Nigel is a ratbag. There are only two places where I am likely to run into Nigel - the beach or the soccer ground where he goes to see his daughter play. The rumour is that Nigel is a hard-working, successful businessman who travels extensively between his home in Byron Bay and his office in Melbourne. I am not convinced. I think he just surfs and watches soccer. Whether the … [Read more...]
JUST SIX WORDS…
Socrates special selection - No. 1. After churning out stories, thoughts, and philosophies from the weird and wild world of sport I thought it was time to dig out some of my favourites. If I were to create a top ten from Sportsocratic, this would be in there somewhere. Not because it's a brilliant piece of writing. I'm a philosopher...not a writer. I've, most likely, never … [Read more...]
Sharky morning at Wategos
The early morning surf check wasn’t promising. While the Pass was tempting with its clean, two-foot, southerly swell winding down the bank, every surfer within fifty kilometres (experts, beginners, and everything in between) was thrashing, clawing, and scratching to secure one of the few worthwhile waves on offer. No, I thought. I can’t stand it. Even if I am lucky enough to … [Read more...]
Teen’s toes attacked at Tallows Beach
Jack is a tremendous young bloke. The just out of teens, tall, blond, lean, good looking lad, quite unremarkably for a tall, blond, lean, good-looking kid from his hometown of Byron Bay, is a fanatical surfer. Byron Bay kids just love the ocean and surfing. His passion and talent for surfing may not be particularly unusual in “the Bay” but there is nothing unremarkable about … [Read more...]
The little surf that nearly ruined a promising career…
It’s tough when you grow up in a place where hanging out at the surf is a way of life then, suddenly, work takes you to a place that is land locked and the ocean and waves become things that you can only dream about. I know. It happened to me. Years back I moved from beautiful Queenscliff Beach in Sydney to dreary old London to progress my career and, for the first six months … [Read more...]