We’ve posted about Auction For The Promise Club before…consisting of frontwomen - Zoe (our customer service superstar - sends out all your orders), alongside brother Toby and friend Perran they have been getting some great exposure as one of Cornwall’s best up and coming bands as well as across the U.K.

Back from a busy summer playing gigs across London, they’ve been focusing on writing recently but they have still made time to fit in some gigs further afield and for their loyal legion of fans back in the South West. Last weekend saw them perform at the Cavern Club in Liverpool (check them out on Dave Monks best of new releases - Second song in after dave grohls new project) and last night they drew a huge audience, packing out the pub in the village - causing a commotion into the early hours.

They’re playing next at the Bar Music Hall, Shoreditch - London on the 9th December…cant wait!!

www.myspace.com/auctionforthepromiseclub
Gig review

Another update on our favourite Brazilian charger. Carlos sent us over some updates on his trip to Mavericks. One of the worlds heaviest big wave/cold water surf spots in Half Moon Bay, California.

The waiting period for the annual Mavericks contest had begun and the first big swell hit, however whilst huge it was deemed a no-go for the contest, with the guys voting to wait for better winds. Carlos made the trip from Hawaii to get some practise in:

“With nothing in Hawaii, we tracked a storm that hit the west coast coming from between 290 and 300 degrees. It was the opening season day at Mavericks. Half Moon Bay buoy registered a big NW 29 feet at 20 seconds swell. It was very steep and some bombs that hit Mavs caught everyone inside”

“I stayed in the water for 5 hours straight and had to deal with some mammoths that were coming our way. If it wasn’t for the strong winds (15-30 knots) and super high tide (6′ feet), Mav’s would have been classic conditions! But I had some unreal rides and was a perfect day to practice for the event!”

Sounds unreal, its hard to believe how relaxed Carlos is about this kind of surf. Check out below to get an idea of what this guy takes on.

Taking on the bumps

Carlos closest to the peak, making it through the foam…check out the huge rocks on the inside - don’t lose your board!!

The entrance list for ‘The Eddie’ Big Wave Invitational was announced a few days ago and we’re stoked to see that Carlos has been invited to the exclusive event yet again, along side top big wave surfers such as Ross Clarke - Jones, Kelly Slater, Bruce Irons and Greg Long.

Here’s some background on the The Eddie:

Big Wave Invitational in Memory of Eddie Aikau

Held at Waimea bay, on the North shore of Ohau, the event is dedicated to legendary lifeguard and surfer Eddie Aikau who was lost at sea in 1978 after paddling to get help during a canoe voyage gone wrong.

The event has only been held seven times in the past 22 years, the last being in 2004. If the waves at Waimea do not reach at least 20ft Hawaiian, it is postponed until the next year. The waiting period is from December 1st - February 28th, giving the best chance of great conditions.

24 of the most respected big wave chargers are chosen from amongst their peers to compete, as a result the event is highly exclusive. Most importantly no jet skis to tow in or to navigate Waimea. Its paddle or nothing to really put these guys to the test. The past contests have lived up to the legendary status, with savage wipeouts and 30ft waves ridden.

This year is the 25th Anniversary of the event, and there’s high hopes for swell, with September and October showing some great conditions on the North Shore for the early season. Speaking to Carlos - he’s excited to be invited and is fingers crossed for epic conditions!

Watch this space. We’ll be following closely and let you know when it goes live, with updates on our man in Hawaii.

We’ve got a small fleet of retailers, they’re run by honest people, with good taste in products and brands.

Loose-Fit up in Braunton/Devon is one of those retailers and one of our finest. We’ve been running with them for the last three years and they’re constantly pushing the envelope, they’ve got their finger on the pulse when it comes to the industry and they have a love for boards.

With probably one of the finest collection of boards in the UK, they’re backed by a wealth of knowledge, from Loose-Fits own, Mikey Corker.

Just recently, he was interviewed on Slowcoast and he flew the flag high. If you want to hear what he had to say and his love affair for boards, you can find him here:

- Cheers for the shout Mikey, super stoked to have you guys on board!

http://www.slowcoast.co.uk/soundslides/soundslide.php?id=104

Where in the world has this guy been over the last three months?

In the past, our relationship consisted of weekly phone conversations, monthly surfs around the southwest and the occasional blow-out in the big smoke. But, as of late, he’s been touring the west coast of North America, from San Diego to Vancouver.

He’s practically met every guy who formed the surf culture out there. He’s managed to get inroads to some of the most localised spots throughout California and also heard that he put the camera down for once and managed to get in the sea.

Many see surf photographers as surf photographers, they capture amazing moments in the sea, but never really find the time to get in it.

Well…big Al - amongst the many photo moments over last three months - also scored a filthy beach break - “one of the sickest beachbreaks I’ve ever surfed”, he said.

Cheers for the shot you little barrel hunter!

Love you homie.

Al Mack, right hand… hello barrell

Ian, was marooned a few weeks back on some island somewhere in the North Pacific, he was there with friends and Timmy Turner and they’ve been busy filming cold water thoughts, Timmy’s new film.

The trip and the crew have managed to spark attention across the surf world. We don’t ask for Ian to get coverage, we don’t push his to be seen. He just does what he does naturally and things just seem to happen.

Super stoked with the coverage Ian, can’t wait to see the result.

http://surferspath.com/news/cold-thoughts-preview-the-wilds-of-canada

Phil and Skippy, local boat builders and dive experts from Falmouth are rowing the Atlantic - taking on everything the ocean can throw at them. The boys who are raising money for the Cornwall Blind Association hand built there boat in a remote farm house in Cornwall.

Phil dropped by the office yesterday to pick up some kit for the trip and gave us the lowdown on the mission: Huge seas, strong winds, busy shipping lanes and inquisitive marine life capable of up turning the boat all face the guys on their biggest challenge yet…

3000 miles of open ocean and an adventure of a life time - Best of luck boys.

http://www.visionofcornwall.co.uk/

“We were dropped off at a spot our friend Raph has out in the middle of nowhere. Raph comes and stays whenever the swell is good. It’s way out there, a long way from civilization, no phone reception, no internet, no help, no Maccas. All we said when we got dropped of was, ‘just come back and get us in 3-weeks please!’ We went there to surf and film for Timmy’s upcoming film Cold Thoughts (sequel to the awesome Second Thoughts). We drank river water and a large part of our diets was fish- salmon from the river, gooseneck barnacles from the rocks. It’s a very fickle spot, but when it works, the wave we were camping out for, is just like Backdoor- just nobody out and you’re in full rubber!”

I query him on the redneck chic shotgun pictures, as surf trips are so sanitised these days no-one ever goes anywhere that is actually dangerous (maybe with the exception of Stuart Butler).

“We had to have the semi-automatic shotgun, we used it alot as every day, morning and night we had bears all over the place, on occasion even coming right into our camp, you would often hear the wolves. One night we even had a cougar fight happening outside our tents. In the water there were killer whales, sea lions, seals, whales… The place is so alive. It’s basically like an Attenborough documentary but with you in the middle of it.”

Was the wildlife terror and hardship worth it?

“Even though we only had three real good days of waves in the 3-weeks we camped there, it was totally worth it, a mind blowing experience. It got pretty heavy though on the first good day Timmy hit the reef hard on one at low tide, cracked a few ribs with the initial hit, then the second hit was his head which split his helmet. Seeing as he’s had brain surgery six times after that horrendous sinal staph infection that nearly killed him it was pretty scary. You realize how far out you are when that kind of thing happens.”

Final question- Did you see any bears shitting in the woods? As it’s a question that’s vexed me for years.

“Within 15-minutes of the boat leaving us there I was doing a piss just looking at the sea minding my own business, halfway through it I looked to my side for some reason and right there on the beach full eye contact with a bear, 5-metres away. I edged slowly back into the camp with the old boy still hanging out and then when we were setting up the tarps and tents Eric looks up, a large bear was maybe 10-metres away standing upright on its back legs, one front paw leaning on a tree, like it was checking us out in a bar. Eric fires a warning shot into the air to scare it off, it doesn’t move, I’m telling him reload but in the heat of the moment he jams the shotgun chamber… with a big bear stood there. We shit ourselves, I fired the flare gun/bear banger at it and it buggered off thankfully…”

So yes bears do shit in the woods. They also own the woods…

Words by Roger Sharp aka Sharpy

Some of this summer’s merino T-shirts were designed by the very talented and sassy Bryn hall.

Bryn’s holding an exhibition of her work entitled Byrd, down in St Just, Cornwall, kicking off now and running until the 19th December. The exhibition features her rhythmic and dreamlike illustrations, influenced by her passion for surfing and the Cornish coastline. if you get the chance, it’s definitely worth popping in and taking a look. Stoked for you Bryn x