SB_Edition_49-online

anything and everything about surfboards, even one made of chopsticks
issue
49
AUTUMN 20
f r e e
SURF MAG
island hop
a timely reminder to live life to the full

Lazy Sundae
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smorgasboarder
photo: @kilikaiahuna
surfer: laurie myr
on holidays with island hop maldives
what more reason do you need?
2020 has been a cyclone in every way.
We’ve had fires, we’ve had floods, we seem to have
dodged a world war (phew)… and now we’re smack
in the middle of an honest-to-goodness pandemic.
Not some zombie Netflix special – the real deal.
With the ongoing toilet paper wars and Aldi-shelfstripping
doomsday-prepping, we’re living through
the worst lesson possible being taught to our kids:
“Screw everyone else, just look out for number 1”…
Ironically, all driven by an irrational fear of number 2.
With all the anxiety around what tomorrow may or
may not bring, it’s timely to stop. The question we
really need to ask ourselves is “How much more of a
reason do we need to live for today?”
Do all the dumb things. Hug your loved ones. Play
with your dog. Catch a wave with a friend (just ensure
you are 1.5 metres apart). Build a surfboard out of
chopsticks…
What?
Yup, you read right. Build a surfboard out of
chopsticks (see page 32). Plan your post-travel-ban
trip to the Maldives (Page 20). Build a guitar out of
matchsticks and get 50,000 new Facebook friends
(Page 40). Drive supplies around for people who need
help (page 51). Another example. (page 46).
Live, love, and life will return your positivity in spades.
How much more of a reason do you need to live for
today?
3

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smorgasboarder
scan this!
to get into listening at smorgasboarder.com.au/podcast/
issue
autumn 2 0 2 0
forty-nine
03 foreword
11 stuff
18 controversy
20 island hop holidays
32 chop suey surfboard
40 matchstick guitar
42 the deep south
59 gear
64 music
cover photo
surfer: josie prendergast
photo: @chrisgrundyphoto
WINNER
BEST NON-DAILY
PUBLICATION
QUEENSLAND MULTIMEDIA
AWARDS 2013
FINALIST
BEST NON-DAILY
PUBLICATION
QUEENSLAND MULTIMEDIA
AWARDS 2017
want to get your hands on a copy?
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1) subscribe - the mag is still free - you
just pay for delivery. 4 editions per year -
$25 annual subscription (Aus and NZ)
2) call in to one of the businesses
featured in this mag - they’ll have some
free copies. If they're not, they won't.
3) download or read it online at
smorgasboarder.com.au
smorgasboarder.com.au
Smorgasboarder is published by Huge C Media PTY
LTD ABN 30944673055. All information is correct at
time of going to press. The publication cannot accept
responsibility for errors in articles or advertisements, or
unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or illustrations.
The opinions and words of the authors do not
necessarily represent those of the publishers. All rights
reserved. Reproduction in part or whole is strictly
prohibited without prior permission.
listen up!
the
smorgasboarder
podcast:
full-length interviews and
conversations
enjoy an intimate listen-in with
alex and dave, as they have
interesting chats with interesting
people about surfing, surfboard
building and completely unrelated
things.
available on:
iTunes/Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Buzzsprout
(search for smorgasboarder and
remember to hit subscribe)
or listen on our website
smorgasboarder.com.au for
additional links and show notes
editorial & advertising
dave swan
dave@smorgasboarder.com.au
0401 345 201
editorial contributer
alex benaud
alex@smorgasboarder.com.au
0423 950 235
new zealand
jiff morris
jeff@smorgasboarder.co.nz
0220 943 913
south australia
jimmy ellis
james@smorgasboarder.com.au
0410 175 552
design
the team at horse & water creative
mark, kate, helen, taylah
mark@horseandwater.com.au
accounts
louise gough
louise@smorgasboarder.com.au
10

smorgasboarder
stuff
KenOath
It’s road trip season
Australian streetwear label KenOath recently released their latest tee
celebrating the Holden Valiant. Yes, a sore point for some given Holden’s
recent desertion of Australia but at least with this tee we can still revel in the
golden years.
Des Hughes, founder of KenOath, had this to say, “The design is based on
an old Safari wagon we used in our first photoshoot back in 2012. I rate the
artwork up there with anything currently available on a surf t-shirt. It features
a pencil-drawn design with 30 plus hours work in it. Photos just don't do it
justice. The detail in the drawing is just insane. On a tee it looks unreal.”
We also had to laugh at another of their latest designs which is a parody on
those Queensland souvenir tea towels.
kenoath.com.au
safari wagon used in
KenOath's first photoshoot
back in 2012
11

smorgasboarder
stuff
hang your favourite surfboards with this
simple & invisible solution
Lazy Sundae
lazy sundae
A sneak peak into the lazy sundae aw20 collection.
Staying true to their lazy values and love for a sundae
session, while adding a rock and roll style that’s sure to
bring out the Jim Morrison in everyone. Follow them on
instagram to keep in the know at lazy.sundae or check
them out online for their new release coming soon!
lazysundaeclothing.com
seazinc
100% natural
and organic sun
care products
handcrafted and
hand-poured in
Australia.
Natural tinted Face Zinc,
Lip Balm, and After- Sun Body
Oil. All products contain pure and high quality organic
ingredients to nourish your skin and protect from
the elements. Packaging is completely recyclable in
Australia. Get your SeaZinc on before your next paddle
out! Purchase from stockists or online.
seazinc.com.au
FCS FCSII FUTURES
SINGLE
sheppsolutions | sheppsolutions.com
12

smorgasboarder
stuff
board traction for the 21st century
Looking for a wax free traction solution? Contribute
to a more sustainable planet with RSPro traction
products.
No more mess or missing waves while you’re waxing
up! HexaTraction is a modular traction system to suit
any size board and can be combined with our cork
front foot deck grip where a greater level of traction is
required.
rspro.com.au
coastal sports kaikoura
Since 2003. Owner operated, hardware focused,
passion run business.
Coldwater surf specialist, adventure gear and all the
fun stuff.
This year's shop resolution surf more, have more
adventures and consume less.
Call on +64 3 319 5028
coastalsports.co.nz
real surf
pedal and paddle
Whenuakura (Donut) Island.
Coromandel’s must do trip with Pedal and Paddle.
Guided or Self Guided options available.
pedalandpaddle.co.nz
P
X
E
N
O
L
E
R
W
E
Z
W
H
E
A
A
N
L
G
A
A M
A
D
N
T A
In the creation of the Wellington surf scene, only
slightly less important than the Duke bringing surfing to
Wellington in 1917, was Roger Titcombe picking up the
planer and sure form in 1971. A place where dinosaurs,
humans, savants and degenerates frequent to babble
questionable surf chat, REAL SURF is a Wellington
surfing institution. The Wellington surf scene may have
changed a bit since 1971, but like the Wellington wind,
Roger and the Real Surf team remain relentless in their
pursuit of being Aotearoa's No.1 core surf store. This is
one of Roger holding a team board from the 80's.
realsurf.co.nz
13

smorgasboarder
stuff
the seasons
words: jase johns
If you’re like me, you love “The Seasons”. You
know the moment… the day you wake up, and the
air is different. It’s scented with Spring or that of a
changing Autumn breeze. Either way, you know,
things will be ever so slightly different from here on in.
However, there’s still a moment to enjoy what’s left
of the season passing. Summer is outside… it’s surf
and sun and all things outdoors. We don’t want it to
leave, however understand there’s also play time just
around the corner again over those winter months.
Time is precious. We need to make the most of what
we have left. Like a wilting flower, a leaf before it
changes colour and drops to the ground… we need
to make the most of this short changeover. I feel an
End-Of-Season Roadie is in order…
1. Tackle Out: After a good early wave,
the struggle of getting out
of your wettie, is balanced
with the comfort and ease
provided by your Ocean
& Earth Poncho. These are
an absolute must for any
carpark surfer… no more
inconvenient towel drop or
needing to stay alert to the
positioning of your mates
around the wagon.
3. Loafing: And then
there’s the casual meet
up at the pub on the
way home… feet are
numb and thongs just don’t
cut it at this time of year. REEF have
created this easy option – the Cushion Bounce
Matey. As much as it’s easy use, there has been
nothing left out in the design… an elasticated
loafer, with a super comfy cork sole and PVC
free upper. And, after a great session, if life’s just
a bit too much, they’ve built them with a folddown
heel… you don’t have to do anything, just
walk into them!!!
Winter is not far away, but for the time being, the sun
is out and there’s still some swell rolling in. Get out
and enjoy it. And, if there’s anything you need, as
always, we have a shop full of product or jump on
our website for further information.
NZ Shred
nzshred.co.nz
2. Up-da-Rubber: The water is cooling, but
more so, the air temperature is biting at
you in these later summer months. If
it’s not in your budget to shell out for a
new winter wettie, like one of the new
Sisstrevolution 7 Seas 4/3 Chest Zip,
then perhaps the addition of a Ripcurl
E-Bomb or Aggrolite 1.5mm Neoprene
Jackets over your existing neoprene sleeve
might mitigate the shivers for a while.
14

smorgasboarder
Surf Collective completes the third year of their high school initiative
sprout
In keeping with Surf Collective’s ambition of giving
small, independent, Aussie surf businesses a
voice, they run a programme with Year 10 and 11
business students at their local Barrenjoey High
School in Avalon Beach.
The idea behind it is to get kids engaged in their
studies by inviting them to come up with a surf
related business and apply what they learn in class
to their business idea. As part of the programme,
the folks from Surf Collective spend time in
the classroom providing students with insights
around branding and how brand development can
be successfully applied to their business idea.
Pleasingly, teachers administering the programme
have noticed a marked improvement in student
engagement since Surf Collective came on board.
As each school year draws to close, a ‘Shark Tank’
style night is held where students present their
business ideas with parents invited to come along.
The directors of Surf Collective, along with James
from their Café Collab, The Sneaky Grind Café in
Avalon act as the ‘Sharks’ on the night. The kids
give the Sharks their pitches and answer a bunch
of questions.
Reportedly the quality of the business ideas and
plans presented late last year were absolutely
fantastic, making it extremely hard to pick a winner,
who incidentally is awarded $1000 to kickstart
their business. As a consequence, last year’s prize
money was split between two businesses, one
being an environmentally friendly jewellery brand
called Water Salt, and the other an ocean inspired
environmentally friendly bees wax food wrap called
Lovedbybeez. Best of all, both of these businesses
are now available on surfcollective.com.au and also
at their Collab store within The Sneaky Grind Café.
It’s great to not only see a local business promoting
independent Australian brands, but also working
within their local community at the grassroots level
to encourage the next generation to start their very
own surf related business. Who knows what great
future business may be uncovered next?
surf collective
surfcollective.com.au
15

...sure
beats hanging
with the
elves...*
What more do you need?
* not actually Santa

anything and everything about surfboards, even one made of chopsticks
issue
49
AUTUMN 20
f r e e
SURF
MAG
1.
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is available to download or
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island hop
a timely reminder to live life to the full
2.
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Wear it, use it... There’s always a great selection
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SMORGASBOARDER
all of this now at
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smorgasboarder
18

smorgasboarder
#fightforthebight
oil
&
water
DON’T MIX
#fightforthebight: effect
words: jimmy ellis
Centralised approaches are organised, controlled
and bring about predictable linear results.
Oil companies aim to exploit resources from natural
environments in the most cost-effective ways
to obtain and sell for profit. The least amount of
resistance the better. Australia, Great Australian
Bight, 50,000 people: Easy, they thought.
Equinor abandoned their plans in 2020. And along
with the photos across these pages, you may well
have been part of the ‘effect’ that led to their swift
exit. Many thanks to all those who took part in the
conversation as we joined to #fightforthebight
The benefit of things that are not centralised is that
they are not controlled by a small bunch of people.
Instead they are shared by many, influenced by
many, and the consensus of the many, delivers
a shared result. We were decentralised as we
represented our thoughts, beliefs and convictions.
Despite these differences, we were united on the
platform of the fight for the bight alliance, which
gave space for you and I, and every other punter
who loves jumping in the ocean, to be aligned with
disapproval towards exploiting our ocean.
In 1969 Edward N. Lorenz, a scientist studying
the atmosphere, stumbled upon this effect: the
difference in pressure caused by the flapping of a
butterfly’s wings in China, could be as little as the
difference between 1 and 1,00000000001 bar, but
it could cause the onset of a tornado in Texas. The
butterfly, this tiny creature, was chosen as its effect
on atmospheric dynamics was presumed small, and
a tornado was chosen as its meteorological size is
about as extreme as one can get.
So the butterfly effect refers to the impact of
extremely small perturbations in a system and is
an essential characteristic of a chaotic system. The
butterfly effect describes how a small change in one
state of a deterministic nonlinear system can result
in large differences in a later state.
Did your effort; contribute to this effect? Kudos
goes to Belgium photo journalist, Barbara
Debeukelaere for this connect. Many surfing and
coastal photographers gave images to support
the cause and one of the biggest supporters of
Smorgasboarder over 7 years has been Bight
photographer, Hayden Richards! @sa_rips Support
him by purchasing his images online.
Next steps: Can you continue the conversation and
apply it in new settings in your local context. Mention
the Bight in the car park and in the surf.
In the words of Indigenous elder Uncle Bunna: “Be a
caretaker” as you continue to #fightforthebight
For more information visit: fightforthebight.com.au
From all those involved, to all those involved: great
work, and #fightforthebight
19

smorgasboarder
island
Recent events, our work-around-the-clock mentality and the frenetic pace of the world today
command that we pause for just a moment, take stock of our lives, consider what is truly
important and ensure from this day forth, we make the most of our time here on earth.
photo: @chrisgrundyphoto
20

smorgasboarder
hop
words: dave swan
With all that is presently going on around the
world, and having experienced the recent passing
of a good friend, it was a timely reminder for me
personally, to live life to the full and strongly
consider a trip to my most desired surf destination
I was yet to visit – the Maldives – that tropical
island paradise with perfect waves and translucent
water. In my mind, it was time.
When it came to researching such a spot, there
really was no better person to turn to than the man
who was one of the very first few people to run surf
trips there. The person I speak of is Shaun Levings,
founder and former owner of World Surfaris. And
he just so happened to have recently re-entered
the fray running bespoke surf tours throughout the
Maldives.
21

smorgasboarder
isl
photo: island hop maldives
22

smorgasboarder
and
Just before this edition went to print, I caught up
with Shaun and his son Jai, who is his partner in
a new venture aptly named Island Hop Maldives.
For the benefit of our readers and those who have
perhaps not read earlier editions of our magazine,
I asked Shaun to provide us with just a short
rundown on his history in the surf travel industry.
“I guess it all harks back to my days at Thomas
Cook Travel in the late 80s when I got introduced to
surf tourism. My manager at Thomas Cook Travel
in Mona Vale was a mad surfer and he saw an ad in
the paper for a job at The Surf Travel Company.”
Shaun enquired as to whether his manager was
trying to get rid of him. The answer was quite the
opposite, he just knew of Shaun’s passion for surf
and adventure.
“The ad was for a manager of The Surf Travel
Company down in Cronulla. So, I drove down
there and met Paul King. He was a pioneer of surf
tourism. Back then he was doing a lot of trips to
G-Land and Lombok and Sumbawa charters – this
is before there were any boats operating around the
Mentawais. Anyhow, I got the job and he sent me
to Indo for a month.”
Paul considered it to be part of Shaun’s education
- so he knew what he was selling. With Paul also
regularly undertaking trips away, it wasn’t long
before Shaun found himself managing the agency
at age 24 assuming the title of General Manager.
It was a baptism of fire. Through that time, The
Surf Travel Company grew considerably. After three
years in the gig and recently married, Shaun and
his wife Jacqui decided to make the move to the
Sunshine Coast after honeymooning in Noosa. It
was 1996.
Not having enough saved to set up his own travel
agency, Shaun got a job at Harvey World Travel in
Caloundra. He struck an agreement with the owner,
Kevin Clarke, to develop the surf travel side of the
business. The first product he represented were
surf trips to the Maldives aboard a boat called the
Vindu owned by Lewis Perry. The charters went
by the name Maldives Surfaris and Shaun ended
up buying the business and turned it into World
Surfaris. The year was 1997. What happened next?
“World Surfaris went gangbusters over the next 20
years and then I got out.”
It was a hugely successful business and made for
some pretty special family holidays but nonetheless
coming into 2016 Shaun found himself burnt out.
An attractive offer came across his table a little later
that year and he took it.
“It was time.
“You have to love what you are doing and I am a
firm believer in life, you only get one shot at it. The
business had grown to such a point that it was
stressful. There was a lot of juggling.”
Shaun “reinvented himself” over the next few years,
took some time to relax and then started working in
the disability support field, something he still does
today and finds to be incredibly rewarding.
Shaun’s son, Jai, had meanwhile finished school
and started working with superyachts over in Fort
Lauderdale.
“You have to love
what you are
doing and I am a
firm believer in
life, you only get
one shot at it...
hop
23

smorgasboarder
I was keen to hear what the catalyst was to lure
Shaun back into the surf tourism fold.
“I got a call from my very good friend Dr Sobah
who owns two boats in the Maldives, the Handhu,
which is 90 foot, and the Handufali, which is 70
foot. The boats hadn’t operated in two years. They
didn’t have an agent and he had other business
interests, which are quite successful in their own
right, that had taken up his focus.
“Anyhow, a good friend of his General Zuhair
had retired from the Maldivian Army, he was the
former head of the Coast Guard. He mentioned
to Dr Sobah how he needed to do something
with his time and Dr Sobah suggested he get the
boats back up and running. He mentioned he had
someone in Australia that may be able to assist
him.”
The gentlemen contacted Shaun and whilst
initially reticent, once he was made aware of
Zuhair’s expertise and status in the community, it
immediately appealed.
“It all kind of fell into place. It also made perfect
sense to bring Jai into the business given his
experience with the super yachting industry.”
Jai added, “I saw the appeal of bringing my
experience with super yachting to luxury surf
charters, with the intent of staying on board for the
duration of each trip to ensure the guests’ needs
were attended to.”
isl
Shaun further reinforced this viewpoint
commenting that the best surf businesses
he represented through his years at World
Surfaris were the owner operators.
“When the owners are onboard, the quality
is there, they have a vested interest and they
are committed to making the guests happy.
And whilst Jai and I don’t own these boats, we
have bought into the company and want it to
succeed.”
“I saw the appeal
of bringing my
experience with
super yachting
to luxury surf
charters, with the
intent of staying
on board for the
duration of each
trip to ensure the
guests’ needs were
attended to.”
Having family involved with a vested interest
no doubt increases the desire to ensure guests
aboard the Handhu have the time of their life.
“Having Jai physically there on board to oversee
preventative maintenance procedures and quality
control is vital,” said Shaun.
Jai added, “It makes our service more
personalised. We’re not simply renting out a boat
from back in Australia. I am living onboard and
therefore it is my home. I am going to look after it
and ensure it is safe for that reason, and I want the
guests to have fun because I am there with them.”
24

hop
smorgasboarder
and
photo: @kilikaiahuna
photo: @chrisgrundyphoto
25

smorgasboarder
photo: @chrisgrundyphoto
photo: @chrisgrundyphoto
By now Shaun and Jai had convinced me that if I was
to go to the Maldives, it would be aboard the Handhu.
With that said, I was keen to hear more about the team
and the boat’s facilities.
“(Chef) Gopal is incredible. He’s from India and can
cook a mean curry and his mas huni is out of this
world. It’s a local dish consisting of fresh tuna, coconut
and spice, and he makes this roti bread as well. It is
beautiful,” remarked Jai.
h
Shaun echoed these sentiments. “Josie Prendergast,
who has been on a trip with us (who is on the cover of
this edition), that’s the first thing she asked. Can we get
some mas huni? Gopal even ended up doing a bit of a
cooking show aboard that trip.
“If you catch a big fish, he will fillet it up and you’ll be
dining on sashimi within minutes. He’s amazing.
“The entire crew is in fact amazing and they are eager
and enthusiastic. We have a nice uniform for them now
and they’re proud.”
The boat itself is an enormous 90 feet, complete with
three levels and a massive sun deck.
“It’s the sunset deck. At the end of the day when you
are surfed out and are coming in on the tinny at dusk, a
crew member hands you a coldie and you go straight up
to the sunset deck, put the music on… it’s awesome”
says Shaun with a big smile on his dial, no doubt
recalling his last time aboard the Handhu.
photo: @chrisgrundyphoto
photo: @chrisgrundyphoto
26

smorgasboarder
island
photo: @chrisgrundyphoto
op
The Handhu accommodates up to 10 guests.
Shaun elaborated, “Occasionally we can
accommodate more. We have a group of 12
coming across soon. There’s seven cabins on
board the boat but two of these are usually taken
up by Jai and the crew.”
Of the 5 guest cabins, there’s a double bed and
single bunk above in each room. Each cabin has
their own bathroom, hot water and air conditioning.
Dormitory style accommodation and one bathroom,
which is often par for the course with a lot of boats,
is not the go on the Handhu. It is luxury all the way.
It makes the prospect of a boat trip even more
appealing for couples. Let’s face it, when you’re
away with your partner, you really don’t feel like
sharing a bathroom with a bunch of guys.
“It’s for that reason a lot of couples who come to
the Maldives go to a resort. But they don’t see the
real Maldives. They don’t get to the village islands,
experience the culture, go snorkelling at deserted
sand bank islands. We are very much aiming our
trips at not just surfers in general but couples,” said
Shaun.
Jai added, “There’s heaps of activities. We have a
standup paddleboard so you can paddle over to an
island, we have snorkelling gear, we check out the
whale sharks and mantas… you don’t have to surf
all the time.”
Trips aboard the Handhu can be of any duration but
in the main are 7 or 10 nights.
“We promote 7 nights for our Malé atoll charters,
where there’s about 10 breaks within 5 hours, or we
have the longer trips if you want to get to the more
remote regions, which will require an overnight
crossing. We don’t have a rigid itinerary and are
happy to alter plans according to where the wind
and swell are favourable,” said Shaun.
27

island
It was nice to hear breaks are selected in
accordance with the surf needs of the group.
“If it is 6-8 foot in peak season and that’s beyond
the group, we can seek out more user-friendly
waves. There’s lots of options and often we
anchor the boat in the channel where we can
access different breaks.”
Considering Shaun has pretty much been to
every imaginable surf destination in the world, I
was keen to hear his perspective on the appeal of
the Maldives.
photo: @chrisgrundyphoto
“I think they have the most user-friendly, high
performance waves that I have ever experienced.
“You are not in fear of losing all the skin off your
body if you blow a take-off. You are not seeing
the reef drain off in front of you as you are taking
off like some spots in Indo.
“Once you do take-off and draw a nice line, you
have this 100 to 200 metre long wall ahead of
you to go to town on. And yes, there are barrel
sections but there is a lot of space as well to get
your turns down pat and your cutbacks in.”
photo: @chrisgrundyphoto
What has always appealed to me, in terms of my
perception of the Maldives, is that there appears
to be such a variety of waves. Not all of my
mates are shortboarders, neither are they just
longboarders. The crew I usually go away with are
a real mix of skills and abilities. I of course am a
gun (in my mind anyhow), another of my mates
loves crashing into things (such as his fellow
surfers) and a few of the others can really surf,
while another is relatively new to surfing. And
we all ride different types of boards from finless
through to a longboard that resembles the Titanic.
Jai who is pictured at the top of this spread riding
a finless foamie agrees. “You’re right, there are
never ending options.”
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photo: @kilikaiahuna
photo: @chrisgrundyphoto
Shaun added, “After a few days, you are surfing
the best you have ever surfed because you have
an endless line of mechanical waves.”
I was keen to get a read on the seasons. Some
may wish to chase the big swells. Others, as they
become older, become more chicken with age. I
was keen to know when it was a little less hectic.
Shaun filled me in.
“It’s the Indian Ocean, there’s waves all year.
Obviously, the peak swell period is during the
south-west monsoon season from April through
to September/ October but the reality is, there’s
waves all year. I have never seen it flat flat. Even if
it’s only 1 foot, within an hour or so it will change
with the tide, the wind will back off and it is 3 foot,
glassy and magic – everyone is having a ball.”
“February, March, late October and November can
be incredibly fun and there’s no one around. If you
want it absolutely pumping, go in the middle of the
year. But to have it smoking is not for everyone.
“We’re certainly not just catering for the hard
core chasing the biggest, baddest barrels, we’re
catering for a much wider audience. We can find
you the biggest, best barrels if that’s what you’re
after but you might just be wanting to bring your
partner along to find some super fun longboard
waves. We can do that too.”
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“It’s as personalised
as you can possibly
get it. Like I said,
it is my home and
I want everyone
who comes to visit
my home to have a
good time...
What Island Hop Maldives are providing in my
mind is akin to what is presently taking place with
regards to surfboard manufacturing. People are
moving away from mass produced products in
favour of custom, tailor-made surfboards suited
to the individual. Island Hop Maldives are crafting
bespoke surf trips tailored to what their guests
want and need.
photo: @chrisgrundyphoto
“That’s the beauty of having one or two products
rather than a multitude of offerings, plus having Jai
there is an added bonus,” said Shaun.
“It’s as personalised as you can possibly get it.
Like I said, it is my home and I want everyone
who comes to visit my home to have a good time,
whether that is getting the most waves they’ve ever
had, finding a remote place to explore or even what
their favourite drink is. It’s as bespoke as you can
possibly imagine” Jai added.
photo: shaun levings
“That’s why we get a profile on each guest prior to
the trip so we can find out what their dream wave
is, what their favourite drink is, so we can do some
planning prior to the trip, look at the swell models
and chart a course that will suit.”
30

island
photo: @chrisgrundyphoto
With operations now under way, I was curious to
know whether Shaun was keen to expand.
“Back to what I was doing?” Shaun enquired,
referring to his World Surfari days. “No way. We do
plan to get the other boat up and running though –
the Handhufali – probably next year.
“Things are good for now. We only just started the
company in December last year. But the boat is
looking better than ever and word is getting out.
“You have me on record saying that now. I am
happy with the present juggle of life, doing the
disability support and this. Jai is possibly keen to
take Island Hop to the next level but this is enough
for now.”
more info: islandhopmaldives.com
photo: @kilikaiahuna
shaun and jai
For the bigger, longer conversation listen at
smorgasboarder.com.au/podcast
itunes spotify buzzsprout
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chop suey
words: dave swan
Those who know us are well aware we love the
weird and wonderful, plain white thrusters can just
be so boring at times. Hence the reason we have
enthused over surfboards crafted of cardboard,
old fence palings, wooden pallets, mushrooms and
even one made out of the old whacky tobaccy, yep
you heard right, marijuana plants. Holy smokes!
The surfboard pictured here however is a whole
new level again. The one reason being the time it
has taken to acquire the raw material for the build.
Seven years apparently! What?
If you look closely, you will see this surfboard is
made out of used chopsticks.
But why, you might ask. According to Wikipedia, an
estimated 25 million trees are cut down each year
to make 45 billion chopsticks in China, with another
15 billion pairs exported to Japan, South Korea and
other countries including Australia, all of which are
eventually thrown away.
An article in the LA Times put this in perspective.
To keep up with demand, China needs to fell 100
acres of trees every 24 hours.
It is mind boggling. Deforestation has become one
of China’s gravest environmental problems, leading
to soil erosion, famine, flooding, carbon dioxide
release, desertification and species extinction.
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Evelyn Wong, the mastermind behind this
surfboard, was aware of this statistic and realised
change was needed because ‘sum ting wong’.
And before anyone gets offended, this statement
is on Evelyn’s website. Indeed, if you read her blog
you will see she has a wicked sense of humour.
Anyhow, Evelyn picks up the story.
“One day after consuming a lovely bowl of wonton
noodle soup, I noticed the waiter picked up the
bowl and threw the chopsticks into the bin. This
made me start to think about waste so I jumped
onto my phone and discovered over 45 billion pairs
of disposable chopsticks per annum go straight to
landfill in China.
“In Sydney, it is estimated over 200,000 chopsticks
alone go straight to landfill per year with an average
45 minute time frame of single use.
“This inspired me to start thinking of ways to
recycle wooden chopsticks.”
Evelyn considered what she could craft from used
chopsticks. We love her matter-of-fact approach.
“A good idea is one that happens.
“The implementation of an idea or a solution in
the creative process model is when an individual
begins the process of transforming her thoughts
into a final product.
“Creativity has always been my passion, which is
why I’m a chartered accountant.”
Again, Evelyn’s humour to the fore.
And so it was she set about creating a 6’6”
surfboard complete with fins made from recycled
chopsticks... Actually, she didn’t know that, at that
point in time. Evelyn just knew she wanted to craft
something of used chopsticks.
For several years Evelyn collected wooden
chopsticks from restaurants around Sydney. But
this was only the start of the process.
“It was a matter of disinfecting, washing, drying
and storing all of them in order to create an
artwork which embodies themes of sustainability,
consumerism and culture.
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“I wanted to make a positive difference through
creating an artwork such as this surfboard inspired
by both Australian and Chinese culture from
recycling chopsticks into a second life.”
To bring her idea into the realms of reality, Evelyn
partnered with Zushi restaurant (who we assume
not only provided her with numerous chopsticks
but heaps of delicious Japanese dishes) and the
‘unflappable’ Mark Riley. I have tears running down
my face as I write this, my reference to Mark being
completely tongue in cheek. I love him to bits but
would have given anything to see his face when
asked to make a surfboard from 1456 recycled
chopsticks.
A lot of people ask
me why I collect used
chopsticks. When this
happens, I visualise
a panda playing with
a tambourine like a
hari-krisna...
Jokes aside, Mark is the consummate professional,
and is extremely committed to his craft. This
surfboard bears testament to this statement.
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For those unaware, or perhaps who have not read
this esteemed publication before, Mark Riley has
been creating beautiful balsa surfboards for just shy
of 25 years. He is committed to reducing surfing’s
environmental footprint by way of building hard
wearing, long lasting, lightweight, high-performance
surfboards made from recycled EPS foam with a
durable 2 to 3 mm thick balsa skin. You can tell by
our description we absolutely rate them.
Anyhow, back to Evelyn, her story and her
chopsticks – because she is way funnier than we
could ever try to be.
Understandably, throughout the course of this
project, Evelyn encountered lots of people
who enquired why she was collecting so many
chopsticks. Her blog provided a funny insight into
her usual reply.
“A lot of people ask me why I collect used
chopsticks. When this happens, I visualise a panda
playing with a tambourine like a hari-krisna and
respond ‘just because’ in my head.
“Not wanting to be rude, the voice (my voice)
usually responds with, ‘I just wanted to do
something for the environment which didn’t involve
giving up Peeking duck or wagyu beef’.
“It’s just a way to re-use, re-create, re-cycle…
wanting to make things from chopstick rubbish
comes from within, there is no other explanation
other than insanity that is…”
The process was arduous and all manner of care
was taken throughout the whole project including
how the chopsticks were sanitised.
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smorgasboarder
“Whilst commercial cleaning products are
cost effective, some of the harmful chemicals
present include sulphuric and hydrochloric acid,
phosphates and ammonia, bleach and petroleum –
makes my nose bleed just at the thought.”
Consequently, white vinegar, bi-carbonate soda
and eco-friendly dishwashing liquid were chosen
to clean and disinfect the chopsticks. And despite
this careful attention to detail, other hurdles were
encountered.
“At the bottom of one of the many boxes of
used chopsticks, I discovered a plastic bag of
approximately 50+ chopsticks covered in mould.”
Lesson learnt, Evelyn made the mental note to use
boxes for the storage of chopsticks in future and
not plastic bags otherwise black, green, furry stuff
would be present.
The next hurdle she encountered was the record
torrential rain Sydney received whilst Evelyn was
undertaking the “drying” process of the disinfected
and washed chopsticks. The result?… spotted
chocksticks. More mould. And more disinfectant
needed. And the need to start the whole process
again!
Eventually, the time finally came when Evelyn
could consider what she wanted to craft out of the
chopsticks. All manner of things came to mind from
a Hills Hoist clothes line to floor boards, a bass
guitar, snowboard, skateboard and even a bicycle
before she settled on a surfboard.
But what type of surfboard? What dimensions?
What method of construction – the hollow timber
method akin to boat building or something more
solid? There was also a question on whether the
project could be undertaken with the mere plans
from a board building kit or whether an expert
needed to be enlisted.
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37

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“I felt like a cone head trying to work out how the
hell we’re going to pull this project off.
“Do I:
1. Collaborate with an experienced wooden
surfboard designer?
2. Order a surfboard kit for the ribs and spar
patterns?
3. Create a pattern using an existing surfboard?
“There was quite a lot to consider…factors such as
time, cost, available resources, tools and with so
much free content online – it made me wonder how
best to go about creating this wooden chopstick
surfboard.”
New to it all, Evelyn set about buying some eco
resin. She eventually found a supplier in Jason at
Samsara Surf who provided her with some Super
Sap Bio Resin from his own personal supplies.
And then began the tedious process of gluing
chopsticks together. It was here Evelyn came
across her biggest hurdle. Over a period of 10
months or so, the project stalled. Her blog laid bare
her state of mind.
“One of the many challenges you face whilst
undertaking a project of this nature is overcoming
procrastination and memory loss. Since the last
update in June 2012 (now April 1, 2013), the
fumes from the eco glue vaporised my memory
and sent the password to this Turmbr account
into a dark abyss…fortunately the Tumblr team
have not only managed to crack 100 million
blogs in that time, they also managed to reset the
weloveusedchopstics.tumblr.com password. Phew.
“Looking back over the past couple of months…
1. “Two boxes of used unwashed chopsticks
were stolen from my garage (a junkie also died
in the park across the road today, just trying to
keep it in perspective sort of)
2. Ran out of eco glue 6 months ago
3. Re-ordered more glue 3 months ago
4. Re-commenced gluing chopstick panels 2
months ago, got a heap of resin on the carpet
and didn’t realise until the following morning
so now have hard patches/sink holes of dried
resin in the living room (it’s ok, I’ve just put the
coffee table over the top of the biggest resin
sink hole)
“Feeling pretty over gluing bits of wooden
chopsticks together, suuuuch a pain in the arse
and not even sure if this is going to work out. Might
need a book on project management to get this
baby to completion.”
At this point Evelyn was two years into her project
and growing increasingly frustrated. There were just
so many chopsticks to glue.
“The thing is with personal creative projects, it’s
easy to get busy spending time working full time or
doing other fun things rather than getting a creative
project across the line to 100% complete. That’s
the challenge when you’re going into the unknown.”
Evelyn nonetheless continued along lovingly laying
her chopsticks out top to tail on baking paper
before pouring her eco-resin mix over them. Once
done, she covered them with more baking paper
and placed a stack of magazines atop. Once dried,
finally, she had a chopsticks panel.
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smorgasboarder
Unfortunately, there were more setbacks like gaps
in the panel that she filled with epoxy resin and
sawdust but long story short, Evelyn eventually got
the panels done... kind of... there were more issues
down the track. It was time to build a surfboard! It
was now 2019.
Evelyn recalled a man she met back in 2011.
Discussing timber surfboard construction, he
offered up some sage advice when learning of her
plans – “I hope you’ve got patience.” The man in
question was Mark Riley. She decided to enlist his
support for the construction of her surfboard.
Mark was full of praise for what Evelyn was
endeavouring to accomplish.
“Yes, Evelyn contacted me initially and I saw
progress from time to time. It was towards the end
of last year though, some 7 years on, that we truly
got into constructing the surfboard.
“I did tell her it wasn’t going to be easy to turn a
small but heavy bamboo chopstick into a rideable
surfboard. But she was keen and wanted to know
the next steps so I informed her to glue up the
chopsticks into sheets and once done, to bring it
back to me and that we would go from there.”
Reportedly Evelyn returned two years later, one
sheet nice and flat, the other a little wonky and the
epoxy hadn’t set properly. It couldn’t be used. Not
perturbed with making another sheet, she set off,
made another panel and returned about six months
later. They now had what they needed for the top
and bottom deck of the surfboard.
“I vacuum bagged the chopstick panel onto the
recycled EPS foam core I had shaped. It wasn’t
as easy as working with balsa because it was a lot
heavier and stiffer. It was also a lot harder getting a
3D curve in the deck. That’s why I took it down to
1.5 mm.
“I made the fins for Evelyn out of chopsticks. For
the rails we used balsa, just to keep the weight
down and because we really needed to bend the
timbers and balsa obviously flexes a great deal
more than pieced together chopsticks.”
The end result is stunning. You have a surfboard
made out of recycled chopsticks, a recycled
expandeed polystyrene foam core, sustainably
grown balsa, eco resin - it is as environmentally
friendly as you can get and mind-blowingly
beautiful.
“There was a little bit of difficulty sanding between
the bamboo and balsa - you have a hardwood
(bamboo) beside a very soft wood (balsa). Other
than that, it was relatively smooth sailing from
there. I glassed it with 4oz either side and polished
it up like I do with any one of my boards and it
came up a treat.
“Evelyn really is amazing to achieve what she has
and was always incredibly upbeat throughout the
whole process.”
There certainly is no questioning the end product.
It is a beauty to behold with one hell of a story
behind it.
Mark sanded the bamboo chopstick panels down
to a 1.5 mm veneer - he usually keeps his balsa
skins at about 2-2.5 mm.
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blazing licks
Inspired by Evelyn Wong’s bamboo chopstick surfboard, we set off in our
usual distracted Smorgasboarder manner in search of other cool things that
had been built using less conventional materials…
As clever, inventive people push the limits and
break the rules on what you can and can’t use in
the instrument-building world, we’ve seen amazing
guitars made of surfboard foam, used iphones,
lego, noodles, cardboard and more… But seriously
– a two-decade project to make a guitar out of
matchsticks?
Perfect for busting out a hot rendition of Deep
Purple’s “Smoke on the Water”, the Doors’ “Light
My Fire” and the Bloodhound Gang’s “Fire, Water,
Burn”, this fine piece of ‘guitart’ was a literal labour
of love for UK luthier Dean Fraser of Fraser guitars.
Fraser hand-builds vintage-inspired electric
guitars, and this particular one is a fully functioning
instrument made entirely from 40,000 matchsticks.
“Yes, I started this guitar in 1998 and it took 18
years to make in between life and life’s activities,”
Dean says on his Facebook page.
The material for the guitar started off as
matchsticks Dean received as part of his 24h ration
packs while he was serving in the British Armed
Forces as an infantryman. Every single part of
the guitar, bar the metal components is made of
matchsticks, even the pickguard, volume and tone
knobs, the jack socket and tremolo tip and cover.
But how does it play? Obviously you’d assume it
would be perfect for blazing licks and blistering
solos…
40

smorgasboarder
“The guitar plays and sounds as good as any high
end guitar should do,” says Dean, who’s amassed
a Facebook following of over 50,000 guitar fans to
date.
Whether a matchstick guitar strikes a chord
with you or not, we’re sure the impressive
craftsmanship on display here will ignite a flame
of guitar playing frenzy in the six-string-lovers
community. Enjoy the eye (and ear) candy.
See more of Dean’s work at fraserguitars.co.uk
41

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photo: @sticksphotography
supplied courtsey of ocean & earth
one of the many local businesses featured overleaf
42

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Breathtakingly
beautiful with
coastal communities
resilient beyond
comprehension.
words: dave swan and alex benaud
43

smorgasboarder
s o u t h
We’ve not only had the opportunity to
regularly visit this magic part of the world
on our regular trips down the coast, we’ve
We love the South Coast of New South Wales
along with the more remote parts of East Gippsland
Victoria. There’s something beyond just the
stunning natural beauty of the area, which in our
mind is some of the most awe-inspiring in our
country. The place calms you - your heart rate
slows, you take deeper, slower breaths, you relax.
Plus there’s so many awesome surf spots, of all
manner of descriptions, along with quaint little
coastal towns that only add to the appeal.
With Smorgasboarder, we’ve been incredibly
fortunate. We’ve not only had the opportunity
to regularly visit this magic part of the world on
our regular trips down the coast, we’ve long
enjoyed such strong support from these coastal
communities. We’ve made many great friendships.
So, you can understand we were mortified, as so
many were, when news first broke of the devasting
bushfires that raged through the area.
Thankfully none of our mates lost their lives, nor
their homes for that matter, and were relatively
unaffected, to a degree, for now. But business
stopped. After all, there were more important things
to think about.
As this edition drew near, we considered what we
could do to assist. We thought at length about how
we could possibly aid those local communities to
get back on their feet and in particular, how we
could throw our support behind our friends who
have supported us for so long, through thick and
thin. The answer we arrived at was staring us in
the face - we have a pretty potent and powerful
platform to talk to the grassroots surf community,
thanks to you, our loyal readers.
long enjoyed such strong support from these
coastal communities
With this in mind we reached out to a few of
our friends. We asked them to share their own
personal experience and provide an insight as to
how the local community is faring. The following
is a collection of interviews from those who
experienced the fires first hand. We also saw this
as a great opportunity to shine a light on them and
share with you, what these people do in the hope
it may inspire you to visit the region in the not too
distant future and… buy a beer at the local pub in
Mallacoota, grab a bite from the likes of the mouthwateringly
good Rivermouth Café in Tomakin, a
pair of boardies from Southern Man in Ulladulla
and maybe even a brand new stick from the likes
of Mark Rabbidge in Bendalong or any one of the
extremely talented surfboard shapers in the area
– basically help get the local community back on
their feet and some cash coming in.
We hope to leave you inspired to visit the region,
open your wallet, spend some cash, spread the
love and bring some much needed joy back to
these parts.
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broulee photo: dave swan
“It’s a surfing community
here and the interesting
things about surfers
is that you get tested
a lot — you get put in
situations which are often
life threatening. I think
that gives you a strength
and an ability to deal
with adversities that other
people wouldn’t be able to
deal with.”
- Neal Cameron
c o a s t
45

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s u s s e x i n l e t
photo: @sticksphotography
supplied courtsey of ocean & earth
We would be the first to admit we aren’t overly
fussed about the big surf brands. We have nothing
against them, there just appears to be so much
more variety on offer from the myriad of smaller
suppliers dotted around Australia and NZ.
One core surf hardware brand however that is still
very much a part of the grassroots surf community
that we love is Ocean & Earth (O&E). Their head
office is tucked away in the quiet South Coast
hamlet of Sussex Inlet. We recently caught up with
the founder, Brian Cregan, to discuss how the fires
impacted O&E, the local community and what
his business was doing to actively support those
adversely affected.
“We at O&E were impacted twice in a two-week period
with the fires coming within a few kilometres of our
warehouse. Both times we were extremely lucky with
wind changes to the south diverting the fire front…
other people were not so lucky losing everything.
“The South Coast was pretty much in shut down
mode for around the first 2 weeks of January after
all tourists were evacuated. We were closed for
about 3-4 days in our warehouse, which brought a
slow up on dispatching while our O&E retail was out
of action for the busiest 10 days of the year.”
It was clear from our conversation that Brian’s greatest
concern was for the greater South Coast community.
“We are all OK, our business is based on selling
Australia wide as well as overseas. However, we
quickly saw the despair and destruction (in our local
community) and the need to help the people and the
area we all grew up in or now live.
“We set up a ‘Gofundme’ campaign and an “I Love The
South Coast” t-shirt fundraiser with the aim of raising
$100,000. We will achieve this by the end of March
thanks to the generosity of the broader community.”
As this edition goes to print, the final fundraising
event hosted by O&E is being held that should see
them reach their $100k fundraising milestone. It’s
entitled Surf’n’Turf and is basically a surf and golf
team challenge. The charity event will see some 32
teams of 4 compete for major prizes with 100% of
the entry fees being donated to the Ocean & Earth
South Coast Bushfire Appeal.
“Our community has been devastated by these
bushfires. So many people have lost homes,
businesses and our wildlife and forests have been
destroyed. It’s heartbreaking. This event is simply
another means to raise funds to help our community
rebuild and hopefully this event contributes to getting
people back on their feet.”
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“The best thing people can do to help is to visit
the South Coast and spend their money in the
area. The empty esky is the way to go!”
photo: supplied courtsey of ocean & earth
Brian hoped that something similar to the
recent regeneration of the forest will take root in
the local community.
“The bush is already showing signs of recovery
with small green shoots coming from black
leafless trees. The same hopefully will happen
within the South Coast community but it will take
a year or two unfortunately, for some businesses
it may take much longer. There is a great push to
welcome back visitors to the area and the early
results seem to be working with a busy January
long weekend and a hopefully very busy Easter.
“The best thing people can do to help is to visit
the South Coast and spend their money in the
area. The empty esky is the way to go!”
South Coast Bushfire Appeal
Support the fundraising effort at the gofundme page:
gofundme.com/f/menwty-south-coast-bushfire-appeal

smorgasboarder
b e n d a l o n g
photo: mark’s shaping shed and collection
of cars deep in the bendalong bush
One of our all-time favourite shapers also calls
the South Coast home. Mark Rabbidge is not only
enormously talented, he’s a ripper bloke. With the
approaching fires, he had concerns on three fronts:
his former home and shaping shed is in Bendalong,
his present home is in Mollymook and the surfboard
factory he still owns, that DP Surfboards currently
manufacture out of, is on the southern outskirts of
Ulladulla. All were in the line of fire. The greatest
threat however was at Bendalong. Indeed, things
got pretty dire. The only road in and out of town
was cut off with fallen trees for almost a week,
there was no electricity, inadequate sewerage, fuel
and food shortages and no telecommunications.
Mark went to his Bendalong property to protect
his shaping shed and beloved collection of vintage
cars and hot rods. He picks up the story.
“Well last year was a prick of a year with friends
dying. When it finished, I thought thank f*#k for
that. And then this year, it started off with fires and
people losing their houses, and some unfortunate
bastards their lives, and now we have this (the
coronavirus COVID-19). Things are pretty quiet, and
this is only going to make it worse.
“The fires were hectic. I couldn’t believe it. On New
Year’s Eve I was driving over here to work and there
was gnarly smoke everywhere but it had been there
for days. It just looked like backburn smoke and I
thought, geez, it looks like it may have got out of
control. But when I went through it, it was blue sky
over my house at Bendalong. I thought to myself,
beauty, it is going to clear up. Once I got up here
however, I could see the fires to the south looked
pretty bad.
“A mate who lives down that way then rang and
said, ‘Well, AJ’s house is gone, Mick’s house is
gone, all the houses along the front here are gone.’
I could not believe what he was saying. I couldn’t
comprehend it. It was then he told me it was
headed our way. Oh beauty!”
Mark, his neighbours and a few friends were able
to initially stave off the fires but they kept creeping
constantly all around the boundaries of his home.
“It was creeping towards my place all night. I was
lying in my camper looking down the driveway and
seeing flames coming up from the bush, looking
out the side and seeing flames coming up from
the bush and I wondered what the f*#k I was
doing here (wry laugh). I thought to myself, you
are an idiot. Pam was losing it because she was at
home in Mollymook and there was no coverage,
you couldn’t contact anybody. All she could hear
were the media reports - Bendalong Road is cut,
Bendalong this and Bendalong that.
“Anyhow we were able to keep it at bay that night
but then the wind changed and the fire started
coming at us from another direction the next day.
48

“I was lying in the camper looking down the driveway
and seeing flames coming up from the bush, looking out
the side and seeing flames coming up from the bush and
wondered what the f*#k I was doing here.”
metres from his shaping shed,
mark at the rear of the group
“That’s was f*#ked. The whole valley was on fire.
The big 737s were dive bombing us along with
two seaplanes and two helicopters, all right in
front of the house! The following day it came at
us from another direction. I was down on one end
of the property fighting fires and it was blowing
north-east and at the top of the property it was
blowing westerly coming the other way. It was
pretty scary times. I wasn’t in fear of losing the
house, but it’s as close as you’d want it to come.
mark with one of his
longboards
“It was a moment, I looked around the place and
thought, this is not worth a life.”
So, what can we say about Mark’s surfboards?
I personally have a couple in my quiver, one of
which is a finless five-finger splade. Whenever
life gets busy with work, I lose my surfing mojo
every now and again. Well, the one board that
brings me back every single time is that board. It
reminds me of how much I love surfing. I asked
Mark what he was making at present.
“At present I am shaping two longboards, a
Pacemaker, a Fatboy (big boy’s short board) and
I recently finished Marty (Mark’s tenant at the
Bendalong house) a Tom Curren J-Bay board.
He can’t believe how good it goes. He asked for
that model. It has a bit more rocker through the
entry and then it almost has a bonzer bottom with
concaves in between the fins as opposed to out
to the rail.”

smorgasboarder
l a k e c o n j o l a
photo: dave swan
looking towards green island and
lake conjola from manyana
Regular ‘contributor’ to Smorgasboarder (by way
of the countless array of funny stories he shares) is
Neal Cameron who was at Mark Rabbidge’s place
when the fires took hold in Bendalong. Neal was
also active setting up food and water stations for
local wildlife since fires raged through Lake Conjola.
“It was a pretty radical time up at Rabbo’s. We
stood up on top of the mountain looking down the
valley towards the Princes Highway and the wind
got behind it (the fire) and it just took off about a
kilometre south of us and roared up the mountain
and straight over into Conjola. A matter of minutes
later it was demolishing the place.
“Within minutes you had a layer of clear sky on one
side and on the other was this giant pyrocumulus
cloud that is generated off the fire and it is just this
massive black monster. One of things you have to
see to believe. You have gum trees that are 60 to 80
feet high and then you have flames on top of that
which are the same height.”
The fire jumped the lake quickly but fortunately
didn’t go into the township of Lake Conjola.
“It went through north Conjola, straight down the
hill to the lake and then across the lake and over
the hill to Berringer and then straight over again
to Manyana and Bendalong. Once the wind got
behind it, the smoke from the fires went parallel
with the ground and you heard trees exploding.
“We were extremely lucky it went past because it
would have been a whole different ball game. It
came bloody close to Rabbo’s place!”
With the only road in and out of Bendalong and
Manyana cut off for days, Neal jumped in his
vintage Meyers Manx beach buggy to check out the
devastation.
“No one could get into Bendalong and once I knew
I could get into Conjola, I made a few enquiries and
was made aware people needed fuel - the fireries
were running out of diesel and people needed fuel
for their generators – so I got a whole heap of jerry
cans I usually keep on the bus for my bio-diesel
and filled them up and drove them up the beach.
It was nice to be able to use the buggy for good
instead of evil (laughs).”
Once everyone realised things were going to be
OK, attention turned to the local wildlife. Neal was
instrumental in setting up a number of ‘food and
drink stations’ for want of a better word.
“The communities consciousness shifted to all
the animals. There was nothing left for them to eat
because the whole place was scorched earth. So,
50

some of the community got together and started
making food stations.
“We were able to get food from the local
IGA supermarket in the morning. Apparently,
unbeknownst to me, a lot of locals go down to get
the leftover fruit and veg that is too old to sell to
give it to their farm animals but we grabbed it for
the native animals. Another person in Manyana
made up all the pipes, 50 or more, and we went
about setting these up.”
On a lighter side, I noted on one of Neal’s social
media posts he expressed gratitude for the
generous amount of donations that had poured
in but equal concern for the disproportionate
amount of baked beans that arrived. I quizzed him
if that was born out of a fear that someone may
self-combust starting the fires all over again.
“There was an incredible amount of baked beans!
There must have been a special on. It may have
an impact on global warming with all the methane.
And mountains of toilet paper were donated!
“On a serious note though, it was amazing, the
amount of food that arrived – semi-trailer after
semi-trailer. It was absolutely incredible, the
charity of people.”

smorgasboarder
t o m a k i n
photo: dave swan
looking over guerilla bay towards tomakin and broulee
Katrina McDonald owns a little café in the small
seaside village on the south coast of New South
Wales just down the road from Batemans Bay,
nestled between Guerilla Bay and Mossy Point.
Katrina recalled when it all began.
“The fires started at South Durras and surrounding
areas weeks before and that alone was devastating
being so close to home and having friends and
family in the area. My fathers’ property at Pebbly
Beach was in trouble.
“Nothing hit home more than waking up on New
Year’s Eve to a bright red sky, the scent of smoke
and Mogo being told they now needed to evacuate
– wow, like 10 mins away!
“I had put up a social media post that we needed to
prepare for fires heading our way and stated we will
just open for quick coffees, thinking not much more
of what was about to happen.”
Katrina decided to give out free coffees all morning
thinking she would need to use up some milk that
she had stocked up with, ready for the holidays.
By 10 am Tomakin lost power. That not only meant
no coffee could be served, Katrina’s totally stocked
fridges and freezers would be lost too.
“The skies were getting brighter and kept changing
colours. People were scared and worried about
friends and family as the internet and all forms of
contact we rely on were down.
“All of this had been on the news before we even
knew the real deal.”
“By 11 am I have never seen a sky that black from
smoke… cars trying to go from here to there with
headlights on and it really looked like midnight -
some people were trying to stay calm and others
had already crumbled.”
Within the next few hours, they were in the grips
of a severe bushfire threat. The fire was heading
their way. The only hope was a forecast southerly
change due later that afternoon.
Mogo, Dunns Creek Road and other areas had
been swept with flames and homes and businesses
were burning.
Thankfully the southerly change arrived in time and
Tomakin was spared the wrath of the raging fires
but that was not the end of its full impact.
“We lost power for 13 days - our main 2 week
summer trading period. The Canberra road
52

eing closed didn’t help either with the Nelligan
and Braidwood Fires. So, it had slowed up our
Canberra trade but also the Sydney trade with the
Durras fires.
“The response from the community however
has been amazing. Locals and visitors with their
concerns and questions as to how they could
help, and their promises of ‘we will be back to
support you’ really hit the heart, everyone was
unbelievable!”
Since the fires there’s thankfully been some good
weekends for Katrina and the Rivermouth Café but
business is still patchy.
“It’s still up and down. We lost so much stock and
we were only covered for half of the stock and no
loss of trade. Skeptical we restocked ready for the
Long Weekend (Australia Day) and lost power for
another two days - stock lost again! Ahhhhhhhh!
“Thankfully our little community understood what
we could and could not offer but we are still here
and we are going to take one day at a time and
slowly rebuild. Where my business will be in six
months’ time is a mystery and this has affected me
mentally and emotionally on top of trying to help
friends and family who were directly affected.
photo supplied by rivermouth café
“I’m not sure how everyone is dealing with different
emotions but when they have lost all and even
lives, we are blessed that we weren’t the worst
off. We have a bloody incredible tribe down here
and I’m sure other areas are watching each others’
backs….a hug here and there and suggesting a
catch up really works wonders.”
The bigger concern for Katrina and her team at
the Rivermouth Café is that the summer trading
months help her get through the quieter, cooler
months of autumn and winter.
“Our summer holiday trade helps us survive the
rest of the year… I guess any support and ongoing
visits would be amazing but time will tell.”
You may be asking how (when you take on a
6000 km return trip, venturing off into every little
nook and cranny from the Sunshine Coast down
to the South Australian border, do we know of
a little café tucked away off the highway in a
place called Tomakin. You just have to look at
the food and the venue - it exudes a healthy, hip,
beachside vibe. Rivermouth Café is a cracker
and we’re richer, and healthier for indulging
in their delectable delights. And they stock a
healthy stash of Smorgasboarder magazines too!

smorgasboarder
b r o u l e e
photo: dave swan
Robbie Marshall of Soul Arch Surfboards lives in
Broulee, just down the beach from Tomakin, and it
is where he hand crafts his unique surfboards under
the name Soul Arch.
He recently took a 2 year hiatus to refocus his
business and re-engineer and perfect his board
building techniques. 2020 was when he was set to
relaunch Soul Arch Surfboards. Nature had other
plans.
“The fires down here have had a massive impact.
With the start date of my new boards being the
01/01/2020, it really halted the relaunch of my
remodelled business as that day will always be
known as the day after Armageddon.
“I have started back up now on 02/02/2020, but
within that time there was lots of second guessing.”
Questions circulated around in Robbie’s mind along
the lines of whether it was still worth making boards
anymore, particularly considering his uncertainty
as to whether he would still have a shaping shed or
any of his surfboard templates in the aftermath of
the fires.
“In the thick of it, priorities just became focused
on the wellbeing of family and friends. Surfing and
surfboards were far from my mind for the first time
ever. I’m happy to say that surfboard design is once
again flowing freely through my mind once more.
“I must add that I had phone calls and messages
from local board building buddies offering to help
/rebuild if things got to that point for me, which
really highlighted why it’s important to buy from
the local guys and not the cheap imports because
they are the guys that will help you. It’s scary
to know what lies ahead for the area, as every
small business is affected and has lost their most
important season of trade, but community spirit is
high.”
We’re glad Robbie has decided to persevere
because his boards are looking amazing.
For those interested in checking out Soul
Arch Surfboards, the focus of Robbie’s craft is
“sustainability through longevity”. Simply put, he
crafts boards that not only look stunning but last.
Said Robbie, “Sustainable surfboards have to last,
otherwise they contradict what they are all about.”
54

“It’s scary to know what lies ahead for the area, as
every small business is affected and has lost their most
important season trade, but community spirit is high.”
photo supplied courtsey of robbie marshall
Soul Arch Surfboard construction ranges from
lightweight EPS cores with a timber “springer”
(traditional surfboards have a stringer - a thin
piece of timber that runs through the centre
of the board. A springer is a piece of timber
laid flat on the deck of the board) to boards
with timber decks, timber inlays and flax cloth
bottoms right through to solid timber and
chambered boards.
Robbie was interviewed for our Smorgasboarder
podcast a little while back if you are keen to hear
more: Smorgasboarder podcast on Apple iTunes
and Spotify under ‘Smorgasboarder’ or go to
smorgasboarder.com.au

smorgasboarder
q u e e n s t o w n
Yes, you read correctly. They may not have
experienced the bushfires first hand but there
was equal concern from across the ditch for their
western neighbours. Jase John from NZ Shred, an
Australian now living in New Zealand, with parents
residing in Batemans Bay, recalled how the events
of late last year and early this year impacted him.
It was pretty normal, to start with … after all,
growing up in the Blue Mountains, my youth was
a regular sniff sniff … “Is that smoke?”. Par for the
course – just what was part of summers, in that
part of a Sunburnt Country.
In those days there were no daily tabloids
screaming “Greenhouse Effect”, “Climate Change”
or “The Greenies Did This!”. Just a scent in
the air, followed a few hours later by a funny
coloured cloud to the west … come sundown, the
excitement started, with the red glow on the hills
and ridgelines … What would tomorrow bring?
The tail end of 2019 and the lead in to 2020, have
been far from comfortable for so many Australians
– the feathered ones, the furry ones and the not so
furry – this time, it was unprecedented. And, on a
totally different scale, however no less mind-jarring,
we experienced it here as well - across the Tasman
… some two and a bit thousand kilometres away.
And it didn’t stop there, the smoke kept travelling
- over 11,000kms to make landfall, as far as Chile
and Argentina. Large brown fields of ash now
carpeting our rapidly diminishing South Island
glaciers; like the contents from your Hoover bag,
tossed into those prevailing cross-Tasman breezes.
The wonderful world of modern day media,
served us up with constant up-dates, high-speed
internet videos and catalogues of jaw-dropping
images. Weirdly, in situations of catastrophe,
the bare essentials are laid out, like rubbish on a
footpath. Words and phrases become synonymous
with events or movements … status updates of
“Watch & Act” or that ever recurring red box that
runs across the bottom of your TV screen, giving
emphasis to “Breaking News” – like there was
something even more distressing and devastating
than the round-the-clock ‘in your own lounge’ feel
of what was unfolding. We all knew it could not be
the case! Our New Zealand loungerooms were far
from similar to those of the people who sadly lost
their homes, or of the friends and family of those
who even more tragically lost their lives.
As much as those angry, terrifying flames were
not physically lapping at our backdoors, New
Zealanders felt the pain of our cousins on the
West Island. It started to seem closer to home as
56

Aussie actor Ben Lawson penned in his moving
poetic video narrative, “I stare as they evacuate
and I watch the children choke, our New Zealander
neighbours now are coughing on our smoke.”
the days dragged on, with whole news reports
congested and stifled with story after story of
tragedy, despair or sheer disbelief. “How could this
happen?”, “I used to drive through that place!”,
“Remember when we surfed there years ago?”.
… Then, it came to New Zealand! Not the sound
of sirens, or the violent wrap on the front door,
followed by a yell of “Leave Now! It’s almost too
late”. Nonetheless, Queenstown awoke on that first
day of what should have been a bright New Year,
to a not-so-bright New Year’s Day. One could be
forgiven for thinking that your eyes were just not
quite right from the night before. The light was flat,
and the normally Remarkable mountain range that
graces so many a tourist snapshot, was not even
visible. Perhaps adding to the ‘War of the Worlds’
feel, was the fact that there were no flames and
no smell … but make no mistake, this was smoke.
Just not our smoke!
Since the combustion started, that scorched over
46 million acres – that’s 10.6 million MCGs – we’ve
seen an outpouring of concern, appreciation
and benevolence, from this side of the Tasman.
NZSHRED, along with a number of other
businesses around Queenstown, started offering
support; from contributions with every purchase,

smorgasboarder
photo: dave swan
beautiful bermagui
donation buckets on counters, through to specific
sums gifted. Then there was the Wakatipu Waiata.
A family fun day organised by local muso Shay
Muddle, in conjunction with the local Queenstown
and Australian Lions groups. Waiata is a maori
song, commemorative of important events, such
as in deaths, wars and battles … and this was very
much all of those things. On that calm sunny day
alone, the local Queenstown community raised over
$50,000 for their bushfire ravaged cousins.
So many thoughts and feelings welled up within
myself and my partner over these times. My
parents, having left the Blue Mountains some years
ago, settling on the South Coast of New South
Wales, in Batemans Bay … now finding themselves
yet again, right in the middle of something that is
as Australian as the vegetation it consumes, the
humans and animals it displaces and the lives it
destroys … it is The Way of the Land.
final thoughts
So, what do we take out the devastating effects of
the fires that raged? We think Neal’s summation of
the situation is spot on.
“The amount of people that were already interested
in nature and looking after our natural environment,
the numbers are now even more so. The other thing
is, in these small towns, some people just don’t
get along. With everyone in the same boat, a lot of
differences were settled without any words. What
do they say, ‘out of adversity, great things come.’
Lawson again superbly summed up many peoples
most inner feelings, at that very time and beyond
…. His tears in this final sign off, were so much
more than just his own.
“I know I’m far away from her, right now when she
is ailing, but I know I’ve never been so proud, to
call myself Australian.”
green island
photo supplied courtsey of neal cameron
58

smorgasboarder
photo: courtesy of
red leaf surfboards
gear
No cookie-cutter cheap pop-outs here. Nothing but the best shapers crafting
custom surfboards for surfers with soul grace these pages.
If you are not supporting the local surfboard industry hopefully these pages will have
you questioning why. We aim to showcase the art of the craft of surfboard building
here in Australia and New Zealand.
59

smorgasboarder
5’5” x 20” x 2 ⁵⁄₁₆”
Performance Twin
HARVEST &
JACK KNIGHT
SURFBOARDS
2/24 Christine Ave, Miami
P: (07) 5576 5914
E: hello@harvestsurfboards.com
HARVESTSURFBOARDS.COM
CANNONBALL MODEL This is one of our progressive log models.
The dimensions are 9’2” x 22” x 2”. Deep nose concave in the bottom
with a rolled vee out through the tail. The tail rocker is fairly late and
accentuated for those drop knee turns. Glassed in 7.5 oz Volan cloth and
finished with a simple black pinline and competition stripe. Weighs in at
just over 8kg to meet the Australian longboard rules of competition.
NMC SURFBOARDS
Barwon Heads, Victoria
M: 0438 800 539
E: nmcsurf@bigpond.com
DIVERSE SURFBOARDS
Australia +61 419 246595
Bali +62 812 37368771
E: dave.verrall@gmail.com
insta: diversesurf
DIVERSESURF.COM.AU
60

smorgasboarder
9’1 x 22.5” x 3” mal.
Modern mal made for the serious
surfer on more serious waves.
QUARRY BEACH SURFBOARDS
75 David Street,
Caversham, Dunedin NZ
P: +64 3 455 7414
M: +64 27 518 8678
E: grahamcarse@xtra.co.nz
QBSURFBOARDS.COM
TEAM RIDER
MOLLY SHEPPARD
WORLD CLASS AUSTRALIAN MADE SURFBOARDS
AT AFFORDABLE PRICES.
Custom shortboards, hybrid & fishes, mals & logs.
Full repair service.
DBURGE SURFBOARDS
Factory 3/6 Kerta Rd,
Kincumber NSW 2251
M: 0415 577 085
OKE SURFBOARDS
1/1-7 Canterbury Rd, Braeside, VIC
P: 03 9587 3553
E: rory@okesurfboards.com
okesurfboards.com
61

smorgasboarder
photo: derek fryer
ROCKET - PERFORMANCE
LONGBOARD
9’1” x 22 ¼” x 2⅝”
A lively and responsive high
performance longboard that
can be ridden hard off the tail
and nose rides like a dream.
Red Leaf custom make
environmentally sustainable
surfboards and run ‘Build
Your Own’ workshops.
All handmade in Gisborne,
New Zealand.
RED LEAF SURFBOARDS
W: redleafsurfboards.com
I: @redleafsurf
F: @redleafsurf
Twin fin heaven.
Happy days.
Custom Surfboards // Restoration Specialists //
Surfboard Glassing // Anything Fibreglass or epoxy
BUCKO’S SURF BOARD REPAIRS
Unit 12 22/24, Arizona Rd
CHARMHAVEN
M: 0422 304 078
E: buckossurfboardrepairs@outlook.com
THE DING KING / CLARK
SURFBOARDS
Units 3/4, 9 Chapman Road,
Hackham, SA
E: leightonclark01@yahoo.com.au
M: 0422 443 789
62

smorgasboarder
Two freshies for
@cintonguest
The lime one is a
full custom with a
fuller nose area,
flatter nose rocker
and a full tail kick.
Creating a very
good #noserider
performance
combo. The
boards are over
23 wide to keep
stability for walking
to the nose.
CLEARWATER SURFBOARDS
M: 0417 912 207
E: stevedelrosso@yahoo.com.au
Insta: @cwsurfboards
WWW.CWSURFBOARDS.COM
Mid-length pintail 2+1 mellow yellow
SHEELY SURFBOARDS
M: 0417 264 739 E: peter@sheelysurfboards.com
SHEELYSURFBOARDS.COM
CHRIS GARRETT SHAPES / PHANTOM SURFBOARDS
M: 0424 450 690 E: phantomsurfboards@gmail.com
W: chrisgarrettshapes.com.au
HIgh Performance Go Go Fish pictured above.
For custom surfboards, contact Chris or see On Board
at Byron Bay for stock boards.
63

smorgasboarder
support the grassroots
surf directory
music
sweet soul sister
We’re always on the hunt for tunes that
move us. And perhaps we’re biased, but
the Sunshine Coast keeps delivering the
goods! And this time it’s Townsville-born
Andrea Kirwin - a local singer-songwriter
you need to add to your playlist.
your original surf shop - packed full of the best gear
Celebrating great customer service along with the latest surf gear
and fashion for 44 years and going strong.
T7, 119 Princes Highway, Woolworths Centre, Ulladulla
P: ​(02) 4454 4904
Instagram: @southernmansurf
southernman.com.au
After successfully dodging a career in
law, Andrea originally took to the stage in
Canberra in 2007 and these days performs
solo, or with her band, based here on the
Sunshine Coast. She describes her music
as “feel good, soul infused songs from the
heart,” and that it absolutely is: soulful,
thoughtful and packed with emotion.
Ever busy, Andrea even founded record
label Peace Run Records in 2009 and
has since released her own full length
albums: From the Ground Up (2013), The
Story of Us (2015), and A Quiet Revolution
(2017), with album number four in the
pipeline. Happy listening!
www.andreakirwin.com
tried and trusted blanks
Family owned and run for the past 56 years, our consistency is the
best in the world. Our blanks come in a multitude of different lengths,
rockers and weights. We also have an extensive variety of timber
stringers of varying widths. And we have all the shaping tools you
need to make a board from scratch!
5 Stewart Road, Currumbin Qld
P: 07 5534 3777 burfordblanksaustralia.com.au
flipside skate & ride
A real down-to-earth skateboarding and BMX shop in Gympie, QLD.
We stock all the best brands - Vans, Santa Cruz, Spitfire Wheels,
Independent Trucks, Envy Scooters, S1 Helmets and more. Drop in
for gear, apparel, advice and old-school service.
55 Mary Street, Gympie QLD 4570
w. flipsideskate.com.au
Instagram: @flipsideskate Facebook: flipsideskate
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smorgasboarder
the heart of the surf community
coolest spot in town
A front row seat to beautiful Lyall Bay, Wellington’s top surf spot and
the best brunch around!
Located at Lyall Bay in Wellington. Opened 7am – 5pm
maranuicafe.co.nz
the board shop
New Zealand’s Surf Specialists – The Board Shop has been at
the cutting edge of hi-tech epoxy surfboard, longboard and SUP
technology for over 20 years. Drop in or check them out online.
49 Barrys Point Rd, Takapuna, Auckland
P: +64 9 486 0930 | theboardshop.co.nz
blanks
cloth
resin
shaping tools
shop online . nz wide delivery
raglan surf emporium
Clothing, wetsuits, surfboards, surfboard and wetsuit rentals.
Open 7 days 9am – 5pm
3 Wainui Rd, Raglan
P: +64 7 282 0018 E: info@raglansurfemporium.com
raglansurfemporium.com
sadhana surfboards
Everything for the board shaper from backyarder to pro. Full range
of PU and EPS blanks. Polyester and water clear epoxy laminating
resins. Shaping, sanding and glassing tools. Custom boards, repairs,
short and long term hires. Shop online with freighting NZ wide.
3 Garlands Road, Woolston, Christchurch 8023
P: +64 (3) 389 5611 | sadhanasurfboards.com
surfing accessories
We have Australia’s hottest new surfing accessories to keep you
in the surf longer. Our innovative products can help you enjoy the
surf and outdoors even more and provide you with protection and
comfort as you follow your passion! Stockists of H2Odyssey webbed
gloves and X-STING-WISH®IT. Organic sting relief.
seeyououtthere.com.au
for your culinary delights
The Rivermouth General Store. Great coffee + speciality teas,
gourmet food, fresh juices, smoothies, art, awesome vibe, surfing
stories + the floor is worth reading.
101 Sunpatch Parade, Tomakin Nsw
Instagram: @therivermouth
Facebook: The Rivermouth General Store
65

smorgasboarder
support the grassroots
sup centre
Life’s better standing up. A one stop
shop for everything SUP with the best
brands, range, prices and expertise. With
access to all the major SUP brands in NZ,
through a nationwide delivery service.
20 Melrose Street, Newmarket, NZ
P: +64 9 520 3366
supcentre.co.nz
we are a core surf shop.
Just up from Fitzroy Beach.
Locally owned and operated.
Surfboards and wetsuits.
New and used. Repair and hire gear.
Located at 39 Beach St, Fitzroy/New
Plymouth, NZ
Ph: (06) 7580 400
surfboards designed and shaped
by mike jolly
Full repair service. Rentals, surfing gear
and good advice.
122 Seaview Road, Piha Beach NZ
P: +64 9 812 8723
pihasurf@xtra.co.nz
preece’s surf shop
Plenty of new and used surfboards,
bodyboards, wetsuits, clothing and
accessories. The only surf shop right on
the coast. Open 7 days.
159 Esplanade, Port Noarlunga Sth, SA
P: 08 8386 0404
preece-sthport-surf.com.au
brunswick surf shop
Chock full of awesome threads, sunnies,
surf and skate accessories, Therapy,
Matt Hurworth and RA Hand Shaped
Surfboards to have the locals frothing.
1/12 The Terrace, Brunswick Heads NSW
P: 02 6685 1283
brunswicksurf.com.au
alkali adorn
Beautifully handcrafted artisan jewellery
with rustic unpolished silver, shells and
precious stones to create one-of-a-kind
pieces. Inspired by the surf and the
natural wonders of the sea.
Instagram: @alkaliadorn
for
more
enquiries
new zealand
jiff morris
jeff@smorgasboarder.co.nz
0220 943 913
australia
dave swan
dave@smorgasboarder.com.au
0401 345 201
smorgasboarder.com.au
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anding | strategy | creative
www.horseandwater.com.au