One week in Australia.. 90 day challenge has started!

Christ.. that was a long week!!Feels like i’ve done loads but the reality is i’ve done bugger all!!

It started off in true Ozzie style..  Colin (windsurf Australia) picked me up from the airport and we went straight to Newsons 30th B’day..  Bath full of Beer and rum…  and everyone in their cricket whites! (don’t ask me)…  and had been sending it for hours.. Oh dear!! ..i got there..  someones on the roof of a Car with their Knob out.. Volwater drinking from a Cricket box that Newson had been wearing all night!! haha..  Although Volwater only found out that after he’d drunk from it..  Newson didn’t last long and was soon in the ice cold bath!! haha..  you can imagine the rest of the night…  messy!!

Anyway what about the windsurfing..

Well In windsurfing terms i’ve pretty much had 2 Slalom sessions and a freestyle session..  yes i did say freestyle!!

The Slalom was super fun…  just down at the river (Apple cross.. i think) with Steve (Steve’s surf shed) Stratford and a few of the other boys and girls. It’s been a while since i’ve been on a slalom board and i actually really enjoyed it… although my shins are killing me now. We even gave the Rottness Ferry a little race haha..  

For the freestyle session we went down to Woodies..  to be fair it wasn’t classic but the place is amazing for freestyle..  super flat on the inside and chop/rolling swell on the outside.

(The spot is right at the end over the other side of the spit of sand!)

It was ideal for Freestlye..  i was definitely a little rusty to say the least but i had a good laugh busting out the old school Willy skippers!! haha … i will be for sure going again.

The boys

So why no wave sailing i hear you ask?  Well i’ve had a few van issues so i’ve been stuck in Perth. i won’t bore you with all the details but here’s a sum up:

Wind screen didn’t make it through the winter and needed to be replaced but they was some rust underneath that needed sorted first… long story short O’brians quoted $590 Gulp..  managed to sort it for $250 with a bit of a hand from the friendly German next door to Steves shed and one of Steve’s contacts (who turned out to be from Manchester! ha) and now i have a shinny new window! Mid way through trying to sort the windscreen i thought it might be good to check the solar panel was working properly so I stuck the voltmeter on it..  18 -19 Volts!!! Ssshit..  better disconnect the solar panel…  did that..  still 18 -19 volts…  SSSShhhhhit..  Was told the regulator must be done..  quote $700!!!  as you have to take out half the engine to get at it!! SsSSSSSSSSShhHHHHHHHHittttttt!!…

..and not able to do it for a week!!  ..Crying!!!

Oh then i locked my keys in the van!!!  Past crying..  i’m just a ball on the floor now with a noise coming from it!!

Then things started to get better…  Steve saved the day again by making this amazing Car breaking in tool!!  10 seconds at most!!

A weekend later and after changing the battery it went back to normal voltage!!..  Strange!!  ..smart charged the old battery stuck it back on and it’s working fine!!!  Wooohhoooooo… Don’t ask me..  i know nothing!!  But Woooohoooooo…  I’m saying nothing just crossing my fingers and hoping!

..and with the monkey saved..  we thought it was only right to stick a new Stereo in the van..  and add some speakers!!  I mean it’s Australia and you need tunes when your doing all these miles..

Since i’ve managed to sort the van the wind has buggered off..  so i’m just waiting for the next system to show it’s self then i can decide which way to go..  North or South. But there is also the problem of my gear which hasn’t turned up yet but should be here in a few days..  so don’t want to go too far away!

So it’s just fiddling at the moment..  i’ve even managed to make this Fly net for the back.

I know it doesn’t look like much but this is the shizzle..  back door open at night and no mozzies or fly’s…   breeze drifting through..  bloody awesome!!! …Ian (Sail repairer at Steve’s shed) even put some elastic round the sides for me!   Oh yeah.. living the dream..

So big thanks to everyone that helped me out this week.. Colin for keeping the van over the winter and picking me up etc etc..  sorry about the shite i’ve left everywhere!! haha..  Steve and Marieke.. for being legends and really helping me out this week.

…. and really if you are in Perth and need to get anything repaired Sail/board or buy windsurfing gear/bits and pieces give ‘Steves surf Shed’ a shout the guys a legend and can sort you out.  https://www.facebook.com/StevesSurfShed

Ok i’m off to check the forecast and speak to Colin about Helicopters :)!!