Billabong Pro Teahupoo - Tahiti

The world's heaviest 'contest wave' is currently under performing so the event is on hold at the moment, but there's plenty of action to check out from earlier heats.

Good to see Luke Egan running the show too - an all time favourite of mine from the Jack McCoy 90's film era.

Robin Hood - men in tights

Wanted: Physically fit men, aged 18-60yrs

The day of the Robin Hood auditions dawned and I got up early and headed down to Pembs.

I was meeting up with a couple of friends - carlos and dusty and we arrived at the location 30 mins ahead of time to find around 200 people had already beaten us to it.

We queued for around an hour before we eventually squeezed in through the door to join another queue and fill in the all important forms.

The form included a section where we could list any 'extra skills' we had.
This included: archery, sword fighting/fencing and professional stunt training/combat!

I figured that all the hours spent shooting arrows at cardboard boxes with an old archery kit in my garden would hold me in good stead as an archer, so I ticked. I figured it would also put me into the 'outlaw category' where I'd feel more at home. ;)

Some of the guys there were ticking all three boxes so it will be interesting to see how they filter out the wheat from the chaff, although 'chav' would be a more accurate description in some cases...

A handful of hopefuls had gone the whole hog and dressed up in character.

I spotted a few Robin Hood/outlaw types, some knights and some pretty strange types who I'm convinced dress like that normally and live in Narbeth...

This guy wandered past, looking like he was just back from the crusades:

Once inside, we were measured up - chest and waist, and of course I protested at the measurement - 34.5" waist?!

Carlos, standing in the queue opposite found this highly amusing until he discovered that he'd come in at a gut busting, 35"...But as we all know, soldiers come in all shapes and sizes and there's no been no mention yet, as to who will play 'Friar Tuck'.

The nice lady then informed me that this was a 'medieval measurement' taken from higher up the waist than normal, so if we're picked, I've a feeling we'll be wearing Simon Cowell trousers on set.

After that we had a quick mug shot taken. We even got to hold up a piece of paper with our number on it and I began to realise how Hugh Grant must've felt.

As we left, the queue outside had swelled to around 800 people and it was still only 10.20am. The auditions were due to last until 3pm so I think the organisers were in for a busy day.

Now, we just have to wait and see if we're one of the 'chosen' 600 extras needed.

Shell Cottage

I popped down to see the beach elf, now living at 'shell cottage' at Freshwater West on Saturday.

Here's a brief video tour. The first view shows the garden they've recently added onto the back complete with palms and a hedge.

The old wooden path at the North end has now disappeared under a blanket of sand, so it looks 'au naturel' and the largest dune appears to have more sand on top.

I'm not sure whether this is down to JCB construction or nature gaining a foothold again due to the restricted access?

The house itself looks amazing though, decked from head to toe in giant clam shells.

It's a shame it can't become a permanent fixture really and has a view that most surfers would die for:

Robin in da hood

Wish me luck. I'm off to find fame and fortune in my old manor of Pembrokeshire on Saturday to try and gain a part in the new Ridley Scott movie - Robin Hood.

I've just been informed that the main role has been taken by some guy called Russell whose got crows feet?

so I'm a wee bit disappointed about that so I guess there may be some minor 'arrow fodder' roles going and I'm good at lying down.

Anyway I've been practising my sword lunges, staff fighting and forward rolls and I used to have a bow & arrow as a kid so we'll see...

I hear quite a few of my surfing brethren are turning out for the film auditions as we consider ourselves to be 'fit and below the age of 60' and it's being filmed at a lovely surf beach, so I might see some of you there.

Why, we may even end up sword fighting each another so don't take it personally.

Remember a sword cut to the groin can result in instant death as there are some major arteries situated down there, so it's a good way to quickly dispatch the enemy.

The things we do for money, eh?

Sea-Grass Roots Tour

Susfers Against Sewage (SAS) are on the road again and coming to a beach near you.

If you'd like to learn more about the campaigns, help protect your local spot a bit more or have any burning questions you'd like to ask, then catch up with them at a tour stop.

Eco-board Test Rides
SAS will be bringing a quiver of the latest eco-boards on the tour, courtesy of the The Eden Project. These will be available free for you to demo at a local beach from 4pm - 6pm on the afternoon before each event. For more info get in touch - info@sas.org.uk or call 07711 767548 on the day.

Tour Stops

Firth of Forth, 10th May, 7pm
Coast Cafe
Dunbar Railway Station
Station Rd, Dunbar, EH42 1JX

Scarborough, 11th May, 7pm
Le Chat Noir
10 Eastborough
Scarborough
North Yorkshire, YO11 1NW

Aberystwyth - Tuesday, 12th May, 7pm
The Court Royale Hotel (Harleys Bar)
21 Eastgate Street
Aberystwyth SY23, 2AR

Isle of Wight - Wednesday, 13th May, 7pm
The Sun Inn
Hulverstone
Newport
Isle of Wight, PO30 4EH

Plymouth - Thursday, 14th May, 7pm
Ride cafe/bar
45 Tavistock Place
Plymouth, PL4 8AX

Odd choice of locations for a surfing eco tour if you ask me, but pop along if you it's coming anywhere near you - Aberystwyth? Isle of Wight?

Super Slo-mo surfing in HD

Incredible detail of the inside of a tropical barrel from BBC South Pacific.



Watch more footage from the series.

It's a shame they didn't invest a little bit more £ in the commentary - "a monster 12ft barrel wave".

I've no idea what a 'barrel wave' is?

At the end of the day you have a wave and you have a barrel and if you're really lucky you end up surfing both i.e. catching a wave and pulling into a barrel.

In natural history terms it would be akin to calling something a 'lamb sheep' or a 'hog pig' but it looks stunning all the same!

For those of us who surf - this definitely isn't the first time this kind of footage has been seen or captured but perhaps it is a first for it to be filmed in HD.

I guess this could be the future of the humble surf movie as we know it?

Well done BBC for making the effort though and hopefully they'll invite me along to do the commentary next time - preferably on location rather than a dingy edit suite in Bristol ;)

South Pacific starts at 8.30pm on BBC2, Sunday, 10 May and continues for the following 6 weeks.

Magic oil

Bought from Neil's Yard, this tiny bottle of Arnica oil packs a big punch.

It's just the thing for sore muscles and aches and pains from a hard days surfing.

I have to say I wasn't totally convinced when my wife waved it under my nose. It smells like someone with a sense of humour has mixed bovril, light road kill (sparrow or mouse) and olive oil together, but it seems to work.

I went to bed last night aching after a couple of hours playing touch rugby.
My calf muscles were in pieces so I massaged a bit of oil into each leg and hit the hay.

I woke up this morning feeling fully restored, dancing around the bedroom like 'Billy Elliot', with not a trace of sore muscle anywhere!

Coincidence? Or does it just do what it says on the tin...

The best thing about this magical oil is that it's 100% organic. Give it a go next time you're aching and let me know how you get on.