This trip to California was not only about round 4 of the tour. I had arranged to spend some time with the Gomez family, talented youth Giorgio, sister Izzy and the kind and always happy Mama Brandy, who had just set up a camp in San Clemente. The camp would also include another couple of drop ins; good friend Bernd Roediger from Maui and Greg Panas, an amazing photographer out of Florida who was able to find time during our visit to take us all on photo shoots. A typical day started with being rudely awoken by the sound of the dustmen followed by a quick bite before we scrambled our gear together, all the while getting distracted with poking the glass on our phones for the ideal conditions for the morning activity. I was often hard pressed to get my routine stretch in before leaving the house. Being out early bought us clean conditions, generally our morning surf session finished by 10am. We were then on the lookout for some refuelling. There was usually an afternoon skate session followed by a race board paddle or second surf. Conditions became the decision maker.
“ Being out early bought us clean mornigs, our first session done by 10am. Then it was onto the skate or raceboard; the conditions being the decision maker ”
