Lancelin Surfin' Surfari 2014

Wedge in the wind

It's been a long time coming, but this was my first weekend away from both Rowan and James since Rowan was born. James and I spent a week in Bali recently, but it was great to escape for a girls' weekend.
It was classic Lancelin. Complete with flies, a crazy holiday house and all of the weather.

Flies in the Wedge Dunes

Our house was absolutely classic. We tend to stay in the same place, so we tried somewhere different this time. Right across from the beach. And everything about it was an after thought. The front lounge was a deck that had been closed in. The front bedroom was the verandah, that'd been closed in. The bathroom is kinda in the kitchen.... to get to the third bedroom you actually go outside and up some stairs. And the fourth? Back down those stairs, out the back gate, through the garage-cum-bbq-area and past the laundry. Oh, and it's tiled. So it was great. Very cosy though.

It was meant to be windy aaaaall weekend. When we book these trips, months in advance so everyone is free, we don't know what the weather will be like. So the weather was naff. We stayed up super late on Friday night, except for Tania, who wakes up at 5am and is tired at 8:30... So we weren't in a hurry to leap out of bed early to race to onshore slop. As it turned out, it was pretty good fun!

Windy Wedge

This is what greeted us. I took the 5'6 mini simmons and wondered if I'd even catch anything. As it was, we all had some fun rides and the reforms went all the way in to the beach. Managed to do some halfway decent duckdives - haven't done any in months and months as I'm always on the longboard.

So everything changed and this huge rip developed which is was paddling around in for half an hour trying to get in. But I went and had a cup of tea with some guys on the reef and they pointed me in the right direction to get in.

We had our customary BBQ bacon fry-up when we got back to Casa del Escher. We had a fun afternoon surf, did the trip to the shops and I squeezed in some geeky sewing before we walked to the pub. We look like a bunch of bogans (below) but I promise we're not. (They were next door at the house with the "peck deck" out front.

The weather came in on Sunday morning, although Lancelin missed the brunt of it. It wasn't worth the 80km round trip to wedge. We were super lazy and hung out and tried to stay warm. The deck/lounge leaks. We braided each others' hair, had a spa, wandered around in our jocks, but there was no pillow fighting.

Leaving orbit

Heaving. More wind.

Ignite the Park

I had a very lovely break in Bali at the end of July/ beginning of August. Surfed every day. Ate loads.
Here's a taster - there's more on my instagram or facebook feeds.

This week I will have a stall at the Night Markets as part of the Ignite the Park Festival.

Thursday 28 August 2014

4pm to 9pm

818 Albany Highway in East Victoria Park. 

Winter Stoke

A little bit of swell around lately and everyone has been getting their share of waves.

This pink cruiser looked so picturesque overlooking the break. Loads of grommets and gromettes out. One guy, about 35, 6'ish, was catching loads on his green mini mal. Instead of sitting right out the back waiting for the one set wave every 30 minutes, he sat on the inside and caught about a dozen waves while I watched. Then he hopped out, climbed the stairs, unlocked the pink cruiser and peddled off up the main strip in his wetsuit. :)

Winter swell is on its way!

My little man is seven weeks old and I enjoyed a fantastic surf today, thanks to his grandma minding him.

Slowly getting my surfing fitness back. All that baby holding is great for muscles, but not so useful for that burst paddling. My first time back in the water was when Rowan was three weeks old. I didn't catch anything, wrong board on top of everything else, but it is now great to know that I haven't forgotten everything. The turns and balance are still right there. Pop ups just happen and the fitness will come. I'd love to be doing yoga again, but turns out you don't have oodles of spare time with a newborn. Need to find a mums and bubs yoga. I could try do some at home but it just doesn't end up being a priority in the five minutes you have to yourself to race around and try to do 20 things. 

Winter wonderland - Leighton

So since four weeks ago i have actually caught some waves. I've been out at Cove a few times, Isos and close out Scarborough. 

Today we actually had enough swell for decent waves all along Cott. Even saw a rogue one break at the artificial reef on the way there. At Isos, there were a few peaks to spread out the crowd. 

My first wave had some nice wall to it - enough to fit in some roller-coasting - and i rode it all the way to shore! Number 2 was a sneaky set wave that broke south of the usual peak. I was so stoked as i normally misjudge the wave and paddle too far out, then miss it. Or get cleaned up. I was the only one even close and i figured i had to go for it even though it looked a little late. I caught it and it was epic! Decent drop, a big bottom turn - hand in the wall, streaking along the face, cut back, another bt, and a fantastic dismount when the wave closed out onto the approaching backwash haha. Best wave I've ad in Perth for a year at least. I love random lefts at Isos!

Two weeks ago at tiny Cottesloe with my 9'2

Third wave was another sneaky left. Not as big, but bloody fun. Oh waves with walls: It's all a girl wants. 

Maldives - Day 8

Saw Mona in the airport who I hadn't seen for 14 years. I thought checking our bags in first would be a good idea, then we'd go grab a coffee. Turned out with their security that we weren't allowed to go back out again and Mona wasn't able to come in! So we chatted for about 45 minutes in the little section next to the X-ray machines. Great to hear about her life, different resorts she's worked at, crazy tourists and all of her cats!

Mona and I

At the airport - Unimpressed about the food

Unimpressed about the plane delay

Our flight got cancelled. We are still in Male. It is now midnight and we just spent 12 hours at the airport, getting on and off the plane. On our way OUT of Male airport, we see the girls from the boat who will all be on their plane before us. We manage to follow some guy, back out through immigration and onto a water taxi, to arrive at some random hotel on Male proper after midnight. We've had to lug our boards back with us.
We're bummed. We're ready to come home. Oh well. Found some blokes from Tassie to hang out with.
At its Ramadan, everyone is out eating even though it's late. We sit down at 1am with the three guys to enjoy the best spag Bol I've ever had and to marvel at the tartan table dressing. Most surreal dinner ever.

Day 8.2
At a count, I think we went through the airport X-ray machines seven times in Male. It isn't until the sixth time that someone finds the tiny screwdriver I'd left in my carry-on after taking my fin out...

We board our repaired plane and Leeann and I promptly sit down in the sits we were allocated yesterday on yesterday's flight.... Which belong to someone else. Unbelievably stoked to get to Singapore. Manage to transfer onto a slightly earlier Qantas flight for the way home and even manage to get our excess luggage on without issue. Spend the interim pushing each other around the terminal on a luggage trolley. We're experts now. On and off the train, up an elevator. The best bit is the ramps where he person pushing gets to hop a ride too.

Rad cabin onboard the Haira

The girls and Brian

We arrive home 24 hours later than expected and are very glad to finally be back. Put a bit of a downer on the end of the trip, but I've just had the most fantastic time. It has been an experience of a lifetime. The all girls charter was so much fun. Being on a boat, just magical. And the waves... well it will be a while before I get to surf such consistent, quality waves again.

Time to start planning the next adventure!

All photos are copyright Hannah Katarski except those reproduced with the permission of Mikala Wilbow Photography. 

Maldives - Day 7

I had a sleep in til 8 o'clock this morning! We went onto the island last night and watched some locals drumming. Then we were waiting for ever for a dinghy because our crew had all gone to bed. So, nice to have a little lie in. Some of the other girls went out at Cokes this morning, but we watched.

Poor Tamara got hit by a set out there and cut her leg on her fin. Needed three stitches from Gobi: Steward/Chef/Medic. :( Luckily it is the last day, and she will only miss one surf or so. She's disappointed though, but will just take it steady this afternoon.

Surf Session # ??
Great day today! Surfed for four and a half hours or so. Before Lunch and after lunch we surfed til about 5. I had a great noseride in my first session! Technology.... GoPro started playing up because the disk was full. Then the battery went flat. So I'm not sure if that wound up on the video or not.

Nice and small, some nice waves again.  Had countless waves. Caught some set waves and shared three party waves with Mikala which were so fun. Got one of them on vid. Got a hang five on the second ride too, but battery was flat again by then. Great fun getting around the section, except when you don't get around it and then take three waves on the fase :P

Happy Friday!!

It's our last afternoon. It has been fabulous! Hopefully surf early in the morn, before chucking the boards in the bags and then getting our boat to the airport. Waiting around for some dinner and then we'll chill out tonight. Catching a fast boat back to the airport around midday tomorrow. A few dramas trying to sort out our transfer as most of the girls don't fly out til 8pm.

We've surfed so much! We were saying we'd need a break... for at least a week or so. i won't miss the sea lice though. Been so itchy. Just like stingers, I come up in welts.

My patented move

All photos are copyright Hannah Katarski except those reproduced with the permission of Mikala Wilbow Photography. 

Maldives - Day 6, waves

Session #9
After lunch we had another surf at Ninjas. Saw a ninja turtle in the line up. I have so many itchy-bunkers, but it's been worth the stings. So many good waves again today. Can't wait to check the GoPro when I get home. Plus Mikala was in the water today, so some great shots to show for it.

So glad I brought the longboard for the friendlier waves.

Ladies in the line up

The size dropped off during the week.

Party wave with Alanna - until I forgot she was there and cutback :/

How clear is the water?!

We are docked at the Harbour at Cokes again tonight before blasting off somewhere new tomorrow. Very surreal experience having a surf in your cabin after a shower as the boat gets underway and takes us to a new destination. We're all checked in for our Saturday flights and will be home Sunday am. Could easily have done a 10 day trip I reckon. Staying on the boat has been so good!!

Home for tonight

Primo resort

Anchoring the Haira

All photos are copyright Hannah Katarski except those reproduced with the permission of Mikala Wilbow Photography.