Feature: Surfest

Posted on April 9, 2014 by surfsaltylips

Power, Punts and Passion

Malia Manuel

During my stay here in Australia I was lucky enough to attend Newcastle’s iconic annual Surfest…and it was a good one! With two 6-Star WQS events, the men’s Burton Toyota Pro and the Hunter Ports Women’s Classic, Surfest certainly attracted some of the best of the surfing world. After being crowned Surfest 2013 Champion, Joel Parkinson returned to defend his title along with the likes of WCT’s Adriano De Souza. as well as World Tour hopefuls and Merewether local hero’s Ryan Callinan and Jake Sylvester. And the women…well we were in for a treat with 11 out of 17 of the WCT’s women attending, only a slight disappointment with Sally Fitzgibbons dropping out last minute due to an injury. Continue reading →

Mexico Sessions: Heading North

Posted on February 23, 2014 by surfsaltylips

Floggings, Floods and Federals

Rosary taking it on…

Leaving me to my slightly less heart-in-mouth waves further south, Rosary set off on her journey, two overnight buses north, with the promise of the big heavy beachies that Mexico is famous for. Setting up her tent, her home for the next two months, Rosary settled in to her new spot. I was only a little ashamed that I had ditched my tent and opted for an $8 a night room after she left, but I was craving some creature comforts. Continue reading →

Return to West El Salvador

Posted on January 18, 2014 by surfsaltylips

Home Away from Home

Fun waves!

Two 13 hour bus journeys, two border crossings and a fading hangover later, Nathan and I arrived at our destination, a fishing village in West El Salvador. Back to my concrete cell above a shop, with a balcony overlooking my favourite wave, pupusas stuffed with various lava hot fillings and the best fruit salads of my trip. With pretty consistent waves, and cool locals, this was the perfect spot to settle down for a while for some cheap living. Continue reading →

Mentawai Dreaming

Posted on December 28, 2013 by surfsaltylips

Coconuts and Rice

Shannon FUN!

In search of adventures and epic waves, our Aussie shredder Shannon left the safety of life as a marine biologist in South West Oz…and that’s exactly what she found! Setting up camp in the Mentawai’s, surfing some of the best waves in the world right on her doorstep, living by the land and falling in love, she really has found paradise. Continue reading →

Mexico Sessions Quatro

Posted on September 2, 2013 by surfsaltylips

Fickle Paradise

Heading out

With Rosary bee-lining it to the next super heavy Mexican beachie, I headed off on my own to another spot that was less likely to break my boards or my back. After 3 weeks in a tent I decided to treat myself to an actual bed…my own room on stilts with a concrete platform to do yoga and a view of the wave, with stray dogs & a parrot for company…heaven! Meeting some cool people, including a likeminded surf chica from Switzerland, Prisca, living cheap and getting fun waves, this was a spot I wanted to put some time in. Continue reading →

Mexico Sessions Tres

Posted on August 28, 2013 by surfsaltylips

Magic Sessions and Chasing Sandbanks

Rosary dawny!

With me still out of the water, on injury time, we packed up our tents and got back on the road. Rosary had convinced me to reluctantly purchase a tent, saying it was the only way to travel Mexico. She was right of course but I did miss the comforts of a fan! Picking up two mad Irish lads Garret and Fionan that we knew from Indonesia, we scored some super fun waves, experienced a yearly local fiesta and met some interesting characters. Continue reading →

Pumping Waves and New Friends

Posted on August 24, 2013 by surfsaltylips

Playa Gigante Sessions

India’s yoga time!

The surf has been pumping in India’s little piece of paradise that she calls home, Playa Gigante, Nicaragua. With huge waves, light off shore breezes, the conditions have been pretty much perfect for the advanced surfer. Even with the crowds to contend with there have been plenty of waves to go round. With a lot of new people moving through the town, India has made some great new surfer girlfriends to get out their & play in the ocean with . Taking up Zumba in her free time, she is now contemplating adding this to her repertoire of teaching skills. Continue reading →

Mexico Sessions Dos

Posted on August 6, 2013 by surfsaltylips

Crowds, Caves & Cool Locals

Fins Out!

Licking my wounds from El Salvadors sea urchin population, and facing some time out of the water to heal, I braved the 26 hour journey to Mexico. I hadn’t finished with El Salvador, but I had definitely come off worse in our little altercation and it was time to reconnect with Rosary before she disappeared too far North. With the promise of fun waves and good people I was pretty excited. Continue reading →

Mexico Sessions Uno

Posted on July 29, 2013 by surfsaltylips

Good waves, rank food and befriending strays

El Gringo Liam.

Whilst I was digging sea urchin spines out of my foot in El Salvador, Rosary was scoring super fun waves in Mexico.

Straight off a 26 hour bus journey from El Salvador she had bumped into an Irish friend Liam, purchased a second hand tent and began her exploration of the Mexican coastline with him and a couple of Norwegians. Continue reading →

Surf, Yoga, Play

Posted on May 15, 2013 by surfsaltylips

Playa Gigante, Nicaragua

India ripping!

With a life that’s better than most people’s vacations, India is never short of stories of surf and fun times from her home in Playa Gigante, Nicaragua. Running her Papaya Wellness yoga retreats, holding raw chocolate workshops, helping the local community, playing in the sea on flat days and most importantly surfing, this chica knows how to live dream. Thanks for making us all smile India. Continue reading →

SaltyLips

ENJOY THE RIDE