Wanna know what it looks like? Here are some small pics to tease you with. Maybe I ll post some better ones on the club website.

Transcription

1 Ballina Malibu Club Newsletter Secretary s Report Hi everybody! I d like to have something to report but, alas, I don t. Other than Ev and I had a great holiday in Sri Lanka, Thailand and Cambodia. As I ve been away for a month it s pretty easy to put this together. All I have to do is paste in what everyone s sent me. That s easy. Not much mail! As for the surf in Sri Lanka, it s good. We spent a week in Arugam Bay during our journey. The surf was good every day and I have been assured that I ve been lucky to hit a good run of waves. I surfed just about all the points in the area but only one, as it turned out, really pressed my buttons. That was the wave at Arugam Bay itself. It s quite a good point reef with a long wave and, most of all, is really fun as it runs down the line. We were there just before the surf season switches to the west coast; it s very monsoonal there and the waves go bad for months on end. November is the switchover time. Now. Crowds at Arugam Bay run around people out during the peak season I m told. I, again, was luckier and got it on for 2 days with about out. That s not uncrowded enough for me but it was manageable because it was pretty good. I ve been told that when it connects though it s even better. Wanna know what it looks like? Here are some small pics to tease you with. Maybe I ll post some better ones on the club website. Arugam Bay Some report, eh? I don t have a clue what has happened here because I was there. No matter. Have a good one. It s a pretty condensed report this month that follows. But the old adage still holds: quality in, quality out. Enjoy yourselves. Secretary Alan Pottuvil Point

2 Alan at Arugam Bay. Photo by Ev. Preso Report Despite our smallest turn out for the year Sunday was a great day for our October comp. with offshore winds & nice 1 metre waves. The surf improved as morning went on with some decent sets coming through although with the incoming tide it got a bit difficult to find a wave. Still a great day to be on the beach. Our Masterchef Terri turned up with a bag of goodies that was much appreciated by all our hungry members. A couple of our members Steve Watts & Eric Walker competed in the Evans Head Longboard comp. I haven't got any results but hopefully they both went well. Friday 14th is our next social night out at Mi Thai Lennox. It would be nice to get a good roll up so please let the lovely Jan know if you can make it. While on Mi Thai your hungry President was the lucky recipient of the October voucher. All second round winners also got a Malibu burger voucher. Only two rounds to go before another year is finished. It's still wide open for end of year trophies so get along for the last two comps. Good to see Pete Briggs back from his annual migration north for the winter. The surf has been a bit ordinary lately so let s hope things pick up over the next few weeks. See you in the water when that happens. Wazza October results. 1sts. 1. Wazza, 2. Frank McWilliams, 3. Steve Watts 2nds. 1. Marg Bryant, 2. Paul Abbott, 3. Pete Briggs 3rds. 1. Brian fryer, 2. Bruce Wilson, 3. Jan Webster 4ths. 1. Bill Webster, 2. Col Harper

3 Captain s Report Well better late than never is what I always say. Let's start with the August comp round not to many takers on the day but a good surf enjoyed by all who turned up with slight offshore winds & waves around the 3 to 4ft.It was good to see Ken, Brian D & Col Harper back on board. How was this Col was even sporting a new wetsuit what's the world coming to. I did hear rumours that Pam refuses to knit any more wetsuits for Col so he had to seek another option. The September comp was cancelled due to lack of quality waves on the day. I heard a few fellow mal riders who do not belong to the club talking out in the water about how the Ballina Mal Club should write a book on "101 excuses as to why we are not holding the club round today" I had to laugh at some of the excuses raised by the boy's taking the Mickey out of us all in good fun. Bulla Bulla to you all. I found myself muttering this days after we returned from Fiji. The trip was fantastic socially, all a great bunch of people. The surf left a lot to be desired with the swell direction & winds not in our favour. There were a few diehards who thought they would tackle the reef at Hideaways. Phil Calnan & Steve Watts were the first two to venture out unfortunately the majority of us were in town shopping when they decided to tackle the reef. We arrived back at the resort to hear from Phil & Steve about their little adventure out in the surf. I think you better ask Phil & Steve about that surf all I know they were onto their 4th beer when I seen them & still no colour in their faces better still ask Peter Farrell as he was the spotter watching them & all Peter had on his face was a grin from ear to ear listening to the boy's tales of woe. The resort itself was good the service was slow, hey but I been told that is Fiji time, thank god they don't work for me. The people were very friendly & hospitable. Upon arriving at the resort Mick Wilson & myself were taken to our accommodation by Viti the doorman a rather large jolly chap who delighted in seeing our faces when he opened up the door to our Bure & there was only one double bed. I must admit Mick & myself stood up to the barrage of gay jokes who is Mr & who is the Missus Wilson. We did end up with another Bure straight away which had two beds to squash the rumours. I did have a slight feeling that a few guests were not too sure if we were an item or not especially Marty Bar Fly who befriended everyone he meet, I was not too sure of Marty he looked like someone you wouldn't trust hanging around your local primary school. Broad shoulders Mick that's what us Wilsons have plus thick skin plus water of a ducks back is what I say. Now every evening around 6pm the Ballina Mal Bar Flies would congregate around at the bar nice an early to make sure we had taken up all the spare stools & that the bowls of chips were handy for Happy Hour that was about to start at 6pm. Our illustrious leader Wazza was an old pro at this & we could always rest assured that Wazza would look after our corner of the bar. Speaking of Wazza for those that have never been on a surfari with him believe me it is an adventure you never know where you will end up, down some dirt road being waved at by the natives your going the wrong way or on their menu for tonight's meal because you have driven into a remote village that is practising the old ways. The surfari was inspired by Wazza, Phil, Mick & Myself we ended up at a nice stretch of sandy beach with a reef running along its edge & a small swell getting in around knee to

4 waist height. That was enough to quench or surf thirst. The next day the rest of the crew joined us at what we named which is Wilson Wilson Wyatt. Calnan. It was amazing how it took only half the time to reach the surf spot the following day may have something to do with knowing where we were going hey Wazza. Only this time round it was smaller & the wind was right into it. Sometimes I wonder about some of the crew & are they starting to suffer from Alzheimer's I mean to say who would go surfing & forget to bring sex nut & bolt for the fin set I won't mention no names Wazza & Big Al you can trust me ha ha ha ha. (EDITOR S NOTE: Is this another memory test, Brucie? If so, I think you ll find we will remember who we can trust ) ;-) Look overall it was a fantastic trip & I would do it again. I could go on with more tit bits about Fiji but I am hoping there will be more people contributing to the Fiji article for our newsletter & yes there is more to come from our fellow travellers like Brian Delany coming down with a server bout of Congoitis after joining the Congo train dance on the first evening we arrived only to be laid up for the rest of the holiday in bed. Then Big Al & Steve W braving the Hideaway reef for a surf with yours truly keeping an eye on them with my binoculars in just in case of problems. I would ask the ones that surfed the Hideaways reef what it feels like to paddle & go nowhere or have side wash hit you that is as big as the waves breaking on the reef. Steve & Carmel breaking records for the quickest balloon lovemaking at the resort. Mocktail, Cocktails, Margaritas, Fiji fling, Fiji Bitter was enjoyed by all. The Table Tennis Champions the Wilsons. The pool table champs Bruce & Steve W. What can I say. Ok where do we go next????? who has some ideas?????. I am going to enjoy my new toy now a V-Star Cruiser Yamaha on those day's when the wind is howling a nor'easter no surf. Watch out everyone it is Col H, Wazza & Elcapatain on two wheels terrorizing the Ballina Shire. See you all in the Blue Room. Elcapatain. Birthday Boys Going back to September, it s congrats to Wazza, Grant, Peter Briggs and Mick Calnan. October ager was Daddy Phil C and for November we have ever-greeners Kerry Wilcox and good old Eric! Happy birthday kiddies. Hope you ve enjoyed your cake and ice cream. Embarrassing photos will have to come later, my apologies. Social Report This just came in from Jan via

5 From: Jan Webster Sent: Tuesday, 25 October :23 PM To: ballina malibu club Subject: the last outing at the MI Thai Hi Al For the newsletter This was a well supported night with everyone enjoying themselves!! Stay tuned for Secretary stuff re the next night out...jan