'I'm always looking for the Hows and the Whys and the Whats,' said Muskrat, 'That is why I speak as I do. You've heard of Muskrat's Much-in-Little, of course?'
'No,' said the child. 'What is it?'
- The Mouse and his Child. Russell Hoban.

Go here to find out more.

Tuesday, 23 February 2010

Surfing Lesson at Mount Maunganui


In the spring we bought the girls a two-hour surfing lesson with the inimitable 'Space' Warbrick. They had never been surfing before. He was wonderful and began by teaching them all about sea safety, rips etc, before going through all the moves, positions and points of balance they would need on the boards, but while still on the beach. Finally they progressed to the water and... well you can see from the images how excellent the tutoring was. It's not easy to get people confident enough to be actually standing up on the boards within two hours. Thanks Space! And great going, Natalie and Claire!

























9 comments:

  1. Exciting stuff - and well done, girls and tutor. :)

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  2. Anonymous25.2.10

    That is fantastic! Was a dream of mine that is not to be, but love to watch. Wow- that was a long walk down to the water!

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  3. Thanks for your comments Jinksy and DogsMom.

    Davis, I'll leave your 'comment' here for a while but really it's a post, and the place for *your* post is on *your* blog, not mine. And I'd be interested to read it, so give it a go! You have an interesting style of writing that reminds me a little of my friend Robert's alter-ego, Billy Ray Barnwell.

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  4. Space is obviously a good surfing tutor but why is he called Space? Is it because of what he has got between his ears or is he a Star Trek fan? Also why isn't he in the obligatory bush hat, shorts, black vest and gumboots (wellingtons)?

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  5. YP - Space is a brilliant tutor. I don't know why he is called Space. YOu first statement precludes your first suggestion, and I can inform your he's not a 'Trekkie'.

    And he's in a wetsuit because gumboots fill up with water when you go in the sea with them. As even a Yorkshire Pudding who lives in a country with no beaches, should know.

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  6. No beaches? I know you have been to the UK Katherine but you must have stayed inland. Near where I grew up there is a beach that extends thirty five miles from Bridlington to Spurn Head. That is just one example. Perhaps Space is called Space because he has to wear a Spacemaker - allowing extra room in his wetsuit for hidden gumboots.

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  7. fun sequence, Katherine. :-)

    wish we were there.

    ..
    .ero

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  8. If I didn't know the photos were of a surfing lesson, I would have said the people were doing tai chi.

    I agree with you about Davis Miller's writing style, by the way, except that Billy Ray Barnwell uses commas instead of periods. Also, he never heard of an old song called "Brandy" and he doesn't go to bars.

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  9. Bite Me YP.

    Heyyy sUNnY! Wish you were here too! You'd love it.

    Robert, the similarity was tenuous, at best. It was an insult to the creator of Billy Ray. In fact, I'm tired of that thinly-veiled advertisement. 'Bye bye! Ain't delete options marvelous!?

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