Waveriders

Bit of a rushed decision last night, but I ended up going into town to see the Cork Premiere of Joel Conroy’s surf doc Waveriders. i’m sure most of you have heard of it by now.

 

I had seen the trailers and to be honest I wasn’t that impressed, compared to the stuff we get to watch on Surfline and youtube everyday the level of surfing isn’t super impressive. But there was a big crew heading in and I’ve never seen a surf movie on the big screen before.

Jaysus it rocked. I could hardly keep still the entire time. I have never wanted to go shooting more than I did while watching that movie. I’m not sure if it ’s the story, an amazing arc covering the revitalisation of surfing as a modern sport by an Irishmans son from its roots in Hawaii to the tow surfing bonanza that Ireland is these days, or just the fact that I knew a load of the faces and had been to most of the places being shown.

I was just so stoked watching it. It’s hard to get my excitement across on this page so all I can say is go see it.

It goes on release this Friday in UK and Ireland and is definitely worth checking out.

http://www.waveridersthefilm.com

And no for something completely similar

Was walking into college today with headphones on, got sick of the music so took them off and the world popped back into stereo around me. Reminded me of some crazy times out shooting.

The feeling I’m talking about is when you just scrap through a big wave and pop out the other side. You’re so focused on making it under the wave that you tend to zone out any sound so when you pop out the back of the wave every sound suddenly comes rushing back, like you’ve been standing outside a gig hearing only bassy sounds then go inside and hear everything. Even if your only hearing the crash of the waves and the hiss of the spray landing around you.

You can kind of get the same sensation by pulling down your hood in winter, but beware. And anyway it’s not as effective as swimming for your life (it always seems to be a life/death situation in my head) then pushing through to sweet relief and life on the other side.

Can happen after wipeouts as well I guess but I’m usually too disorientated to take notice.

Couldn’t find a photo to accompany this piece so here’s a photo of a bullock at sunrise somewhere in Clare.

Avalanches above, business continues below

This some way describes my state of mind at the moment. 

Apologies for not updating too much recently. Haven’t shot surf since mid january and I don’t think many people are too interested in hearing about me doing a report for my first year studying electronic structure of quantum dots.

Here’s a few oldies to gawk at for a bit.

Models Courtesy of the Skajarowski Agency.

I hope nobody is stealing these images.

Let me know if you see them anywhere else will ya?

Random Blab

Right well still in recovery, the pain killers are starting wear off and I’m quite sore, so I reckon I’ll be out of the water for a good while.

I’m on twitter. http://twitter.com/paudiescanlon Not sure what ‘ll be tweeting about yet but might be useful.

Wanted to highlight a special cause as well. IRMA (the evil recording company people in Ireland) are tryingto block our access to certain sites. Fair enough they are trying to protect their goods but it should be up to us what sites we visit, if this goes through it would set a dangerous precedent for blocking whatever the hell they wanted. For more info go to http://www.blackoutireland.com/

And finally to get back to some kind of surfing theme, the trailer for Lowe-Smiths new movie is out.

Check it.

Secret Life Of The Beach

A theme robbed from SPU a few months back.

Just stuff that’s going on that you see but don’t always take notice of.

I’d love to start taking real birsing shots, there’s some great stuff online and it seems like a real challenge to get good shots.

This is the sort of stuff cathcing my attention when shooting from land, it can get pretty lonely/boring.

Didn’t think we had the sand to do this properly in Ireland.

Back to Waves

Both for and the blog.

Popped in for a (very) quick one in L.A.hinch today.

My first wave was a laughable attempt at a right (backhand). Very wobbly take off, one foot at a time job, I somehow managed to be standing by the time I got to the bottom, pumped a little to get speed then stopped. I managed to pump off the wave. Go me.

Next one was a little better managed to actually bottom turn go to the lip and come back down before I lost my speed. Then caught a left that closed out so I took it in on my belly.

Jaysus I’m unfit.

Strict pool regime starting tomorrow.

In the meantime, normal photoblog service resumes with my boy Jacko Scanes whacking one off the top last Autumn,

A Land of Lefts

Start off with the rainbow and the pigdog. Irelands number one shit hot surfer Mr. Cain Kilcullen, last I heard he was hunting for sponsors, so if anybody reading this owns a company get in contact with him.

Next up is my hero of th week (because of all of the posts with him in them) Liam Joyce a Kiwi living in Dublin for past while, here he is scholing Richie Fitz on barrel riding in Richies front yard.

And last but not least old reliable Hugopotamus (nice one Damo) about to pull in to a fairly meaty sized shack on the last monster swell we had.

The Long and Winding Road

It’s tough being a surfer especially one of the cool ones that travels alone seeking out new spots just for the hell of it. Nobody to talk to and share the stoke with, nobody else to get eaten first when that shark arrives, nobody to watch you get spat out of a barrel, nobody to snake or drop in on,  nobody to yell “outside” at, nobody to yell set “outside” to you. Screw that I’m strapping boards top my roof and getting surfer tattooed across my forehead.

I’m cool man.

Rise and Shine

This was a bit of a crazy day, it was a new enough wave that hadn’t been surfed at this size before. There was some crazy rips and sets were coming in all over the place, I just about managed to hook up with Joycey on this one as the sunlight spilled over the hill that had been blocking it all morning. There’s a bit of water splash on the lens, but I’m liking the shot regardless.

Making Honey

Sorry for the break in transmission, been crazy busy the past few weeks.
Trying to get Issue 3 of Tonnta together.
Have my one year review for my PhD, which is apparently a Very Important Thing.
And myself and my lady friend got engaged.
Yay.

Back to the Surf.

Here’s Liam Joyce stunning some beginners in no foot Dougie last summer. Those fins out mean it’s a radical maneuver.

Another from those Golden few minutes I got a few months ago. Not sure who the rider is.

 

Ollie Mac Fla making the most out of a section at everyones favourite Clare left.

 

Joycey again, same day, just as sick. Even if the rider doesn’t make it up after a turn like this, does it matter?

 

And to finish is Cian just about to get shacked this was one of the most fun waves to watch, he started off with a big carving turn bounced off the white water, raced it down the line a bit, then jammed his arm in and stalled up got a lovely few seconds in the green room before getting spat out down the reef from me. I was hooting and hollerin’ for ages after that. The spray as he was stalling looked amazing and it kind of comes across here but it was so much better being there, one of the times I would have loved to have a video camera with me instead of the stills cam.