Scratched an itch... built a site... surftourist.com

[Benvolio]

Hey guys,

long time lurker and very infrequent poster to the forum (the kneelo section on the forum doesn't get very busy - although I notice some action on kneelos today).

A mate and me wanted a site where we could drool over other peoples surf trips and find inspiration to plan our next trip. Whether it be a long-weekend trip to Crescent or a year long journey through Europe (Dylan is heading off on this trip in a few weeks).

We launched last week and it really is a version 0.9. We need to iron out a few issues and we're also planning a bunch of new features over the next few weeks/months.

We've already got some cool trips - http://surftourist.com/trips/46 - and pics - http://surftourist.com/trips/57/photos/77 - which is bloody exciting.

Check it out and let me know what you think - http://surftourist.com - be brutal... we want to make the best site we can.

Ben
p.s. this is me @ Dum Dums - great wave for kneelos - http://surftourist.com/trips/12/photos/16

[steve shearer]

Look, I'm sure I won't be the first to think it.

Do you really need to name spots?

Seriously, what good can come from that?

[Benvolio]

Yeah Steve - we thought long about that and eventually decided that nearly all of the spots that get added will be already known and the ones that aren't... people will keep to themselves.

For example, there's plenty of spots I'd name - e.g. Golf Course Reef http://surftourist.com/trips/40 - but there's a few spots I surfed on this trip I'd keep to myself.

[Benvolio]

ah - thanks for the feedback nuffink ngo... much appreciated.

got the message loud and clear - not sure you needed to post it 4 times

[baddy]

Another weak bunch of sell out pricks with no idea about surfing cashing in !
just fcuk off ya kook wanker .

[DylanFM]

Hey Steve. I developed Surftourist with Ben.

We'll definitely be addressing that issue in the near future. I have spots that I don't want to share with people (or atleast not with precise details). In the interest of launching the site we cut down on features and that was one of them.
We've been rolling around in our heads how we'll develop this feature. I think we're fairly close to getting it up online, but you bringing it up here and a couple of others mentioning it means we should make it more of a priority. Thanks for the constructive feedback.

I hope you all find some use of it, even you baddy and nuffink

[lessormore]

Any plans to cover the ASP World tour, or writing 365 stories in a year?

[Benvolio]

nope - not much of a world tour fan and nope not planning on writing stories.

am beginning to understand why I may have stopped posting to the forum tho

[Headlander]

Hey this is exactly the reason I went on about mobile phones and the internet last year. Why the fcuk can't people just go surfing without having to tell every Tom, Dick & Harry where they are/been and how good it was with pictures, names and directions? Don't you think it is crowded enough as it is?
As someone else said "since when did surfing become a team sport?" Do you need someone to hold your hand every time you go surfing or is it all about attention seeking ie. look at me I go sick don't I, I've even got the photos to prove it.
Lets get back to the selfish days of surfing for yourself and telling your mates they missed it a some secret spot and keeping it a secret. (I know there is not many secret spots left but lets keep them that way).
Since the internet and the mobile phone surf report I have seen a dramatic increase in crowds at all our local breaks even on average days with every one on to it in advance through the internet or just one phone call away from their mates.
I don't begrude people travelling to surf, but if its already a bit crowded don't you think lobbing up to some break with enough blokes to form a footie side with the mentality of "we'll just hassel the locals out hey" is not going to sit real good with the locals your about to hassel.
So what I'm trying to say is, if you must tell every cnut that you've been away on a surf trip keep the locations to a general area eg, Nth Coast /Sth Coast and not print pictures of breaks and then name them, especially if you want to continue getting uncrowded waves there(if your lucky enough) and avoid unpleasant confrontations with the locals!
Thats my rave, so now I await the burnings from the internet heros who might not believe in my way of thought.

[daryl]

Does surfing make you happier? Markus Lorbergs from Deakin University would like to know. Help his research by filling out the short survey.

as if

[Skipper]

Does surfing make you happier? Markus Lorbergs from Deakin University would like to know. Help his research by filling out the short survey.

as if

global industries does major recall of stickers

[otway1949]

Yeah Steve - we thought long about that and eventually decided that nearly all of the spots that get added will be already known and the ones that aren't... people will keep to themselves.

For example, there's plenty of spots I'd name - e.g. Golf Course Reef http://surftourist.com/trips/40 - but there's a few spots I surfed on this trip I'd keep to myself.

So you're a surf god determining which beaches deserve mention and which ones don't. I'm glad you mentioned Golf Course it's known but do you want your little bible in the hands of the masses, make sure you mention Copa and MacMasters the boys will love you.

May you be buried in Wicked vans

[brendo]

Hey this is exactly the reason I went on about mobile phones and the internet last year. Why the fcuk can't people just go surfing without having to tell every Tom, Dick & Harry where they are/been and how good it was with pictures, names and directions? Don't you think it is crowded enough as it is?
As someone else said "since when did surfing become a team sport?" Do you need someone to hold your hand every time you go surfing or is it all about attention seeking ie. look at me I go sick don't I, I've even got the photos to prove it.
Lets get back to the selfish days of surfing for yourself and telling your mates they missed it a some secret spot and keeping it a secret. (I know there is not many secret spots left but lets keep them that way).
Since the internet and the mobile phone surf report I have seen a dramatic increase in crowds at all our local breaks even on average days with every one on to it in advance through the internet or just one phone call away from their mates.
I don't begrude people travelling to surf, but if its already a bit crowded don't you think lobbing up to some break with enough blokes to form a footie side with the mentality of "we'll just hassel the locals out hey" is not going to sit real good with the locals your about to hassel.
So what I'm trying to say is, if you must tell every goose that you've been away on a surf trip keep the locations to a general area eg, Nth Coast /Sth Coast and not print pictures of breaks and then name them, especially if you want to continue getting uncrowded waves there(if your lucky enough) and avoid unpleasant confrontations with the locals!
Thats my rave, so now I await the burnings from the internet heros who might not believe in my way of thought.

spot on headlander. to many guys, mostly kooks, with look at me attitudes helping to fark it all up. look at youtube. guys post full production vids of there trips to some uncrowded waves, and they mostly are below av kooks.
i know where youre comin from. i assume you live in headlands estate? sharpes was my local till i moved to this shithole. when i go home once a year and surf it, gone are the days of maybe a dozen guys out for the first hr or 2. its becoming a circus. and the amount of cars with qld plates rocking up mid morn on good clean days

[Trev]

and the amount of cars with qld plates rocking up mid morn on good clean days

Got to agree with most of the sentiments on this topic but have to challenge you on this (or Dino would be disappointed in me ).
Let's be fair about it. This works both ways. There are just as many, if not more NSW numberplates at Qld surf spots when things are working - not to mention the camper vans parked there overnight as covered in another thread.

[daryl]

now you meant to find this thread

[localbogan]

Hey Headlander, had a long rant about this very topic with Steve Shearer (a long range surf forecaster) a little while ago.
These ideas are great if you can make a buck and certainly Steve does make a buck.
However the point i made to Steve is that it is fine until it starts to cost you waves personally.
ie at the moment Steve is ahead of the pack because he is privvy to more detailed knowledge than the rest of us but when peolpe start to turn up at the breaks he used to have to himself then things might change.
The blokes devising this website potentially can make a lot of money so therefore you and I aint got a hope in hell of stopping them...however when peolpe start turning up to their favourite south coast spots and say "I saw it on surftourist" then things might be a bit different

[steve shearer]

I know we've been through all this before Boges but just for the record.

I'm not privvy to any more detailed knowledge than the "rest of us".

What I know in regard to swells and weather is what I write about.

What I know in regard to specific surf spots and what conditions they work under is what I learnt through experience and what I keep to myself.
That is the real gold and the secret to scoring uncrowded surf.

The forecast I give (NENSW/SEQLD) covers over 500 k's of surfable coastline.

My ethics are simple: I don't name spots.

You can use modern forecasting info to score more uncrowded surf than ever.

FACT. I do it every day.

If you rock up to the Superbank with a 4ft east swell running and SE winds and see a human zoo and then blame that on the Internet then you're a fcuking idiot.

FACT.

Greenough stopped surfing the Points around here in 1982 because they were getting too crowded. That was about 20 years before internet f/casting.

Crowds are the future if you live near major population centres.
Get used to it or move away, like people did in the 60's when they had more balls.


I just spent 5 days on a small island in Bass Strait. Despite some of the best surf in Oz I didn't see another surfer the whole time I was there.
Not one.

It was fcukking lonely.

I'm not getting rich doing this. I do it because I love it and I want to stay connected to the Ocean evry single day.
Every penny I make goes straight into the local community here, including Headlander and his mates.

[Skipper]

I just spent 5 days on a small island in Bass Strait. Despite some of the best surf in Oz I didn't see another surfer the whole time I was there.
Not one.

It was fcukking lonely.

Perhaps your reputation preceded you

Good to hear..about the waves, that is.
Felt the same surfing Tas on my own so many times.
And that session at Red Hut many years ago.
Reassuring, for the few locals at least, that the tyranny of distance, cold and isolation will see to it that crowds wont become much of an issue
A mate's just moved back to Currie.
Can't stand the cold meself, so not in a hurry to visit.



Any Outsider stories likely to pop up anywhere Steve?