full repair service. 

6’ 

WORLD CLASS AUSTRALIAN MADE SURFBOARDS AT 

AFFORDABLE PRICES. 

DBURGE SURFBOARDS 

Factory 3/6 Kerta Rd, 

Kincumber NSW 2251 

M: 0415 577 085 

7’4” 

Happy campers with 8’0” customs 

RABBIDGE SURF DESIGNS 

M: 0427 767 176 

E: markrab88@gmail.com 

Insta: mark_rabbidge_surf_design 

CHRIS GARRETT SHAPES / 

PHANTOM SURFBOARDS 

M: 0424 450 690 

E: phantomsurfboards@gmail.com 

W: chrisgarrettshapes.com.au 

Custom surfboards, contact Chris 

or see Board Culture at Mermaid 

Beach for stock boards 

55


H Y D R O T H E O R Y 

5’8” x 20 ½” x 2 ½” 

Twin Fin 

HYDRO THEORY - CUSTOM SURFBOARDS 

2FT - 20FT 

TORQUAY, VICTORIA 

M: 0437 020 400 E: hydrotheorysurf@gmail.com 

WWW.HYDROTHEORYSURF.COM 

HARVEST & 

JACK KNIGHT 

SURFBOARDS 

2/24 Christine Ave, Miami 

P: (07) 5576 5914 

E: hello@harvestsurfboards.com 

HARVESTSURFBOARDS.COM 

LIGHTNING STRIKES 

5’7” x 21 1 / 2” x 2 ¾” 

twin fin 

THE DING KING / CLARK 

SURFBOARDS 

Units 7 & 8, 9 Chapman Road, 

Hackham, SA 

E: leightonclark01@yahoo.com.au 

M: 0422 443 789 

QUARRY BEACHSURFBOARDS 

75 David Street, 

Caversham, Dunedin NZ 

P: +64 3 455 7414 

M: +64 27 518 8678 

E: grahamcarse@xtra.co.nz 

QBSURFBOARDS.COM 

56


7’2 x 21 x 2⅝ Duo 

NEAL PURCHASE SURFBOARDS 

E: nealpurchasedesigns@gmail.com 

Insta: @nealpurchasejnr 

WWW.NEALPURCHASEDESIGNS.COM 

The Daisy Cutter 

7’2 x 21.5 x 2⅝ 

Incorporating elements of design 

from the period which followed 

the 67 Vee Bottom Period, 

The Daisy Cutter is built for that 

down the line speed, tight trim 

and loose in the pocket surfing. 

It’s a modern twist and far 

more manageable take on the 

displacement hull making it a 

great board in a large variety of 

waves and conditions. Minimal 

rocker, flat entry in the nose, 

subtle single through the middle 

into a panel Vee out the tail. 

A beaked nose flowing into a 

mid rail maintains foam where 

you need it and shaves it where 

you don’t. The Daisy Cutter 

will have you still enjoying the 

smaller stuff or styling top to 

bottom in the big stuff. 

Available for order in 6’6 to 8’0 

but at its best from 7’2 to 7’11 

OCEAN STREET SHAPES 

M: 0420 351 286 

E: oceanstreetcreative89@gmail.com 

Insta: Ocean Street Shapes 

OKE SURFBOARDS 

1/1-7 Canterbury Rd, Braeside, VIC 

P: 03 9587 3553 

E: rory@okesurfboards.com 

OKESURFBOARDS.COM 

57

“There is stuff I am testing 

and experimenting with and 

testing all the time to try and 

make a better surfboard” 

photo: freeway films 

58


diversity 


the state of being comprised of many 

differing elements: variety especially; 

unlikeness; assortment, mixture; array; 

a point of difference 

Way back in 2011, we interviewed a guy by the name 

of Dave Verrall, the man behind Diverse Surf. His point 

of difference was indeed the very name of his brand 

which was emblazoned across all that he created. 

Not only were Dave’s boards different in their 

appearance, everything about them was different 

from how they were constructed and many of the 

materials that were used right through to the “oneoff” 

decals or resin artwork that adorned each one. 

There were so many diverse outlines and so much 

variety in the types of surfboards Dave crafted 

from mini-Simmons style boards to eggs, logs, 

performance shortboards, hulls, finless creations, 

chambered wood boards, longboards, guns… 

When I recently caught up with Dave, I was keen 

to hear how he was changing things up nowadays 

given so much of the surfing world had moved in 

his direction. As they say, ‘variety is the spice of 

life’ and it seems surfers have well and truly caught 

on to this notion, hopefully thanks in some small 

part to the very magazine you are reading right 

now. Like Dave and his beloved Diverse Surf, the 

very name of our magazine celebrates riding all 

kinds of surf craft. 

Surfers thankfully appear to have come full circle. 

From the early experimental days of surfing all 

kinds of shapes through to the 90s’ light white 

performance era we are back to open mindedness 

once again. Dave takes up the story. 

Single fin with sunset finish 

59


“Wow, that was 9 years ago! That was prime time 

for me. We were doing lots of boards then and 

Diverse meant diverse. When you came into my 

shop it was, wow, there is so much different stuff 

here. I have never seen many different things and 

different colours. And it is safe to say that if you 

walked into any surf shop now, they would all be 

diverse. Everyone in every shop has a couple of 

different models of twin fins, and they may not have 

a longboard but they will have some mid-lengths 

and a single. 

“It served me well to do everything like that 

because it gave me an insight into each style of 

board but now I feel my name Diverse is a little 

filtered down. It doesn’t have the point of difference 

that it had back then.” 

It lead me to ask Dave where that left him now and 

what had become his focus. 

“I absolutely hate the material waste and the toxic 

nature of what we do. I’m still looking everyday for 

alternatives to change that, you know, using basalts 

(glassing cloth) and hemps and flax and bio resins 

and all kinds of stuff. I’m trying stuff all the time. 

“I’m presently trying a bio resin at the moment that is 

formulated in Australia but they make it in Indonesia. 

It’s made from the waste products of bio diesel. 

77% bio, it’s amazing. It’s unreal but it’s not ready 

for boards yet, it’s still goes a bit yellow. It’s still not 

quite right, but it’s great to use. Those guys have 

gone on to develop a bio MDF (medium-density 

fibreboard) using the crushings from palm oil. 

“There is stuff I am testing and experimenting with 

all the time to try and make a better surfboard. 

But tried and true, the best, strongest, most ecofriendly 

board is a really good quality blank glassed 

in 6-ounce glass and finish coated.” 

At this point I had to ask Dave about one of my 

favourite boards of his we tested back in 2011 - 

the Dynocore - which I considered at the time (and 

still do) to be revolutionary. 

“Within reason it still is. It wasn’t mainstream and 

economically it probably didn’t serve me well 

because people’s boards lasted for 5, 6, 7 years 

and the only reason they ordered a new one was 

because they had become too fat for the one they 

had bought way back when. 

60



“So, it was great. It was amazing technology and it 

is so much tougher, stronger, lighter than any board 

on a rack in a shop… and I still make customs for 

people but it was outside the box for many of the 

mainstream people who you make your money 

from.” 

I noted Dave’s reference to customs and stated 

my belief that more and more surfers were moving 

towards customs, realising the benefits of riding 

something crafted to specifically suit your own 

individual surfing style. 

“Yeah, I have two parts to my business. I supply 

shapes and designs to Sideways. They are a basic 

stock range of boards that work really well. And 

that gives everyone a chance to try one of my 

shapes or jump on something they haven’t had 

before and the quality is as good as most of the 

stuff made on the Gold Coast. It’s better than most 

of the mainstream brands made here. However, 

they are not custom and that doesn’t suit everyone. 

As a surfer gets better and/ or more discerning they 

want something that is specified to them, whether it 

be the shape or even the colour.” 

“I have a bunch of new 

techniques in resin 

artwork that I have never 

seen anyone else do.” 

Dave has found the two income streams beneficial. 

“I have two income sources: one through the 

royalties from Sideways, which allows everyone to 

jump on a board and try one out and go ‘wow, this 

goes good. I want one,’ but also, ‘I want it a little 

thicker and a pink one, or a painting on the deck. 

“The customs give me variety. This week I am 

doing a gun longboard for a gun fisherman that’s 22 

(inches) wide that he wants for really big surf. I am 

doing a pink twin fin for a 13-year old girl.” 

Gesturing towards his shaping racks, Dave goes on 

to explain what else is on the go. 

61


dave back in 2011 - smorgasboarder shoot 


“This board is supposed to look like an old pair of 

jeans. And I have a 9-foot longboard with lava-like 

resin work. 

“I have a bunch of new techniques in resin artwork 

that I have never seen anyone else do. Stuff 

that I play with to make things really unique and 

individual. And here’s an eco board made with 

unidirectional flax and eco resin.” 

There’s no doubt Dave is still doing his own thing 

and loving it. He has just come to look at the 

industry from a different perspective. 

“The surfboard industry is just a mass-produced 

selling machine. The shapers are like politicians 

in that they all have a really good goal at the start 

of making really nice boards and doing something 

really good, doing eco stuff for the environment 

or doing however they want to do it, but as they 

get deeper into the industry and get controlled by 

fashion and the need to make a living they become 

part of the machine. The need to derive an income 

each week changes you. It is just like politics and 

whether you are part of the PU Party or the Epoxy 

Party or whoever, they become so engrossed in 

trying to get by and keep up with the Joneses that 

they lose the initial reason why they came into the 

industry. 

“Originally I made boards because I wasn’t happy 

with the ones I had and I made a couple for myself. 

My friends liked what I was doing and I made a 

couple for them. And I liked watching my friends 

surfing my products, watching them get better and 

receiving feedback. And I have now gone back 

to that. I am enjoying make customs. I am ringing 

people up a month later from when they picked up 

their board and I want their feedback. And if they 

want a board to look like a sunset sky, I’ll spend 

however many weeks it takes to try and get that to 

happen.” 

more info: diversesurf.com.au 




62


art for planet earth 

words: tami argaman 

Do you buy local? Use fair trade coffee beans? Order your drink without a straw? 

People tend to find it hard changing their habits 

when they can’t see an immediate positive 

outcome or point. 

Smokers only consider quitting when they struggle 

to breathe, fast food lovers only start eating healthy 

when they put on weight or have a heart attack. 

We look after our bodies because they are home to 

our precious minds. We keep our houses and cars 

clean because we live and get around in them. 

Now here’s some news: Earth doesn’t want to 

become sick either and fish literally can’t stand it 

when their home is dirty. 

Steffen Kraft aka iconeo has made it his mission to 

visualise the outcome of what humans are doing to 

the environment. 

The German graphic designer creates illustrations 

that not only give us a better idea of what is 

happening out there but also help us realise that we 

in fact are responsible for sorting it out. 

After years of running a successful marketing 

agency with some huge clients, Steffen realised 

he only really enjoyed working with brands whose 

philosophies and values he personally agreed with. 

To everyone’s surprise he decided to quit and start 

to “do great design for meaningful projects”. 

“With the opportunities I have, I want to make the 

world a better place”, he says. 

It worked, Steffen now designs as Iconeo and 

collaborates with brands like adidas as part of 

their #runfortheoceans campaign, the Whale and 

Dolphin Conservation (WDC) as well as Fridays 

for Future, Greta Thunbergs international climate 

movement against global warming. 

What do you do to make this world a better place? 

Have a browse through Steffens Instagram to 

become more aware and inspired. Share his 

designs with your friends and family and discuss 

ways how to do your part in saving the world. 

iconeo 

63


support the grassroots 

surf directory 

music 

trey cooper 

He’s been on the scene for a little while 

now as a soloist but recently returned with 

a newly formed band to play their first 

gig at Solbar on Queensland’s Sunshine 

Coast. And what a sound! The maturity 

of his performance makes it hard to 

believe this singer/ songwriter/ guitarist is 

only 20 years old. An incredible multioctaved 

vocalist, Trey’s drawl is at times 

somewhat reminiscent of John Butler and 

equally as captivating. 

As for the band, they add an incredible 

depth of complexity to the music. After 

all, who doesn’t love a 5-piece rock 

band with 3 guitarists, bass and a kickarse 

female drummer that’s as equally 

mesmerising as the star himself. We have 

no doubt we will be hearing the name Trey 

Cooper a great deal more into the future. 

Stay tuned. 

treycoopermusic.com 

treycooper_music 

treycoopermusic 

spotify trey cooper 

your original surf shop - packed full of the best gear 

Celebrating great customer service along with the latest surf gear 

and fashion for 44 years and going strong. 

T7, 119 Princes Highway, Woolworths Centre, Ulladulla 

P: (02) 4454 4904 

Instagram: @southernmansurf 

southernman.com.au 

tried and trusted blanks 

Family owned and run for the past 56 years, our consistency is the 

best in the world. Our blanks come in a multitude of different lengths, 

rockers and weights. We also have an extensive variety of timber 

stringers of varying widths. And we have all the shaping tools you 

need to make a board from scratch! 

5 Stewart Road, Currumbin Qld 

P: 07 5534 3777 burfordblanksaustralia.com.au 

for 

more 

enquiries 

new zealand 

jiff morris 

jeff@smorgasboarder.co.nz 

0220 943 913 

australia 

tami argaman 

tami@smorgasboarder.com.au 

0466 439 330 


64


the heart of the surf community 

coolest spot in town 

A front row seat to beautiful Lyall Bay, Wellington’s top surf spot and 

the best brunch around! 

Located at Lyall Bay in Wellington. Opened 7am – 5pm 

maranuicafe.co.nz 

the board shop 

New Zealand’s Surf Specialists – The Board Shop has been at 

the cutting edge of hi-tech epoxy surfboard, longboard and SUP 

technology for over 20 years. Drop in or check them out online. 

49 Barrys Point Rd, Takapuna, Auckland 

P: +64 9 486 0930 | theboardshop.co.nz 

blanks 

cloth 

resin 

shaping tools 

shop online . nz wide delivery 

raglan surf emporium 

Clothing, wetsuits, surfboards, surfboard and wetsuit rentals. 

Open 7 days 9am – 5pm 

3 Wainui Rd, Raglan 

P: +64 7 282 0018 E: info@raglansurfemporium.com 

raglansurfemporium.com 

sadhana surfboards 

Everything for the board shaper from backyarder to pro. Full range 

of PU and EPS blanks. Polyester and water clear epoxy laminating 

resins. Shaping, sanding and glassing tools. Custom boards, repairs, 

short and long term hires. Shop online with freighting NZ wide. 

3 Garlands Road, Woolston, Christchurch 8023 

P: +64 (3) 389 5611 | sadhanasurfboards.com 

surfing accessories 

We have Australia’s hottest new surfing accessories to keep you 

in the surf longer. Our innovative products can help you enjoy the 

surf and outdoors even more and provide you with protection and 

comfort as you follow your passion! Stockists of H2Odyssey webbed 

gloves and X-STING-WISH®IT. Organic sting relief. 

seeyououtthere.com.au 

for your culinary delights 

The Rivermouth General Store. Great coffee + speciality teas, 

gourmet food, fresh juices, smoothies, art, awesome vibe, surfing 

stories + the floor is worth reading. 

101 Sunpatch Parade, Tomakin Nsw 

Instagram: @therivermouth 

Facebook: The Rivermouth General Store 

65


support the grassroots 

surfboards designed and shaped 

by mike jolly 

Full repair service. Rentals, surfing gear 

and good advice. 

122 Seaview Road, Piha Beach NZ 

P: +64 9 812 8723 

pihasurf@xtra.co.nz 

PIHA 

DOMAIN 

MOTOR CAMP 

piha domain motor camp 

Camp on the beach in front of the iconic 

Lion Rock, at one of NZ’s top surf breaks. 

Rates from $18 a night for tent sites. 

E: pihacamp@xtra.co.nz 

P: +64 9 812 8815 

standup paddle boarding nz 

South Island’s complete SUP centre. 

Lessons, hire, demo, training, sales. 

Unit 2, 1030 Ferry Road, 

Christchurch NZ 

P: +64 3 384 5086 

groundswell.co.nz 

up surf coaching trips 

Travel with like-minded surfers at your 

level, surf fun waves with video analysis 

of your sessions, improve your skills. 

Designed for intermediate/average surfers. 

Locations in NZ, Indo and more to come. 

upsurfcoaching.co.nz 

sup centre 

Life’s better standing up. A one stop 

shop for everything SUP with the best 

brands, range, prices and expertise. With 

access to all the major SUP brands in NZ, 

through a nationwide delivery service. 

20 Melrose Street, Newmarket, NZ 

P: +64 9 520 3366 

supcentre.co.nz 

we are a core surf shop. 

Just up from Fitzroy Beach. 

Locally owned and operated. 

Surfboards and wetsuits. 

New and used. Repair and hire gear. 

Located at 39 Beach St, Fitzroy/New 

Plymouth, NZ 

Ph: (06) 7580 400 

Holloway Gallery 

“Anatomy of a Wave” by artist Col 

Chandler, Holloway Gallery is at Moffat 

Beach, QLD. We specialise in unique art 

to fill your home. 

Come in store or see us online. 

1 Roderick Street, Moffat Beach QLD 

p: 07 5491 5557 

hollowaygallery.com.au 

brunswick surf shop 

Chock full of awesome threads, sunnies, 

surf and skate accessories, Therapy, 

Matt Hurworth and RA Hand Shaped 

Surfboards to have the locals frothing. 

1/12 The Terrace, Brunswick Heads NSW 

P: 02 6685 1283 

brunswicksurf.com.au 

preece’s surf shop 

Plenty of new and used surfboards, 

bodyboards, wetsuits, clothing and 

accessories. The only surf shop right on 

the coast. Open 7 days. 

159 Esplanade, Port Noarlunga Sth, SA 

P: 08 8386 0404 

preece-sthport-surf.com.au 

66

Surf Shop 

GERRINGONG, NSW 

ONLINE STORE 

Celebrating 

40 YEARS 

NATURALNECESSITY.COM.AU 

IN-HOUSE 

CAFE 

5,000+ 

LADIES COSIES 

“Australia’s Largest IndependEnt Surf Shop” 

c 

HUNDREDS OF SWIM 

+ FASHION BRANDS 

1,000+ 

SURFBOARDS 

S.U.P 

EXPERTS 

DEMO 

150+B O A R D S

Smorgasboarder Edition 47

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?