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Posted on Tuesday December 8th 2009 at 3:15 p.m.
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Motive
Method
Means
Without these three, be warned! You are most certainly doomed to failure.
Being Wellington based and mostly limited to the main Southerly beaches of either Lyall or the Westerly Titahi (those that are more adventurous can hunt out the famed secret squirrel spots), we find the need to travel and explore a vital part of any good summer and as every explorer knows, there are a few pre-requirements.
First up is Motive. This really needs very little explanation. Either you are:
a) Sick of the same point or beach break, the same mugs in the lineup and are over the taste of big city swell - for those that know, it's that metallic taste that lingers as you peel the ‘treated sewerage' off your wettie.
Or
b)It's the well earned taste of freedom as you leave behind that 9 - 5 slog and explore the wonders of Aotearoa in a Captain Kirk-esc sense of exploratory sensory enhancement.
We as humans are natural born wanderers; we NEED that sense of enlightenment that only accompanies a new environment. No need to water down our manly; nay, ‘hu-manly' urges. This is a fight and flight response to our new 21st century roles as caretakers of the mundane.
So, sort your motive out - we are all individuals and it shouldn't take too long to convince yourself to get away for a well deserved roadie.
Our particular motive was threefold - We have family in Tauranga, work to be done in Auckland and the grand finale... Pearl Jam concert tickets at Mt.Smart. So, in this case we plan a 12 day junket, complete with campervan, surf missions following the swell and a sense of adventure.
Hi Ho, It's off to the MOUNT we go!
Method
Unlike the previous ‘M', which only takes an inner desire, this is a slightly harder one to organize. Some necessary thought considerations include transport...
Most people own a vehicle of some sort these days, from the classic kiwi dunga, through to the more adventurous and comfortable wagon or SUV.
These days, flights go everywhere and main city fares have never been cheaper. No exclusivity for flying anymore and thanks to opening competition and deals, most people have access to this entire country. If you aren't a flyer, no stress, I hear the train can be an excellent and relaxing option too. Connecting North to South with ease and with an ability to drink while traveling, this often overlooked method can and should be considered.
And if you still struggle to get around, rent a car or better yet - do what we did and rent a Campervan!
Once you get over the fuel prices not getting any lower, this negative soon becomes water off a wetsuits back. Either way, get over it. Fill up and to share the cost, get some mates along with ya and it shares the load.
We got a 6 sleeper from Backpacker Campervans and this bad boy is beyond spacious. Enough room for a quiver full of boards and with a microwave, gas stove, fridge, shower and toilet... this thing is a home away from home. With full internal access, you don't even need to leave the vehicle. But that would be boring.
So we hit the road and arrive straight into a slow moving low frontal system that delivers rain, cloud and more rain. No swell for 5 days in the Bay, so we head to Auckland anyway and indulge some Pearl Jam and rock out like its 1997. Yeah Baby!
But then back to the BOP for some more waiting and after almost a week of nothingness... the sun finally parted and a decent 4 ft swell hit the bay, by evening it turned offshore and to everyone here it was gold. Every land locked city dweller from Hamilton to Rotorua seemed to line up at the Mount Main Beach for it. At one point we counted over 90 in the line up.
At this juncture its important to note that the more adventurous would head up or down this coast and having a vast beach break like the Bay of Plenty means there are no shortage of options here, right from the Mount through to Whakatane and unlike the line up at Lyall, where even the slightest error means you are in the rocks sniffing jet fuel, there are plenty more places to go. I took a look around and there were some excellent spots. I even checked the notorious ASR built reef and sorry, it really looks like it's a bunch of sandbags full of money doing nothing. But I didn't put any money in, so I won't make too much comment. The local ratepayers sure have a thing or two to say though.
Some pics from the Mount Main Beach session below, apparently Matt Hewitt was out and I'm pretty sure I spotted Zennor Wernham there too...
This brings me to my 3rd M - MEANS - Have the means to stick around and wait for nature to deliver her sets. Without it, you could really be in for a bad roadie experience. It's a waiting game, from waiting between sets, to waiting in the line-up, to waiting for the perfect wave, to waiting for any sort of wave.
Surfers know how to be patient; I don't think there are any out there that aren't. While you wait, have the means to get by and have some well stashed cash for those rainy swell-less days this summer. We all know they exist and hopefully you dont have to wait too long before the next sets come in.
Well, that wraps up our adventure, on the last night - I climbed the mount for a 252 metre high birds eye view of the BOP and took in the night sky as the sun set. There are café's and shops galore here. It's a bit of a tourist trap, but if you know where to go, its pretty cool. The locals are friendly, the cougars are dangerous and there doesn't appear to be a lot of localism, even when a ship load of foreigners turn up every other day. Although I get the impression that none of them turn up with a surfboard.
This place seems to be hot spot for Brazilians too and since they know sun, sand and surf its definitely a must do for us Kiwis boardriders too.
Check out some of the scenic imagery I managed to photog while here and with that we are launching a Surfco roadtrip competition for all you to enter. Some info below...
Write a story, take some pics, add some video and then submit to us at team@surf.co.nz (put Roadtrip in the subject line) - and you could win over $2000 worth of Surf apparel and hardware including:
your own custom shaped surfboard from ANDERSON surfboards
a $300 AMAZON voucher,
a pair of his and her SPY optic sunnies,
an EXPORT GOLD prize pack
a NIXON watch
$300 worth of QUIKSILVER boardies and apparel
a BODYLINE wetsuit to fit and
over $200 worth of REEF jandals and apparel
Its gonna be HUGE!!!
Voted by the public, so if they like it - you win it. So tell your friends to vote online - entries close 28th of Feb 2010 and voting starts March 1st. So get planning now.
Check out www.surf.co.nz/roadtrip for more info and hit the road Jack!