The Humans of Bondi
Bondi gets such a bad wrap in Summer. I post a shot of a packed Sunday and loads of crew comment saying that’s their worst beach nightmare. To be clear, it’s rammed, choccas, overflowing with humans only about 5% of the time. The rest of the time Bondi is pretty peaceful joint with a solid community of great people. Our sand is fine and white, the water clean and there’s pretty much something to surf every single day – no, it doesn’t pump often, but it’s always got something.
Today is going to be another big day down here as we creep up to 34 degrees on the mercury. I am sure the North end will be a hive of flesh, the carpark will be backed up and the bongos will be banging into the night. Love it or hate it, it’s a pretty exciting place to hang and be a photographer. I’ve documented this beach for 20 years now, almost daily…and I still find there is always something new to shoot.
See you down the beach. Waves are tiny!
Peace. :: uge
P.S. Big southerly hitting tomorrow morning, it WILL cool down. Don’t worry, but today is the best beach day.
The Curtain
A large, thick curtain of cloud blanketed most of the morning light. A tiny gap in the clouds along the horizon is all we had to work with. Waves are small at Bondi, but pleasurable. NE swells better suit beaches around the corner like Tamarama on the low, or Da Bra. A 21-year-old man was pulled […]
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Ab
Bondi has lost a very loved local, Annalise Braakensiek. I’d see her most mornings powering along the Bondi to Bronte path whilst I shoot – cheerful, popular, greeting many. This morning her loved ones came down to South Bondi to send her off. Celebrate her life. Rest in peace, Annalise. :: uge
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Back in Da Hood
Hey, HEY! I’m back in the ‘hood and there’s plenty going on around here. Bondi really steps up a gear in Jan…there’s just so many tourists in town and the beach is one helluva melting pot. Good to start the year with a classic ‘Bergs sunrise, some waist to shoulder high runners on an A-grade […]
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It’s your year!
It’s been a while since we’ve been in touch. Hope you had a good break (or still on a break). New Year’s Day – Bondi kicked off 2019 in top gear – January 1 was a full-blown beach day. Every beach was crammed with beachgoers hungry for a cooling off. I’ve been touring northern NSW […]
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Double Demerits
Hey, happy new year! 2019 is your year – I know it. Like many people from Sydney, in particular Bondi-ites, we made the summer pilgrimage to the magical Cape Byron. It’s a decent drive and the major A1 upgrade is only half finished – I still can’t believe all that traffic funnels through 50km/hr zones and tiny single lanes. Hectic. […]
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It’s a wrap…
Firstly I hope everything is OK after last night’s violent hail storm in Sydney. It was truly unbelievable. Worst hail storm since the famous 1999 lashing that took down many insurance companies. I was stuck at home whilst the tin roofs lit up like firecrackers. Also in 1999, I started Aquabumps – nearly 20 years ago! (anniversary […]
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Flipside
Ok, we’re back on regular programming today. The sun is out, the waves have returned, and it’s a sensational beach morning. Two sandbanks were putting out waist to shoulder high waves this morning. We’ve still had dregs from that NE swell, but a new SE swell seems to be filling in, which suits Bondi Beach’s orientation. […]
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Highlights Reel
It’s not the prettiest beach day in Sydney. Tiny waves, grey and rainy. The water is even a murky brown/green colour to match the sky’s dullness. You’ve probably got something better to do today, like Chrissy shopping or end of year luncheons. Big day in Hawaii yesterday as Medina takes the title and Pipe Masters in […]
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Distractions
The allure of watching a surfing world title go down this morning was far more significant than shooting a stormy, grey, junkie, high tide 12-inch shorey. Yep, there’s so much going down on the North Shore today, with Parko retiring, Slater blazing back into competition, Gabs pulling 10s out of a hat and Jules having a […]
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Home Straight
Nearly there… For most, this week is the final week of work before setting off on holiday. You may have already checked out early, sitting in your cubicle watching the Pipe Masters online… (I am…Medina is surfing right now – it’s crunch time on the tour) Back to Bondi – there’s some surf out there. It’s […]
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Dear Santa…
What’s on your Christmas wish list? A motorized foil board? A big east swell and offshore winds? Oh, I got it…an Aquabumps artwork from our gallery. Of course! We have plenty in-stock ready to go. Here are a few gift ideas: A long sleeve wettie jacket for summer from NCHE $170. Surfboard – 7s Double-Down summer […]
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Sans Sand
A beach without sand (sans sand) is Clovelly Beach! Clovelly is a narrow bay situated North of Coogee. It was actually called Little Coogee until 1913. During The Great Depression, Randwick Council filled it up with concrete to make it more accessible for swimmers – and – provide work for the unemployed in dire economic times. If […]
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