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Comment Share Posted on Wednesday November 14th 2012 at 8:58 p.m. Tweet

Have you ever heard the saying "can't see the wood for the trees"? Well, I think I experienced that a bit last week. I get obsessed chasing the best quality waves around this coastline and pointing my cameras at them each week, but I never noticed the point where I became so passionate about shooting them that I forgot to surf them.

Have you ever heard the saying "can't see the wood for the trees"? Well, I think I experienced that a bit last week. I get obsessed chasing the best quality waves around this coastline and pointing my cameras at them each week, but I never noticed the point where I became so passionate about shooting them that I forgot to surf them.

Then last week a text from my mate Batesy: "Surfs going to be pumping, leave the camera behind and come for a wave." Then a few days later a similar thing from my mate Nigel, and that's when it hit home because he hardly ever gets an opportunity to text let alone text about a surf.

Luckily, unlike the two weeks the pros from up north or the journos from Aussie were here, the surf was pretty incredible all week, so I already had a few photos in the bag. So, I wove some "me time" into my morning schedule: 6am starts on two consecutive days at Blackhead - just me and my Quarry Beach 6'6" surfboard.

The first morning was Thursday and the waves were lime green and peeling left for so long it seemed like they belonged in Raglan. I couldn't put a fin out of place. The rest of that day was a buzz no matter what happened. On Friday, the same thing this time with just myself and my mate Josh paddling out and feasting on pulsed up 3-4 foot peelers that could have been made of polished glass. We traded waves like a couple of salty old locals spurred on by the vibrant dawn colours.

The work day made so much more sense after that with a brush of my salt encrusted brow the only reminder I needed of the best start you could ask for.

I feel refreshed. I feel alive again. I can see the forest and I know there are a few trees in there for me.

See you at the beach ...
- Derek

PS Have you checked out the new DunedinNZ.com campaign for summer? Great to see the city getting behind mountain biking, surfing, beer and some of the wild places that make this town such a cool place to live in.