Ratter Hakka
Day after New Years we drove back to Christchurch heading past Moeraki Boulders, a strange and famous phenomenon where limestone boulders are formed under ground. Over time they are compacted and as the land erodes they end up on the beach, looking like full on dino eggs! These date back 60 million years!
Headed backup to Christchurch where the first few days in New Years were pretty flat/blown to shit, so we just chilled and I managed one more surf at Hick's Bay. Again it was super flat everywhere else but that day scored with a slightly smaller but super glassy 2-3 ft. Just did a bit of sightseeing and took in more awesome scenery (along with visiting some recruitment agencies to see how I'd fair out there).
Final week I'd booked myself into an Eco Lodge for a couple of nights in New Plymouth on the West Coast of the North Island. After an arduous journey, a cancelled plane (due to bad weather), six hours in a mini bus we headed up near Mount Taranaki.
And so onto Surf Highway 45, where I was hoping to score some classic surf. Basically there are about 35 surf breaks within 50 miles of themselves.
Due to the geography the only wind that causes a problem is a dead westerly. First thing in the morning I went to New Plymouth famous Fitzroy beach. What I saw was Porthcawlesque coloured waters and 3ft onshore mush burgers. No major swell forecasted and it was looking like the last week of my trip may be a complete crapout.
After looking at my surf bible I headed round the corner to where its 'usually 2ft bigger than Fitzroy' and it was pumping, overhead, clean, relatively glassy and only three guys out.That night I celebrated with some beers and wine.
Got speaking to a guy who'd worked as a horse trainer on 'Lord of the Rings' (Ant) and a Japanese guy who was an extra on 'The Last Samurai' (Cagi).
NZ is being used for some famous films at the moment, the scenery is so rugged and sparse it blends beautifully for any kind of wilderness shots.
I went out with these two and got right royally OTL wrecked. Got thrown out of a bar, refused entry at another and then got lost in town for 5 hours. I got a taxi the next morning at 7:30 to the hostel after sheltering in a BK's drive through bit. NUMPTY
Next day was the drive up to the famous Raglan town, home of Manu Bay, Whale Bay and not for the feint hearted Indicators - 'Indies'. I wasn't expecting much in the way of classic surf. NZ was experiencing a pretty bad summer when it came to waves and weather so my hopes where pretty low.
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