Pemberton’s Kiwi Family Vacation 2013

Seventhwave stitched me up with my first custom wettie in 2009 and since then Paul has been onto me to write a blog/testimonial/sales pitch. I thought it was premature as my experience going back a few years is that wetties may last three winters max but usually two.

Well here we are going into the 5^th winter for my Viper 3/3 and with the addition of the Titanium Hot Top I am toastie in water to 12º and air to 0º. So here is my take on what’s good about Seventhwave gear and of course why I am such a tragic kiwiphile!

Background is that I live in Tasmania and some say I am the oldest bodyboarder around which is not really true but close. Here are some pics of local waves:

A massive SW swell brought on a rare break close to Hobart.

This is my favourite reef break and yes the big set of teeth in the local pub came from the channel.

I had to put this one in as I did a trip to Sumatra last year and have my first surf without a wettie.

I found Seventhwave through the Isolated web site and I also found the southern part of the South Island.

Last year my son, Joe, and I stopped off in Christchurch to pick up custom Maxes – he got a hooded version and I got a special 4/4/3 – that is legs in 4mm.  Well we had a ripper of a time so this year we did the first ever Pemberton Family Vacation outside of Tassie to celebrate Karmen’s Birthday and to do quality control on all those Kiwi beers (that’s a whole another blog). Here are some pics with comments!

 The flight into Queenstown was the perfect start and then 6 star luxury.  Karmen’s birthday chow at Amisfield Winery

  

Joe and I get a taste

The crew on a Moereki Boulder in our official T Shirts thanks to Ali.  About to head over to Fleur’s Place.

How far out dorked is this Tee!! You should have seen the guys face Ali and Karm sweet talked into taking the shot when we whipped these things on!!!

Dunedin was culture – Highlanders vs Hurricanes – pity I am so keen on the south and now have to support another bottom dweller like the Rebels, Richmond and the Wallabies.  Where in the world could you eat Bluff Oysters and watch rugby?

 

We did manage to find a wave at a spot which is well known to the locals but does not draw a crowd because you have to save half your surf energy to climb back up the sand to get out.  There you are Paul, the A Team matching the 1080 warning sign! The Max 4/4/3 was way too hot for late March in 17ºC water!!

Then we shipped Ali back to Oz and headed south to Papatowai for two weeks of Crib living – surf, bbq, beer, fishing, reading and walking the coast and forest trails – sweet as bro. See Rachel at the Lost Gypsy for a fine coffee.

 

Yup the Gath on top of the hood is up there with the Tees as a bad look but when you are counting down the surfs you do not want to miss one because of a dinged head.

It was cranking

Joe's sea run was tasty.

We did go to Nugget Point and yes that if a Fergburger cap – have to plug those big suckers – what a feed

Talking about food – lamb and lots of it – plus boerewors from New World Dunedin – yes the best supermarket in the world.

OK we did score some of Joe’s favourite gear at the Otago Farmers Market (another good thing about Dunedin) – check out the blog on Chilligasm for more!

Here I am once again astounded by the geology coming from a fairly steady island like Tassie to squashed, buckled up and down rocks. The Te Papa Museum is great – the pre European section and the Moa and its mate that big eagle – what a story.

So that’s a brief run down on the Pemberton Family Vacation and my Seventhwave experience.  Beats me why people pay half the price for less than half the value. Oh and do not forget that from Christchurch, you can get the toughest gear from Cactus Clothing to go bush or to the Tonic bar (Dunedin) and Groundeffect will hook you up with MTB stuff to keep you toastie as well.

To all the Seventhwave crew keep stitching and I love this shot of the main dude at the shop.

John Pemberton
Tasmania, Australia


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