TRUE TWAIN

Mark Twain.

PHUUUK!

TC drawing his line.

If actions speak louder than words, then Curren always spoke louder than most.

WRENCH PILOT

Wrench Pilot number 16.

Wrench Pilot was drawn by Mel Bend (Andy Jenkins) and published in Transworld Skateboarding magazine between 1989 - 1991. 23 episodes of Wrench Pilot appeared before Bend stopped drawing it.

I had a subscription to the magazine back then and part of the thrill of getting my copy in the post was following the latest adventures of Lettus Bee. I loved everything about it - the contrasty black & white-ness, the graphic flow, the outsider concepts & storylines and of course the brilliant drawing...

THE GREATEST

"A man who views the world the same at fifty as he did at twenty has wasted thirty years of his life."

Muhammad Ali; world champ, politically and socially outspoken, never lacking in self confidence and always dignified & stylish.

For a few more nuggets of wisdom etc, click here.

HELLO TOKYO

In Deep.

A big welcome to Club 51, all the way from Tokyo, Japan - another transplanted Celt enters the blogosphere...

Why Club 51? Because he dwelleth with the gods upon the 51st floor approx one thousand feet up in the air! That's why.

CORKAGE

Spent last weekend in Cork joining the celebrations for young Rua.

Shop full of religion.

Rory Gallagher Place, Cork.

Watched the mighty Munster do battle.

Nipped over to The Kingdom to check a couple of spots.

Flat this time, but always worth a look.

INTERVIEW - DAVE BARNWELL

db stylin' off the bottom on a nice right at G-Bay.

Anyone who has surfed in the south west of Cornwall in recent years will probably have come across Dave Barnwell's smiling face in the water, and clicked onto his popular SurfHog website. Always a positive presence and guaranteed to bring a good vibe to the line-up, I thought I'd try and get a bit of an insight into what keeps him stoked.

Dave, where are you from and when did you start surfing?

I was born in Bristol, but I've lived all over; the Midlands, the South East, and for a few years Arizona in the States. I started surfing in Brighton, in the late nineties, but didn't get hooked until I started coming down to Cornwall regularly to get in at more consistent breaks, well more consistent than Brighton has to offer anyway! I've spent a lot of my life on or around the water/ocean, thanks to my parents owning several small boats over the years.

Do you remember your first green wave?

My first green wave was at Godrevy in front of the lifeguard hut, I remember looking down and seeing a few sand eels accompanying me too, I don't think anyone forgets that moment. It's when the obsession truly starts.

What keeps you coming back for more?

Surfing for me is about relaxing, having fun, it's one of the few things I've found where you totally empty your mind of everything, it's not a conscious thing, it just seems there's no room for anything but the moment when riding a wave, that's pretty special; the rest of the time I'm just soaking up the scenery and the company of friends, or watching other folks grab a good wave.

Nice & clean and goin' for the nose.

You must be the smiliest person I've ever come across in the water - big grin, always happy to chat etc - what keeps you so stoked?

I always try to be positive, it's a conscious choice. If I chat to someone heading in for a session I always make a point of wishing them a good one. I'm a firm believer in a positive attitude rubbing off on folks around you. I did have a period of low times for a couple of years, and if anything getting through that taught me the value of embracing the good, and not beating yourself up about the bad times; surfing's one of those good things, to be embraced.

How do you cope with the inevitable crowds these days?

I hate crowds, I find it does take the edge off a surf, as you have to go into competition mode to ensure you get some good waves, rather than relax and go with the flow. In the summer the easiest way to avoid the crowds is simple, get up for the dawny or wait for the sunset session. I was getting in at 4.45am mid summer last year when the conditions were good. Plus just going to breaks that involve a bit of effort to get to cuts down the crowd rapidly.

HISTORY

Ma & Pa and Rex the first, Godrevy August 1970.

ATLANTIC

Biro lines.

CALENDAR

A bit late I know; here's a calendar I did for 2010 highlighting people with Kernow Konnections who made a mark in the world.

BLACK&WHITE WORLD

The zen of Calvin & Hobbes rules. Clicky piccy to go big.

SALTWATER CURES

Isak Dinesen quote (pseudonym of Karen Blixen - Danish writer of Out of Africa).

ALTOCUMULUS

Beautiful clouds on Saturday.

INTERVIEW - MARK 'TRAWLER' LAWER

Trawler lien-to-tail, Newquay.

For those with links to skateboarding in the UK Trawler will need no introduction. Based in Plymouth, but always liable to put in an appearance at a skatepark anywhere in Europe, if Trawler had a personalised number plate it would be SK8R4LIFE. Despite incurring injuries that would leave many on the couch permanently, he's still skating hard and along with running a business and raising a family, is now also pursuing his love of custom bikes.

Trawler running cones in 1977, Plymouth Hoe.

How long have you been rolling and what got you hooked in the first place?

I have been skateboarding for a total of 30+ years. Seeing Surfer magazines when I was a kid and surfing on TV, I think it was a programme called David Nivens Amazing World.
My grandparents lived in Newquay and I went there in the school holidays. Grandad found a rollerskate skateboard in the side alley public walkway. I picked it up and spent hours trying to master it. I was hooked just as the first craze wave came along.

Trawler, fully flared, Plymouth Hoe 1977. Nice jumper.

Skateboarding has seen many changes, is there any particular period you look back on as being poignant for you?

I liked skateboarding when it was pure and new and it was what we did growing up. Also I like it in later life, the last ten years has seen lots of new ramps and parks and I have enjoyed sampling all the new terrain and travelling over Europe and a few trips to the United States.

Olden days Trawler pushing past vertical in the Plymouth fullpipe.

Recent days Trawler upside down in Brixxleg.

Why do you still get your grind on?

It is part of who I am, I have to skate, I go nuts without skateboarding for long periods of time. It's like old longboarder surfers that you see at the beach, they have to do it.

THIS IS FLOW

Marvin Gaye - What's going on.

From the very first notes of the opening riff this is a work of art that defines flow.

I'm really not a fan of smooth vocalists, give me raw & gritty anytime, but I make an exception for Marvin Gaye's 'What's going on'. Bubbling basslines, funky riffs and pure flowing vocals combine to create a timeless suite that sounds as good today as it did almost 40 years ago when it was introduced in 1971. I particularly like that the title of the album is a statement more than a question.

Marvin Gaye talks about how he'd studied at the microphone for many years and finally felt that he learnt how to sing on this album - his secret; Relax and just let it flow...