Rambling.

Warren, a friend of the project went on a cool little mission before Easter.

Yo, so what you been up to?

This and that, did a three day hike from Aberdeen up to Cruden Bay the other week. We had planned to walk up to Peterhead. Though we underestimated how long this would take and because I only had three days available we had to stop at Cruden Bay.

Sounds fun, find any sneaky spots?

Ha, maybe... we constantly kept our eyes open for waves, we did spot some potential in a few of the small bays. Not very accessible though... best get your walking boots out!

Pfff... any more trips planned, once the blisters heal?

Yeah man, I have one planned for the beginning of June, this time though will be inland so can get some fishing done and hopefully less walking as walking about nine hours a day doesn't give you much time to relax and appreciate the sights.

Nice one Warren. Check out the full story here... WAZELTOF.

Jeff Flindt.

Surfing Magazine’s senior photographer, now living in Sweden when not traveling to some far-flung destination in pursuit of perfect waves with the worlds best surfers.

So how exactly does one get a job traveling the world shooting for a top surf mag?

It takes years and years of hard work. My position at Surfing didn’t happen overnight. It took about 4-5 years before I became senior photographer at the mag. Before that I was photographing any and every contest and small travel trips with the worst surfers. It’s just like with any job, you have to start at the bottom and work your way to the top. As you work your way up you learn a lot and gain many contacts all over the world.

Favourite place to surf in the North Sea?

I don't surf, I body-board and I’ve never surfed in the North Sea. I’m usually shooting from the water if its warm or shooting from land. I still need to get out and explore the North Sea coast line, I’ve only been living in Sweden for 3 years, thats my excuse!

I mostly shoot from the water instead of bodyboarding, I have more fun shooting. I like to document the waves and be inside the barrel with the surfers so I can share with others what it’s like. My favorite place to bodyboard would be either Off The Wall in Hawaii or Teahupoo in Tahiti. I don’t like it big, maybe 4-6 ft faces.

What's in your camera bag, what can't you live without?

Canon EOS Mark III 1D, Canon 5D, Tokina fisheye (will be replaced with the new Canon fisheye soon), 500mm f/4L IS, 70-200 f/4L IS, 16-35mm f/2.8L, 50mm, and a 580EZ flash. I have a handmade water-housing plus ports for my Mark III and a 15" Macbook Pro. I couldn’t live without my computer. I use my computer way more than my cameras. What wouldn’t I do with out email, Facebook, Twitter, and Skype... Pfffff, just kidding!?

Check here for more... Jeff Flindt

The day job... Surfing Magazine

Shred Sled Society.

We fired a couple of questions over to the good guys at the Shred Sled Society based in Copenhagen, Denmark.

OK, so what's the Shred Sled Society all about?

We're four guys. Bo, Simon, Mikkel and Mathias. We all grew up skateboarding and snowboarding in the winter. Simon and Mikkel are working to become cabinetmakers and Bo and Mathias work with graphics.

We've been surfing for some years now trying to make the most out of the sloppy Danish conditions. We’ve been riding all kinds of different surfboards and recently started experimenting with our own shapes. The Shred Sled Society is all about having fun, being creative and making the most out of what we've got. We find that to exist as surfers in Denmark means adapting, it’s quite a different picture to the one the international surf media portrays. We show what being a surfer means to us.

Nice, favourite North Sea surf spot?

Agger, Thy and Plantagen, Zealand, Denmark.

What are you guys riding right now?

Boards that go well with our small windblown waves. Pretty much everything from 4’8" mini-Simmons to quads, thrusters, single fin discs and logs. It's all fun.

Sum up surfing in Denmark in three words?

Strange, Fun, Addictive

Go check ‘em out at... shredsledsociety.com

Rob Lion aka Royal Surfboards.

Surfboard artisan and Bahamian import now residing in
Tynemouth, Rob Lion.

So Tynemouth of all places, how'd that come about?
We were living in Brazil and my wife wanted to move to the UK for her master's degree. She got into Newcastle University, so it was pretty simple. I have to say that the only input I had on the decision was that wherever we went it had to be near a surfable coastline. Tynemouth has been a brilliant place to be. Empty coastline, quality waves, if fickle, and of course the Geordie crack is famous.

You have enough to pick from so what are you riding?
At the moment, a little of everything, but mostly my incut fishes and mini-Simmons' style experiments. The incut fish is just so much fun, and so versatile, I ride it more than anything - as long as it is waist high or bigger. Otherwise, I'm on a log.

If you could shape a board for anybody who would it be, and
what would it be?
That's such a loaded question, but the 1st name to pop up was Joel Tudor, although he was immediately followed by Tom Curren, Dan Malloy, or Martin Potter. It would have to be someone that can ride all sorts of stuff, or at least blows up on a twin fin, such as Potts.

I'd give them the Franken-fish board I'm making at the moment. It is a blend of a lot of boards I currently like. Part mini-Simmons, part hull, part incut fish. It is eps/epoxy and only 2" thick overall, but about 22" wide, and pretty flat... good tester I reckon, lol.

Rob makes some seriously beautiful boards check em' out
here Royal Surfboards.

Martijn.

O'Neill's Creative Director, and part-time Balinese resident, Martijn.

Whats your favourite North Sea spot?
Wijk aan Zee.

What you riding?
Erm... a 5'10 Al Merrick POD, 6'0 Mark Richards twinny, 6'2 Fatum Deep 6, 6'3 Al Merrick MBM, 6'6 JS step up, 6'7 Fatum step up mini gun. And coming soon a Fatum 6'3 round tail... hmmm... think that's about it!

Jeepers man! Whats the tatt about?
The tatt is a ancient drawing of a fish from the Chan Chan temple near Chicama in Peru. It represents fish for the fishermen and the main migratory currents that bring the fish close to shore.

Jelle.

The most stoked man in Holland.

Whats your favourite North Sea spot?
Voetsnee.

What you riding?
A Fatum 6'0 quad retro fish and a Green Fatum 7'0 singlefin egg.

What do you do when your not getting cold and wet?
Riding my mountain bike and trying to do as little as possible as much as possible.

Jess.

Jess about to paddle out on a chilly day at Bunkers.

No gloves, are you crazy?
My gloves have holes.

Seriously its so cold your hands might fall off out there.
I surfed this morning and they didn't.

Ermm ok, where'd you get in?
Secret, lend me your gloves and I might tell ya.

Arthur.

Arthur's our Dutch connection... looking forward to some goodness from the other side of the 'Nord Zee'.

What your favourite North Sea spot?
Hoek van Holland but I don't surf there that often. My 2nd favourite spot is Domburg, my local break.

What tools you using?
Currently shooting with a Nikon D300 and a SPL water housing.

Favourite conditions to shoot in?
I like to shoot Dutch waves when it's clean but really dark and cloudy and then when sun pokes its head out every now and then.

Kirsty.

Bounty hunter.

Found owt today?
Nope.

What the most valuable thing you've ever found?
Erm... a bag of nails.

No way, where?
Not telling.

Maurice.

Retired Fisherman and full time Grandad.

When did you first go to sea?
When I was 15 years old, 1957.

Any notable difference in water quality?
It seems cleaner now than a decade ago, but not from when I first went to sea. Less fish and more plastic nowadays!

Favourite fish?
Haddock, battered with chips and mushy peas!

Fez.

Blogger, designer, artist and full time hairy bastard.

Favourite artist?
Jose Parla.

Favourite blog?
The late Postsurf one, sadly no longer with us.

Favourite board?
5'11 quad fish shaped by Gero at Fatum Surfboards in Portugal.

Dave.

Good friend and fellow North Sea advocate Dave.

What are you riding?
I'm constantly trying to re-think my quiver, but currently I'm riding
a 5'10" roundtail, a 6'1" squash, and a 6'3" rounded pin. The former
two are at the end of their lives though so it's time for some new
editions

Favourite North Sea spot?
Cove. Or C.Point. That's two though, sorry.

Three words on the North Sea?
Viking. Forties. Dogger.

Sneaky Si.

Sneaky surfer.

Favourite North Sea spot?
Scarborough North Bay or HBK.

What fins you rocking?
Original Takayama 6 inch fin, with 2 side bites.

Sneaky surf tip?
Bunk off work early, its all about getting the water eh!?