Thursday 31st Jan....The Drones Are Taking Over The Line up !!!

Sorry guys,

I've had complaints about readers NOT being able to leave comments.....that issue is now rectified, anyone can comment as of now. Please accept my apologies for that glaring oversight on my behalf......and please don't all start ragging on me now !

Small waves today but Competition in the Volcom Pro is On.

On another note. A new swell has just started pushing into the North Shore and should be firing extremely solidly by tomorrow morning. I can hear it thundering away on the reefs now and it's only just started getting here. Supposedly it is going to be the biggest since I arrived. I've well and truly had way more than my share of big and good already, so anything from here on will just be a big bonus, I'll wait and see what tomorrow brings.

I haven't done much today except computer work (sorting through files) and getting in touch with guys I've met here who want shots I've taken.

The most energy expended today was getting on the faithful old beaten up pushy and pedaling up to Foodland for a few basic supplies like milk etc. Checked the beach about 5 times through the day and it was very un interesting.....comp or no comp. Another easy day has been good though.

 Contrary to popular belief being down on the beach all day with all the gear does actually take some effort and foward thinking / planning. If all batteries aren't charged, CF cards and video hard drives emptied and formated, food and water packed etc, it is a real pain in the butt to have to come back up to the house with all the camera gear, I can't just ask someone to watch it all while I go and get something I've forgotten either, and then there is always the joy of getting caught out with rain. Cameras, lenses etc don't like water one bit...except for the GoPro of course. 

As I sit here at my computer facing nearly due North to the ocean I can feel the breeze coming straight in the kitchen window behind me and the swell is definitely getting bigger, it is a near constant roar compared to a few hours ago....that all means we could be looking at some near perfect off shore conditions for Pipe tomorrow. 
That is what amazes me about this place, it can be 2 foot in the evening and 25 foot plus by morning.

I hear Garrett McNamarra rode a very large 70 - 90 footer somewhere yesterday also....maybe it's from the same swell that's just hitting here. I haven't turned on a TV since I left Australia, so it ÏS only "Ï hear" 

Aloha indeed.

A couple of random photos from my time here up for offer today.

Above..... Aussie photographer from Lennox Head, Craig Parry's remote controlled chopper that he sends his Canon 5D and a couple of GoPros out over the lineup on. Canon 5D cameras aren't light in weight by the way.

And another one.....in reference to the blog title  "The drones are taking over the lineup" this one looks like it should be in Afghanistan. I think it had about 4 GoPros and a movie camera on it.

We ID. Can you read the date...This was taken the day I took the rental car back to Hon airport. I stopped at the airport bar for a drink before heading back over the island. I'm looking at this thing and thinking, maybe they were on "Hawaiian time" until I asked the bartender what was going on. The year in the display is 1992 but the day is correct, Jan 18. It is so any bar staff can just ask a patrons birth year and if it's after 1992 they know they're under age without doing the sums. Drinking age is 21 in the states.