An epic tale brewed up in writers’ cafe

Thanks to all my fabulously creative friends and readers who contributed to this month’s short story conga line. The story explored the life of Ralf (or Ralph-poor fellow had a few moments of identity crisis!) a true Byron character. You can read the tale of love and loss and a llama here.

Stay tuned for the next conga line dancing by next month!

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Surf’s Up!

 Despite what the postcards show, not every day in Byron is a perfect beach day so today, as fat tears of rain slid down the windows, I curled up in my ugg boots and trackies and indulged in a little surfing on the net. The finalists have been announced for the ‘Best Australian Blog Competition’ and, as a fellow nominee I was especially interested in the finalists of the ‘words’ category. The gloomy weather is forecast to hang around until the end of the week so grab a coffee and a couch and enjoy some surfing!

Words Category:
Bothersome Words by Abigail Nathan
Call My Agent! by Agent Sydney (anonymous)
Creative Penn by Joanna Penn
Graham Storrs by Graham Storrs
Musings of a Literary Dilettante by John Boland

Some thoughts on Bottoms-Overheard at the lighthouse…

As the confetti settles after the royal wedding, it seems most of the conversation generated in the media and on the street has not focused on the pomp or the pageantry or even the dress, but instead on one very perky bottom (Her Royal Hotness!) Bottoms are celebrated year round in Byron with so many tanned, toned derrières on display. This fascination was nicely summarised on a recent visit to the lighthouse…

A multicultural crowd was milling around the lighthouse, talking photos and dolphin-spotting when an athletic, supermodel lookalike  came bounding up the stairs wearing running shoes, a singlet top and perhaps the skimpiest pair of bikini bottoms ever tailored.

Young Asian boy: (as if in a scene From the Emperor’s New Clothes)  Look, she’s only wearing her undies!

Mother: (in a hushed, rushed explanation) yes but you see she is very sexy so she is allowed.

Young Asian boy: Oh, is that the law?

No one in the crowd disagreed, in fact many probably wished it was.

A Magic Moment

Amazing photo huh?! Unfortunately I can’t claim this one! This superb shot of Byron surfer Danny Wills and a friendly dolphin was taken by Lennox photographer Craig Parry during the Ben King Memorial Easter Classic surf comp. To see more of Parry’s stunning photography check out his blog or his website 

Surf Contest

Grommets unzip their salty seal skins and dig cans of Solo out of waiting eskys. They shout to their mates above the sizzle of sausages spitting on the BBQ and slap high-fives like they’ve just walked on water. Did you see that last barrel? It was hell good. Yeah man you fully dominated. Fully epic. Fully sick. Girls with copper midriffs and denim shorts squeal as the pros parade past; iPhones and padded bikinis flash. Wildcards wait nervously tracing spirals in the sand; leg ropes are tied and untied.

The beach front is an ants’ nest; black smears of spectators mingle and commentate, flying their flags and opinions, critiquing my form before I catch my first wave; judgements as flaky as dried board wax. He’s the number two you know. Used to be, before that pitiful effort at Snapper Rocks.  You’re talking out your arse. Bet you a carton he can’t topple Slater. Cheering swells above the roar of the loudspeaker, the roar of the waves. The muffle of a megaphone crackles scores and records, rounds and heats, the IGA-sponsored marquee flaps wildly in the wind and the flags fly faster.

But out here the liquorice ocean silences the shoreline

The waves rise and fall

And foam and melt.

My board is steady

The dolphins smile

And the sea is crowned champion.

Easter Greetings!

A (belated!) happy Easter to all my dear readers. I hope you had a restful break filled with family, friends and perhaps a few chocolate treats! A five-day weekend, each day spilling with sunshine, saw me trade in my blog for some long walks, lazy lunches, ocean swims and quality hammock time but I also did lots of eavesdropping, writing and photo-snapping so stay tuned over the next few days…

Wishing you all love and peace. xxx

ps. How fabulous are these Byron Easter Eggs?!  ‘Eggistence’ was created for ArtScape by local artist and lovely friend Samantha Collyer-she is a gem! x

The Many Faces of the Bay

 Main Beach was in a sultry Autumn mood today-bruised, brooding clouds, mercury water, the hint of a chill in the breeze-but still the holiday-makers flocked, high on fresh air and freedom, determined to surf and swim and sunbathe despite the threat of storm clouds. 

Melbourne-based writer Daniel Ducrou spent some time living, writing and surfing in Byron and wrote the following piece on the glamour, the beauty and the seediness of this unique meeting place.

Cavanbah

You are Cavanbah, a meeting place for all the world’s people, a town where travellers come to talk about their homelands. You are a joint passed between seven nations slouched around a living room. You are a flesh-tease on a beautiful beach, a lazy congregation of sun-worshippers basking in the mindless heat. You are the quickening merry-go-round of tourist seasons and holiday weekends. You are the feeding frenzy of businesses like sharks tearing blubber from a whale’s back. You are pretty touts on five dollars an hour offering backpacker-fliers to locals. You are locals who can no longer afford you, moving elsewhere. You are a Spanish guitarist sitting on a stool outside the bakery chopping big colourful chords into carefully portioned splashes. You are palm fronds bending outside a window, a neighbour’s music blaring in the background & dirty dishes stacked up on the sink…

To read more of this piece check out Daniel’s blog.

 

A Shout Out

Sending a heartful of gratitude to the girls at the Northern Rivers Writers Centre after my manuscript A Maiden’s Voyage was selected for the NRWC Residential Mentorship with Marele Day; I’m bubbling with excitement! The Writers Centre is a fantastic resource for local writers-check it out.