Not coming to South Africa because you think it is dangerous means that you are reading the news 24/7 or you have a closed mind. Someone who is known for the expression, "what if?" will never really experience life. Things happen in our everyday lives all over the world so to say you are staying away from a certain region because you heard that someone got attacked is not thinking about the bigger picture. You won't be able to see the world.
For those of us who have no problem with jumping on a plane with our surfboard under our arm or those who just want to experience something different then choosing one of the surf travel packages is going to be the answer. Some of us will just go with the flow and forget about agencies. This means looking for accommodation when you get there or finding something on the internet. This is all well and good if you are the easy going type, but after a long flight most people just want to collapse on a bed and this is why it is a good idea to have your accommodation booked. People will prefer to stay away from agencies, but you will be surprised to find that most of them will save you money.
South Africa is not an expensive place for people coming from the States and Europe. You could manage to stay for a couple of weeks without a problem. Usually there are a couple of different surf packages going and this depends if you just want to shack up in a sufer's hangout or you may be someone who is bringing the kids out for an adventure and this would be a whole new vacation. You would need accommodation that provides you with more than dorm bed and you may want to see a little bit of the region as well. This is going to cost you more, but this is the beauty of chhoice.
J-Bay in South Africa is a place in South Africa which is populated by surfers. Here, people live and breathe surfing so this is a good place to hang out. Packages will give you different options. They will also be able to set you up in different areas in South Africa and then you could do some independent sight seeing by yourself. There are a lot of surf schools, but the package you opt for will have this all set up so there is no need to organize extra equipment. Some people think that the best kind of surf for beginners and advanced exist in Hawaii, California, but there is so much more than that and you can see a lot at the same time.
Monday, March 12, 2012
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Surf spots in South Africa
There are some fantastic surf spots in South Africa, some of which everyone knows about and loves and others are more secretive. You could probably just be driving along the Transkei coast and come across something which few people have discovered. This is the beauty of the region. It is like having private beach to yourself with white sands. There is no chance of crowd surfing in a place like this. You will be able to smell the fresh air instead of sun tan oil that hundreds of people are smearing on their bodies.
On the other hand if you want to experience more vibe and are into the whole tranquility side of things then you should head over to one of the bigger cities or even outside of the city. You will find that during the Winter you will be happier because waves will treat you better, but plenty of surfers will be carrying their boards under their arms in the heat of Summer. In Cape Town you can head off to Muizenberg, which is known to be a beginners beach with small waves. Llundudno is another place in the Cape which produces waves to take note of, but make sure you have a thick wetsuit. Dungeons will equal Maverick's. You need someone to pull you out. This is not for everyone for obvious reasons.
Heading off to Durban, you will find the temperature changing all year around, so you can toss the wetsuit away. Along the coast there are a lot of beaches with good waves to suit all types of surfing conditions.
Don't miss out on Jefferies Bay. This is Jordy Smith's territory and also a place Kelly Slater loves to surf at. You can't come to South Africa and not stop off here. There are always surfing competitions happening here so you will be sure to catch some of the action. The waves just go on and on in a tube formation so you will be loving it. There always seems to be something happening here. J-Bay has become fairly populated over the years since more and more people started to hear about the quality of the waves and what it has to offer so you can expect to share it with a couple of other surfers. Remember sharing is caring!
If you are coming from Europe or even the States you will find that accommodation is fairly cheap, not compared to Bali, but you won't have to spend a fortune, especially if you are staying in backpackers and other cheapish places.
On the other hand if you want to experience more vibe and are into the whole tranquility side of things then you should head over to one of the bigger cities or even outside of the city. You will find that during the Winter you will be happier because waves will treat you better, but plenty of surfers will be carrying their boards under their arms in the heat of Summer. In Cape Town you can head off to Muizenberg, which is known to be a beginners beach with small waves. Llundudno is another place in the Cape which produces waves to take note of, but make sure you have a thick wetsuit. Dungeons will equal Maverick's. You need someone to pull you out. This is not for everyone for obvious reasons.
Heading off to Durban, you will find the temperature changing all year around, so you can toss the wetsuit away. Along the coast there are a lot of beaches with good waves to suit all types of surfing conditions.
Don't miss out on Jefferies Bay. This is Jordy Smith's territory and also a place Kelly Slater loves to surf at. You can't come to South Africa and not stop off here. There are always surfing competitions happening here so you will be sure to catch some of the action. The waves just go on and on in a tube formation so you will be loving it. There always seems to be something happening here. J-Bay has become fairly populated over the years since more and more people started to hear about the quality of the waves and what it has to offer so you can expect to share it with a couple of other surfers. Remember sharing is caring!
If you are coming from Europe or even the States you will find that accommodation is fairly cheap, not compared to Bali, but you won't have to spend a fortune, especially if you are staying in backpackers and other cheapish places.
The JS Black Box surfbord adds the right volume for the right performance
JS Industries brings out another unique winner, the JS Black Box, which has taken off on a global scale. For the best surf, you should choose a board that is 3 inches shorter than what you usually ride. For even better results chooose a larger fin and this is going to give you a surf that you have not experienced before. So what can you expect from a board like this? Welll, first of all I would say that you have to look for waves that are chest high, but you could even find that it can cope with waves that are on the lower scale so you don't have to wait until Summer is over because the board is very versatile. The fact that it has a lot of volume helps when paddling out over conditions that are not perfect. It's got a classic tail, similar to that of the Tom Curran Huntington Beach version.
It's designed to get you passed the flat and across the lip. The rocker is fairly flat, but not flat enough to handle the really small waves. It is definitely made for performance. The size you get depends on where you are surfing, obviously your weight and then you have to add your wetsuit onto that if you wear that most of the time. If you are looking for really small surf then this aint the board for you. For mushy and choppy conditions the board will give you a great deal of happiness and this has been made possible with the volume so as you can see a lot deal of thought has gone into the board.
The board is concave single to double, constructed with a curvy outline. It is pulled from the fins. It becomes a straight tail with a curve to a wider tail pod. The combination of old school and modern design was a decision that JS spent a long time over, coming up with something to please many as they usually do. Much detail is to be seen in the board. As said before it goes smoothly in flat sections, but it goes pretty fast as well, meansing performance is a major key. This is because of the foam which is attached to the foot area.
Grab the JS Black Box surfboard and watch your performance step up to the next level.
It's designed to get you passed the flat and across the lip. The rocker is fairly flat, but not flat enough to handle the really small waves. It is definitely made for performance. The size you get depends on where you are surfing, obviously your weight and then you have to add your wetsuit onto that if you wear that most of the time. If you are looking for really small surf then this aint the board for you. For mushy and choppy conditions the board will give you a great deal of happiness and this has been made possible with the volume so as you can see a lot deal of thought has gone into the board.
The board is concave single to double, constructed with a curvy outline. It is pulled from the fins. It becomes a straight tail with a curve to a wider tail pod. The combination of old school and modern design was a decision that JS spent a long time over, coming up with something to please many as they usually do. Much detail is to be seen in the board. As said before it goes smoothly in flat sections, but it goes pretty fast as well, meansing performance is a major key. This is because of the foam which is attached to the foot area.
Grab the JS Black Box surfboard and watch your performance step up to the next level.
Friday, March 9, 2012
Rusty Bali Single Fin surfboard for high performance
The board that is making a lot of waves so to speak at the moment is the Rusty Bali Single Fin. This is a board that delivers in terms of performance. If you are looking for a board that can help you rock over the waves and that will give you a sharp turn, enabling you to fly high in the sky with unbelievable aerials then this is a board for you. If you are looking to improve you will want to look to your equipment first and foremost. It goes this way with just about any sport that you are involved in.
Even a guy like Kelly Slater will tell you that he will have his board designed specifically to the type of surfing that he is focusing on. You won't see him surfing on a longboard in the pipeline or the tubes. You should also take an example like this. You should also know that if you have just begun surfing you will have to get some practice before moving onto the hardcore stuff. It takes time to build up moves like these. You have to be patient, but if you can stick to it and find a way to keep the routine up you will just go from strength to strength and before you know it you will find yourself doing moves like you have seen surfers do when you fist started.
The design of this board is easily noticed by a logo presented by a dog, which comes with three shadows and they are quite bright so you are not going to be unnoticed. It kind of goes back to the 80's if you look at the design closely, but the way the board is shaped to perform beats any board back in the day.
Those who are familiar with the fantastic waves that Bali has to offer will know what we are talking about because this board is perfect for that style of surfing, but there are other waves similar to these sorts of waves. You obviously have to find waves that will give you the type of performance that you are looking for. Waves that reach your chest are not going to do it for you. You should be looking for something that you will be able to get some kind of a lift from.
Certain parts of the board resemble those of the 80's type, such as the Occy '84 because of its relaxed rocker, but most other aspects it's not old school. The deck, being semi flat and rails being full enable one to turn in the lip.
Even a guy like Kelly Slater will tell you that he will have his board designed specifically to the type of surfing that he is focusing on. You won't see him surfing on a longboard in the pipeline or the tubes. You should also take an example like this. You should also know that if you have just begun surfing you will have to get some practice before moving onto the hardcore stuff. It takes time to build up moves like these. You have to be patient, but if you can stick to it and find a way to keep the routine up you will just go from strength to strength and before you know it you will find yourself doing moves like you have seen surfers do when you fist started.
The design of this board is easily noticed by a logo presented by a dog, which comes with three shadows and they are quite bright so you are not going to be unnoticed. It kind of goes back to the 80's if you look at the design closely, but the way the board is shaped to perform beats any board back in the day.
Those who are familiar with the fantastic waves that Bali has to offer will know what we are talking about because this board is perfect for that style of surfing, but there are other waves similar to these sorts of waves. You obviously have to find waves that will give you the type of performance that you are looking for. Waves that reach your chest are not going to do it for you. You should be looking for something that you will be able to get some kind of a lift from.
Certain parts of the board resemble those of the 80's type, such as the Occy '84 because of its relaxed rocker, but most other aspects it's not old school. The deck, being semi flat and rails being full enable one to turn in the lip.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Looking at Channel Islands surfboards
A name like Channel Islands surfboards will really stick with a grom because this is a company that you will not forget easily. Top surfers from around the world have ridden their boards during finals of various contests and come out smiling with the board that played a big part in helping them get there.
There are new surfing brands, companies and shapers popping up all over the place, but you can never be too sure who is who in the zoo. Channel Islands have been going since 1969 so this is a company that you can really take note of. They are not the new kids on the block by any means. In fact they have been in the business for years now, always growing from strength to strength and producing new products to please satisfied surfers all over the world. They work from Santa Barbara, where a lot of surfing can be seen, but their boards are brought out to all four corners of the globe.
There are many top surfers who have awesome things to say about Channel Islands. We have to add here that the team doesn't consist of just anyone. These are surfers who design boards for surfers so that means they know what they are doing. They will think of the surfer and what it is they are looking for. This is how they have become so successful. Kelly Slater is one of those members who has a lot to offer in many ways. Al Merrick is known and loved when it comes to this famous surf company. His name rocks around the world probably more as a surfer, but he was the guy who decided to create an empire that would change and transform the lives of others in terms of their surfing abilities.
One of the boards that is on the minds of many at the moment is the Fred Rubble which was designed by Connor Coffin. This is a board that you can really have a lot of fun with if you are thinking of surfing in waters that provide smallish waves. It is also pretty great because it allows you to surf in all types of conditions. Channel Islands surfboards also caters for all levels of surfing from groms to pros so you can really see that there is something for everyone. If you are looking for a new longboard or you want to toss out your funboard for a fish, you can be sure they will have something in store for you.
There are all sorts of different surfboards that come from this fine place. You can get practically anything. You can even have something custom designed if you are the fussy kind. Of course, people like Taylor Knox, Tim Curran and Dane Reynolds asked for something special. For this you will have to check your budget, which a guy like Dane Reynolds won't be doing.
There are new surfing brands, companies and shapers popping up all over the place, but you can never be too sure who is who in the zoo. Channel Islands have been going since 1969 so this is a company that you can really take note of. They are not the new kids on the block by any means. In fact they have been in the business for years now, always growing from strength to strength and producing new products to please satisfied surfers all over the world. They work from Santa Barbara, where a lot of surfing can be seen, but their boards are brought out to all four corners of the globe.
There are many top surfers who have awesome things to say about Channel Islands. We have to add here that the team doesn't consist of just anyone. These are surfers who design boards for surfers so that means they know what they are doing. They will think of the surfer and what it is they are looking for. This is how they have become so successful. Kelly Slater is one of those members who has a lot to offer in many ways. Al Merrick is known and loved when it comes to this famous surf company. His name rocks around the world probably more as a surfer, but he was the guy who decided to create an empire that would change and transform the lives of others in terms of their surfing abilities.
One of the boards that is on the minds of many at the moment is the Fred Rubble which was designed by Connor Coffin. This is a board that you can really have a lot of fun with if you are thinking of surfing in waters that provide smallish waves. It is also pretty great because it allows you to surf in all types of conditions. Channel Islands surfboards also caters for all levels of surfing from groms to pros so you can really see that there is something for everyone. If you are looking for a new longboard or you want to toss out your funboard for a fish, you can be sure they will have something in store for you.
There are all sorts of different surfboards that come from this fine place. You can get practically anything. You can even have something custom designed if you are the fussy kind. Of course, people like Taylor Knox, Tim Curran and Dane Reynolds asked for something special. For this you will have to check your budget, which a guy like Dane Reynolds won't be doing.
Are you looking for a surf camera? - try the GoPro surf edition
As an avid surfer myself, I was really excited to see the GoPro HD Hero2 surf edition appear on the market. This is a camera that surfers of all levels could really get used to. Of course, there are pros and cons with every product you buy and this is only to be expected, but if you have a look at the reviews you will see that they are shed in a very positive light. If you think the old GoPro, well then you have to look out for this one, because it has been stepped up a notch. That's right, this one is really on another level.
I would say that the interface is good, but it has also been said that the interface can be a tad confusing. Let's face it, this is not a point and shoot camera. It offers a lot more than a pocket camera so you can expect to get to know your new best friend.
Surfers will without a doubt love the rugged protection it has to offer. When you are looking for a surf camera the last thing you should be looking out for is something compact and flimsy. Looks are not what you are after in a surf camera. The durability factor comes into play a lot more here.
When we look at the design aspect of the camera, not a whole lot of change has been put into the GoPro Hero. This could be a bad thing for who are looking for more features and others will want to keep the basics and just look for better quality which has definitely been achieved. One thing that you will see is a glass lens and this helps with bringing images out that are sharper and clearer. You will also see lights on the side of the camera when in recording mode which is a useful feature to have.
The waterproof housing is something that many cameras don't come with. The lens is also protected from scratches with a bubble. The menu items are clearer, but they take a lot of work in the beginning. One thing that the GoPro has over the Contour is that access to settings can be found easily on the camera with icons.
There is a great improvement from the previous version. For example the wide angle lens helps to get more in and there are different kinds of settings for your lens that you can program it for. Light sources have also been greatly improved because you can now film in low light areas without a problem.
I would say that the interface is good, but it has also been said that the interface can be a tad confusing. Let's face it, this is not a point and shoot camera. It offers a lot more than a pocket camera so you can expect to get to know your new best friend.
Surfers will without a doubt love the rugged protection it has to offer. When you are looking for a surf camera the last thing you should be looking out for is something compact and flimsy. Looks are not what you are after in a surf camera. The durability factor comes into play a lot more here.
When we look at the design aspect of the camera, not a whole lot of change has been put into the GoPro Hero. This could be a bad thing for who are looking for more features and others will want to keep the basics and just look for better quality which has definitely been achieved. One thing that you will see is a glass lens and this helps with bringing images out that are sharper and clearer. You will also see lights on the side of the camera when in recording mode which is a useful feature to have.
The waterproof housing is something that many cameras don't come with. The lens is also protected from scratches with a bubble. The menu items are clearer, but they take a lot of work in the beginning. One thing that the GoPro has over the Contour is that access to settings can be found easily on the camera with icons.
There is a great improvement from the previous version. For example the wide angle lens helps to get more in and there are different kinds of settings for your lens that you can program it for. Light sources have also been greatly improved because you can now film in low light areas without a problem.
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