Bundegi Pier

Had an amazing early Morning Sunrise at Bundegi today, here's proof...






Thanks for the company Lauren.

Scene Thru A Lens

Ever since I was able to hold a camera i've always had an interest in Photography and have always been keen to explore the different levels at which you can take it. A few years ago I set up my own Company, not with the intention to make money or to be famous, i did it because i wanted to share my visions with everyone, i sold my work with minimal profit because i always felt that art is over priced (it is in Cornwall anyway) and that art shouldn't be for just those who can afford it, it should be shared and enjoyed by all. Anyway, here's a few pieces that were and still are very popular. I'm sorry they have Watermarks on them but i have sold these pieces and out of respect to past clients felt it appropriate.

Surfer
I had this printed onto canvass at large scales (A0+) and it looks awesome, my Mums favourite.



Golden Daze
Another image that looked outstanding printed to large canvass, one of my favourites



Fox Glove
Taken on an Autumn Sunset on top of Tregonning Hill, near my home in Cornwall.



Rinsey Tin Mine
Cornish Tin Mines have always intrigued me. I spent most of my Childhood listening to stories about the legacy of Tin Mines, sadly most are now lost but some have been preserved like this one just round the corner from my home.

Things, they are a changing...

Well i no longer work at the IGA in Exmouth, I have instead progressed to Pizza Delivery boy for the local restaurant. It was my decision as i wanted my days back. I came to Australia to Surf and experience life and unfortunately even with a good wage under your belt it's easy enough to miss everything if your working everyday, so i called it off and now i only work 1800 - 2100, i know only three hours a day but i don't care. i'll just eat pasta and try to lower the alcohol intake! I've also moved out of Ponda Rosa, i was offered a caravan next to the house where good friends Little Scotty and Jake (MC Usher) live, so it's been a funny few weeks! I'm very comfy here and surprisingly the caravan doesn't scare girls away as much as they do back home.

I'll get some photos up soon.

I've also had a few other opportunities arise. Good friends and fellow maniacs Mickey, Ferg and Lowey have offered to lend me their beloved Land Cruiser, which is in storage in Perth, till they return next year. So at some point I am heading down to pick it up and get it ready for a good old Monga adventure popping in and seeing some good friends along the way.

I also spoke to my amazing and absolutely legend of a best mate, Nat, yesterday he is touring Australia with a band called the Light in September/October and he's asked if i would like to join them, he has to clear it with the rest of the boys so hopefully i'll be in there like swim wear! Imagine Monga on tour, i need to get in some serious drinking time beforehand if i'm going to survive!, cause i know how Nat party's it's strong, fast and never ending! Bring it on!

I'll keep you posted on more goings on soon, there's several new posts just below this one if you fancy a look.

Take it easy my friends. x

Wet Gold

I've been playing around with some of my images again, i'm beginning to throw myself back into my Photography. I feel i have a certain style and eye for seeing things in an obscure manner, that's how i live my life, so i suppose that makes sense in a way.

This was taken in ankle deep water with a Macro and Polariser filters, i took the original image in a very low light as i wanted the dark tones of the sand to stand out over the lightness of the water. Enjoy...

Swandog

Just found this whilst clearing some bits and bobs out, made me laugh. Ben and Jen were over here back in March and stayed around for a few weeks, i wish they could have stayed longer though. Hope alls good on the East Coast guys, i'll hunt you down soon enough.

Brett and his 4x4 skills...

We had just had a pretty good surf a break off the coast and when we returned an old couple were pondering whether it would be safe to cross the Creek at high tide. Our man Brett just laughed and said i'll do it, i was a little dubious as to whether it was a good idea but he knew what he was doing and went full on at it...

Sandy Bay

Sandy Bay with Scotty and Sam, this place was amazing, stingrays in the water, no one around just paradise, it sounds sad but it's all so good out here i'm not sure it'll all sink in till i leave!

A little bit of this and a bit more of that...

I finally got round to making a little clip of us boys surfing the other day, this is a break near to where i am, but i best not mention it's name. My camera was playing up a bit, unfortunately it kept focusing on a dot of dirt on the inside of the water proof housing, very annoying as it missed most of the good waves, mainly and typically the ones i caught! But here it is anyway.

Thanks for Dan for getting out and doing a bit of filming, it's a bit shaky but he had drank 3 red bulls before going in.

Surfers include, amongst others Finny (1:56), Little Scotty, myself (2:32) and Taj.

Church missions back in the day...

I'm not one to attend Churches much, well never, but when myself and fellow freak Rohanimal came up with the idea that we could abuse the so called good nature and name of the Church, we went at it like a bull in a China shop. Heres some memories of those traitorous days!

Cherry

A beautiful and bright light has left us, Cherry Smith was a good friend of mine, a fellow party animal in her time but more importantly a beautiful mum, partner, daughter, sister and friend. I will miss you Cherry as will everyone who ever met you. Take it easy my dear. x

This is for you...

Her love goes to you all
Travelling for miles upon miles
Across dunes of sand and seas of green
Over Mountains and upon the wind

She will live forever
In our hearts and in our minds
She is the very soul of the World

In the crisp early dew you will see her shine on through
On the sounds of breaking waves you will hear her speaking to you
In the dark you will feel her love
On the rays of Sun you will feel her warmth

Rest easy my friend
We will never let your love end

x

Written by Lloyd Burnard

Whats on then...

Well it's been pretty hectic up here with not much time to spend on the old lappy updating this and keeping in touch with you lot, sorry about that, but it's pretty hard to think about anything when it's 35+ degrees and everything is so inviting!

Over the last couple of weeks i have, drunk to much, passed out on two occasions, been abused on both (fair play), been promoted to Supervisor at work and have found love! Yes love, i'm not kidding, she is called Charlie she is from Exmouth and has one hell of a history! She has survived the worst Cyclone Exmouth has ever seen and was once rolled over by a load of local lads! But she is a hearty beast and won't be put down, the good thing is I only paid $400 for her!

Charlie is of course a car, but not a normal car she is a 1977 Daihatsu Scat 4x4 and she rocks! I've had a couple of adventures already, myself, Dan, Kim and Kath (two lovely Danish girls that have been staying at mine, i know i'm so generous) traversed the peninsula the other day, we traveled from the West side over the the East, a route I discovered later that night that no one does as it's the hardest and most dangerous route, typical Dan and Monga, pick the hardest way and still manage to battle on through. Well little Charlie was awesome, other than getting stuck once she battled all the way over, it was so much fun I had a sore jaw from laughing and smiling to much! There are some photos below and i'll get a video up later of me messing around in her just down the road.

What else has been happening, i've had some good surfs, we've scored Yardie Creek on a couple of occasions at 4-6ft, it's a sucky left hander that either barrels your tits off or pummels you into the reef, which did happen to me on a couple of occasions, not so clever when there are hundreds of Hammer Head sharks swimming around you whilst bleeding from your knees and feet and your over 1km from the mainland, but it was still a lot of fun and i can't wait to get back there. I also scored the local break, Dunes the other day on a Cyclone swell, it was the best surf yet by far, a solid 6ft with bigger sets and no one in, Dan wasn't lying when he said that not many people surf out here when it's big, i couldn't believe it, i even had an audience of over 30 people watching, very strange! Luckily i was surfing well and didn't make a fool of myself!

Anyway i have a couple of updates to sort out over the next few days so keep your eyes posted, until then there is a few below this one to wet your appetite. Take it easy. xxx

4x4 fun in the soft sand!

Just messing about where all the dirt bikers come to mess about down the road, thought i would give it a go!

Sunrise with Scotty

I got up early the other morning with Little Scotty to catch the sunrise and check the surf, although the surf was flat it was definitely worth getting up for!

The Bombie!

This is one of the closets waves to where I live. It's called The Bombie and apparently holds swell up to 30ft, that would be interesting to see. I've surfed a couple of times at a similar size to these photos. You have to paddle from the point to get to it, which takes about 20 minutes and that channel you can see is shark alley!

A local guy was attacked there last year, he was ok in the end but whilst paddling out there all sorts of scenarios are playing through your mind, you've just gotta put your head down and crack on, it's either that or give up surfing, and thats not likely!

Some other bits so far...

A couple more shots for you to laugh at!

Ponda Rose Mk II, well this is it, this is where i reside with my mate Anthony, my share car is the black beauty at the front, Charlotte, doesn't she look hot from behind!


New uniform!


Frank, your friend and mine! He tried to hump a little girl after this, very amusing, made me chuckle!


Big meat & only £5! Ian pay attention, this is a Rump steak, imagine the cost of that where you are!

Exmouth - WA!

Right i've been up in the NWA for a few weeks and all is good, i've had some problems with camera batteries and with my Mac which is no surprise! So i apologise for no recent updates.

I've sorted myself out pretty well, got a house with a cool house mate called Anthony from Perth he's only 18 so i've taken him under my wing and destroyed him on several occasions! I'm also sharing a car with a new mate Ray, he looks like a young Arny, but doesn't like to hear that, we've named her Charlotte, she's a beauty, she's got a blown exhaust so she sounds mean as fook!

I have also succumb to the ways of the job! No not blow jobs in the public toilets or hand jobs in the park, i'm to upper class for that, i instead got a job as a fruit and vegetable stacker at an IGA ( a small supermarket), so not much has changed, i'm still hanging out with vegetables and playing the fruit!

All in all I'm loving this place, it's 30 - 40 degrees everyday and the sea is alive with marine life and so clear it's hard to believe it's not all fake. I've had some ace snorkel adventures and a couple of run ins with sharks, but they were only Black Tips. The surf has yet to materilise as it is still early in the season, but i have had a couple of fun ones, myself, Dan and Little Scott surfed a break called the Bombie the other day, a nice left hander a good 20 minute paddle from this point, apparently there is a Tiger Shark with the gurf of a mini out there, all i saw was Little Scott freak out every time the sea moved, very funny!

I've also been blessed with the presence of Sean, Clare and Ben and Jenn from back home, it's been ace having them all here, Ben and Jen are still around and we have had some good adventures, some drunk, all funny.

Anyway, i got up to see my first Exmouth sunrise the other morning and this is what i came across, enjoy.

Monga and Dog Shit take on the Blow Holes!

Well you would expect us to at least stop and look at them on route North but the awesome power of the Blow Holes in Western Australia just made me want to get right up close and say hello.

Halfway through this i thought my head might get blown off, not only that but the bigger sets were washing over where we were standing, stupid maybe, fun HELL, YES!

The video is a bit small so hit the full screen icon on the far right. x

The Blow Holes

What do you get when you mix, Mongalloyd, razor sharp reef, big swell and blow holes. A funny day thats what!

The road North

I've finally landed in Exmouth, the road trip North was amazing, with stunning views and nice bays and campsites. We stopped at a few places on route including Shark Bay, Coral Bay, Monkey Mia and The Blow Holes, which was awesome more of that adventure to come later.

We've had a couple of nights out with some new friends we meet in Coral Bay which ended in skinny dipping with a load of men, whilst all the girls sat on the beach with Dan not sure how that happened but Dan just sat on the beach literally wetting himself surrounded by hot girls, I can't remember much but he said it was very funny, maybe it's best i don't remember!

Here's some photos of the trip North, more to come later.

Kalbarri

I'm in a place called Kalbarri which is several hours North of Perth by car, it took awhile to get here but it's worth it. We've had a couple of surfs nothing spectacular but just good fun. We've been having a bash at fishing as well, with the only result being shed loads of seaweed and lost tackle! Anyway here's a few photos for you, enjoy.

Brooker & Helen

We've just left Margaret River where some good times were had. We managed to hunt down some good friends from home, Brook and Helen, who are staying there for a couple of Months as the Cornish Winters scare the crap out of em' both!

It was nice to catch up and do the cool camping thing where we all cook for each other and hang out and act like 13 year old kids all over again. Brooke is by far one of the keenest men i have ever met, no matter what it is he is in there, bar drinking and break dancing, he leaves that to me.

Brookes keenness can be tiring though as on such an occasion when he was adamant that we should go looking for these limpet things to eat, the swell had just kicked in and was pretty solid but this didn't deter Brooke, with everyone else bailing on him he turned to me with his puppy dog eyes and i instantly gave in. Although we were only in ankle to 3 ft of water the amount of water moving around coupled with the swell made it almost impossible to stay in the same place let alone dive down and pry off one of these ugly limpet things, i had already decided that those things were going no where near my mouth! After 20 minutes of being rolled, beaten and dragged this way and that by the swell and the rip whilst holding a very sharp knife, i gave up, Brooke came in with me but not because he had given up, he wanted to try and recruit someone, anyone to get in there with him and battle the swell for some minging morsel of food, needless to say, no one was keen, poor Brooke looked very down hearted that no one wanted to play with him and we made our way back to the cars.

Here's to you Brooke and Helen, thanks for not being mad when i woke you up at 3 in the morning to get the last few bottles of beer out of your fridge, oh yeh and for taking your campsite gate key so you couldn't go anywhere the next morning, these things happen when you have a friend like me, i'll make it up to you some how in the future. x

Right i'm off, Monga takes on Heathrow!

This is it then, after Months of talking about it, I am actually sat in Heathrow Airport Departure Lounge! I've had one of the easiest trips so far just getting to here.

Thanks to some very good friends Dave and Lynne Waite I had a lift up to Heathrow with a night in the local Travelodge, which I was very surprised with. At £19 a night I was expecting a shitty mattress on the floor whilst sharing an adjoining bathroom with a family of 30, but no, it was tidy, clean and i could poo on my own and in peace!

Dave and Lynne were flying out of Terminal 4 so I had to get a taxi to Terminal 3, which after 4 taxi drivers shouting in a cockney accent 'nah mate, you won't fit that in here, it's massive!' whilst unfortunately referring to my board bag and not my man hood, i found a willing driver and we set off, when i arrived at Terminal 3 I expected a long and arduous hour or two of queueing, arguing and being pushed from pillar to post whilst i fight my way through to the Departure Lounge, but once again i was surprised, as i entered a Singapore Airlines host asked if i was flying with them to which i confirmed 'I most certainly am', I was guided (not pushed or prodded) to an empty check in desk where I was introduce to a very attractive lady called Sarah, we shook hands, yes I know "shook hands" imagine if you did that at a Ryan Air desk, you can only imagine the response, the dead pan look on the battered old hags face whilst she drooled all over herself before telling you that your bags look heavy and that you'll have to pay an excess baggage fee as well as a departure tax! Well not here and not today, i put my board bag on the conveyer belt and without even noting the weight (which i was genuinely worried about) she tagged it up and asked the host to carry it to the trolley for excess baggage, i then put my other check in bag on the conveyer where she again didn't even bat an eye at the weight, tagged it up and handed me my boarding passes, as i stood there dumb struck she asked 'is there anything else' to which i replied 'is that it, can i go?', 'yes the departure lounges are on your right and up the stairs, have a good flight.'

After spending the last three years flying on budget shit airlines I had forgot how efficient proper airlines can be and as i walked off toward the security i presumed that my luck would run out soon and that a lengthy security check would ensue followed by a finger poke to check i wasn't smuggling smack or just because the guard likes the look of my asse, but unbelievably as I walked around the corner there was no one there bar a shed load of security personnel beckoning me to come to them, it was almost like they were trying to get my attention first, like dogs waiting for a stick to be thrown, 'oh me, oh me me me me, chose me!'

I waltzed on through shoes and dignity still present, through to the departure lounge, where i now sit after having some food and buying some books.

I can safely say that so far this trip is going off to a flying start, i know at some point it will all fall apart but not now, i'm on a high and people watching in one of the Wolrds busiest departure lounges is a dream for Monga, cause i like to watch people stressing and doing silly things, for instance i've just seen a young child being chased by an over zealous security guard because she liked the look of a toy in Hamleys so she picked it up and walked out with it, all hell breaks lose and a burly security guard gives chase and this little girl who is laughing her head off just runs around a load of seats, it was like a scene out of a Laurel and Hardy film! Life is good!

The mighty Twilight and me!

I am sat at home on a Thursday night, it's 19:34, i have had a hectic day of puppy sitting for the parents from 4am and surfing a nice little secret spot at 3/4ft and heavy but hellish cold, so i'm pretty tired. After a plate of chicken breast and steamed vegetables, cause I can be healthy sometimes, i've opted for a night in, a night where i ignore then phone, i ignore everything around me except my immediate occupied space, i've got Lord of the Rings playing on my lap top and i'm very comfy in bed, the phone is relentless it just keeps on at it, ringing for high heaven, i've already spoken to a few people and they know i'm staying in, but what i hadn't counted on is the persistence of Matt Orchard.

Once a grom of mine with bow legs and short stupid hair cut and a gormless but none the less handsome look on his face, he is now a full fledge man with pubs and everything, plus no more bow legs, he is surely going to be the death of me.

The dogs bark all hell brakes loose, the puppies are up and barking, Mothers screaming, Fathers drunk on two glasses of wine so he doesn't care. I know that this visit is for me and i know why and i know who. It is no doubt Mr Orchard after one thing, a wing man!

It is Thursday after all. What else happens in West Kernow on a Thursday. A night that to be honest I haven't frequented for about 3 years due to having a girlfriend, a house, a job, bills to pay, a sense of respect, now thats all gone, it is time for Twilight and Mr Orchard knows this. He knows that I have nothing else to do, he knows that i am at home and doing something very lame.

I know what he is thinking because for years I have been doing the same, turning up at mates houses, mates who have children, are married they have the house, they have the bills and all the stress that comes with it, things that i never really let bother me, i would turn up and demand a wing man, sometimes this would backfire and a night alone was the best i could muster, but not tonight, Mr Orchard has found a willing companion!

I have been going to the Twilight Zone for 12 years (bar the 3 years time out, although i did sneak the odd night in here and there). Thats a long time, i am now 29, i remember Twilight when there was a fireman's pole in the middle of the top bar, sorely missed i may add. My point being that although i am 29 i am still there, i am there because it is fun, yes i get laughed at and people think it is probably about time i grow up and settle down but although those ideals may seem great to some they don't appeal to me. I am Mongalloyd after all and if anything I now realise more than ever where my place is in this World, it is next to my mate at the bar of some creepy, smelly, hell hole, where we both belong and are as happy as pigs in shit!

Roll on the next 12 years, Twilight for ever!

oz bound!

i've been getting some right stick over the last few weeks from the boys, all of which feel that my ideas of journeying around the globe to Australia and other countries was all talk and that seeing as I hadn't purchased a ticket i was merely going through a mid -life crises in which i would crawl back to my old employees and beg for my job back once i realised i was a Kernow bound fool and a life of pasty's, cold windy surf and girls who believe unequivocally that they are the hottest girl to walk the face of the Earth was for me . Well, stick this in your pipe and smoke it me boys!

My tickets are booked and paid for. I fly out of the UK on the 8th March to meet up with Dan Waite in Perth and to began what I can only imagine to be a whirlwind of stupid antics, copious amounts of alcohol, silly decisions and some very funny situations that may not seem so funny at the time. Bring it on!!!

Also i know this is very geeky and i don't really care as i love flying, but my flight form Heathrow to Singapore is on the new AirBus A380, if you don't know what that is, it's the biggest commercial plane ever built. I'm well bloody excited, i'm going to take a pair of trainers so i can go for a jog up and down the isle's, just to freak people out. I might even try to play hide and seek with the air stewardesses, but i doubt they will like that.

my brother, louis

i have a brother
not much like any other
he drinks and farts
and plays silly tarts

he makes big scenes
and sometimes he isn't very clean

he causes trouble
and is very good at bursting my bubble

he's noisy when he eats
and snores when he sleeps

but don't let me put you off as there are two sides to this sheet

he's fun and a right laugh too
and he'll never make you feel the slightest bit blue
also a big part of the great Boss Praa Crew
he'll always see you through

always full of charm
he never does anyone any harm

he's my brother
and i love him like no other

Liquid Louis is one in a million
if you don't know him, you will when you see him

walshy

whilst in Ireland last year for a week or so I had the pleasure of meeting a nice man called Anthony Walsh, a pretty damn good surfer and all round nice guy from Oz. Unfortunately for him whilst he was out in Ireland he was stuck hanging out with me as Mickey and Ferg were busy sorting bits and bobs out as they had only just got back from Tahiti and a few other places. We cruised around and checked out the Ire for what it is and it was very romantic and nice with nice walks on the cliffs and hanging with mates.

The point to this is I just wanted to say a hearty congrats to Walshy for coming second in the Volcom Pipeline Pro. Well done me old bean.

Click on day 4 and then on the finals below. He also had a screaming semi final with some pretty impressive shacks, which is also worth a look.