We’re lucky to live here. Just look at Bondi this morning—silky, glassy, not a wave in sight but begging you to dive in.
I love taking photos. You already knew that. It’s the daily ritual that keeps my compass straight. I especially love shooting from way up there in the chopper and way down here in the brine. Swimming my camera brings joy you only get when you’re in the scene, shoulder-to-shoulder with your subjects, ducking waves, inside […]
Eugene Tan (::Uge) started taking photos when he was nine. He’s a self taught tinkerer, a constant experimenter and a relentless documenter who likes to shoot unassisted, mainly at sunrise. If conditions permit you’ll find :: Uge swimming with his camera or dangling out of helicopters, …constantly hunting for new angles on his favourite subjects.
Photography is a way for him to explore his first love, the beach. And since he lives at the beach, that means documenting his home, Bondi. He’s a beach bum. Most of the time he’s either on the beach shooting, digging holes in the sand with his kids or in the line up. And because :: Uge and his family live smack bang in the middle of Bondi, a stone’s throw from his Aquabumps Gallery, you’ll rarely find him further than 300 metres from the shoreline. Close enough to catch those magic Bondi moments when they happen, with his camera, his board or both.
Aquabumps started in 1999 back when the internet was brand new and social media didn’t even have a name. It began as a hobby … a photo a day from the beach emailed to mates. It grew organically. Twenty years later Aquabumps’ photographs are now seen by hundreds of thousands of people, daily.
The best of :: Uge’s work hangs in the Aquabumps Gallery 64 Hall Street Bondi Beach NSW 2026 Telephone 02 9130 7788 Australia. Yes, they can be shipped globally.
We’re lucky to live here. Just look at Bondi this morning—silky, glassy, not a wave in sight but begging you to dive in.
I tailed the Salties on part of their bay crossing at sunrise… never easy lugging a weight belt and water housing, but a bloody good way to kick off the day.
A couple of hot ones ahead: 33 today, 36 tomorrow. 100% see you down there after work—it’s a cracker.
Last call on our Cybermadness gift deals for aussie customers, shopping at the Aquabumps Gallery.
Spend $500+ → free tote
Buy a book → free cap
Spend $1,000+ → Leif hand soap collection
All the details and here’s some small gift ideas from us, mostly made in Sydney, 1 by 1.
:: uge
I love taking photos. You already knew that. It’s the daily ritual that keeps my compass straight. I especially love shooting from way up there in the chopper and way down here in the brine. Swimming my camera brings joy you only get when you’re in the scene, shoulder-to-shoulder with your subjects, ducking waves, inside hollow tubes and swimming about.
This morning was sublime. Warm water, early sun, and a few pockets of crystal clarity. No Norman the Grey Nurse in sight. No stingrays either, they must’ve slept in.
Waves? Barely. But it’s summer in Bondi. Treat yourself. Go for a dip. That’s why we all hang out there.
Back in the studio, we’re printing unframed prints daily and shipping them across the globe. So the answer to your question is a simple, yes. Want to give someone an unframed print for Chrissy? Pick the print and the size. We’ll handle the rest and get it there before the big day. You kick back and get ready for your big swim tonight.
And if you want some smaller goodies, we’ve got books, merch, and those little acrylic block thingies that everyone seems to nab at the last minute, ready to ship or be picked up from Bondi.
:: uge
I did a whole lot more swimming than shooting this morning — it happens when the rips are on turbo. Ramp Two was churning like a white-water ride, and I knocked out a few hot laps before finally finding sanctuary (and firm ground on a shorey bank) long enough to connect a few frames with the local hot rats.
What a magnificent day out there. Bluebird skies, warming rapidly — feels hotter than the forecasted 24. Light ENE winds keeping it relatively clean at Bondaka. Fun little 2–3 footers rolling in, and yep, the crowd has returned (always does when the weather turns on).
I also want to take this opportunity to thank all our wonderful gallery customers who’ve placed their Christmas orders already. We’re a small family business here in Bondi — we print in Bondi, we frame in Sydney, and every artwork is handcrafted one by one with care. When you buy from us, you’re supporting real local makers, not a sweatshop offshore, not a huge multi-national.
Our Christmas order deadlines are looming, but still totally doable for domestic customers (framed ends tonight). If you’re in Australia, order today and we’ll get it to you. And just quietly… we’re sweetening the deal:
• Free Bondi Tote on orders over $500
• Leif Hand Wash on orders over $1,000
• Free Cap with every book sold
A little thank-you from us to you. Shop online now.
Have a great day — see you down there for a dip or a wave.
:: uge
It jumped from 2 foot to 4 foot while I was shooting Bondi this morning — a pretty impressive burst of energy. The 18-knot southerly was messing with the surface but keeping the crowds way down. Add those winter-style temps and it was actually really peaceful down there.
We’re only hitting a top of 20 degrees today… how’s that for day two of summer? Don’t stress — it ramps up fast, peaking at 37 degrees this Saturday. Sunny all week, no rain.
:: uge
You know it’s summer in Bondi when you paddle out and bump into people who can’t swim sitting out the back… foilers threading their blades through packed line-ups… clubbie IRBs slicing through the chaos like cheetahs on the hunt… and, of course, the Ferraris, Lambos and Harleys smoking up Campbell Parade.
Global tourism rolls in, fills every inch, and the joint feels like it’s about to burst at the seams. The carpark becomes a hostel for van-lifers. There’s literally a van parked out front of my house right now — two fresh-off-the-plane Spanish tourists doing a full renovation in my driveway. There’s a kitchen sink next to my gate.
The good news? There are waves today. Shoulder-high, clean enough, and absolutely surfable if you’re willing to navigate the summer circus. A few fun ones slipping through — you’ve just gotta be patient… and maybe a little brave.
Yeah, it’s hectic this time of year — truly chaotic at times — but I love the energy. Still… I am dreaming of a quiet country beach with a wave all to myself. No foils, no IRBs, no 12 foamies dropping in.
Until Friday:
Buy the book → free cap.
Spend $500+ → free Epic Tote. (COMMENT “ART” to shop)
(Aussie customers only.)
Adios, Ugios.
Gifts from the gallery, until 5th Dec 2025 (AU customers only)
Aquabumps Gallery
OPEN 10-6 every day including weekends
64 Hall St. Bondi Beach
:: uge
There was a little wave out there this morning — hiding among the masses — but yeah, it was looking a bit weak and floppy. A very Bondi 2-footer. Still, a glorious morning with a huge hive of dawn-goers swarming North Bondi more than the south.
We’re heading for 27 degrees today with a gentle 4-knot offshore. Hit the beach, 100%.
Now… it’s Black Friday. And I bet half of you can’t even find this email under the avalanche of marketing madness. It’s wild. Everybody’s slashing prices like it’s a stocktake apocalypse.
But that’s not us.
We make things by hand — one-by-one artworks and books — crafted slowly, not pumped out of a warehouse. So discounting doesn’t really fit the Aquabumps world.
Instead, we give gifts. Thoughtful, nice ones – if you shop in our gallery or online.
(And yep, sorry international crew — we can only do this within Australia because global logistics are a killer.)
Here’s what we’ve got for you: (Australian customers only)
🎁 Buy our 25-Year Anniversary Book → FREE Aquabumps Cap (worth $50)
🎁 Spend over $500 → FREE Luxe pocketed Aquabumps Tote (worth $50)
🎁 Spend over $1000 → FREE Leif Hand Soap Gift Pack (worth $89)
Gifts end 5th December 2025 midnight.
Thanks for backing a small, local, family-run biz. Means the world.
COMMENT “BLACK” if you want to go to our site deal page.
Gratitude, always
:: Uge, Deb, Spike & Jet
A foggy start out there today — must’ve been that hot air and cool air having a little wrestle. The waves were tiny at sunrise and that low tide was a punish, but if you were keen you could log a sneaky waist-high peel. It’ll improve as the tide pushes back in.
Now? Glorious. Sunny. 31 degrees. How good. None of yesterday’s “sunny–stormy–sunny–hell-stormy” chaos — today’s keeping it simple. Just hit the beach. As I write this at lunchtime, I can see a massive crowd pouring down the sand.
Offshores look to hang around and stay light into the evening — perfect for a sunset sesh up on the North Bondi grassy knoll.
See ya down the beach,
:: uge
It’s really heating up around here as we creep into the 33-degree range. The sun’s on turbo, it’s offshore, and there are some tidy little chest-high peelers rolling in right now. Sunrise, however… was not the time to surf. The banks are cooked on a low tide, and the crowd factor? Next level.
Oh boy, the crowds…
Thousands of punters were already down there before I arrived (and I get down early). The car park was overflowing before 6am. Hectic scenes.
Here’s something you might not know: back in the 90s I was a web designer—yep, while the internet was still being invented. Kids, once upon a time there was no internet, no smartphones, no TikTok. Aquabumps actually started as a hobby alongside my day job, designing websites for big Aussie companies.
Anyway, I just saw on the news that the BOM spent $96 million on their new website… and let’s just say it hasn’t been met with a standing ovation. So maybe I should moonlight back into web design. With Canva and Luvable, I’m sure I could knock something up for a tidy $90 mil.
I digress.
Have a great day. It’s mandatory to swim today—absolute cracker of a morning.
:: uge
The forecasters nailed it — we woke to a proper swell jump. Overhead and flexing. Shame the banks didn’t RSVP… that 5:13am low had most sets shutting down like a Bondi nightclub at midnight. Every now and then a tasty drainer would wedge up on the sand, but mostly it was a foamy tumble-dry cycle with a spicy drop.
Today? A roaster. 29 degrees, bluebird skies, light NNE puff (10 knots) and no rain on the horizon. Tomorrow’s even hotter — peak summer vibes incoming, and the beach will be heaving.
Heading overseas for Christmas? Last call. You’ve got roughly a week to lock in a framed artwork and have it land at your door before the big day.
COMMENT “ART” for links to our portfolio.
:: uge
Interesting week ahead… it’s about to get proper hot as we wrap up the final days of spring. Tomorrow hits 31º, Wednesday cranks to 35º and it’s basically bluebird skies until Friday. Redemption for last week’s gloom.
And good news — the swell drought is officially broken. Tomorrow and Wednesday should serve up fun waves and warm water. Hope you snagged a few over the weekend with that tiny pulse… it was my first surf in nearly a month. Criminal.
This morning? Sun’s out but so is the early onshore. Hardly anyone out — it was a mess at sunrise. Sandbanks are still behaving like toddlers, all over the shop (Bondi and pretty much every Sydney beach right now).
Online world is going feral too… Black Friday sales seem to start in, what, July now? Anyway — if you’re browsing, we’ve got some fresh stuff going:
New surfboard artwork (they’re schmick) (COMMENT “BOARD” FOR LINK)
Gift ideas (mostly) under $125
Merch — totes, caps, the good gear (COMMENT “MERCH” FOR LINK)
Gift cards — zero thinking required (COMMMENT “GC” FOR LINK)
All online, all ready to ship (mostly).
Avagoodone, :: uge
Hmm, it’s no oil painting out there today. Horrendously onshore, rain, and Bondi looked like it was on lunch break. Pretty rare for a Friday — normally we’ve got DJs cranking sunrise sets, run-club-athons, PT torture sessions, and the almighty swarming salties filling the bay.
Not today!
Jumpers are back on, coffees are double-parked, and I’m trawling the archives for a bit of inspo for today’s picture show. Let’s have a look at Italy.
:: uge
