Tsumani

Tragic to think that waves, the things we ride, the things we think about and draw and dream of and aspire to riding, and which have given us so much pleasure over the years, could cause such massive loss of life this week as the death toll from the tsunamis rise incredibly over the last 24 hours.

There is already a blogspot site about the disaster here: http://tsunamihelp.blogspot.com/

There is also a developing aid response. The details below are from the ABC website:

Oxfam

Donate online: http://www.oxfam.org.au/world/emergencies/asia_tsunami.html

Phone: 1800 034 034

Red Cross

Donate online: RED CROSS

Phone: 1800 811 700

Send a cheque or money order to: GPO Box 9949 in your capital city

World Vision

Donate online: https://www.worldvision.com.au/appeals/asiaearthquake/

Phone: 13 32 40

In person: ANZ or National Australia Bank branches

Medecins Sans Frontieres

Donate online: http://www.msf.org.au/support/sa.shtml

Phone: 1800 788 100

Sri Lanka Disaster Relief Fund

Phone: (02) 98048679

Floating Around

Spent an hour or so floating around, getting a couple of small ones but generally just floating, waiting for the sets that didn't come, on a nice enough afternoon. It was the first surf I've had for a few weeks but it was kind of a lacklustre affair. I egged a couple, got one good one, it was nice to get wet but nothing special.

Clean Ocean Foundation

A timely Christmas reminder that the battle to clean up Gunnamatta is not over yet. I heard Environment Minister Thwaites twising and dodging on the radio this morning, and the Clean Ocean Site today says:



Clean Ocean Christmas Update:



We have won some battles this year however the War on Wally's is far from over and the Foundation needs all hands on deck. This Christmas we must send a clear message to the State Governments around the country that ocean outfall technology is a dead technology.

As the end of 2004 approaches a new campaign to close the Gunnamatta outfall (Vic) is about to begin. This is because we fear Melbourne Water and the State Government may have asked for legal action this Christmas to avoid upgrading the Eastern Treatment Plant to Class A.

The Water Minister, John Thwaites, who seems to have forgotten that voters remember who’s been bad or good at election time, should start being good for goodness sake, or run the risk of an empty ballot stocking come election day..

Upgrading the Eastern Treatment Plant to class A would significantly cut down the amount of wastewater pollution at Gunnamatta; Australia’s worst shoreline outfall.

Clean Ocean Foundation - home

Voice of the Sea

The sea as a religious experience; it's probably no surprise to surfers.

Compass - ABC TV Religion | Stories: "Voice of the Sea"

Still crazy after all these years

It was a pretty big milestone last night; my daughter's 21st and lots of family and friends gathered around on a nice warm early summer evening. Her friends were there, but also lots of old friends of ours, including lots of the surfing crew from d-bay way way back, before we had 21sts. I haven't surfed that much in the last few months but of course the first thing I asked about was the surf. Turns out that the day had been a real fun one 2-4' beach breaks and clean offshores all day. I was a bit put out I'd missed it, but pleased for them, and surprised and pleased too to hear that four or five of them had been competing in a club competitoin that day, surfing in the over 45 section most of them, and still loving it. They were all tired, a bit sunburnt, and relaxed, just like you should be after a club comp. It was good to have them all there.