Rainbow Bay Surf Club

29/06/201729/06/2017

Surf Life Saving Clubs are an iconic landmark scattered around the Australian coast line.

In Queensland some of the best locations to eat over looking the surf are in surf clubs.

By far my favourite is Rainbow Bay Surf Club which over looks the infamous Snapper Rocks. Snapper, as it is known by locals, hosts the annual World Surf League Quicksilver Pro and Roxy Pro.

The QuickSilver Pro has been drawing the world’s best surfers for years, and my all time fav Kelly Slater carves up the waves only meters in front of you! Definitely worth going down to watch if you are around Late February, early March.

At other times of the year, it is still worth drifting down to the southern end of the Gold Coast to have lunch at the Rainbow Bay Surf Club.

The food at this surf club is OK. It’s a kin to a good counter meal. Most the surf clubs are similar. Rainbow does offer lunch time specials so for a reasonable price you can grab a beer and feed, or wine and feed overlooking one of Australia’s most amazing ocean views from which to eat above.

These are “clubs” but visitors are welcome. You will be asked to sign in on arrival or join, which is a nominal fee of around $5.

Surfing Batu Balong Beach Bali

29/06/201729/06/2017

I am eagerly waiting to return to Bali this weekend where I can surf, eat organic food and catch up with friends.

Bali has become a second home of sorts, with me traveling there 9-10 times in the past 3 years.

Bali had never been high on my travel bucket list but after doing a food documentary pilot for a TV show in Ubud, I fell in love.

The people are spiritually sound and grateful. Very caring and gentle despite the harrassment that sometimes occurs on the more popular beaches and tourist stretches of Kuta and Seminyak.

I like to stay in Canggu. It is the beach area further around from Seminyak and was the old surfie part but like most of Bali has been a little over run by hipsters and families.

If you ask anyone where Old Man’s Pub is you will find Batu Balong.

The place is very laid back. Sports a little temple, which commands a big crowd on Sunday with worshipping from the local Balinese.

I like going surfing here. It is a reef so can get gnarlly on low tide. Actually the beach is quite steep so getting out of the surf can be precarious.

There are a couple of surf board hire places in the car park and both are friendly establishments. You can leave your valuables in a basket and the guys will look after them. Boards cost $5 for 1-2 hours.. no one really runs a clock. You can organise a coach easily enough, on the spot – usually $35 which includes board hire.

Regardless of whether you have surfed before or not, Batu Balong is a great place to catch some waves. If you have surfed a bit you might find it a bit crowded but for novices it is easy!

The Quicksilver Pro on the Gold Coast

21/03/201621/03/2016

With squeals of delight I tell my friends tonight if they want to catch up this weekend (and I hope they do), I will be planted down at Snapper Rocks watching the Quicksilver Pro Surfing Competition.

In my mind, one of the best spectator, must-see-events of any sporting or outdoor event.

You literally stand in thigh deep water as the best surfers in the world surf past you (on one of the best breaks in the world). It all comes together for me as a happy blurr. I haven’t missed a year and each year I adore and respect it more than the year before.

This year it feels over in a heart beat and I am so glad that I make the decision to go down every day regardless and start work late.

Quciky pro — Matt Wilkinson at Quicksilver Pro (Heat)

Aside from the final day, the weather was perfect and the waves sublime.

Snapper Rocks — Quicksilver Pro at snapper Rocks

These are some pictures of years gone past….