SB_issue55_Digital

“Our shipment sat in the Hauraki Gulf for a fortnight. We had
to cancel the book tour, wait, stress, then scramble to get
the books into stores prior to Christmas. Pre-Christmas sales
account for 50% of print run sales normally. So Warren and
I were stressed. But it’s sold faster than any of the other NZ
Surf books. We only have 250 left, so we’ve sold through
90% of the print run, which is probably the acid test of how
good this book is.”
Readers may remember Craig’s beautiful corner of the earth
and the seaside village he calls home, Piha. The scenic
black-sand beach on New Zealand’s North Island is praised
for its consistently amazing waves and delightful community,
which was why it was devastating for us to hear that Cyclone
Gabrielle hit the place especially hard in February.
Despite many people dealing with the uncertainty of losing
their homes, it was lovely to hear from Craig that the
community has banded together to help get everyone back
on their feet.
“Phew yeah Gabby got us good aye. There are so many
homes that families won’t be able to return to. I feel for those
families and friends both here at Piha and Muriwai, because
they are in a whirlpool of not knowing what is going to happen
and where they are going to live. I’ve got mates that have been
red stickered, that means the house is too dangerous to return
to, but they still have to pay the mortgage, rates, insurance
and now rent.
“The Piha community was largely left to its own to fare for itself
for the first week after Gabby. Local surfers like Dunc’s Clarke,
Willie and Amber Beggs, Will Bailey, Ants Piggins and a whole
bunch more just got in there with their diggers and manpower
and cleared the broken houses, roads, driveways, ditches.
Without a second thought they volunteered time and mahi to
help our neighbours. They are legends.
“Things are settling now, the roads are nailed, only residents
are allowed in and out of the west coast beach communities,
and we are actually a gated community at this moment! The
upside is we have this crazy window of just surfing with other
locals. The vibe in the water is so good, I guess ‘cos the place
is a bit broken, everyone has that shared feeling
and experience.”
No doubt Craig is going to continue chasing waves, pursuing
his passion and have lots of fun while doing so. To support our
good friend and his new book, NZ Surf Windows,
visit www.photocpl.co.nz.
"Local surfers like Dunc’s Clarke,
Willie and Amber Beggs, Will
Bailey, Ants Piggins and a whole
bunch more just got in there with
their diggers and manpower and
cleared the broken houses, roads,
driveways, ditches. Without a second
thought they volunteered time and
mahi to help our neighbours. They
are legends."
sb / #55 / 20