Towing into the Point- 29/05/16

I went down to the beach, saw the big sets, put my wetsuit on and walked out the point. Josh and I waited on the rocks until a lull, this is when I jumped off and paddled like crazy into the shipping channel. I sat out in the middle of the ocean with Krystal until Johnny caught a wave and Ry came to get Krystal, he asked me if I wanted a turn and I told him maybe later. Krystal caught a sick one. I decided to have a go. I’ve never been towed in, skurfing or anything like that, so I didn’t even know how to get up. I got it in my first try and Ry tried to tow me into a small one, but I got bumped off. Then I was towed into a really good one! I was hooked. Josh came out and I caught a few more and he caught some too. It got too bumpy and Johnny took us in. It was the most incredible, uplifting experience off my life and I can’t wait until next time!

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This wave is about 8ft and was the best wave I’ve ever caught! Thanks Ry and Krystal for the great day! 🙂

Forgotten

Surfing, gliding through the ocean, feeling the water on my skin, thats where I belong. Not sitting by myself all alone crying, feeling worthless and unwanted. One person had made me feel unwanted, had started my panic attacks, my hatred towards her was uncanny. She spread rumours about me, she told my “friends” not to let me sit with them, she ruined a perfectly good year. Being excluded started to eat away at me, I developed anxiety, I started to not sleep very well. It was a cold, sharp pain at my heart. don’t know how to properly explain what it feels like, how horrible and heavy it is. How cold you feel. It made my brain throb with the questions; “what have I done?”, “why me?”, “Is it my fault?” These questions filled my mind, they pushed my into a world so full of hatred, my only escape was to surf, to feel the heart beats of the ocean.

Everyday I would sit by myself, I tried to sit with other girls, but I didn’t fit in, I didn’t have inside jokes with them, I didn’t make them laugh, I hardly spoke. Again I felt like I didnt belong, I felt excluded. Soon enough my panic attacks stopped, my world surfaced, I finally could breath normally. I worked by way back up from feeling excluded, unwanted, anxious and worthless. As school drew to an end, my world was back on its feet, I got an amazing report, two academic awards and I was surfing better than ever. People I would not normally call my friends were the only people there for me. 2015 was by far the worst year of my life; I lost a person very, very close to my heart and I tunneled into a world of exclusion. Its probably one of the worst feelings in the world.

Belonging

Do you feel you belong in Kalbarri?

Kalbarri is my home. I feel safe and happy in Kalbarri. Everything I love is here.

Do you feel you belong anywhere else?

The ocean is another place I call home. The ocean is a place where I feel pure and raw. Red dust, perfect left handers, Gnaraloo. My home away from home.

Where do your parents belong?

In the ocean, surfing, diving etc. With their family at home, at Gnaraloo, or travelling and going on adventures.

Where did your grandparents/great-grandparents belong?

Well I know little about my Vovo, as she had Alzeimers Disease for 12 years. I would say with her children and at her house. My Great- Granmother loved her birds, thats where she belonged, with the wild birds that would visit her. My Gran loved her horses and dingoes. She would love to be at Coolong Station with all the dingoes.

How long does a person have to live in a place before he or she feels that they belong there?

I believe that if you feel a true connection with the place, you could only be there for a second, minute, hour or day. It depends on the person and how much the wanted to live there.

To belong to a place, do you need to feel you own a piece of property there?

I believe that you don’t, because you may feel srong connections to that place and stronger connections to another place.

To belong to a country, do you need to be born there?

I believe that you don’t. If you have always dreamed of living there to help your family, to follow your choosen career path, it does not matter if you were born there or not, you could have always wanted to live there.

How can Australians get a sense of belonging to country, if they live in the city?

They may choose to live there in future or they may have come from there. I really don’t know.

 

 

 

Chinese Horoscope- The Goat

I was born in April of 2003, which makes me a goat in the Chinese Zodiac.

According to the Chinese Zodiac, goats are charming, sympathetic and amiable. Being genuinely nice people, goasts rarely criticise and look for the best in people. We like to forgive and forget and will bottle up resentments to keep peace. Apparently I am the most artistic and creative of all the animals. I am a yin sign, so I am quite in touch with the Earth elements. I am gentle, wise, witty, compassionate and charming. Casual, relaxed enviroments are my favourite and smaller groups of people for interactions is my thing. I am loved by family and friends. People trust me to be available when in need of help. I enjoy getting freedom to come and go within a friend or family member’s home. Being forced to adhere to schedules is not a pleasant situation fo me.

This year (2016) is the year of the Monkey, which means that I will have to pay a lot of attention to my schooling and health. Fierce competition at school may bewilder the Goat. The Goat’s mind will be occupied by annoying problems or unresolved issues. This may prove distracting and could wear down the road the Goat has paved over the last few years. This year I should not be making major decisions, I should spend time thinking and caring for myself. This is a year of many highs and lows, so I must remain calm and neutral. I will feel apprehensive, agitated and impatient. If i remain calm, grounded and stable, this year will proceed with benefit and fortune.

This horoscope really resembles myself. I have noticed my impatience over this year. Hopefully I can stay calm and grounded and this year will be great.

My Accomplishment

My Accomplishment

The sand was cold. My feet nestled into the sand; burrowing deep. I watched the sky light up deep orange and light yellow. The sun was coming up over the hills. The ocean was glassy and smooth. There was a nice warm breeze.

A few days before, I didn’t want to do this contest. I was about to give up, but I changed my mind and decided to participate. Small waves were rolling in perfect lines, before breaking on the shore. I felt a wave of uneasiness sweep over me, knocking my confidence off its feet. My Dad looked at me and said some words of encouragement; I smiled at him and gave him a hug. As the day progressed I got more and more nervous, it was about 30 minutes until my heat. I started to cry; the fear had gotten to me. Dad decided to walk me down the beach. I started to feel better, but, as we turned around, I planted my foot right on a bee. It stung me and Dad carried me back to the little beach tent we were sitting in. We got out the sting and applied ice.

The loudspeaker told the girls in my round to get a rashie from the kiosk. I put mine on and lined up on the sand. We paddled out and the siren blew. The water was smooth, but I couldn’t concentrate on the beauty of the ocean and scenery, I need to catch a wave. The siren went before I knew it and the waves I caught and the surf I had, just flew by.

The next day I was less nervous, swimming and waiting for my heat. It was a warm day and the sun was beating down on me, giving me a very funny tan line. The wind picked up and the sand pierced my skin as it blew on me. When it was time for my heat, I was nervous, but adrenaline was pumping through my veins. I was super excited. I went into the water and started to hassle for waves. Again it went quite quickly. I was over the moon to know that I had just completed my first comp. They didn’t announce the rankings.

We then went home and got ready to go to get the trophies. I came third and my good friend, Jack Robinson (who is a professional surfer and competed in one of the WSL completion events), came to have dinner with us and watch me get my trophy. Everyone wanted to get a photo with him and get his autograph. We had dinner and played around. I was incredibly proud of myself. I had so much fun.

My Dad

I don’t have a favourite family member, but my Dad and I really click. We do everything together. He taught me to surf, to spearfish. I have an incredibly strong bond with him. He gives me courage, he makes me laugh and i can tell him anything. Everything I do is to make him proud, to not disappoint him, although he says I will never disappoint him. I help him with the car and go on fishing adventures with him. He helps me and hangs out with me. Not only is he my Dad, but he is my best friend. I have so many stories with him; like the time I dropped in on him in the surf and the time I shot my first fish. He loves me and I love him.

 

5 Interesting Things About Me

1. When I was little, 0-7, I would traveL to the Abrohlos Islands and live there for 4-6 months. The reason for this was beacuse my Dad was a crayfisherman. I even started school down there. I really enjoyed it.

2. I started surfing when I was 14 months old, before that my Mum and Dad would push me into waves and I would lay on the board.

3. Last year I won two academic awards, one for HASS and one for Science. The whole year I had worked very hard and I really love school.

4. I love to dance. I’m not very good, but I try. I do contemporary and ballet.

5. I have a sister, she is very annoying, but I love her. Sometimes we have great days and get along really well, other times we want to kill each other. 🙂