TRUE TWAIN 13:01

Mark Twain.

TRUE TWAIN 13:01

Mark Twain.

PHUUUK! 21:18

TC drawing his line.

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

PHUUUK! 21:18

TC drawing his line.

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

WRENCH PILOT 08:35

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...

WRENCH PILOT 08:35

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 11:53

"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.

THE GREATEST 11:53

"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 09:31

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.

HELLO TOKYO 09:31

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 09:58

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.

CORKAGE 09:58

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 19:03

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.


I know you love to surf all over Kernow - any other places that you rate?

I'm a huge fan of Central America, I fell in love with the place the first time I went, it is being spoilt in places by Americans that treat parts of it like we treat parts of Spain, but I'd recommend it to anyone.

Any other surf destinations you've still got on your list?

Believe it or not I've not been to Indo, so that's on the list, but I think New Zealand is next, oh and the Scottish Isles (but not in winter).

Dave, lookin' moody in a hoody.

You were all set to pull the plug on SurfHog last year, but 'due to popular demand' (and I was one of many who encouraged you to keep going) you decided to keep it up - what was the story?

I felt SurfHog had got a bit stale, and I guess maybe I'd got a bit fed up with things at the time as I was busy with work. So with plenty of other forecast sites out there I just decided it was time to close the site down, I was even thinking of taking a month or two off from surfing to concentrate on other things. I couldn't believe the amount of stick I got when I said it was going, it gave me the kick up the arse to keep things moving forward. I am planning to open the site up a bit more in the future, to allow others from the local area to contribute.

Surf culture books are becoming very popular, and you have an online bookshop. Any personal favourites spring to mind?

I tend to love the more photographic surf books like The California Surf Project, LeRoy Grannis's Surf Photography, or Sipping JetStreams, if you're a photographer I'd particularly recommend the last one, although it's pricey.

Boards in your quiver?

I do tend to collect boards, although I always end up surfing only two of them on a regular basis, the quiver currently contains; 6'6" McTavish Micro Egg 2+1, 6'8" Hobie Egg Single fin, 7'6" McCoy Nugget thruster, 8'0" Bob Cooper 2+1, 8'0" Cord Acid Drop Single fin, 9'0" Takayama Noah Kai comp 2+1, 9'4" Morning of the Earth Single fin, 9'6" Dano Pignar Breadbasket D-fin.

Do you like experimenting with different boards?

I love riding different boards, admittedly I spend most of my time on logs, but simply swapping from traditional, to progressive versions, reminds you of the different riding styles required for each, and when I drop the length to 8'0" or less it opens up more possibilities and I reckon improves my surfing all round. I reckon everyone should have at least one progressive and one more traditional board in their quiver whatever length you choose to ride.

It might be chilly, but Dave's happy it's offshore.

What does 'style' mean to you?

Style to me is about smoothness, making things look effortless, that doesn't mean you can't have a powerful style, or pull off fast snaps on a board for instance, it just means everything should flow, one manoeuvre to the next. Most folks I reckon spend their life chasing the flow once they've got the basics nailed. There's nothing worse than seeing someone riding a wave poo-stance, or jumping/shuffling around a log, or hacking a wave on a shortboard.

I know you're a keen photographer, are there any particular photographers whose work you admire?

I don't tend to idolise anyone as a photographer, I tend to be a magpie in terms of what I like, loving different styles, a good picture is a good picture, bit of a cop out answer I know, but it's where I'm at.

Are you interested in any other art form or artists?

I love art, whether it be a beautiful landscape, a painting, sculpture, or architecture. If I had to pick a visual style it would be abstract art, someone like Wassily Kandinsky.

Is music important to you?

I'm a huge music lover, I learnt to play piano, trombone, and a little violin when I was young and used to play in several orchestras and bands, at the same time I was getting into heavy rock, go figure. Over the years I've built up a large music collection of 1,500+ albums, music like surfing I find hugely rewarding. Music can be both a background thing, but personally I love to listen and engage with it on a more active level.

Best gig?

Picking one gig as a stand out is hard, but I have some great memories of seeing Kathryn Williams play to a crowd of about 20 people in a tiny pub; the mayhem of the Monsters of Rock, Castle Donnington, and having my trousers almost vibrated off me because the bass was so deep at a Fun Loving Criminals gig. I'm surprised my ears still work with all the damage I did to them in my teens and twenties.

Surfer, photographer, web designer etc, what's next?

Not sure, to be honest I do tend to bimble through life rather than plan things, I believe in spontaneity. But I do think I might take some time out to travel for a bit, and put together some kind of surf travelogue... we'll see.

Thanks a lot Dave.

All photos courtesy of Dave Barnwell

INTERVIEW - DAVE BARNWELL 19:03

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.


I know you love to surf all over Kernow - any other places that you rate?

I'm a huge fan of Central America, I fell in love with the place the first time I went, it is being spoilt in places by Americans that treat parts of it like we treat parts of Spain, but I'd recommend it to anyone.

Any other surf destinations you've still got on your list?

Believe it or not I've not been to Indo, so that's on the list, but I think New Zealand is next, oh and the Scottish Isles (but not in winter).

Dave, lookin' moody in a hoody.

You were all set to pull the plug on SurfHog last year, but 'due to popular demand' (and I was one of many who encouraged you to keep going) you decided to keep it up - what was the story?

I felt SurfHog had got a bit stale, and I guess maybe I'd got a bit fed up with things at the time as I was busy with work. So with plenty of other forecast sites out there I just decided it was time to close the site down, I was even thinking of taking a month or two off from surfing to concentrate on other things. I couldn't believe the amount of stick I got when I said it was going, it gave me the kick up the arse to keep things moving forward. I am planning to open the site up a bit more in the future, to allow others from the local area to contribute.

Surf culture books are becoming very popular, and you have an online bookshop. Any personal favourites spring to mind?

I tend to love the more photographic surf books like The California Surf Project, LeRoy Grannis's Surf Photography, or Sipping JetStreams, if you're a photographer I'd particularly recommend the last one, although it's pricey.

Boards in your quiver?

I do tend to collect boards, although I always end up surfing only two of them on a regular basis, the quiver currently contains; 6'6" McTavish Micro Egg 2+1, 6'8" Hobie Egg Single fin, 7'6" McCoy Nugget thruster, 8'0" Bob Cooper 2+1, 8'0" Cord Acid Drop Single fin, 9'0" Takayama Noah Kai comp 2+1, 9'4" Morning of the Earth Single fin, 9'6" Dano Pignar Breadbasket D-fin.

Do you like experimenting with different boards?

I love riding different boards, admittedly I spend most of my time on logs, but simply swapping from traditional, to progressive versions, reminds you of the different riding styles required for each, and when I drop the length to 8'0" or less it opens up more possibilities and I reckon improves my surfing all round. I reckon everyone should have at least one progressive and one more traditional board in their quiver whatever length you choose to ride.

It might be chilly, but Dave's happy it's offshore.

What does 'style' mean to you?

Style to me is about smoothness, making things look effortless, that doesn't mean you can't have a powerful style, or pull off fast snaps on a board for instance, it just means everything should flow, one manoeuvre to the next. Most folks I reckon spend their life chasing the flow once they've got the basics nailed. There's nothing worse than seeing someone riding a wave poo-stance, or jumping/shuffling around a log, or hacking a wave on a shortboard.

I know you're a keen photographer, are there any particular photographers whose work you admire?

I don't tend to idolise anyone as a photographer, I tend to be a magpie in terms of what I like, loving different styles, a good picture is a good picture, bit of a cop out answer I know, but it's where I'm at.

Are you interested in any other art form or artists?

I love art, whether it be a beautiful landscape, a painting, sculpture, or architecture. If I had to pick a visual style it would be abstract art, someone like Wassily Kandinsky.

Is music important to you?

I'm a huge music lover, I learnt to play piano, trombone, and a little violin when I was young and used to play in several orchestras and bands, at the same time I was getting into heavy rock, go figure. Over the years I've built up a large music collection of 1,500+ albums, music like surfing I find hugely rewarding. Music can be both a background thing, but personally I love to listen and engage with it on a more active level.

Best gig?

Picking one gig as a stand out is hard, but I have some great memories of seeing Kathryn Williams play to a crowd of about 20 people in a tiny pub; the mayhem of the Monsters of Rock, Castle Donnington, and having my trousers almost vibrated off me because the bass was so deep at a Fun Loving Criminals gig. I'm surprised my ears still work with all the damage I did to them in my teens and twenties.

Surfer, photographer, web designer etc, what's next?

Not sure, to be honest I do tend to bimble through life rather than plan things, I believe in spontaneity. But I do think I might take some time out to travel for a bit, and put together some kind of surf travelogue... we'll see.

Thanks a lot Dave.

All photos courtesy of Dave Barnwell

HISTORY 08:57

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

HISTORY 08:57

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

ATLANTIC 13:14

Biro lines.

ATLANTIC 13:14

Biro lines.

CALENDAR 09:21

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.

CALENDAR 09:21

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 13:00

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

BLACK&WHITE WORLD 13:00

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

SALTWATER CURES 10:55

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

SALTWATER CURES 10:55

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

ALTOCUMULUS 09:01

Beautiful clouds on Saturday.

ALTOCUMULUS 09:01

Beautiful clouds on Saturday.

INTERVIEW - MARK 'TRAWLER' LAWER 10:04

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.

Duane Peters and Trawler.

Trawler, you ARE skateboarding (in that you've devoted a large part of your life to it) so you've probably met a lot of the skateboarders that you always looked up to. Did they live up to expectations?

Most of the top guys I have met were really cool, Duane Peters is great, he knows people want to say hi and get a piece of him, he loves it and carries it off well. I am a big fan of Duane.
Probably the most egotistical and up his own bum is Tony Alva, I don’t mind saying that because it's common knowledge. The pro skaters that don't believe their own hype are the most down to earth.

You also had a fairly healthy board/memorabilia collection - if you had to name your fave graphic which would it be?

I did have a massive old deck collection for a while, the ones I have kept aside and not sold on when I sold the bulk of my stash are the Zorlac Abrook Brothers first board and an 11 inch wide Duane Peters Santa Cruz board that is signed. The Abrooks are very special friends to me.

Are you interested in any other art form or artists?

I have a very healthy interest in art and things I see. I like modern line drawings, tattoo and hotrod, vato style stuff mainly. Favourites are; Mike Giant, Usgrow, French, Mr Cartoon and Keith Weesner.
I also strongly believe that Chopper/bobber motorbikes are the ultimate artform. It involves a combination of skills in paint, metalwork, leather, form and function and you can ride it when it's finished. Plus it is so easy to get the look wrong. I spend hours studying bikes.

Whole lotta deckage.

Your top 5 all-time skaters?

70s - Jay Adams
80s - Duane Peters
90s - Danny Way
00s - John Cardiel
10s - So far has to be Andy Scott (he rules and won the first comp in January 2010)

What does 'style' mean to you?

I like to watch a skater with a good style but on edge, pushing it but fully in control. I don't like seeing guys skating with their arms flailing around like they are trying to wind down some imaginary car windows!
I hate seeing myself skate sometimes and I have always made gnarly facial expressions, you can't help your own style and you cannot ever change the way you skate!

Gnarly-faced layback, Tuckingmill.

1990, St Newlyn East bowl, cover of Skateboard! magazine.

You've had a lot of sponsors - can you even remember them all?

Yeah hang on a minute...
Plymouth skatepark team and then Steve Daniels Marine sports shop in the 70s.
In the 80s it went, Brand-X, Thunder Trucks, Pacer Hogs, Jimmy-Z then Hawaiian Island Creations, Skulls Skates, Toxic and Deadbolt Trucks for a while.
Early 90s it was Zorlac Skateboards through the Abrook brothers UK distribution set-up.
In the big comeback wave of skateboarding in the 2000s I have skated for Panic Skateboards for a few weeks (mainly because the Panic owner wanted me to ride his product in my Sidewalk magazine tribute interview).
The Panic skates thing fell flat in 3 weeks and I never used those interview photos we did in Marseilles, France.
I soon got in with Hunter Boardwear in North Devon after they came up and spoke to me at a Red Bull local demo.
From their official importer deals I rode for Alva UK for two years and then Sector Nine and Lost Clothing. I got that product some good coverage and it was a really nice relationship.
The guys at Shiner, Chris Allen and Darren Rathbone, have always been cool to me. I wore Draven-Duane Peters Shoes for 7 years and now they hook me up with Santa Cruz Veterans Division boards which I love and feel very proud to be a little part of.
Finally Nic Powley at Vans UK sends me cool shoes because of the motorbike magazine stuff I am doing.

1989, Exeter, lien air.

Did coming face to face with your own mortality have an effect on your outlook on life? (I'm referring to your bout with leukaemia)

People who read this will not believe all this is true or actually happened but I did fight off two bad bouts of leukaemia with marrow transplants in the mid 90s and early 2001. It has taught me to seize the day and live my life as if each week is my last. It definitely has had a big psychological effect.

Is music important to you?

Yeah I guess it is. I have always liked English Punk and Metallica, we have lots of CDs in our house. I like all sorts of music but I do not think any vert skateboarding contest is complete without Metallica - Master Of Puppets blaring out!

Best gig?

Probably Metallica supporting AC/DC at Donnington 1991 or when my son Ross was picked out of the crowd to sing with Green Day at Birmingham the other week. He sang a chorus and met the lead singer then staged dived back into the 16,000 strong audience, I was very proud of that one!!

You've also been running a blog for a while - how's that working out?

I started one in May 2008 and it has been updated daily since then, it's skateboarding and bikes and life. I don't do it for any other reason than my own personal therapy and documenting the things I like and see and do. It has over 200 hits a day so somebody must like it! www.trawler-rider.blogspot.com

And now motorcycles? You gotta admit that sounds a little bit mid-life crisis...

Yeah I am late to biking but I have fallen right into it. I dont think it is a M L C as you call it. My middle name from birth is Harley so I knew I wanted to get into choppers from years ago, I had been putting it off for a long time.
My friend Benny Thomas, he built my first chopper. He is a great bike builder and he put nearly all of the input into my bike the “Kooler Shaker” which won Torbay bike show with £1000 cash prize and the Bulldog Bash, the biggest UK show in 2008. It appeared in Chopper magazines worldwide. We changed that bike in 2009 into a different look we called it the “Trawler Hauler” and that won some trophies and appeared in Greasy Kulture magazine which sells all over the globe as well.

What's next?

Now I am putting together another bike, a 1970s Shovelhead HD 1340cc which will look more like a Tokyo style street chop and that will be on the road by Easter 2010.
Maybe a chopper bike lifestyle TV series we have in the pipeline will get off the ground with a certain SKY channel.
Back to skateboarding after suffering with a broken leg and a new indoor skatepark in Plymouth.
Skating with my own sons and doing my big ramp event in Mount Hawke for the 5th year running.
Just got to keep rolling, business as usual and living life to the fullest.

Later sk8r.

Thanks Trawler

Thanks for the chance to do this little blog article, good questions, it was fun.

All images courtesy of Trawler