Hello, I am still traveling in New Zealand. I have left Mt. Maunganui and have been traveling around a lot the past week or so all over the east and west coast. A friend of mine from high school, Parker, who went to school here for a semester and was back over here living for a couple months, met up with me last week and we took his van all over the east coast following this fun swell that came through. We got numerous places just empty and firing. We ended up driving up to Whangapoua and staying with a friend of Parker's who has one of the most incredible houses on this hill over looking the tiny town of Whangapoua and this jaw dropping view of the estuary (see above picture). By far one of the most impressive pieces of real estate I have seen. The family ended up being from Laguna, well originally from NZ but moved to Laguna 30 years ago or so and now lives in both places, and they were phenomenal. Super hospitable and mellow, they took us fishing and scored some massive 15 lb Snapper (mine wasn't, I caught the babies and threw them all back), as well as fed us some deluxe meals. We stayed there for about 3 or 4 days total, but in that time we did a few sneaky surf missions. We had this one wild 20 minute hike out to this point break in Whangapoua that was about a foot or two over head and had amazing shape, slabbing right on the rocks pretty much. The take off was sketchy but the wave itself was comparable to Hawaii. On the other side of that same point break, was this secret little beach break cove called New Chums. The waves where double the size as the point break and it was heavy. The paddle out nearly killed us, literally unable to paddle out right near the break. We fought to get through it way longer than we should have then ended up back on the beach after a set wave wiped us all out. We had walk down 100 yards or so from the main peak and paddle out and once we were out it was even crazier than we had thought. My first wave was a set wave and literally doubled up and I had a full stand up barrel for about a second or two before taking the worst beating of my life. The whole bay started closing out and it was basically just suicide after a while. Nobody else seemed to enjoy it as much as I did though, it really reminded me of home. Big close out barrels at gravels or links, it felt like home for a little, just with warmer water. I am not going to go through and list all the other places I scored, but I will just say that we got this very amazing and wild A frame that wrapped around this tiny island in this bay as well as the most barreling, off shore, unpopulated break in the middle of no where. This wave Waikawau was one of the coolest areas I have been too. I took a ton of photos because it is basically too cool to describe. It was like being lost on another planet and no ocean in site, and then you wander over this weird sand dune and stumble up an untouched, unpopulated beach with the most perfect waves possible. So basically, the past couple days have been amazing, surfing wise. I am now in Raglan hangin out. We have done some little camping trips since we have been here too, as well as scored this wave that doesn't break too often. Parker was telling me how lucky I am to be in Raglan for about a day and score that wave, and I reminded him that I was also lucky enough to be in New Zealand for a week and get bit by the only poisonous thing in New Zealand... We also had an unsuccessful surf mission to this other really sneaky secret break where we were almost mauled by cows. I didn't think cows were that gnarly, but apparently we did something to piss off these cows and they were not happy. You feel somewhat helpless and small when a heard of 30+ cows start to crowd you and walk very fast towards you, looking at you all weird. I was holding my surfboard up at them as if it would save me, and it seemed to work, it freaked them out. Parker just used me as a shield. But it is all good, we were not mauled by cows but I did take a mild beating from an electric fence... I haven't had a meat pie in a couple days, but I have been eating a lot of cookies. Cookies and Chicken Katsu. It really fuels me for the day. Raglan is a pretty funny area, it's like a full little hippy town where everyone surfs. Pretty much exact opposite from Mt. Maunganui, but it is just as fun. Each place is so different and awesome in its own way. I am kind of sad I didn't get to see the south island on this trip because of the medical fiasco, but I will be back for sure. I leave here in four days though and fly to Australia, which I am very excited about. I am off to go surf and play more around here, but I will try to update again soon, or when I get to Australia! Adios.
