Love lost.Love found Part II

Like I was saying earlier, Bali has become quite a circus. Way to many people in the water, you are constantly fighting for a position in the line-up to get waves, guys dropping in on you then the guy that dropped in on you gets burnt by another fella! Funny stuff.

None the less, good times where had in Indo thats for sure, we would constantly take our bikes, have a few beers the and go cruising in the chaotic traffic that exists on the roads. I have to say sometimes the only way to blend in is to have had a couple of ales, just calm the nerves.

The place has a distinctive smell to it, some to the tone of constant incense burning, rubble burning and cow dung combined. This one day we stopped off at a local eatery,starving, so we thought, heck the locals eat here and seem to be fine, sure we can do it as well. What transpired from the meal was a very uncomfortable silence and all of us not actually wanting to swallow our food as that stuff was feeling a bit weird.... ended out being intestines and other things I would not like to recall again.

Most of the days where spent surfing and swimming and largely hiding from the intense sun rays. A couple of body-surf at super fun Dreamland Shorebreak put some smiles on the faces of the boys. again my two French homeboys from the Cook Islands came to Indo as well and we managed to have some interesting night, dubbed the "Terrible Quattro" myself,Ian Kruger, Julien "pappa" Paris and Julien "binge" Binet had all the intentions and dangerously good moves to tear the dance floors at sky garden a hole. We successfully managed to do so and after a lil bit-o-disco some crazy bike rides back to Bingin at 4am went down! Paps clocked the new 100cc speed record no hander style at an alarming 100km\h! Pure French magic!!

For now, I do not know where I am going to be or do in the next couple of months, but I know for a fact it will be somewhere cool and epic with old mates and new mates. Kinda need to find a job now as well to enable me to get to my new wave conquering destination on good steam!

GOOD Times,I am living the dream!

Till next time kids

Captian Planet

Love lost.Love found.

Right now, I am sitting 15 floors high in Singapore over looking the Singapore Straight. I have never seen so many ships in one place in my life and in the distance is Indonesia.

The majority of my time since my last post was spent in Indonesia, island of Bali.I have been in Singapore for about 8 days and in 2 days time I go to Kuala Lampur for 3 nights and the I fly to the oven that is Abu Dhabi.

So Indo, the surf dream for many. The land of exotic landscapes, perfect waves, epic beaches, warm water, nasi goreng and the almighty BINTANG.

I woke up in a ok'ish room, in the infamous Poppies lane 2, fan spinning wildly and friendly birds chirping outside just to find a little gremlin chiseling away in my head with a jack-hammer. With one eye open I gather my bearings and find myself still clenching my wallet and with one slop on my foot. It is 11:45am. Yes, I was cuddling a Bintang bottle and the bed was a bit wet, wet from beer spilling out the bottle in my sleep.

I asked myself; "what happened last night?" Myself doesn't recall much after dinner, some flashy lights, loud music and a couple of English bodyboarders I met sometime during the night. I quickly learnt that trying to keep up with the poms when it comes to drinking is a futile excersize as I will surely lose, and i did...

By now, I have reached the point of no return. I am thirsty as hell!! I stumble out the room, one eye open and tripping over everything, I set my sights on the fridge to claim a bottle of water...Gottem! The receptionist just looked at me and shook her head. I shrugged my shoulders and walked off. It totally felt like a scene out of the Hangover movie.

Eventually after the hangover released me from its clutches(2 days later)I moved Bingin, Which is on the southern point of the island and the stretch where the waves are. Its hot and hella humid. The waves were not to big but fun none the less so I got me a scooter and charged down to a spot called Padang Padang. It's about 3 foot and 2 guys are out! "Aah you gotta love the early season Indo vibes" I told myself... words I regret uttering.

The arrival of a brother.

I went to the airport and picked up my bro Ian Kruger, handing him a cold one as it is tradition!  we headed back to binging, got on the bike and headed to the beach at Padang Padang for some chow and heaps of beers!! good times. Two days later after his arrival I got sick.... man down for 5days. I ate something funky and the rest is history.

So after the illness we regain our speed and at about 40km/h a massive cock (male Chicken) flys/run or what ever it does straight into the bike. Two Grown men killing themselves laughing whilst feathers are flying!!

The Return of the Blog-i

It’s been weeks since my last blog post. Sitting silently staring at the screen for days, trying to figure how to put a constructive sentence together. Weird. I wish to share my experiences with everybody don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining about life, stuff, I can’t complain.

I find myself sitting next to a whirlwind of emotions, do I wish to let it all go and jump in and join in on the madness? Maybe not, maybe not just yet. Then I shall keep my chin up and chest out. That’s what I do best.

So after leaving Christchurch on 23 February (day after the quake) I drove a return rental back to Auckland in 5 days, sleeping in the car, passing by beautiful black sand beaches and massive headlands out at sea, wine lands, lakes, waterfalls and valleys, all this beauty but you can’t help not think about the people trapped in the rubble of collapsed buildings, cars or whatever they have piled up around them. Life’s lost. Life’s changed.

Arriving at Picton on the northern tip of the South island of New Zealand on the 3^rd day of the drive where I connected with the interisland ferry to Wellington. The ferry ride was about 3hrs and it was so full as so many people left their homes in Christchurch. Over 600 cars!!

The ferry ride was very chilled; I was so tired that I opted to sleep the duration of the trip. Eventually get to Auckland after a stopover at Lake Taupo, I stayed at this mingy backpackers in central
Auckland. I wished I was back in the car! But it was all good as I was riding high on the fact that the next time I lay my head down to rest would be in the Cook Island in Polynesia. Hoping to score some amazing waves!

It was a 3 hour flight from Auckland to Roratonga. That is the main island of the Cook Islands. We arrived around 1 am local time. Crossing over the international dateline was quite cool as you get to score the same day all over again. At the airport there was this old guy whom played his little guitar greeting all the tourist with songs from his mother tongue!

Did I mention that the local Maori people are HUGE!!! At some instances you can’t tell the difference between male and female! Haha!

Arriving at the international backpackers with owner Bill who seemed a bit out of it, showed us around and to the disappointment of us all this place didn’t even look like what was advertised! But ey, you in the island man!

So at 5am we all get woken up by a big black cock. (Chicken kind) and this dude just didn’t stop no matter what you threw at him! Eventually I had had enough, took a stroll down to the beach to find myself walking straight into 6ft plus surf in warm crystal clear tropical water at 6am. I was in my element. I rushed back to get my gear, I strap my suit on and I was gone. Frankly I had no idea where to go. Perfect waves all around me. But there was something missing. Humans, crowds, other wave riders. None to be found for a week.

The paddles were long and tiresome as you had to swim to the outer reef surrounding the island through deep and dark channels whilst you be looking up at a wave off loading on the reef in front of you, your mind is calling shark farts the whole time and then a group of manta rays started jumping out the water all around me some even up to about a meter high! Amazing!

The reefs are shallow mate. It is not possible to duck dive if you get caught or not making a wave so wave selection was critical. It is like a cheese grater with cut throat blades! So there I was, paddling my ass off when the sets come in with so much water moving that it looks like an animated film! I was staring into heaven. I could easily disappear into the ocean and become a piece of coral blessed to see these perfect waves roll over me.

The landscape is lush green forest with sharp peaks reaching for the sky, blue sky, clear water and perfect waves. Finally reaching the take off zone I paddle into a wave of about 4-6ft greeted by the cleanest barrel I have ever been inside of, so mechanical, so fast, so long, so good. I recall fish quickly moving about as I am driving through the tube before I couldn’t see and my ears stung. It was like the wave turned itself inside out. Then sunlight. The best 6 seconds of my life. Hands down. The weirdest thing was that there was not a hint of human influence around me. I was high-5ing myself and screaming at the top of lungs. Wondering if this was actually me. Actually real!  It is. J

Life on the island is slow. Shops open when they want to the banking hours are from 9-1. Heck what a place to life at. The island of Roratonga is only 32km for a round trip that I had done numerous times with the scooter.

At this time I had moved to a really good backpackers called Vara’s, super clean super cool and good times! I would regularly go to the local markets and get myself some marlin steaks or Wahoo to go with my noodles. 2 minute noodles is the food of champions. 3 times a day with weet-bix for breakky and a papaya! Kaboom, then along came Captain Cook’s darkie. A local beer with the ability to give an elephant a hang-over! I had made friends with some of the local dudes and getting to witness there cultural evenings was humbling and so dam cool, dancing with them in their traditional manner whale they are strumming on their little guitars was so good. The locals love their rugby, it is a big thing. Well, they are big things!

I had made friends with two guys whom I can see I will be friends with for a very long time to come. 2 Frenchies called Julien Binet and Julien ‘papa’ Paris.  Classic characters and dam good bodyboarders and surfers. We surfed together and missioned hard. It was sad saying goodbye, but I will be seeing them in indo again! Trouble. Then there was Mike. Drifter of a league of his own. Humble guy keen for a snorkel and with a bad tan!!

 What I love about travelling and especially being a bodyboarder is that if you meet other bodyboarders anywhere in the world he/she will take you in put you up and share stories with you like you’ve known each other for a decade. Bodyboarders are family. That’s why I love this lifestyle.

Japan. Rocked by a massive earthquake. At 1 am we all get evacuated to higher ground as there is a tsunami warning posted for the Cook Islands. Imagine the panic and scared faces at 1am in the morning. So I packed what I needed as instructed: Bodyboard, fins, spring suit, noodles, can of beans and water. Then I made my way up to the evacuation route with my scooter. I was driving past heaps of people carrying everything that they had, old, young, weak and strong with an empty look on their faces, the look of fear. I dropped my stuff of at the shelter and head back down the mountain to help the local authorities with what I can, I ferried peopled up the long hill with my scooter at time having up to 3 people with bags on the bike. Young and old. I was tired, mozzies having a buffet of all they can suck on the humans littered all over the place.

After 2 weeks in the Cook Islands my time had come to move on to my next destination. Abu Dhabi in the UAE. Holy shit jetlag is real!! I flew from the Cooks to Auckland-Sydney-JHB-Abu Dhabi in 4 days. F-ed in the A!

Now I am collecting some proper family time with my sister and her family and friends! There is no substitute for family and I love them heaps!

My flying time for this year is 52 hours so far and my next chapter starts in 2 weeks time. I will be visiting Indonesia, Singapore and Pakistan. Where I will return back to Abu Dhabi to pursue my career to fund the next leg of my wave riding travel plan. J

I am looking forward to Bali as I will be spending some time with my brother from another mother Ian Kruger. I am so excited. I miss Cape Town, I miss the boys, R15 Black Label draught at Tiki bar and mommies food!! But that can wait. I’m living my life the way I want to live it.

Captain planet signing out.

Since last to 22 Februaty 2011

It is amazingly amazing as to what mother nature can provide, show, destroy and display.

I was very lucky and also unlucky to witness natures raw untouched beauty and her absolute fury. Beggining with her beauty; we departed the North Island on a late Flight on my birthday 11 Feb to Christchurch. I was met at the airpirt by my uncle wich i hadn't seen since my later fathers funeral. It was very pleasant being able to catch up with him again. He's house WAS up on the hill in Sumner 5km 4km from Christchurch. #

After Spending a couple days there we took a bus further south to go stay at my very good mate Brad Dennison, that brother is a guru when it comes to the waves and knowledge of his local town Timaru. He hooked us up with a sweet car and I took the long road to Queenstown wich is the gateway The milford Sounds.

Milford Sound has to be one of the most beautiful and dramatic untouched lanscapes I had ever seen. Massive glasiers, ice capped mountians huge waterfalls. It leaves you speechless. New Zealand has some of the best nature conservation programs in the world in my personal opinion.

After spending a couple of days out in Milford and Queenstown we headed back to Timaru, Brad waited in anticipation for me to arrive and took me for a surf at this very fun right handed wadge, I was surfing inbetween massive floating logs and tree roots...

22 February 2 12:54pm the 6.3 magnatite quake struck Christchurch. The house was violently shaking, at first you do not know what is happening, it feels as if you are standing on a small boat on choppy water. Christchurch is in a state of disbelieve, shock and horror. Natures fury has struck. Luckily we got away unscaved. Many others didn't.


The House where I was staying at with my uncle is completely demolished, it collapsed with the pure for of the quake, luckily he came out of it all alive.

Now I am in Nelson, a town on the Northern point of the south island, I am leaving for the Cook Islands in 5 days and the excitment within me cannot be contained anymore. Surf, Surf,Snorkel,Surf. that should some it up.

Ill send you visual stimualtion, you supply the imagination.

Captian Planet signing out till next time kids!

I can't seem to upload any photos of my own of Christchurch or milford so i took some off the net.

Today is my day,its about the number 1...

I have been away from home for one month now alraedy. One actually can"t ever believe how time waits for no one.

I am one happy, lucky guy!

Today I competed in my first ever New Zealand Bodyboarding event. The Arato Bodyboarding Pro in Port Waikato south of Auckland. I won!! 1,One,first. I batteled it through to the quarter finals of the pro division and got knocked. I had the amateurs/men division up next and was not going to make the same stupid mistakes I made in the pro heats.

I learnt from my mistakes and never held back for one second,the finals was a 20 minute heat, the conditions was tough, I put my head down and focused on the job I had to do.I did it. The conditions was tough out there with some big lumpy swell pushing through with a steady onshore blowing, as the coast was still reeling from the devastating cyclone that the north of New Zealand on high alert.Illfill u in with more detils on my next blog post.

For now, I would like to thank my loved ones, my friends and sponsors- Sport Unlimited and Agent 18, for all the support Sorm and Kerri for being so awesome

Roll on 20eeeelll-heaven!!

Drifting lessons:

Travelling teaches you lessons, whether it is life, personal or just funny things. I got some some lesson stories to share with you all.

1.       Living in South Africa can be hard sometimes but you realize how lucky you are. You have someone to fill your car with petrol. Not over here. I get out of the car look around in the hope that someone will come save me from my misery.

 I don’t know how to fill up a car. Well I do in my head, you take the nozzle and stick in and squeeze the trigger. Easy .Yea easy. Needles to say I managed to spill fuel all over the floor as many people around me got to witness my misfortune.

2.       Doors have keys. This hotel had cards, like all normal good hotels. But a card to use the elevator? The elevator only works when you insert your room key card into a slot below the floor level buttons. I sat like a tool in the 3 elevators that are there trying to get to my room on the 19^th floor. It was 1 am, after36hrs of travelling. Go figure.

 The car was packed. No plans. A full tank of gas and a map. Ok, let’s go.

The road trip up north to explore the most northern part of New Zealand was very cool. The place is beautiful. The best part of it all was that you will be driving for hours and not see any humans but sheep, sheep, sheep a couple of cows and road kill. Plenty road kill. 8 Days and only 2 police patrol vehicles. Sweet, I thought to myself that this is going to be a good trip!

The first night was spent somewhere in Whangarei, we just drove and drove till we found a very small but beautiful camping park. We stayed in a cabin for that night watching the sunset over the ocean.

The next morning we went off looking to get a tent. Got the tent, did some shopping and on the road again. We set our sights on a small sea side village called Russel. After driving for about 3-4 hours we drove past a sign that said glow worm caves. We turned around and went straight there.

I did not know what to expect and my o my, was it ever so humbling to see that. We went on the tour and walked in the caves the tour guide kindly asked that no photos are to be taken as they disturb the glow worms. We continued walking and after about a couple of minutes we got told to turn off all the lamps and look to the ceiling of the caves. It was amazing. Pitch black and all u see are millions of small green lights glowing away. It looked like the milky-way. Very cool indeed.

Arriving in Russel in the late afternoon after a short ferry ride, I was very taken back by the amount of yachts and boats moored and cruising about. People fishing kids playing in the water it was like a scene from a movie.

For the remainder of our stay in Russel we stayed at the backpackers, meeting and hanging out with some really cool people. Russel is most definitely worth a second visit.

After 3 days in Russel we went up to Taupo bay. Camped there for a night. We were kept awake by the weirdest noises of animals and creatures moving about and eating around the tent.

We then drove up to Cape Reinga on a very windy and rainy day. It is the most northern point of New Zealand. It holds loads of history and many stories. On the point you look out into the ocean and see where the two oceanic currents meet. Violently clashing against each other. It was so beautiful, all the landscapes and scenery.

That night we camped on a beach. It was so nice. I had my First surf in New Zealand waters in some fun waves, just me and all the fish around me. It got a bit creepy sitting in the water by yourself with some big fish swimming about. I decided to get out and do some mind surfing being satisfied with my first wave encounter.

The next night we spend in Waipoua forest. We went to go see the oldest and biggest Kauri tree in the world. It was huge. Standing 51m tall and 13m in girth. It leaves you breathless with it pure raw beauty. Sleeping in the forest was interesting as it felt as we were being hunted by blood sucking beasts. Mozzie galore!!

I had been spending the last couple of days in Mt. Manganui, a peaceful coastal village with some good waves. On Sunday we took the Jet Ski out to Matakana Island to surf a Specific wave. It is about a 20 min ride, about midway through we encountered a pod of orcas with babies. We were right in the middle of them; we hastily turned around gaining some distance between us and them. I had never seen such beautiful animals, absolutely amazing.

Yesterday Stormo and I surfed an artificial reef that was mainly built for stand up surfers but it turned out to be way too steep for them to take off on. Bodyboarders heaven.

One thing about this place is that there are no snakes and no venomous spiders, the sun is so potent here and I have never been burnt as I was on Sunday, through 3 layers of 50spf, and it was only 24 degrees. The landscapes are beautiful, the fishing is amazing the food is good but the booze is expensive!

Much love

Deon