There is no doubting that Piha local Elliot Paerata-Reid is on a performance surge right now. His 2018 Indonesian season was sensational in and out of competition, but the Mega Swell of late July saw him paddling into some of the most intense waves ever witnessed at his favourite Indo...
Travel
Travel and destination inspiration for surfers and travellers with itchy feet. If you have a passion for exploring new places then you’re in the right place. We curate the best domestic, Pacific and international surfing destinations, so you can stay inspired and focused on your surfing lifestyle. Step inside and start dreaming.
Filmmaker Jono Smit and pro surfer Elliot Paerata-Reid team up for a Catlins strike mission only to have the rug pulled out from under them as the weather bomb flushes up the Tasman at the last minute. In an opportunistic stroke of madness they give chase along the West Coast...
Subantarctic Surf Discovery, Part 2: Enderby Island
Chasing waves on Enderby Island starts with getting to know the locals. They’re furry and blanket the place like lolling beach bums of the south. A little respect (and a lot of patience) will go a long way in this remote part of the Southern Ocean perched on the western...
Book Review: Barbarian Days, A Surfing Life by William Finnegan
“Surfers are self-centered arseholes sometimes.” I’m sure the surf obsessed among us recognise this sentiment. It’s in that moment when your partner catches you looking out the window at the toetoe plants for wind directions, and checking the tides at the most inconvenient times of the day. I suspect this...
Finding new waves on planet earth these days is a pretty tough ask. Sure the odd slab might be unearthed here and there, but the goalposts are well out on any significant discoveries. Especially here in New Zealand. So when I was given the chance to join an expedition voyage...
A classic film that follows the unscripted adventures of Jono Smit as he explores our southern coastline during the winter of 2015. “The idea behind all of this was to document winter through my eyes,” explains Jono Smit. “The road trips, the cold weather, the people.” “There are no pro...
Surf filmmakers in New Zealand tend to be passionate creatives lured to surfing by the curiosity of a colourful culture. They shine a light on surfing that is often a beautiful as it is compelling. Christchurch and Gold Coast-based filmmaker Jonathan Smit epitomises this ethos. He turns the creative dial...
The South Seas Revised Edition features the work of some of the best photographers in New Zealand. These are combined with short pithy stories that offer a glimpse into our favourite beaches, surf history and characters of New Zealand’s surf culture. The South Seas Revised Edition came out of the...
From discussions with artistic souls, cross-stepping wave sliders, neck-tattooed lip-launchers and salty old sea dogs there’s something for everyone in NZ Surf: The Collection Vol.1. Drawing from a range of historical and recent material, and from a variety of contributors, this volume directed by Warren Hawke, is an open-hearted sweep...
Five Minutes With: Surf Photography Master Ted Grambeau
When I first picked up a camera and started pointing it at the ocean nearly 24 years ago, there was one photographer’s work that dazzled me, inspired me and daunted me. Australia’s Ted Grambeau was one of the absolute masters of capturing surfing in the best light. And his intrepid...