Tracks May - June 2021

A group of young surfers I knew were rolling down the street on a Wednesday night. Eyes glassy with half a dozen beers, hearts set on a few more at another pub. ‘What’s the occasion I asked?’ ‘A mate’s flying to Mexico!’ came the boozy response. “We’re having a few beers to see him off.” They might as well have said he’s flying to the moon. Mexico seemed an impossible dream in these strange times with Australia adrift at the bottom of the world in a kind of purgatory. Mostly spared the horrors of COVID but trapped in our Down Under Bubble. No one really allowed in and no one really allowed out. It seemed the kid had figured a way to wriggle through the bureaucratic wormholes.Told them he had a job in Costa…

When Craig Anderson, John Respondek, and their friend Mad Dog saw the forecast they knew this particular collision of swell and coast was likely to be pulsing. Despite numerous missions to the NSW south coast it was one spot they’d always danced around. Craig had never surfed it, Respondek had never shot it from the water, and Mad Dog had never piloted the ski in the fickle, near-shore lineup. Maybe their virginal status had something to do with the fact that the beastly wave broke a board length away from imposing rocks and seemed almost impossible to ride to the naked eye. However, others had run the rocky gauntlet and lived, so there was no avoiding the challenge. It was a thing that had to be done. Once in the water,…

Skating and surfing have enjoyed a symbiotic relationship over the decades. In the early 60s, when skate culture first started to get its grip on the asphalt, the four-wheelers were frequently referred to as sidewalk surfers. Then Larry Bertlemann showed up in the early 70s and started tearing up lineups with his rubberman act. While surfers were trying to figure out Larry’s radical lines the skaters were busy pulling ‘Berts’ on concrete embankments. This involved crouching as low as you could go over the board and then planting the leading arm as you twisted through a frontside carve. By the early 80s the skating vanguard were performing a range of tricks at altitude. It wasn’t long before the likes of Matt Kechele, Matt Archbold, Davey Smith and Martin Potter were…

As Australian property prices go, loony developers are desperate to get their hands on space in Sydney’s densely populated eastern beaches. However, no matter how good the offer, the faithfully departed folk who reside at Clovelly cemetery (see photo backdrop) are not giving up their view of the waves for anyone. The Pacific Ocean spectacle is particularly ‘enlivening’ on days like this one in early May, when a westerly-licked groundswell aimed directly at a slug of well-formed sand off Bronte. It was a Saturday morning and as the entire east coast turned on, most surfers stampeded towards more fashionable set-ups. However, early in the morning, eastern suburbs lensman, Bill Morris, had received a tip off that an outside bank at Bronte was hurling big, sand-bottom slabs. He figured he’d take his…

Freesurfer and entrepreneur Dion Agius likes to put a creative twist on his projects. Whether he’s launching airs, designing a sunglasses label or producing a new film, Dion typically strives to introduce something entirely different to the surfing sphere. His latest surf film, ‘Dark Hollow’, has a subliminal environmental agenda and is framed around his home state of Tasmania. Dark Hollow is actually the east coast, Tassi’ town Dion grew up in. Perhaps channelling the slightly medieval tone of his stomping ground’s name, he elected to weave in a recurring theme involving a surf witch.When he needed someone to play the part, he asked Esta, the girlfriend of photog John Respondek, if she was willing to cast spells in front of the camera. Dion is famously hands on with his approach,…

BEHIND THE COVER: WADE GOODALL BY JOHN RESPONDEK “This trip to the Mentawai was with Wade, Harry, Dane, Droid, Taj & Coleborn. The images bring back some great memories for me, and make me realise how much I miss Indonesia, its dreamy blue waters and cooking waves. It really is the best place in the world for a surfing trip (and beer drinking trip) with friends.We have another one booked in for next year. Fingers crossed we can make it.” EVENT REPORT THE SURFAID CUP Each year Surfaid hosts a series of tag team surf events to raise money for the important work it does providing communities in Indonesia, Mexico and the Solomon Islands with access to healthcare, clean water and improved nutrition. In the recently held Surfaid Cup at Bondi Tracks (team pictured…