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43 articles

Exploring the UK – Cardiff

April 13, 2013

I’ve completely neglected exploring the UK on this site – it’s a bit of a shame really because it has a lot to offer! One of my favourite places to head out too is Cardiff in Wales...

Island living in the Solomon Islands 🌴 • This was my base for my time in the Solomons - Vavaghio Surf Camp on the island of Santa Isabel - not bad hey?! • Nestled amongst the beachfront rainforest our commute each day was along that awesome little jetty, with the surf breaks just a 10 minute boat ride away • Sure it lacked some creature comforts, but it more than made up for it with our amazing host family, stunning views and good vibes • If you're keen to head this way for a trip check out this link in my bio for more info and my full video edit! • Epic drone shot by @chris_mclennan1 who joined us 🤙
So stoked on my new surfboard! 🏄‍♂️ • Over the last couple of years I've been playing around with new boards and figuring out the best quiver for life on the road • And just before I headed to the Solomons I ended up grabbing a 5'8 Seaside by @firewiresurfboards and @rob_machado • With 35 litres of foam it's super easy to paddle and runs amazingly in a huge variety of waves, with a quad fin setup it has heaps of speed too • It ran epically in the reef breaks here and was so much fun - it has firmly secured its spot in my board bag for my next set of adventures! • Hit the link in my bio for my full video edit to see how it went! • Thanks for the shot @abroadonaboard •
Living the dream 🙌 • The divemaster and instructors @bluemarlindivegilit have certainly scored themselves an pretty epic job - kicking back on an island paradise and spending all day in the big blue! • Check out @rtwbackpackers for a whole host of Divemaster courses all over the world - including joining the Blue Marlin crew on Gili T! •
A stones throw from the ocean 🐠 • As well as diving on Gili T with the crew of @bluemarlindivegilit I spent the week relaxing at their epic in-house resort which was epic • Awesome food, secluded swimming pool, cranking A/C and just a short walk from everything you need on Gili T - it was the ideal spot to unwind and treat myself! • Hit the link in my bio for the full review •
Is scuba diving on your bucket list? • I headed back to Gili T again with the crew of @bluemarlindivegilit and the plan was to get in amongst the big blue for some scuba diving. • Unfortunately though I couldn't dive, so I sent along the ever trusty @abroadonaboard instead to check out some of the awesome dive sites this island has to offer! • Hit the link in my bio (BackpackerBanter.com) to check out the full post to see how she got on! •
How epic is this in water angle?! 😱 • I was stoked to team up with @onebreath.images on this surf trip for some in water shooting and I love this shot! • Heading down the line at Ebays, with the palm trees in the background 🌴 • Just a shame it wasn’t sunny that day! • This was certainly a challenging wave to ride, but the rewards were epic if you scored the right wave selection, in fact this is where I nabbed my first tube ride of the trip...soooooooo stoked! • Until next time Mentawais...you’ve been amazing and I’m already planning my return 🙌
Should you upgrade to the Gopro Hero 8? 🤔 • I've spent the last few weeks putting this beast to the test and as always you can find a full review on the site • Just hit the link in my bio to find it • Covering everything that's new to the all important "should you upgrade" question - it should help you make an informed decision! • Looking forward to shooting heaps more amazing footage with this thing! •
Sometimes life doesn't always go to plan! 🤣 • As well as scoring some of the best waves of my life in the Ments I also got some of the most hectic beatdowns I've experienced for a while too! • Totally worth the trade off though! 😁 • One of the things I get asked a lot about the Mentawais is if it's suitable for beginners and the simple answer is no, it's not. • Sharp, shallow reefs and for the most part fast waves - the breaks here are best suited to those who have a solid amount of experience in the ocean • ...and even then a lot of people will pay the price in skin! • Yes, there are some of the most perfect waves in the world here - but you'll only get the most out of them if your skill level is high enough. • Because you don't just pose a danger to yourself, its other people too • Get plenty of experience (especially surfing reef breaks) at more forgiving spots and then book your dream trip - trust me it's worth the wait and you'll be thankful you can make the most of them 🤙 • Thanks for the 📷 @renatalopezb
Twinny time! 🙌 • Along side testing out some other setups in the Ments I decided to give the @palmbaybali Zephyr twin fin setup a blast on my 5’11 • Now it’s designed as a quad setup so in theory this should’ve been a total fail...but honestly I was massively surprised how much fun it was! • It loosened up the turns a bit and gave it a much more skatey feel - even in head high waves it was a joy to ride! • In fact I like it so much I think I’m going to keep that as my sole setup for the 5’11 and keep the 5’5 as a quad! • I’ve never surfed a twin fin before but it just goes to show - taking the time to experiment a little bit can really open up your surfing. • So whether it’s board size, shape or fin setup set aside a few sessions to play around and how knows, you might find something amazing! •