After spending some time chasing monkeys away from the garden and watching Tim play with his catapult, I think thats what he likes best about the monkey chasing! The main monkey decided to get his own back. Running and attacking three times giving Tim a very good look at his gnashers. Tim only had one shot left as he stood beneath a tree with a monkey coming ever closer continuing to snarl, and still he wanted to play Indiana Jones!! With me thinking that maybe a trip to a dodgy hospital might be on the cards, I was far too slow with the camera. But imagine the scene a monkey in the tree snarling not giving up and a not too disimilar monkey on the ground in a very nail biting stand off. But with encouragement from Gayani, Tim took his last shot and proudly hit the monkey right in the solarplexus (his word!).
April 13th, 2010
Thursday, January 28, 2010, 07:00
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A FORMER Torrington mayor is urging North Devonians to buy and name water wells in Sri-Lanka.
Journal columnist, Anne Tattersall, who writes Tatt’s Life was inspired by one of her subjects Braunton’s Tim Tanton who set up Paddle4Relief to help Sri-Lankan victims of the for Tsuanmi.
Tim told her it cost just £50 to build a well to get a whole village fresh water and Anne subsequently donated enough for a well.
Anne decided to call the well, which is now up and running, Mandela, after Nelson for his work in fighting poverty.
She said: “I was so impressed it only costs £50 to bring fresh water to a village and I think would be great if we could get a few more Devonians to donate £50 and have a well named.”
Paddle4Relief works in the Arugam Bay area of Sri Lanka and for more information and to make a donation visit www.paddle4relief.co.uk.
February 27th, 2010
The surfers of Arugam Bay, members of the Arugam Bay Surf Club, have managed to fund a project where they took the initiative and made and erected signs for their beach. Since the end of the civil war, back in May 2009, the beach in Arugam Bay has seen countless more visitors, and with it, rubbish! The young surfers are very much aware of the importance of protecting their natural playground. The sea and beach is not just a playground though, its a way of life, its where they fish to earn the money to support their families.
So with the help of travelling surfers and Paddle4Relief, the boys raised enough money to purchase materials to make four signs. The local surfers were concerned at the state of the beach and the effect the rubbish was having on their environment.
Fawas, Chairman of Arugam Bay Surf Club and Krishantha, Secretary, built the signs whilst myself, Leah, Erandathi and Fawas carried out the artwork in three languages; Sinhalese, English and Tamil.
Now there is no excuse for people to throw their rubbish on or around the beach area. The signs are clearly there to inform visitors that their rubbish is not wanted.
The local Special Task Force and Tourist Association have also acted on the problem and got involved. They have provided bins and more signs.
I personally, am very happy at seeing this initiative develop. From back in 2005 when we were involved in the first village clean there has been a slow but progressive movement towards keeping the village and beach clear of rubbish. The young surfers in particular appear to be at the forefront of this movement and are fully supported by the Paddle4Relief Team. Their focus reflects the focus of Paddle4Relief in its determination to protect our beautiful environment. Beach cleans are an important initiative in the fight against pollution.
(Photographs are courtesy and copyright of Paddle4Relief and Aiya Surf Photography)
January 25th, 2010
Etiquette Lost! - Etiquette within surfing has been a losing battle for many a year now! Etiquette in ABay seems almost completely lost! It’s always been competitive to say the least during the main season but not October! The local boys had overcome their exuberant desire to catch every wave and realised that everyone was entitled to snag a wave or two. Alas, there is a new breed of surfer in town, a breed that are not only hungry for waves but appear to have no soul for surfing! It’s a zoo out there, a similiar zoo that hit Hikkaduwa many a year ago! The atmosphere has changed, the smiles are lost. The crowds are now three fold from even a year ago. The civil war is over, the benefits are obvious. Unfortunately, there appears to be a new war, a war for waves. Regular fracas between local and traveling surfer, or traveling and traveling surfer! The harmony and friendly banter replaced by scowls, snaking and drop ins! It would be different if these individuals could actually surf but it seems their forte is that which does not resemble any form of surfing etiquette or ability what-so-ever. Such disharmony has cast a shadow over the once blissful laid back line-up of ABay. It has been compared to a swarm of locusts descending and destroying the crop! Some may say its a sign of the times, that we must expect and accept the inevitable! Yet is complacency acceptable? Surely for those that have done the years of civil war and tsunami destruction we should stand tall for the right to continue enjoying this surfing heaven along with the local crew, and not give it up to a group of soul-less individuals that have jumped on the ever increasing surfing circus! Lets hope the smiles and friendly banter return soon before this beautiful break is swallowed up by the package tour masses and lost in a wave of financial gain!
October 4th, 2009
Big Yellow Banana Carnage – Over excited, frantic, gungho and a host of similar expletives come to mind following my first surf session on returning to Abay! It had been a little over two months since I had dragged my battered body from the right hand reef point break. My last wave in July had seen me pile driven into the reef. Torn boardies, cuts to hand and butt! Bruising to spine and shoulder! Oh how everyone laughed as I struggled to sit down on the thirty hour jaunt back to the UK! One butt cheek more damaged than the other! Well I was back. Still can’t surf for toffee but totally addicted to surfing in this tropical country. One can’t really miss me out at the point! I’m generally the token long boarder! The board like a boat! 9′ 5” Gulf Stream and very yellow! Primrose! Or as the locals say “Big Yellow Banana”. My first surf back at the point and I tweak my right calf, crack a rib or two and do nothing to help my heavily strapped left shoulder! Who knows what tomorrow will bring, so best live for today and enjoy! It’s got to be a giggle to see surfers and their boards scattering as I charge through the line-up with total disregard to life or limb! What I know is that I have a smile from ear to ear as the adrenaline surges through my battered limbs. It’s after that I feel the pain, the discomfort and the foolishness of my actions. My ears harassed by my adopted Sri Lankan sisters and my closest friends from back home. I know they’re right but I’m Taurean and apparently very stubborn! So, expect to see the “Big Yellow Banana” causing carnage a few more times out at the point!
September 30th, 2009
No Fish, no dinner! - the fishing season is not quite happening for many of the fishermen. The rains have failed to appear, hence the fishing slow. With this years summer season being so hot and dry, the local community is desperate for the rains to start. With less fish around comes a higher price per kilo. So, when shoals of small fish are spotted close to the shore it’s a time for the hand lines with sets of small feather type lures. Much the same as our Mackerel fishing here in the UK but scaled down to accommodate the smaller fish. For Chris and myself it’s an easier task, we have rods n reels at our disposal. Sets of lures we brought out from the UK prove successful. Unfortunately the reef claims Chris’s top catching set and his ability to catch goes to the dogs! For four days we catch enough to feed the family, and more. And this is no small family, more than dozen mouths to feed. Luckily for us Chris is allergic to fish! And how those small fish taste, both fried and curried. Result!
September 29th, 2009
Elephants and Water – A trip to Pottuvil Point highlighted the destruction a herd of thirsty elephants can cause! In one night a vast area leading to the point had it’s Coconut trees flattened. Their shallow root system torn from the ground. Those locals that live in areas that offer water during such dry periods, do so in fear! Many throughout the years have been killed by these huge mammals. It’s a tragic fact of life that this occurs, and shows how desperate that all within the animal kingdom thrive to quench a thirst. A thirst that is paramount for survival!
September 29th, 2009
Galvanized Sheet over Concrete – Not only did he head butt a long board but now he has chosen to fall down a concrete pit! Now you would have thought that a load of galvanized sheet lying on the ground would have given one cause for thought! Alas no, galvanized sheet means a smoother surface for the feet to walk on! Well hey, concrete more rough! Sure, it was night time, and the ability to see poor but why?
I was not witness to the event, I had heard a commotion from where I was situated at the local Tea Shop. We had been previously surfing together at Baby Point and I had caught a sweet, waist high wave in and was keen for a glass of tea. When we heard the crash we thought a fight had started. It has been the end of Ramadan Festival and many Sri Lankans had been celebrating by getting drunk and at times volatile! The few that do drink tend to be light weights and quickly get drunk. Generally it is quite entertaining as they tend to burst out in song and/or dance, or just fall over and sleep where they collapse!
As for Chris, he was sober and had just surfed. He had no excuse! He has however got three cut up toes and a constant reminder of his excursion down the concrete jelly fish hole!
September 29th, 2009
Long board versus Head – Look after him they said. He’s accident prone they said. Oh how right they were! Day 2 and he’s calling me out the water, blood dripping down his face. Yep, he marginally came off worse compared to my surfboard! A one inch gash to his forehead hairline and a few scratches to boot. My board however, a 9′ 2” Tiki Classic Performer, had the tail caved in around the stringer! Wow, how hard his head was to do that damage to the board. From the line-up I shouted him to sit quietly in the shade whilst I took a wave in. His surfing was over for the day. The wound cleaned, steristripped and dressed, his task was of photographer now! Regular checks to make sure he was not nauseous or having double vision, and it was back to business! Krishantha and myself having the pick of the waves at Potti Point, the swell ever increasing. More than four hours we surfed for. My thoughts taking me back to the last time I surfed here, back in July, and how my good friend, Nick ‘Lloydy’ Lloyd, would have ripped these waves apart. Then, it was not to be. Next year, maybe!
September 26th, 2009
Ants in your Pants – Now I don’t know how well you are experienced in the old squat toilets but they all have different characteristics! The one in question slopes backwards to start with, meaning you need to lean forwards when squatting! The other joy is that they are cool, as in temperature! Thus being a prefered place for Ants to set up home! In this case a colony of Red Ants. So you can imagine, I was caught short, rushed to the toilet, squat, nearly fell backwards into the pan with the sloping floor and got mugged and bitten by a swarm of red ants! Oh how I laughed! Perfect place for a webcam!
September 25th, 2009
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