BLEACH SURFING THE FRINGE

Bleach Surfing the Fringe. The inaugural Bleach Festival! A surf culture festival that celebrates the artistic expression and creativity inspired by surf and beach culture.This festival brought over 16 days, more than 80 artists, spanning a distance over 10 km... That was a piece for every taste.. debates, concerts, exhibitions, movies, conferences... WOW!!!!  I am telling you, this was one of the best events on the Gold Coast.. specially leading up to the Quicksilver Pro.. ! With the confirmation that the Bleach is coming next year.. February is definitely the best month to be on the coast if your are into surf culture!! ( just book the air fare!)

It's hard to explain...  imagine you sharing drinks with all the surfing legends, in a casual, random way.. I'm pretty sure that during this 16 days I appeared relax and confident but I am telling you now that every day my heart was racing.. I've been stocked for 16 days! that's it!!! I still can believe that I had the pleasure of being with some of the legends.. from the creator of the thruster (3 fins), passing to the coolest surfing style in the 70's that lead to a revolutionary skate and surf style still emulated today, to the man who created professional surfing format -  Pete Townend, Larry Bertlemann, Paul Nielson, Rabbit, Simon Anderson,... anyway the list keeps going on and on!!! 

I literally  felt blessed to hear all their stories, memories and actually, just to be there ... WOW what an experience!!!  

AUSTRALIA ZOO IS NOT JUST A ZOO

Crikey!

Back in the bad old days, going to a zoo or aquarium offered little more than the opportunity to stare at a series of forlorn-looking creatures in their enclosures.

Thankfully, this is no longer the case. Today, zoos, wildlife parks and farms across the country offer a variety of novel experiences.

On Queensland's Sunshine Coast, there is a zoo. It sits on about 45 acres of lush rainforest with the Glasshouse Mountains and the Sunshine Coast hinterlands as a backdrop. Over 750 rescued, exotic, native animals and reptiles — including crocs, and lots of them — call it home. It is, after all, the home of the Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin and the Crocodile Hunter Diaries. 

This is the Australia Zoo. 

As you get in, your heart will stop just by looking at the huge and very slow tortoise... I need to admit that for a while there, I thought they were fake. They barely moved!  But the different paths lead you to different areas of the park, but somehow they all linked up, there's a flow in this zoo.

But of course, you want to know about the crocodiles! And it is THE place to go to see them. The crocs are in an amazing arena- well let me explain... Imagine a soccer stadium. Now take the players out and the ball, put a lake in the middle with crocodiles and a man inside.... and let the show begin!

It's seriously unbelievable. The keeper juggles around with meat and the croc just snapsand leaps away! 

Spending a day in Australia Zoo, is defernitly a must to put down on your list!!  

VALENTINES

I’ve never been a firm believer in Valentines Day. It has always felt like an arbitrary day dropped after Christmas, just as the last retail promotion has stopped putting a dent into my account. However, once the last chocolate sampler has been polished off, and the roses are well and soaked, it makes the perfect opportunity for shared adventure and travel opportunities. One doesn't even need to travel far, spend huge amounts of money, or fight off a barrage of reservations to find solitude near our home. This Valentines day, we got out and went back to nature...

We went to Tumbulgun, a  charming little village nestled on the banks of Tweed River. There's no doubt that this is one of the must sees attractions in Tweed Valley boasting magnificent views of Mt. Warning  and the Tweed River.. 

You can travel by boat, the back roads off the highway or the fast lane... It's up to you! But I tell you what.. it's a hard choice.. all of them have astonishing views.. To make the most of this romantic day, Paul chose by boat and it was quite amazing to see the sunset out there!

But this was just the first part of our evening.. now just picture this in your head... going to a restaurant that you are actually the cook... can you imagine?!!  

I thought it was brilliant.. You choose what kind of fish and steak you want (all super fresh) and then it's up to you how to cook it in their kitchen!!!

We enjoyed a great meal while sipping on a wine looking out over the beautiful mountains overlooking the Tweed valley. Valentines Day is a great day...

IMPROVE YOUR SURF!

Some people prefer surfing on a point break. Some on a beach break... Every surfer loves a sweet beachie. The clarity of the water, the colour and special lack of consequences! A beachie takes the pressure off you.. It doesn't matter so much if you fall, or how you fall... It's one of those places were you should try new things.. Adventure a little bit more! As some may say: "At a beachie you can fall off and actually not die!"

But there's something about point breaks.. the consistency ...

Now imagine a spot where you can get waves with both types of breaks... Situated on a large headland, Burleigh Heads is a surfers dream with a long, rocky point that allows the waves to break at a steady pace to the right for a great ride further down the shore. Closer into the shore, the wave reforms and allows some great hollow sections just like a great beach break. Fellas, this is Burleigh Heads!

Burleigh Breaka Pro is one of the important lead-up events to the first, all important professional world contest tour held at Snapper Rocks (similar wave, further to the south) at the end of February. With beautiful sunny days, it is hard to pass up an option of seeing the world's best surfers, whilst sitting on top of the grassy hill at Burleigh with a cold drink in hand. I love summer!

SHALLOW WATERS

Digging the paddle into the shallow waters, the kayak swung round to point due southwest at the unmistakable crooked top of Mt. Warning. It's perfect to start the day like this... Paddling along with this astonishing view... I cannot complain at all.

Paddling is all about access to places you couldn't get to any other way than being on the water.

It was in complete serenity that we passed under the old Kingscliff bridge and discovered this bird watch paradise -  Sea Eagles, Osprey's, Herons and so much more... It's funny that I never saw all these different birds before.. It seems that they hide in the quietness of the creek, up stream from our little town and it's cars, people and noise...

How great is it that the other day our neighbour said we could use his kayaks!!! He said it to the wrong people if he thought we wouldn't take him up on it!! Such a perfect morning, it is a shame to leave the beauty and stillness of the water...

THE SPARKLE TREE

Who doesn't like fairy lights? Who doesn't like fairy lights hanging on a big fig tree?

This the main street of Kingscliff- our home.

I love going past this tree, whether it be at the end of a day travelling past here on my way home or riding my skateboard down the road, along the beach. There is nothing better to remind me of how good life is than to sit under this sparkling pretty tree as the sun sets...

After chatting with Alice Vilaça from Antena 1 , I realised how  much I enjoy my lifestyle in this country - we are pretty lucky to have what we have in this side of the world...

SUNNY BREEZY DAYS...

Man, how I love a nice beach!

Today was a great day just made for the summer beach days! After the heavy rains, you really appreciate the sun and summer time just that bit more...

Thankfully there's often surf, but if there isn't Paul and I are in the water anyway, swimming, fooling around, fishing or snorkeling.

I like the sunny breezy days, when the amazingly clarity of the water allows you to see all the coloured fish and those special occasions when you see the dolphins surfing. Dolphins really do understand play. They surf with great skill, going left or right, choosing exactly what wave wave and which line to take for the greatest amount of stoke.

I can't wait for the weekend to enjoy these days in full!

IT'S ALL ABOUT SURF!

Kirra Surfriders Club. The first surf riders club in Queensland had it's 50th birthday yesterday. It was a great reunion with the presence of all the big figures in the surf industry: Mick fanning, the Peterson brothers as well as many of the upcoming junior surfers. 

The Junior World Championships ended but there are many more contests just beginning! The Burleigh Pro will begin in early February followed by the big WCT in Snapper at the end of the very same month. There will also be surf culture festival:The Bleach which will showcase arts and crafts, film and music related to surf and beach lifestyle.

Wow! It looks like it will be hard to leave our Local area in February with so many great things on at our doorstep!