Wish I was doing this

Right now...

When gummy sharks attack!

Seen the new Riptide yet? Well if you have you would've noticed my more than open mouthed grin exposing my gums! Don't know how it happened - it kinda took me by surprise actually, good for a laugh anyhow haha...

Insane shot by Alex Turoy

A closer look...

Be sure to check out Riptide's new website here...

Pea's (my new word for peace...see if it catch's on!)

Dark

So it turns out my elbow is fucked and I need an operation.

Look closely at the right pic and you'll notice a fragment of bone in that hole

About 10 years ago I hit my left elbow skating whilst attempting a rail slide and in turn wasn't apparently broken - but what would seem now that it actually chipped part of my bone and has been floating around ever since. This current accident has dislodged these fragments and now are jammed in between my joints - which is bad. So an operation is in order.....stoked!

I'm pretty dark on the whole thing, but that's life and it's not the end of the world. You can expect a lot more updates now that I won't be in the water for a while...

Pain killers 

Just 'cause

Ever since my friend Ryan (keats) has owned a still shot camera and learnt how to use photoshop, he has made it his lifelong ambition to 'edit' any photo of me in his own special way...

'Edited' version of photo below - complete with fattened head and a chiko roll

Now I probably shouldn't have given him the satisfaction of putting the photo up here but it's too funny not to. 

Stayed tuned 'cause when I go home (east coast) I'll access my old computer and post a couple of past 'edited' photos.

Look what you've gone and done...fat head

On Friday night I managed to do this...

Attempted army-roll over a car bonnet gone terribly wrong

I thought I broke it, but luckily I didn't. Doc reckons I'll be good to go in 7 days - until then I'm as useless as a T-Rex's arms. It's just as well, because I am going to the East Coast in exactly one week - leaving Margaret River and her shit weather and waves behind (hopefully).

What have I learnt? Don't try to slide across a wet car bonnet - you'll end up looking like me or worse.

P.s Fat head was not a direct result from said incident. It's trick photography I tell ya!

Peace.

Gas

Waves are horrendous at the moment in Margaret River - horrendous! I've been pretty bored the last few days so I decided to make another short clip! Churning them out by the fistful... Mitch Woodland feat. Ryan Hardy...

Mitch Woodland feat. Ryan Hardy from Mitch Woodland on Vimeo.

Like new part 2

The chronicles of Chad Walrus

If you were a keen viewer of my blog when it first started all of about 6 weeks ago, you would have read somewhere me calling Chad Waldron by the moniker of "Digital Walrus". I also said somewhere that there might be a time when I would reveal the story behind that name whilst also insinuating that I would most probably not.

Well it comes to a time where I have nothing interesting to blog about and racking my brain I remembered this empty promise in the dark recesses of my mind.

I met Chad 6 years ago at my home break Box Beach, I was 15. He was there filming Dave Crowley and Kingy. I remember being so amped cause I had just finished school for the day and knew the surf would be good. And really it wasn't that good but because there were people filming and Kingy was out, it was a big deal!

I did this invert (and a bunch of other tricks for that matter) Chad filmed it and that ignited our filmer/bodyboarder relationship. 

Because we didn't really know each other and Chad and Kane were still grommets themselves, there was no writing off or grommet abuse - so to speak. They hadn't even released Raised Heights yet, so they were still small fry in the bodyboarding world with no ego's! 

A year passed and they released RH. I'd stayed with them in Hawaii my first year over there but didn't get too many vid worthy waves. I got to know them pretty well and was stoked. I went to the prem, got drunk, watched the movie, watched my only wave on the movie then realised - They didn't put my name on the movie! FUCK. I was pretty devo for a grom but stoked all the same having a wave on a vid. I asked them (Waldron bro's) what happened and they hadn't even realised yet! But what did they care, I was just another grom to them now as they soared into the stratosphere of stardom.

Another year passed and they released Denis. I didn't have any waves on it because I surfed at home all year and they didn't come to Boxy (stay away!) but I went to the prem nevertheless to show some support. I got drunk, watched the movie, got devo I had no waves on the movie then realised - I should have had waves on that movie! FUCK. 

Then jokes started to fly as their ego's grew. One trick, One trick pony and well that was about it...

They were big wigs and I was some grom with one wave on a vid that didn't even have my name on it.

Motivation kicked in and I decided to organise a trip with them and some fellow groms. It worked out well and we went to the Cook Islands and scored fun waves. For some reason Chad thought it would be still relevant to call me One trick. He said the first move I did in the Cook's would be my second trick. I think I did a reverse. So now I was Two trick. ha ha very funny Chad. But the truth was I had nothing on him. He was older and he was the filmer, we had to show some degree of respect if we wanted to get anywhere in his vids.

I think it was once Leroy was released they knew I could do many tricks (I knew you knew all along Chad!) They signed my copy of Leroy as, "We made your's and Dallas' career one trick", ahhh fucking c@nts I thought to myself. They still had one on me.

Another year and a bit had passed and the bro's were into their new movie, "There's no I." Through chance and luck I got selected for the two last trips as a guest. The first being Chile. I was psyched and had a fun trip - that might have been because Kane came, not Chad! haha Although I still copped some "abuse" (see TNI) I shook it off and the team headed to the Philippines. We scored sick waves straight up, then it basically went flat. Being the youngest I copped some more "abuse", namely bb shotguns fired at me and Chad was still trying to conjure up witty names for me. I'd heard that this was probably going to be one of their last movies so I decided what the hell, I'll start dishing some back at him.

Now, anyone that has seen Chad will agree that his incisor teeth are akin to a Walrus'. That and he kinda just looks like one! It wasn't even that relevant, but all the other guys loved it because someone had served him and it was me. It stuck and his new name was either Chad Walrus or just Walrus. As I mentioned above after we scored it went dead flat. Nothing to do. Unless of course your on a tropical island like we were. Dallas pointed out to me how much Chad was in love with technology. When we would go snorkelling or whatever Chad was on myspace, skype, MSN, hotmail - you name it. He was always talking about getting newer cameras or a better ipod. Your typical Y generation consumerist. 

So one day Chad is just roasting me and I blurted out, "Shut the fuck up Digital Walrus", and well, I don't think I've ever been happier burning someone. It was perfect. The smiles and laughter from everyone was a testament to it. The score was settled. I think Chad might've even raised me a couple of notches in his book of respect...ibook that is haha

This is a true story. And I truly do have to thank Chad and Kane for helping me get to where I am today. I also think that without their video's, bodyboarding wouldn't be where it is today. So thanks guys! 

Ever the Digital Walrus that Chad is, WBP have moved onto Podcasts which we all know are broadcast over the internet. They've even started a new website, check it out here. 

End of an era

Just before I went to Hawaii I quit my job at the local supermarket because I was sick of their shit. I had to weigh up the pro's and con's because realistically it was the best job i've ever had. I could just not show up or show up when ever I wanted. The bosses loved me and ate any excuse I fed them. It was good pay and was always there when ever I got back from a trip. The hours were mellow and I had all the free dairy I wanted (not to mention any other food from other departments - West works in fresh produce) It was bearable hungover and I even went in drunk a few times haha ok a lot of times.... But bottom line I couldn't stand going in there everyday to the same mundane bullshit...
Before I quit I was thinking "fuck, what am I going to do when I get back from Hawaii? Fuck it i'll worry about it when I get back..." I'd been reading a slightly left of centre self - help book (I really get into them!) and the book basically told me to quit my job and a door would open itself for me. A concept I was already well aware of - but the book pushed me that step further and well... I quit. Close one door and another will open up for you
So the whole time in Hawaii I had in the back of my mind i'll be needing a job as soon as I got home, although I had a job on the side at a local surf shop - but the hours were few and far between and not enough to live off.
By the time I got back to WA I didn't really care about working - I mean who does when you've just had a month surfing in Hawaii? I made ends meet, then had the idea (which I'll give credit to my girlfriend) to start a bodyboard clinic for all the kids in the area. So I was "livin' the dream" as Chad Jackson's tattoo reads, working one 1hr a week doing the clinic and an odd day in the surf shop. A door had opened itself for me.

******

Fast-forward to now and that surf shop is closing down. In fact, today is the last day it is open. As I sit here typing, I know a door is closing but one has already opened up for me. I'm the new Margaret River surf reporter for swellnet.com.
I guess what I am trying to say here is, if your not happy or think you could be doing something better than what you already are - then close that door. Something will open up for you.
Fuck knows where i'd be if I didn't quit my job in the first place. Pretty miserable i'd say. Sure, i'd have the security of a known weekly income, but I wouldn't be where I am.

So do what it takes to be happy. Fuckin quit your job, change jobs, take some time off, take a year off! Just know that when you close one door you're making space available for future success.
Pretty mammoth post i'll admit, I didn't intend for it to be this long, but I thought a story needed to be told - a bit of Sunday arvo reading for everyone! Hopefully it strikes a cord with someone at least....

Sucky Lefts Part 2

The weather's shit. The surf's shit. Got the flu (not swine). So I edited a little clip of from some past surfs. Here's to better times......

Mitch Woodland @ Sucky Lefts from Mitch Woodland on Vimeo.

A sight for a sore throat

The flu's going around and I kinda thought it would be ironic if I got struck with the Swine Flu after posting that joke below! Jokes aside, below is a picture of the first official Mitch Woodland model. Check it! Any questions? Just ask!

New Board

The surf has been soooo fun lately. Beachies and a few reefs just in the Margaret River area have provided ample amount of amp lately. Check this space for another clip of fun waves... 

Groomed as a cat