Raves & Rants . . from Penzance

Can't wait for this film from Mr B to hit the silver screen..  teaser clip on big wave surfing at the Cribbar, in Newquay

Seb curling under Sam styling, James whiling Return to Ocean-Image.com

Godrevy today . . . . . . .  but first, click this post to see a little video attempt from yesterday........ Today the swell jumped quite a bit and the wind kicked in too, but plenty managed to score some decent waves at Godrevy on the north coast once the rip had been tamed.  Lawrence Couch finding a line Meanwhile, giant walls of water moved around on the infamous Stones Reef in the background. Inside Stones Reef.  You can just make out a fishing boat dodging the big ones in the background of the picture above. Bert Wright at Sennen later More photos here from Godrevy and Sennen Further afield, a few people hit the south coast and got some decent ones by the look of Colin Banfield's shots. Check them out here :  South Coast A Boex in a Bowl  It's been a fantastic autumn for surf so far, and looks set for more this weekend. Return to Ocean-Image.com

Garret Mcnamara   Photo by Wilson Ribeiro, courtesy of North Canyon Project This giant beast was ridden a few days ago by Garret Mcnamara and is being called the biggest wave ever ridden at 90 feet (30metres).  An 8m swell had been creating 60ft waves all day, the size boosted by an unusually deep undersea trench running in close to shore on the west coast of Portugal, according to big wave rider and Irish giant Al Mennie , who was out on the safety ski on this day.  But this one swung through out of nowhere, and Garret was towed into history by Andrew Cotton . The trio were in Nazaré as part of the North Canyon Project , perhaps this will now be the spot where the landmark 100 foot wave will be ridden, the Holy Grail of big wave surfing. For the moment. To read Al Mennie's first hand account, Click Here    Surflne article with a bit more video: click here Below, a some great footage, and a few words from Garrett about the ride..... ...

A flaming wreck on the beach. Witness the end of the Newlyn crabber Dom Bosco, a fishing boat that was due to be de-commissioned, but for reasons unknown, was towed outside Newlyn Harbour, drawn up to the high tide mark on Sandy Cove, and set ablaze. The thick smoke drew crowds to the car park, and lacked only the firework displays of last night to make it a landmark spectacle.  Whilst the legality of this 'de-commissioning', health and safety or marine pollution issues will be discussed at some length locally, it is certainly a rare sight.  Perhaps all the fishing boats due for de-commissioning could be drawn up on the beach here and create a new fishing-based theme park? With tractor rides and everything. Anyone ? Return to Ocean-Image.com

What is it with surfing ? Everyone wants a piece of the innate 'cool' that surrounds surfing, the advertisers, the clothing brands, the appropriators of surfing's unique language. But no-one wants to carry the torch for British surfing.  The British Surfing Association has gone, Surfing GB has folded, in a disarray of resignations, before it had even started doing anything to promote a sport that just about everyone in Britain aspires to. So who will be the person, or people, who will step forward and put British surfing solidly on the map? Who will step in to the current void and take UK surfing to the place it belongs? Reading this post at Surf Nation gives me hope that a sensible committee might indeed be formed to promote our sport on a national level.  As a healthy lifestyle pursuit and with charitable institutions like Surf Action   and Sirens Surf providing social help to disadvantaged groups through surf courses, surfing has traveled well beyond its humble r...

 A decent swell hit the south west of Cornwall this week, and some lucky blighters managed to snag a few. Three foot peelers were randomly interspersed with 6 foot screamers resulting in hoots for the riders, and groans from those caught inside. Generally smiles all round though, surfers grins keeping the beach lit up long after the autumn sun had made its (far too early) disappearance. Return to Ocean-Image.com

The new2012 Waves Calendar Coming to a website near you. Soon !! P.S. You can pre-order yours if you want, here:  2012  Calendar Return to Ocean-Image.com

Two magnificent pieces of architecture for the price of one

. . .but sometimes you can persuade it to fib a bit. Royal Cornwall Museum, Truro

Every year a small group of friends used to swim from Newlyn to their favourite pub, about a mile away in Penzance.  Gradually the group expanded and this year saw over 500 hardy fools attempt this 'Wild Swim'. Having witnessed  Captain Indestructible  finishing this swim despite an ever-lengthening list of ailments, I rashly promised that next year there would be another less than hardy fool in the starting line-up.

With the advent of the ever-expanding world of iPads, Kindles and netbooks allowing ever easier access to the internet and its largely free content, the once burgeoning world of magazines printed on paper (stuff you don't have to even click, for younger readers) has become squeezed, and squeezed again, as advertisers head where the public are flocking. The effect of this has seen many magazines close in recent years, the doomsayers heralding the signs as the complete end of all printed material.  But maybe it's just the business model of the Net that's part of its success, the knowledge that all content is free being the one of the biggest draws. If that's true then maybe new national surf title SurfPlus stands a better chance of sticking around, since they are simply giving it away.  While free papers are an unremarkable publishing method, witness the local Classified Ads 'newspaper' dropped through your letterbox, this is a first, as far as I know, in the Su...

In the topsy turvy world of freelance photography, anything might happen, and frequently does so, often in a bad way. But recently a couple of good things happened. First, I found myself shooting a World Record attempt, (OK, it was the slightly obscure 'Most Pirates in One Place' attempt, but a World Record is a World Record, right?) in the blazing sun with 8,733 other scurvy dogs on Penzance Promenade. Having successfully smashed the previous and paltry record of around 6,000, the second good thing happened, I was asked to shoot a surf trip.  I immediately jumped on board a Spanish Pirate Galleon with Self Destruct Nation   and sailed south to the Spanish coast in search of some hidden surf treasures. (OK so it was the Santander ferry, but sailing's sailing, right?). The Basque coast and the rivermouth jewel of Mundaka are much noted for their quality surf, but we managed to find a great setup, without the crowds, straight off the ferry ...

A classic boat, the Brixham trawler 'Leader', rocking gently at anchor in the bay on this hazy dawn. The 80ft gaff ketch adding a touch of classic wooden style to a classic hazy Cornish morning. Suitably, the mount is looking ageless and mystically misty in the background too. Classic! Return to Ocean-Image.com

Well, it's been a while since I posted here!  The reason, well, one of the reasons, being arranging some photos for this show, which will go up next week. Inviting you to the show There will be photos by John Knee, whose abstract photographs should match the colourful canvas paintings of Anthony Frost, plus some seascapes and waves by yours truly.  Glass of wine if you come on Friday 10th for the view! Hopefully see you there. Return to Ocean-Image.com

Some sunset shutter clicks, from a certain place that never works at this state of tide . . . . . A blurry evening Sir Jack of Johns JJ standing tall Sir Sam of Boex  Return to Ocean-Image.com

Suddenly a crisp, clear day can arrive at the same time as a long period swell, and more occasionally, a rare offshore wind to create perfect, solid conditions.  The first law of surfing being 'The size and quality of the surf is inversely proportional to your ability to get to it', ensured that, naturally, I had no chance of surfing, leaving me feeling slightly blue. A small window of opportunity did allow me to grab a frame or two at this rare spot though - a blue wave, under a blue sky, shot by a blue surfer. Blue Return to Ocean-Image.com

It's been some time since I've had the time to update this blog, for which omission, my apologies, dear reader ( you know who you are).  I had a job postponed today, and so have had time to upload a shoot I did yesterday at a local surf spot.......  The LEGO effect   A bright sunlit day, a stiff offshore breeze was initially ripping plumes of spray out of the lined-up wave faces, creating awkward updrafts for the keenest morning surfers, and a pleasant haze across the sea surface.  Advanced surfers who could prevent themsleves from rushing in immediately, and those on a late one after work, caught the best part of the day with the LEGO effect, the Late Evening Glass Off. See how the day changed from EMO (early morning offshores) to LEGO here Return to Ocean-Image.com

Spent today thinking about summer. There's no doubt it's been an epic winter for swell, but it will be nice to hang up the winter wetsuit and shake out the summer one.  Swells may be smaller, crowds may be bigger, but the heat of a summer day can't be beat. Jonty Henshall Jonty Henshall, a cooling run in the summer heat. Return to Ocean-Image.com

The surf mags have followed the big wave events at Waimea Bay, Hawaii and Teahupoo, Tahiti for many years, but now with Aileens becoming a renowned big wave spot, and with these behemoths being ridden at Mullaghmore Head today, surely Ireland can lay claim to being one of the best legitimate Big Wave destinations on the planet ?  Mullaghmore Head today  Pic courtesy of the Billabong site  , taken during Ireland’s first Big Wave Invitational surf contest demonstrating tow-in surfing and organised by The Irish Surf Rescue Club.  Hats off to anyone who ventured into the water under these conditions, as cold and heavy as any I've ever seen. Return to Ocean-Image.com

Just loving this artist . . The arms say it all Not in a gallery, just a bright moment of inspiring graffiti brightening up a dull, grey, industrial wall. Return to Ocean-Image.com

Here's a couple of images from a recent shoot with a Jazz band. Shot using digital, but with a Black and White eye. Always good to have some cool tunes blowing while you're working too. Reminded me of my old darkroom and my Durst enlarger.......... Durst enalarger - yours if you want it Now surplus to requirements if you know anyone who could use it? Return to Ocean-Image.com

A stunning blue sky day arrived out of nowhere so I went for a swim. A solitary bird wheeled above me, seemingly intent on watching the waves roll in. south coast wanderer Return to Ocean-Image.com

Hope you had a memorable festive season, and 2011 has many open doors for you.  I'll be continuing to do that thing that photographers do, including swimming around whenever there's some decent surf. Mike hard at work shooting in his studio This pic is courtesy of  the long lens of Photographer and Photoshop Master  Geoff Tydeman , a long time contributor of top quality imagery to the surf media.  Thanks are also due to Geoff for showing me the light in one of my photographs recently. Happy New Year. Mike Return to Ocean-Image.com