I wrote a poem after a surf trip back to NZ in February this special place where my wife and I married 19 years ago called Sandy bay...

Sandy Bay

Pristine blue, cool , clean, deep fluid with moving energy, from the corner above the hill look out so clear and narrow winding country road, quiet with green pastures abound, quiet so quiet but for the distant Tui singing it's morning tune and rolling waves so gentle a classic "Sandy Bay" day.

The distant silhouette so clear this day " Poor Knights" islands so named of a warrior as he lays...a contrast almost detached of a fable from a land far, far away to this here beauty of a Northland Taonga this place here called "Sandy Bay".

The rise of a new swell marching, folding, climbing, descends onto Elizabeth reef a sure indicator as surfers scramble with frantic paddle, dig deep , dig deep, breathing heavy, relax my friend, relax bro, now turn and go, turn and go.

Commit my friend, commit my bro, now take the drop...you descend, so deep but feels so slow, so surreal now lean heavy bottom turn now drive and follow through rise then drop rise go with the flow a moments pause, cross step to the nose...trim, trim, trim, relax breath smile all in one go...long blue wall, cresting, feathering, not yet , not yet, now cross step back and stall...set your rail now "soul bro" caress mother natures womb...she now consumes...

Relax my friend, relax my bro, breath deep...her caress so tender, so gentle now releasing her embrace yet so playful with soul, to fast now all to soon...faster you go faster you escape from mother natures womb...

Your smile so wide as you rise and drop you glide up and over, back to the peak back to the inside, slow paddle back, yes smile so wide...everything now silent, so gentle with rolling waves that perfect "Sand bay" day...