PACIFIC LONGBOARDER MAGAZINE #125

Photo Magazine

Pacific Longboarder Magazine from Australia is the ONLY magazine worldwide dedicated to long boarding. For 25 years they’ve aimed to be all things to all longboarders: female, male, youth to boomers, world beaters or weekend warriors, hip or not particularly.

What does issue 125 have to report from the wide world of Longboarding?

AWAKE IN ALASKA
As someone who anxiously checks the ocean temperature when travelling south of Byron, it’s almost impossible to contemplate that there are those who just love to surf freezing places like Alaska. Anna Ehrgott Gudauskas is one such person and she gives us here her love letter to this wild place with its glaciers, fjords, towering mountains and somewhat concerningly - apex predators! Photos from her friends Sara Lee and Lia Turiano are awe-inspiring. Good waves too and they actually surf swells created by chunks of ice breaking off a glacier!

THE PULL NORTH
Back in 2003 the ever-astute Hugh McLeod wrote in PLB when Matt Chojnacki was just 14 "Matt is reprising something pure. An old school aficionado, this kid moves with such effortless grace he seems to be channelling the old Malibu masters." Matt’s been everywhere since but always surfing big waves and small. And still reprising something pure, this issue he goes big as he tells the story of tackling solid Sunset Beach without a leg rope on a couple of beautiful 1967 replicas.

PINK SHELL TRIMMERS
Back in 2019, our scribe Cameron Staunton, Matt Cook, Sam Venn and a few mates were reflecting on the rich history of their local Cronulla longboarding community when the idea of “our own social club competition thing” emerged. And so the Pink Shell Trimmers started that year. Since then there’s been nine gatherings, the most recent being late last year and it was something special all round. Music, refreshments and tidy runners pulled a good crowd, everything clicked and in Cameron’s words “the dream I’d carried since childhood came true”.

FREEDOM, FOAM AND A FEW REGRETS
Everyone has their surf story but few are as intriguing as Luke Redmond’s. PLB doesn’t often feature the life stories of individual surfers but when Luke’s 3000 odd words landed, the PLB Editorial Board was so moved by the depth, quality and honesty of this writing it just had to get a run. A quintessential Australian story which doesn’t stray that far from its origins, except for Bali and Hawaii (of course), this is an engrossing read with photos to match.

PALINDROME POINT
If you know, you know. And one who definitely knows is Brett Caller, a classy regular at The Point both on a board or behind the lens. Is it really a secret? Maybe not but we’re certainly not going to add to whatever knowledge is already out there. Not a critical wave generally, but fun, often long and with a diverse crew and a consistently good vibe. Brett’s photos capture the charm of a place that can get along just fine without being introduced.

AT THE END OF THE WORLD
Natalia Yadavito has no qualms about naming Chapadmalal as her home and “secret” spot. It’s 400ks south of Buenos Aires in Argentina, is brutally cold and wet most of the year, has limited paved roads and few services except in the summer months. But the surf, the closeness to nature and the dedicated local community make leaving the comforts of the city all worthwhile.

POSTCARD FROM TAGHAZOUT MOROCCO
There’s been plenty of variety in this issue so why not a small slice of Morocco to cap it off? Aussie Jake Killen was travelling down the Moroccan coast when he and partner and photographer Bayley Reeder happened on an isolated pointbreak that they had all to themselves.

LENS FLAIR
So much other content that we only had 4 pages for the biggest and most outstanding photos but they are exceptional as always and best see on quality paper in your hands.

THE BUZZ
The real news the MSM just won’t touch. Find out what really happened with Philippines longboarding and the Baler International Pro: discover who surfs alone under the Golden Gate Bridge: what happened when two adventurous Canadians did a road trip to Baja, and the inside info on the DV8 Malibu Riders 40 year anniversary.

UPFRONT
The very impressive Kira Crage from Southern California has been spending plenty of time recently on her parents catamaran sailing through Indo and down the Australian east coast. 

GREY GURU
Talking about getting the inside goss on world events, the GG takes us through Donald’s invite to join the “Board of Peace”. Not as surprising as you might think given his history with Presidents and PMs over the years - which he shares with us on the understanding that it goes no further than our loyal PLB readers.

+ THE 110TH BOARD GIVEAWAY
Switching it up to a 9’1” TOLHURST HI G6 this issue - in Thunderbolt Black construction, designed and road tested by OG shaper Bill Tolhurst and two-time WSL world longboard champ Harley Ingleby. And some Aussie subscriber will own this rocket by next issue.