New Years Day surf

My boards in the back of the F150. New Years Day surf, 2013, Dubai. Translucent fins and leash.

Home surf

 Car dashboard dust collector. Squeeze him and he talks. "Size matters not."

Every time I'm back in Ireland I try to get at least one surf session. Anticipation driving up to the coast. You know you're close when you pass this section of pine trees arching over the road. Familiar.
 

Burns No.1! Northern Ireland political nonsence. No end of this on the way to the coast.

Heavy clouds over Portrush.

At the turnoff to Whiterocks. The typeface doesn't really suit the message, but made me smile none the less.

Small fun April wave on East Stand. Evening session with Rus and Rick. I'm surfing a yellow epoxy mal that I bought secondhand from Andrew the photographer in Dubai and gave to my sister in Ireland. Very different riding it in a full 5/3mm wetsuit compared to boardshorts and sunscreen in Dubai.

Portrush city lights from West Stand. Taken whilst eating fish and chips in the carpark post-surf. Nostalgia.

Morning surf

We've had three days of surf this week; today was probably the last day of it. Camera out in an attempt to capture the ambiance. Nothing quite like sitting out back watching waves break, sunlight shining thru them, Burj Khalifa in the background, morning walkers pacing the beach, turquoise water.

Waxing

Spring morning Sunset Beach ceremony. Waxing up the board with wetsuit half pulled on.

Sunset surf sign

Spiny starfish

Spiny starfish (Marthasterias glacialis) found at low tide on the Ribeira d'Ilhas reef break, just outside Ericeira, Portugal. Booties, boardshorts and a net. Nothing quite like wandering thru rock pools in the sun.

Cyclone Phet surf

Cyclone Phet lashes Oman, pushes swell up to Fujairah. In and around Tim's Reef south of Dibba. Caught some nice rides on Friday morning, Saturday was photos only. Scrub-land approach.

Kandora SUP

Stand-up paddle board event on the public beach.

Spring tides

Haven't seen the water line as low before. Surfing Sunset meant you were permanently 'caught inside' due to the line of buoys. The reclaimed Burj end of Sunset was washed away. Surfed almost 6 years in Dubai, but Friday was first time on the JBR carpark, sorry, beach. Decent waves and funny to see the 'beautiful people' sunbathing on a building site.

Anticipation of swell

Just before the swell pushes in. Waiting. Wind picks up. Palms are the signal, the indicator. Tati film inspired audio. More to come in this vein.

Skateboarding at Jumeriah beach

Enjoying the Winter sun and relaxed weekend atmosphere skateboarding at the open beach in Jumeriah, Dubai on a Saturday morning in February.

GoPro cam attached to the Madrid with a g-clamp, piece of wood, 1AED coin and rubber band.

The morning after

A few Dubai surfers make the most of what's left of this week's swell. Small waves, but nice sunny morning.

Surf filming experiment at Sunset Beach, Dubai

Couple of roughly edited shots of 2nd day out with the GoPro surf camera laid across a track by Dutch Schultz (Rus' old band). Check out the colours of sky, clouds, reflections on the sea, water trickling down the deck of the board. In HD this is beautiful.

Black-tip roundabout

Shark roundabout near Tim's reef over near Dibba.

Shark bites Dubai surfer

WTF! 7days reports Australian surfer nibbled by shark just off Umm Suqeim beach. ie. My local break. Suspect this was one of the (Great White) rays that occasionally rise and give you a nudge, but then again it could have been a tiger or bull ;-) Swell's still pushing in, treats for those who venture in tomorrow morning!

Lastest hardware

GoPro Surf Hero HD camera.