March Madness

Things that go bump in the night

These fuckers still surf good in the dark. No fair.

If you were the last person left on an island...

Last year a lone super model decided, after seven years of being ridiculously ridiculously good looking, that she needed a break, a bit of time to herself away from all the flashbulbs and catwalks. So she read about a place in Tahiti whose name meant 'The End Of The Road' in Tahitian. It sounded perfect. Just what a jaded model needed: peace and quiet, away from her phone, stalker boyfriend and publicist. Unfortunately for her, the lovely lady in question went to that place called Teahupoo slap bang in the middle of the comp. And instead of listless days of lounging on an empty beach,  got 50 hyped up surfer dudes and all their circus sweating over her for a week. This one's for the ladies. Wonder if she'll be at Bells?

Girls_in_tahiti from Stab on Vimeo.

Little Bit of Decorating

So, newly jazzed up (but still sporadically updated) This Curved Coast moves out into the world with a new set of threads on. Like a new lick of paint, clean walls look great, but look better when you hang some pictures on them. Hope you like it!

Like Most Good Things..

They come from South By South West

Freelance Whales - Second Generator Floor

Laax Through The Eyes Of A Fish

My digital camera is resting somewhere 'neath the white snows of Switzerland, so all Ive got is my fisheye. Bendy pics of our trip be here.

In absence of Snow, Sigur Ros

Hello the internet. Just back from a little trip to Laax in Switzerland. Ended it all with a morning of fresh tracks and blue skies and finally cruised to the bottom of the mountain with feet throbbing and heart beating. If there's a better thing than snowboarding on a blue skied powder day in the world, I've yet to find it. 
Alas, I lost my camera to Rum Punch and an open pocket, so photo's are lacking. But in the mean time I read an article about Sigur Ros front man Jon Birgison's new solo album today, and it reminded me about my favorite Take Away Show. The amazing thing about the Take Away Show concept is seeing the musicanship of the bands up close, and realising just how talented they are in composition and performance. So, as the title says, no snow, but Sigur Ros. Enjoy.

Sigur Ros - Við spilum endalaust - A Take Away Show from La Blogotheque on Vimeo.

Saturation Point?

You'd sometimes wonder if pro's like Fergal Smith get sick of wave after wave of pitching emerald lips that could possibly maim you, of grinding slabs detonating inches behind you, of organ displacing drops down sheer faces, of the feeling of spray on the back of your head as you get flung out the front door of your tenth heaving pit of the day. You would wonder.. Doesn't look like he does though..

Fergal Smith - February from Astray Films on Vimeo.

My Eyes Found These Images

Quik Recap

Meanwhile, the slightly more conventionally inspirational Top 44 kicked of their year at a resurrected Snapper Rocks in Oz last week. WA boy Taj Burrows won it, and hopefully clears the way for the perennial runner up to have a good crack at the title this year. But watching the (very cinematic) footage, he may have a scrap on his hands. Next up, Bells, March 30th to April 10th.

Stab, Quik Pro, Highlights from Stab on Vimeo.

Birthright

This is probably one of the more amazing pieces of surf related footage any of us will ever see. It's a short film by a guy called Sean Mullins about his friend who is wheelchair bound, but still a surfer. Inspirational stuff. Sean also has a couple of other beautifully shot shorts here.

BIRTHRIGHT from Sean Mullens on Vimeo.

Lost your passport in Kosovo?

Then these guys probably can't help you. But they will invite you in for a cup of tea, and possibly even reward you with a Guinness pen. Class.

The Unofficial Irish Embassy Kosovo

Excellent News For Bundoran

It seems the standard is about to rise further up in the North West with the announcement of plans for a Surfing Center of Excellence in Bundoran. It's great news for Irish Surfing, and further evidence (for better or worse!) of surfing's infiltration into the mainstream of sport and culture here in Ireland. Just a number of years ago, even the thought of getting funding for anything surfing related would have been laughable. This, along with the slow rise of the skate park across the country means that non traditional sports (which are just as valid an outlet as Rugby, Soccer, Gaa etc. and just as beneficial in every sense) are finally getting a crack of the whip. The only other such center in Europe is in Portugal, so we are placing ourselves at the forefront of Surfing excellence development by doing this. 

Only problem now is the next time you paddle out within a ten mile radius of Bundoran you're going to be surrounded 20 air reverse popping groms and will probably have to drive to Dublin to get a wave off a local. The price of progress!


Pic from Mindscape.ie on Bundorandsurfco.com.

Two Foot Glass, Castle, Snow Capped Mountains. Literally.

It seems the power of abstract descriptive titles has left me for the moment, but the literal one's tend to do the trick pretty nicely. Except to describe the feeling of trimming along a perfectly tapered bank of flowing liquid glass on a beautiful blue skied early spring morning with just one other guy out, no one but the shadows on the beach, and the tips of the mountains in the background covered in the pristine whiteness of snow. Not to mention the gloriousness of a drive through this landscape listening to Phoenix, or that feeling of bright stillness when you step out of the van and onto the sand to check the surf.. But that besides, literal descriptions are rad.

Laax Attack

With the sound of cowbells and the taste of Swiss chocolate at the tip of our tongues and the edge of our ears, I remembered this little vid I threw together after Laax last year. Only a week to go. Frothing.

Bangin' tune, bad snowboarding, nice scenery!

LAAX Attack from Emmet Condon on Vimeo.

Ski Scotland

Thoughts were thunk, flights were booked, rental cars were driven, sights were gasped at, Davina was passed on a bike, lifts were taken, draglifts were complained about, beautiful scenery was gasped at anew, people were friendly, ale was drank, pictures were taken. And, oh yes, snow was ridden during the best ski season Scotland has had for 30 years. 

Surf, Lady Surf, Surf, Stars.

More Tuneage

The Middle East - Blood