shopping...

Still at the shops. i met back up with Yukie and her sisters loading up on accesories for Yukie and Nari's wedding on saturday

Beer time!

Interesting beer here. This one is a vintage brew from 1992. the staff said it wasnt quite ready and needed to wait 2 more years to pop that one!

a shot of culture

I went for a stroll thru the main shopping area as you do when you travel, i found a few interesting things. lots and lots of stuff my little girls at home would love, like Hello Kitty and Ampanman. But the most fun i had was finding a gunshop in the main street full of replicas. they all shot BB pellets. There was fully automatics and semi autos, ak47's and western style pistols. i showed some interest to the friendly shop owner and he gassed a Beretta and filled the magazine up and handed it over to me pointing out a target on the back wall of the shop. Of course i obliged and empty the thing! Insane stuff but i was getting thirsty...

noodle lunch

Ramen for lunch with Yukie after i picked up a new digicam $200 cheaper than in oz!

The swell i missed

They always say you should have been here last week... well its true for me again! the typhoon that went thru here last week was epic. i managed to get a photo off the local boys to show what it was like 2 days before i got here.

Japan South Islands Surf report

well first Day in Japan... Yukei picked me up at the airport and we went straight to surf. well i have a new record! I surfed japan the biggest ive ever had it 3-4 sets! it was at a break that i cant pronounce the name. it kind of broke like a left hand fingal causeway but on reef and rock. When the tide got high the backwash made it a bitch to get on to the waves which had lots of potential but not today as it got more sideshore the longer we stayed out. we then had to do a fun little scramble up a rockface between sets as the tide had come in far enough to be no beach left... just concrete and rocks. you had to time it so that you could scramble up around 6 feet before the next set came. i would love to post pics but my every trusty digicam is not so evertrusty anymore... it seems to have water inside the waterproof part! i will see what i can do about it over the next couple days. i think it ran out of warranty last week dammit! the house im staying at has a card reader so maybe i can get images off that that i shot before it went to poo. the water is 25 degrees and the air is 28 so its just like being in Bali! check back for more riveting action toomorow...

Alex Swadling reporting from bali

today the waves are aronud the 2 to 3 foot mark not much swell for the reefs this moring. yestday arvo the waves where pumping at ulus it was 4 to 5 foot on the low tide. The inside waves at racetracks where going off it was the best surf i have had out there. There was 60 people out at 1 stage but i still got some sick waves. my 5 11 diverse went so well. this morning we surf changgu it was fun but it was small. photo at changgu on my 5 11 diverse. Alex Swadling reporting from bali.

Packed and Stacked

Well Im off to japan for 10 days of Typhoon season! by all reports it should be pumping... i have my Quads all oiled and greased ready to roll!
i will keep you posted.
http://www.data.kishou.go.jp/kaiyou/db/wave/chart/fwjp_e.html

Alex Swadling reporting from bali

the swell has dropped off a bit today around the 2to 3 foot mark,we left really early for kermas and we took a short cut through dempasar and got lost so we arrived around 7am only 4 locals in the water. We all went out and doubled the crowed to 7 surfed till 11am.i surfed my diverse 5 11 sprint model. The tide was running out fast and it worked unreal on the shallow rights. I had so much speed i could take off way inside and make long sections easy that board is so fast, at 3pm were going out to ulus as the wind has come up offshore so it will be good. talk later Alex Swadling from bali

diverse in bali part 1, dale richards, mega, feral dave...

heyo a liitle bit of surfing action from bali...more to follow...enjoy..rj :) thanks to baliwaves.com

Alex reporting in bali

The Surf has picked up a bit today to 2 to 5 foot waves at canggu... its has been the best but with a lot of people out

photo at canggu on my 5'11" sprint model Diverse

alex swadling

Alex Swadling reporting from Bali

Hey, its Alex Reporting from Bali. The waves have been good for the last 4 days with 4 to 5 foot swell @ Cunggu, Uluwatu, Balangan have all been good. this photo is at Ulu's inside at Racetracks. My Diverse Sprint shape is going really good in all the conditions I have been in here. Its so good to be surfing without a wetsuit too!

Smokin' New Art

Teena's No smoking art this week...

hi guys im dru

i like to ride daves boards. i have done for a real long time. im learning how to use this blog.

new jet pilot advert

Dru is Featured in a new Jetpilot advert in December Tracks!

Tweed Heads Surfer Dale Richards Honoured at Deadly Awards

At a gala ceremony at the Opera House thursday night, Tweed Heads surfer Dale Richards nabbed the “Most Promising New Talent” at the Deadly Awards. The Deadly Awards honour excellence in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander music, sport, entertainment, the arts and community achievements.

Earlier this year, Dale was selected to compete in the trials for the Quiksilver Pro on the Gold Coast - the opening event on the 2007 ASP Men’s World Tour. He went on to beat 15 more experienced surfers to earn himself a wild card entry into the main event. In doing so, Dale became the first-ever Indigenous surfer to advance to the main round of an elite world tour event.

Joining the world’s top 45 professional surfers in the tournament, Dale drew three time world champions Andy Irons (Haw) in his first heat and then squared off against one of his idols, eight time world champion Kelly Slater (USA) in the next. While he may have not progressed beyond the second round with Slater, the tournament still marked an unbelievable achievement for the 18-year-old who now has the surfing world at his feet.

“It is an honour to be nominated and to win is special – there’s not a lot of Indigenous surfers out there,” said Richards, who received a huge round of applause from the thousands of invited guests as he accepted his award. Growing up ten minutes from the beach at Tweed Heads on the Gold Coast, it wasn’t long before Dale Richards began surfing.

After taking up the sport at age 11, Dale was soon entering and winning a swathe of local junior surfing competitions, squeezing in training and practice in the surf at every opportunity between school. By the age of 13 Dale had been picked up by creative designer and shaper Dave Verrall (feraldave). Working together with Dave and his local boardriders club Kirra, Dale prepared to map his future as a professional surfer.

In 2003, Dale finished fourth at the Brothers Nielsen Grommet Challenge. He also reached the quarter-finals of the under-16 Quiksilver Australian Junior Titles held at North Stradbroke. He grabbed fourth at the NSW state titles at Cronulla Beach, and came in second at the Indigenous surfing championships at Fingal Bay in the under 18 division.

By the age of 16, Dale already boasted a bevy of sponsors, including Australian founded surfwear label Quiksilver. After establishing himself as one of the stars of the pro-juniors and being widely recognised as one of the top young surfing talents in the country, Dale had been building towards a breakthrough performance for some time. And it was his 2007 performance against the world’s surfing elite that saw him honoured at the 12th annual Deadlys.

Boxer Anthony Mundine was named “Male Sportsperson of the Year” and managed to cap the surfing young gun’s night when he whispered words of encouragement in his ear. Attached Photos: Dale Richards from the Quiksilver Pro earlier this year, Richards advanced to round two of the World Championship event where he eventually went down to the world champion, Kelly Slater!

New Quads instore tonight

just fresh from the factory tonight...one 5'11" & one 5'10" dq7 wetrub finish rockets. These are a $100 less expensive than our usual full gloss Quads. they will go quick so see you soon if you want the fastest ride south of the Indy 500!

Daves trip to Japan...

Daves of to a tropical island in japan in 14 days... Typhoon season and Quads!
keep your eyes on the news & weather!

(DK7 Quad) Its not a shortboard or a Fish!!!!!

Well What can I say.. I am tingling all over (stoked) !!!

After riding my new DK7 Quad at south Straddie it was 2-2.5 foot and super clean lefts and rights. The feeling I get riding this board is great, it has the flotation and speed like a fish but... turns tight and vertical like a every day high performance short board!!!

So for all those people in the surfing world who can not ride a short board because they're hard to gain speed in small waves ... and don't have the flotation to get onto the waves with ease ... or even if you just don't like thrusters any more... This is when the DK7 Quad is introduced into your quiver of boards!

I recommend 2-3 inches shorter than your standard size short board . I weigh 85kg and I am riding 6'0 x 19 9/16 x 2 5/8 = 30.5L Litres of flotation and i'm also using our Fluid Dynamics DQ1 Quad fin set that gives you drive but at the same time produces tighter turns like a twinny.

alex swadling photos

some new photos on my 5 10 diverse the water at coffs harbour is getting hotter so i have been wearing bordies later alex swado

surfing for seals...

Heres a little taste of what the seals are surfing today on Kangaroo island in south Oz.

Indo Pumps!

Swell hit Bali last night and Ulu is currently double overhead (plus) on the low tide. Impossibles was around 4-6 foot and super clean yesterday arvo... it looks almost twice the size this morning. The 6'2" diamond tail dru model worked absolutely epically, even if the rider was a bit fat/lazy. Pictures (of surf) to come...

Kelly Boosts his ratings...

The ever amazing Champ Kelly Slater blew up again today , winning the boost WCT event at Trestles in the USA. i felt a little sorry for Pancho as he had surfed amazing too. but when you look at Kellys average wave score for the whole event was a 9.33! he is truly the best surfer ever... if only he rode a Quad out there, now that would have been something to see! Cheers to the asp/tostee for the photo

Another Dru Video

Hey Guys and Girls, heres another Video of Dru busting some Airs earlier this year...

Boost mobile pro = win for PU

We are currently watching the Boost mobile pro in Trestles, USA. great to see the pros go at it in similar conditions to what we have to surf every day. i found it very interesting too, that every guy riding alternative construction boards eg Carbon rails, balsa perimeter stringers or EPS, was knocked out by round 3! Having just that little more weight in your board allows it to carry you thru a couple of turns. even those top 44 guys need that drive... hats off to the guys for trying new things so that you can learn from thier mistakes. Makes you rethink jumping on the bandwagon of new "light tech" doesnt it?

Dont try this at home...

Heres a little Teckie mix to remind you of driving in china...
My Song 2

Alex Swadling new pictures

these Photos were taken at mcaulies beach, coffs harbour on my 5 10 diverse
On the 22 sept i am going to jan jac for the gromsearch . Then on the 30 sept off to bali for two weeks to surf at bingin, kermas and changgu then over to g land for a week to try out my 5 11 and my
6 footer.

Jamie is Quad wise

If you like your small wave quad fish but want it to perform in perfect 3-6 foot waves like a short board well this new model is your best bet!!!!!

Here are some points about this board !!!

1. Super fast

2. awesome response in bottom to top turns

3. Allot of paddling power

4.Control , Stability

5.Bucket maker ( POWERFUL)

Jamie Greenmount Sunday Arvo

This was sunday arvo 9th September at Greenmount beach, 3-4 foot waves peeling through from Snapper Rocks to Greenmount!!! Sick as Sick can be.

Sunday sessions

Nice fun 3-4 foot on the points here this sunday... went to the Alley & took out my new 5'11" dq7, i made last week. its a round tail . i havent had a roundtail for years. it felt really smooth and drivey. however i had no worries turning it tight too! looking forward to a few more fun days on this one...