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Aussie surf icon Mick Fanning struck by family tragedy

<p>Australian surfing legend Mick Fanning has been struck by yet another devastating loss in his family. Reports have emerged confirming the passing of Fanning’s brother, Edward, who was in his 40s at the time of his death. This tragic event adds to the already heavy burden of grief that Fanning has endured over the years.</p> <p>The Fanning family has faced multiple heartbreaking losses in the past. In 2015, Mick lost his older brother Peter at the age of 43. Prior to that, in 1998, another of Mick’s brothers, Sean, tragically passed away in a car accident at the young age of 20.</p> <p>News of Edward’s passing came through a heartfelt message from Stevie Maher, a close friend of Edward and a prominent bodyboarder from Coolangatta.</p> <p>Maher took to Facebook to express his condolences and share his grief with the Fanning family. In his poignant post, Maher fondly reminisced about the cherished moments he shared with Edward:</p> <p>"Firstly I want to send my condolences to the Fanning family … mum Liz, dad John, sister Rachel and brother Mick,” Maher wrote. “My heart is broken to hear the passing of my best mate. I enjoyed and had so many amazing times with you Eddie. You were in my wedding party, had so many epic times together in Indo and we were just best mates. I’m goin’ to miss you Eddie and now you rest in peace.”</p> <p>Edward, who had been working at a surf camp in Madagascar, leaves behind a legacy of friendship, adventure and camaraderie. His presence will be deeply missed by all those who knew him, especially by his grieving family and closest friends.</p> <p>As the world mourns alongside Mick Fanning, we extend our deepest condolences to him and his family, hoping they find solace and strength in each other's love and the cherished memories they hold dear.</p> <p><em>Images: Facebook / Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

“I’m in trouble here”: Hughesy recalls disastrous surfing accident

<p dir="ltr">Dave Hughes has recalled the details of a horrific surfing accident on New Year’s Eve, that resulted in him being rushed to hospital in excruciating pain. </p> <p dir="ltr">Speaking candidly on his <em>Hughesy, Ed & Erin</em> radio show, the 53-year-old shared what happened on the Surfers Paradise beach as he was ringing in the New Year. </p> <p dir="ltr">He told his co-hosts Erin Molan and Ed Kavalee that he was having surfing lessons when the disaster unfolded. </p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s New Year’s Eve, I decide to go surfing and I crash on a huge wave,” Hughesy began.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We’ve all got out big boards, and the problem is, the boards are too big.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“So, and, I didn’t listen properly when the instructor said, ‘If you’re going to fall off your board, fall off backwards, don’t fall off forwards’.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“And I didn’t really realise why, but I found out why.”</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C2HC0_ILybf/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C2HC0_ILybf/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Hughesy, Ed & Erin (@hughesyedanderin)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">While still sporting a sling on his arm from the accident, Hughesy explained that he fell forwards off a wave, and the surfboard took the next wave, which was directly behind him.</p> <p dir="ltr">“The board got a really good wave and the board smashed into my back and dislocated my shoulder,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I was immediately like, ‘I am in trouble here’.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“The instructor saw me and said, ‘are you okay?’ and I said, ‘I don’t think so.’”</p> <p dir="ltr">“He started laughing! And I’m like, ‘no, I’m really, I’m really in pain’.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Still trying to keep his sense of humour through the ordeal, Hughesy described the pain as “worse than childbirth”, with the situation only getting worse when he “sat on the beach crying for an hour” waiting for the ambulance to arrive. </p> <p dir="ltr">Hughesy <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/health/caring/hughesy-gives-health-update-after-being-rushed-to-hospital">first shared</a> the news of his accident in the days after he was released from hospital, sharing a series of photos to his Instagram from the fateful day. </p> <p dir="ltr">He shared that he had "morphine and the rest of them" after enduring "two hours of the worst pain of my life", thanking the hospital staff who treated him, as well as the Surfers Paradise Surf Club before admitting he will "be in a sling for a while". </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Instagram / 2DayFM</em></p> <p> </p>

Caring

Beloved Bondi Surf Club lifesaver dies at just 54

<p>A close-knit Bondi Beach community is coming to terms with the unexpected death of Louise Santos, who was a devoted mother, a surf lifesaver, and an acclaimed athlete.</p> <p>Santos tragically passed away during a family vacation in France at just 54 years old, leaving behind her husband, Stuart, and her young son, Josh, to grapple with the sudden loss.</p> <p>The impact of this loss is also felt by the Bondi Surf Club, where she devoted over twenty years of her life as a longstanding employee and volunteer.</p> <p>“The entire club stands in profound shock, grappling with the void left by Louise’s passing," Brent Jackson, President of the Bondi Surf Club said in a statement. </p> <p>“She recently became our newest Life member," he added. </p> <p>“Our deepest sympathies and support are extended to her beloved husband, Stuart, and her son, Josh, who is also an active Nipper.</p> <p>“Our thoughts are with them as they navigate this unfathomable loss.”</p> <p>Jackson also paid tribute to Santos' unwavering dedication to their club. </p> <p>“For those who had the privilege of attending our last Annual General Meeting, you understand the pivotal role Louise quietly played within our club for decades," he shared. </p> <p>“Her commitment knew no bounds, and she continued to champion our cause diligently, currently serving as the Registrar and meticulously planning the upcoming season for our surf sports team.</p> <p>“Personally, I will deeply miss Louise’s straightforward, pragmatic approach and her resolute ‘can-do’ attitude that inspired us all.</p> <p>“Louise’s legacy is one of unwavering dedication and the profound impact she had on our club’s journey,” he concluded. </p> <p>Santos was a a gifted athlete winning over 40 medals in Australian Masters and World Masters Surf Life Saving competitions.</p> <p>She also became the first female individual Australian gold medallist in the Ironwoman category for ages 35 to 39 in 2005. </p> <p>In 2018 she secured a second-place finish in her age group at the Coolangatta Gold Long Course endurance event. </p> <p>Santos had only just celebrated her 54th birthday ten days prior to the tragedy, although her cause of death remains undisclosed. </p> <p>Former Director of Lifesaving at Bondi Surf Club Damon Somerfield, also paid tribute to Santos in a post shared on Facebook. </p> <p>“As you go through life, there are people around you who inspire you the most, to make a difference, to become a better person. She was a friend, an incredible support to us as new parents, and one of the best clubmates you could ask for," he wrote. </p> <p>“To become the first female life member of the oldest Surf Lifesaving Club was one of hers and our proudest moments as club mates.</p> <p>“As we move forward and come to terms with this terrible news, we will celebrate all that you stood for, Louise, and for all you have done for those who loved you.”</p> <p>In a heartwarming display on Wednesday morning, the Bondi Surf Club members held a gathering to lower the flag together and light a candle in her memory.</p> <p>The board section also held a minute's silence on the beach to mark her passing before catching some waves together. </p> <p><em>Image: Facebook</em></p>

Caring

Surfers not worried about shark attacks

<p>The sight of a dorsal fin knifing through the waves might send many swimming for the shore, but a survey of surfers shows it won’t deter many from catching a wave.</p> <p>A University of South Australia study published in Marine Policy reveals 44% of surfers say a shark sighting would not stop them from being in the water. While more than half of the 391 surfers surveyed had seen a shark while they out on the water, 60% were not afraid of the marine creatures.</p> <p>The survey also revealed more surfers have been bitten by sharks than we think.</p> <p>But the global survey of surfer attitudes towards sharks, undertaken by behavioural scientist Dr Brianna Le Busque, found surfers had generally positive views on these apex predators.</p> <p>Le Busque told Cosmos, to date there has been very little research on surfers’ perceptions of and interactions with sharks.</p> <p>“A lot of the shark policies, shark nets and things like that are implemented, in part to protect surfers. But there hasn’t really been a lot of research to actually ask them what they want,” she says.</p> <p>Le Busque says the study may help to change people’s negative perceptions of sharks. This is important because fear of sharks can act as a barrier to conserving them.</p> <p>“Shark conservation is important. As apex predators at the top of the food chain, if sharks become endangered or extinct this can have flow on effects for the entire ecosystem.”</p> <p>Globally, 100 million sharks are killed each year with a quarter of shark species threatened by extinction.</p> <p>But conserving sharks is complicated because they can harm humans, and many people fear them.</p> <p>“When people are afraid of sharks, they don’t want sharks to be conserved … it’s also a driving motivation for having certain shark policies. So things like shark culls, shark nets, they are implemented because of people’s fears of sharks,” Le Busque says.</p> <p>Le Busque says research indicates the public have a higher perception of risk when it comes to sharks, compared to the low likelihood of encountering one.</p> <p>Surfers’ relaxed views on sharks contrasted with those of the wider public. </p> <p>This was despite the survey finding quite a high share of surfers (17%) had been bitten, or knew someone who had been bitten by a shark. Le Busque says, this is quite a high percentage, higher than shark attack statistics suggest. </p> <p><strong>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/nature/surfer-shark-survey/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cosmosmagazine.com</a> and was written by Petra Stock.</strong></p> <p><em>Image: Shutterstock</em></p>

Travel Trouble

“Overbearing idiots” fined for surfing through Venice’s Grand Canal

<p dir="ltr">Two “overbearing idiots” who were caught surfing through Venice's Grand Canal have been identified and had their boards confiscated.</p> <p dir="ltr">A furious Mayor Luigi Brugnaro shared footage of the pair calling for them to be found and punished for “making a mockery of the city”. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Here are two overbearing idiots who make a mockery of the City,” his translated tweet read.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I ask everyone to help us identify them to punish them even if our weapons are really blunt... we urgently need more powers for the Mayors in terms of public safety!</p> <p dir="ltr">“To those who spot them, I offer a dinner!”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="it">Ecco due imbecilli prepotenti che si fanno beffa della Città… chiedo a tutti di aiutarci a individuarli per punirli anche se le nostre armi sono davvero spuntate… servono urgentemente più poteri ai Sindaci in tema di sicurezza pubblica!<br />A chi li individua offro una cena! <a href="https://t.co/DV2ONO3hUs">pic.twitter.com/DV2ONO3hUs</a></p> <p>— Luigi Brugnaro (@LuigiBrugnaro) <a href="https://twitter.com/LuigiBrugnaro/status/1559808148843765760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 17, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">In a later post, the Mayor Brugnaro announced that the pair were caught and fined. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Speaking of the two “heroes” of this morning, we have identified them!” he updated his followers.</p> <p dir="ltr">He did not disclose how much their fine was but thanked everyone for their cooperation on catching the two. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Twitter</em></p>

Travel Trouble

Kelly Slater’s former beachside stay goes under the hammer

<p dir="ltr">The coastal home that hosted US surfing champion Kelly Slater has been listed for sale.</p> <p dir="ltr">It isn’t the only reason Slater has been in the news lately, after he made waves when he spoke out against the Australian government’s <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/travel-trouble/those-are-the-rules-kelly-slater-barred-from-australia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">handling of Novak Djokovic’s deportation</a> and its response to the NSW flood crisis, which he said was “nothing short of appalling”.</p> <p dir="ltr">The home’s current owner, former Quiksilver International boss Bruce Raymond, has listed the home with plans to stay local following the sale. Raymond, who learned how to surf when he was just four-years-old, has lived near the beach all his life and continues to surf everyday.</p> <p dir="ltr">“This was to be our forever home but I’m scaling down now. I’ll stay in the area,” he told <em><a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/news/kelly-slaters-sydney-crash-pad-home-of-exquiksilver-boss-bruce-raymond-at-bilgola-beach-for-sale/?rsf=syn:news:nca:news:spa:strap" target="_blank" rel="noopener">realestate.com.au</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">The four-bedroom, four-bathroom home in Bilgola in Sydney’s Northern Beaches boasts stunning views of the ocean and Avalon’s beachfront.</p> <p dir="ltr">The house includes hardwood floors throughout, pool views from the kitchen, and even a self-contained guest suite on the ground floor.</p> <p dir="ltr">Outside, the alfresco terrace and its entertaining area are protected from the area’s harsh southerly winds. Raymond has also transformed the garden into a micro farm, including three veggie plots, a shed, and a mini windmill.</p> <p dir="ltr">According to the <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/property-house-nsw-bilgola+beach-138894855" target="_blank" rel="noopener">listing</a>, the home will be heading to auction on April 12 with a price guide of $5,375,000.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-1b8aee2e-7fff-fe05-15f4-6082fb3176d3"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: @kellyslater (Instagram), realestate.com.au</em></p>

Real Estate

Steve Bradbury to the rescue! Olympic champ turns hero

<p dir="ltr">Winter Olympic speed-skating legend Steve Bradbury has spoken up about the insane moment he jumped into a ferocious rip to save four teenage girls over the weekend.</p> <p dir="ltr">Bradbury was out surfing with his 12-year-old son Flyn at an unpatrolled beach near Caloundra on the Sunshine Coast when he spotted a girl struggling in massive two-metre waves.</p> <p dir="ltr">Without a second thought, the 48-year-old jumped into rescue mode. He told Flyn to hand him his board and swim back to shore and find the lifesavers.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I knew that there was nobody else around to do the job and it was just one of those moments where the adrenaline started firing straight away,” he told <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/queensland-news-winter-olympian-steven-bradbury-describes-rescue-of-four-teenagers-from-queensland-beach/ef9fb440-7b64-45a2-b082-84b30e1d4e0f" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nine News</a>.</p> <p dir="ltr">Bradbury started making his way to the girl, Zoe, but was shocked to find three others with her.</p> <p dir="ltr">The terrified look on Zoe's face is something Bradbury said he “can’t unsee”. He yanked her out of the water and onto the board, remembering the three others.</p> <p dir="ltr">The huge rip made the rescue mission more difficult, to the point where Bradbury thought “they’re going to drown soon”.</p> <p dir="ltr">"We were just getting pounded, wave after wave after wave. When the biggest waves hit us they all got knocked off the board every time.”</p> <p dir="ltr">On shore, Flyn managed to find lifesavers some 800m from where the girls were drowning.</p> <p dir="ltr">The lifesavers immediately grabbed the boat and made their way to Bradbury and the girls.</p> <p dir="ltr">Zoe was placed on oxygen as she struggled to breathe and talk, while her friend Eva described the ordeal as “scary”, thinking she was going to die.</p> <p dir="ltr">Bradbury took the opportunity to remind beachgoers to stay on patrolled beaches and to swim between the flags.</p> <p dir="ltr">"The lifesavers are there for a reason and those flags are there for a reason and those girls shouldn't have been swimming there.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Nine News</em></p>

Caring

Pro surfer Mick Fanning’s heroic act

<p>Surfing legend Mick Fanning braved dangerous floodwaters to assist a pharmacist to open her shop and provide residents with their much-needed medication.</p> <p>Forty-year-old Fanning didn’t think twice when Skye Swift – one half of local pharmacy outfit Varella and Swift – put a call out on Facebook for a ride from Tweed into Murwillumbah, in northern NSW, to help hand out medicine to members of the community.</p> <p>Fanning jumped onto his jet ski and made his way to Swift and was met with others ready to help.</p> <p>“In a collective effort she arrived at her pharmacy with the assistance of two men in a tinny, several 4WDs and also on the back of world champion Mick Fanning’s jet ski,’ Swift’s brother Anthony told <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/nsw-flood-update-mick-fanning-jet-ski-rescue-pharmacy-murwillumbah/133f1b3d-f560-42fc-9f42-cc098dd2655f" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nine News</a>.</p> <p>“That’s community spirit for you.”</p> <p>Swift took to Facebook and thanked the local community for their help.</p> <p>“I made it to Varela & Swift Pharmacy thanks to the fb community. Open til 5 pm for urgent supplies,” she wrote.</p> <p>“There may be a wait so thanks for your patience. If your scripts are at another pharmacy, that’s no problem. We can help.”</p> <p><em>Image: Facebook</em></p>

Caring

"Those are the rules": Kelly Slater barred from Australia

<p>Surfing legend Kelly Slater has been told he will not be able to enter Australia without a Covid-19 vaccination. </p> <p>The 11-time world champion has previously refused to disclose his vaccination status and spoken out about his exasperation about making the jab mandatory, but assured fans he's not anti-vax. </p> <p>He has, however, publicly defended American podcast host Joe Rogan over dishing out dangerous health advice, and more recently blasted the Australian government over the decision to deport Novak Djokovic. </p> <p>After Novak's highly publicised deportation last week, Slater took to social media to say, <span>"maybe Stockholm Syndrome can now change its name to Melbourne/Australia syndrome", and "so much brainwashed hatred in people's hearts regardless of vax status".</span></p> <p><span>After receiving backlash over his views, the surfing champ deleted the posts. </span></p> <p><span>Despite his opinions, Slater now faces the same fate as Novak Djokovic, as he risks being barred from entering the country if he continues to refuse to disclose his vaccination status, unless he proves he is eligible for a legitimate exemption. </span><span></span></p> <p><span>Slater is planning to enter Australia for the upcoming World Surf League championship events, which will take place in Victoria in April, before another event in Western Australia. </span></p> <p>Federal Sports Minister Richard Colbeck said Slater "has no chance of getting into the country" if he is not vaccinated.</p> <p>"I reckon he knows the rules. It doesn't matter whether you're a surfer, or a tennis player, a tourist or anyone else, those are the rules. They apply to everyone," Colbeck said.</p> <p><span>"I don't like the chances of him competing in Victoria, and I'd hate to think of what the chances were of him competing in Western Australia."</span></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Travel Trouble

"Hold my beer": Tradie captured surfing huge croc

<p>A photo dubbed “the most Australian photo ever” has gone viral after a tradie decided to ride a monster crocodile.</p> <p>The tradie tied a rope around the reptile’s mouth and made a lead to get the crocodile into the shallow waters, where the photo seemed to be taken.</p> <p>The photo went viral on Reddit, with many surprised at the photo.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height:281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7841243/crocs-1.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/49f2c7cca044439095cbcaa831aad306" /></p> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> <p>'You know for sure that the last thing he said was "Hold my beer,"' one user said.</p> <p>'Glad he was wearing hi-vis... you know for safety,' another wrote.</p> <p>'This guy takes the Australian surfer cliche to a whole 'nother level,' another commented.</p> <p><em>Photo credits: Reddit</em></p> </div>

Family & Pets

Olympic hopeful killed by lightning strike

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> <div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> <p>The surfing world has been left shocked after Katherine Diaz Hernandez was killed by a lightning strike at a beach in El Salvador over the weekend.</p> <p>She was entering the water around 5 pm when the lightning hit her.</p> <p>Members of the public rushed to try to help her, with an ambulance rushing her to the hospital. Unfortunately, she could not be revived.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CK7kDQOjzF0/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CK7kDQOjzF0/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by KATHERINE DIAZ (@katherinecook7)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p> </p> <p>Diaz was training for a global competition to be held in El Salvador that is the last qualifying event before the Olympics.</p> <p>“I just found out about the death of Salvadoran surfer Katherine Díaz,” said Yamil Bukele, president of the Salvadoran Sports Institute. “I am very sorry for this death and I join the pain that overwhelms her family. Our solidarity with ‘el Bamba’ and the surf family. Peace for your soul.”</p> <p>Jaime Delgado, the former president of the Salvadoran Surf Federation, posted on Facebook: “You enjoyed your dream and you started doing what you liked the most.</p> <p>"Those of us who knew you know that you leave a great emptiness in our hearts. A hug to heaven, ‘Katu’, Katherine Díaz”.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div>

Caring

"Hitting rock bottom": Mick Fanning reveals life after punching shark

<p>Despite fighting off a Great White shark live on television in South Africa five years ago, Mick Fanning says that fatherhood has been the greatest challenge yet.</p> <p>The shocking footage was watched by thousands of shocked onlookers, with Fanning suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and nightmares of the accident for years afterwards.</p> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/anhRxIQutZ8"></iframe></div> <div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text "> <p>It hasn't stopped Fanning from living his life, as he and fiance Breeana Randal welcomed their son Zander Dean Fanning just three weeks ago.</p> <p>Fatherhood has been 'mind-bending' for the Penrith-born surfer, and is the pinnacle of a tough few years since the shark attack. </p> <p>"For me, 2015 was such a down year," Fanning shared on <em>60 Minutes</em> on Sunday night. </p> <p>"I went through a divorce, had the shark incident and then at the end of it all I lost my brother. I was just totally empty at the end of it. I was done."</p> <p>Fanning was also unprepared for the publicity storm after the attack.</p> <p>"That was the one that just floored me. I was like 'what else? What else can be taken in a year?' At the end of 2015, I just hit rock bottom," he said.</p> <p>Fanning opened up about the "emptiness" he felt for the 18 months afterwards.</p> <p>"I felt like I had nothing to give, nothing to give myself, or to the people around me, or to family or friends. I just didn't see a way of coming back," he said. </p> <p>"I've never felt that empty before, I just lay in bed, did nothing, wouldn't leave the house."</p> <p>Five years on from the experience, he is now living with his wife-to-be and wants to grow his family.</p> <p>"It's incredible,' he said of fatherhood. "Just the love and care that you can give to a human, it's wild. So mind-bending."</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CEAhTT6nmra/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CEAhTT6nmra/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">If you need me I’m here!! @breeanablue</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/mfanno/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank"> Mick Fanning</a> (@mfanno) on Aug 17, 2020 at 4:02pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>As part of his much-needed healing process, Fanning travelled to the Bahamas to confront his fears by swimming with sharks.</p> <p>"I never hated sharks, I respected them and was scared of them, but never hated them... they're a very powerful creature," he said.</p> <p>"I'm definitely still scared of them."</p> <p>Fanning admitted he still isn't comfortable back in the water and has accepted his limits.</p> <p>'In the past, I would've pushed my instincts to the side and said ''no I'm just being soft'', where now if I feel those instincts come up, I just go. I don't have to prove myself to anyone,' he said. </p> <p>Fanning previously told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.theaustralian.com.au/weekend-australian-magazine/after-the-year-from-hell-mick-fanning-confronts-his-traumas/news-story/409bbc16ae919318f99c528dab4d5d86" target="_blank" class="_e75a791d-denali-editor-page-rtflink">The Australian</a> he had post-traumatic stress disorder and "freaks" out whenever somebody splashes behind him in the water as it was a reminder of the six-metre beast that attacked him back in 2015. </p> <p>"I mean, it's like I'm in the actual position I was in, it's a reality dream," he said.</p> <p>"You sort of learn your body can do so many things to make things real and not real and I just had to learn, 'OK, that moment's been done. It's not real. These dreams are just coming back'."</p> <p>He says sharing with his friends and family for support helped him get through the experience.</p> <p>"I thought I was going to die. I guess everyone watching on from the beach that day, and on the live broadcast all over the world, thought the exact same thing," Fanning said.</p> <p>"That's what helps, talking about it," he said.</p> <p>"Not being shy to ask for help. There were times throughout the year where I was trying to hide stuff and my friends would be like 'what's up'. It wasn't just for the one, two weeks. It was six months, 12 months, 18 months."</p> </div> </div> </div>

Family & Pets

An ode to surf music

<p>The first tune I ever wrote – a proper tune, with an intro, verses, choruses and a middle bit – was a surfing instrumental.</p> <p>I have always been a pretty crappy singer, and I figured that the guitar could sing for me (I know, I know). But like anyone who grew up in the 60s this genre made sense to me. It was both fun and familiar, and there was room for storytelling in the sound of the guitar.</p> <p>Surf music was born with the release of Dick Dale’s first single Let’s Go Trippin’. Dale was born in Boston, but arrived in California as a teenager and started surfing. He played a left-handed guitar, but with the strings upside down, that is with the low strings at the bottom and the high strings at the top. This quite odd arrangement made for an idiosyncratic sound, all the physical movements up-ended; the dynamics reversed, the emphasis offset.</p> <p>Dale first played <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOlmBC1DlsY">Let’s Go Trippin’</a> in 1960, and it was a wild and crazy sound, the birth of a genre.</p> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/WOlmBC1DlsY"></iframe></div> <p>The fact that he has a Lebanese background informed his style. The frenetic oud and tarabaki playing that drives Lebanese pop music of the 50s seeped in, along with his love of drummer <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gene_Krupa">Gene Krupa</a>’s snappy snare.</p> <p>It didn’t take long for Dale’s influence to spread. Not really very surfy, but in 1962 Monty Norman’s James Bond theme for Dr. No was <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqcevBO9fi8">played by the tremendous John Barry Seven</a> and is a great example of the foregrounding of the edgy guitar sound that Dale perfected.</p> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/GqcevBO9fi8"></iframe></div> <p>The first of the teen surf movies, <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056860/">Beach Party</a>, was released a year later: tales of teen idiocy, with Annette Funicello and Frankie Avalon at the helm, centred around summer, surf, music and endless partying.</p> <p>At least a dozen of these films were made, formulaic and sanitised, with established comedians like <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Lynde">Paul Lynde</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Rickles">Don Rickles</a>, promoting a romanticised image of surf culture.</p> <p>Although the movies were built on beach party guitar bands, the music charts and radio waves of the time were also home to beautiful, evocative guitar instrumentals. The Ventures from Washington state had their first hit with <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=owq7hgzna3E">Walk, Don’t Run</a> in 1960.</p> <p>They played mostly covers, but developed a new sound - pounding toms and unison picking guitars - releasing many twangy gems including covers of Joe Meek’s Telstar, The Champs’ Tequila, as well as two of the touchstone tracks of the surf music genre in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqC3BjIyq_0">Pipeline</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjiOtouyBOg">Wipeout</a>.</p> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tqC3BjIyq_0"></iframe></div> <p>In the UK, The Shadows were exploring similar terrain, with hits like <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NoN6AKPGkBo">Apache</a>, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rR0trsOUaY">Wonderful Land</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VycZVyApqew">Atlantis</a>. They took a more lyrical approach, stepping away from the blues-based patterns of the US guitar artists, and sliding in minor chords and more complex structures.</p> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VycZVyApqew"></iframe></div> <p>But the thing that really sets The Shadows apart is the sound: the guitar amp producing washes of spacious reverb, as well as the watery bubbling of the vibrato; the guitar tremolo stretching the strings into tonal waves, and the orchestral layering on some of the grander tracks.</p> <p>Santo and Johnny’s <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rwfqsjimRM">Sleepwalk</a> is a lesson in subtle mood-making with its lap steel guitar evoking the distant Hawaiian islands.</p> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2rwfqsjimRM"></iframe></div> <p>It appears in the repertoire of both The Ventures and The Shadows, inspires another deeply influential beauty, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QooCN5JbOkU">Albatross</a>, by Fleetwood Mac, with Peter Green on guitar, and echoes through the decades to the wonderful <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueMaYzvXX8w">work</a> of Richard Hawley.</p> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QooCN5JbOkU"></iframe></div> <p><strong>Australia in the 70s and beyond - great beaches, great surfers, great music</strong></p> <p>The beaches south of Sydney produced Australia’s most notable surf band in 1961. The Atlantics had their genetic roots in Greece and Eastern Europe, an immigration success story years before Vanda and Young.</p> <p>Their biggest hit, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3agVtY4Z6M">Bombora</a>, is a surf rock classic and was an international sensation in the earliest days of the genre.</p> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3agVtY4Z6M"></iframe></div> <p>They had another big hit, The Crusher, and then in 1964 released War of The Worlds, awash with echoes and distortion and moodiness. It was innovative and brave, but ultimately spelled their demise as a surf band.</p> <p>As the 60s hit their twilight, and the wave of political enlightenment from Prague and Paris reached our shores, the blonde, post-war beach party was dragged out by the undertow. The Summer of Love, then Woodstock came and went, leaving the surfing subculture chilling with a joint in the back of the panel van rather than wildly dancing around the bonfire with a bottle of Mateus Rosé.</p> <p>The twangy instrumentals, with their snappy drums and lightning guitar lines stretched and grew, as synthesizers and production techniques replaced the earlier simple arrangements. The sound changed and became spacious, echoing the endless drift of the waves, and the slow drama of the incoming storm.</p> <p>In 1970, <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0248194/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1">Morning of the Earth</a> was released, becoming the first film soundtrack to earn a gold record in Australia. It not only has tracks by singer-songwriters and pop stars but also by the acid-surf instrumentalists <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamam_Shud">Tamam Shud</a>. It became an enormously influential film, capturing the idyllic nature of the surfing culture.</p> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/K3uLj-YYaBs"></iframe></div> <p>But the twang hadn’t gone. The sound of the surf guitar is core to the music of The Cramps and The Pixies. It surfaced in <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricky_Wilson_(American_musician)">Ricky Wilson</a>’s great guitar lines for <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szhJzX0UgDM">The B52s</a>.</p> <p>It rang clear as a bell in 80s Australian bands like The Sunnyboys, Surfside Six, Radio Birdman, The Riptides, and Mental As Anything.</p> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/b2D84Ma-CxI"></iframe></div> <p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CINvgez73g">The Cruel Sea</a> rose in Sydney in 1987 from the ashes of Sekret Sekret, settling around the ebb and flow of guitarist Danny Rumour and guitarist/organist James Cruickshank and the rhythmic undertow of Ken Gormley and Jim Elliot.</p> <p>Instrumental rock became groovy again. Eventually, Tex Perkins joined and they became award-winning mainstays in the rise of 90s festival culture.</p> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/H_wam2QImAY"></iframe></div> <p>More recently <a href="https://headland.bandcamp.com/music">Headland</a>, who began in 2014 playing live original instrumentals to gloriously evocative Super 8 footage of big surf at Lennox Head in the 70s, have restored faith in the power of the instrumental for the post millennium. Surf music lives!</p> <p>I only ever played my little surf instrumental a few times and then that version of our band exploded – Lindy Morrison left to join the Go-Betweens and we entered a more angular and fierce phase. But last year, in a performance at the State Library about Brisbane posters and how they help to tell stories about our past, our culture and our place in the world, I played it again.</p> <p>It felt odd to be doing it on my own, but it also felt both funny and appropriate. The tune had the twang of a simpler time. As does <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJWuQV2u9ns">this little gem</a> from Brian Wilson, who believes that smiles can fix the problems of the world. <img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/128914/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/sJWuQV2u9ns"></iframe></div> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/john-willsteed-107411">John Willsteed</a>, Senior lecturer, <a href="http://theconversation.com/institutions/queensland-university-of-technology-847">Queensland University of Technology</a></em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/surf-music-in-praise-of-strings-sand-and-the-endless-swell-128914">original article</a>.</em></p>

Music

Australian cricket legend Matthew Hayden rushed to hospital after freak accident

<p>Former Australian Test cricketer Matthew Hayden was rushed to hospital after a nasty surfing accident last week, which caused the fracturing of his neck and head lacerations.</p> <p>In a post on his Instagram account, the former opening batsman was almost unrecognisable due to his injuries, as he lay pictured in a neck brace, and revealing his neck and head injuries, as well as a black eye. </p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BooQT4wgIz4/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BooQT4wgIz4/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" target="_blank">Ok. Last attention seeking post I promise. Just wanted to say a big thank you to all our mates on Straddie who have been so supportive.✅🏄🏽‍♂️🙏 Especially Ben & Sue Kelley for the fast diagnosis with MRI, CT scan. Fractured C6, torn C5,C4 ligaments safe to say I truly have dodged a bullet. Thank you everyone ❤️ On the road to recovery 🏄🏽‍♂️🎣</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/haydos359/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" target="_blank"> Matthew Hayden</a> (@haydos359) on Oct 7, 2018 at 3:44am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Hayden said he had hit his head on a sandbank while surfing with his son Josh on a family holiday in Stradbroke Island in Queensland on Friday.</p> <p>“Took on Straddie back bank yesterday with @josh_hayden28 and lost!!! Game over for a few days,” he wrote.</p> <p>The cricket legend acknowledged he “truly dodged a bullet” with the freak accident, referring to a brush with breaking his neck, and thanked everyone who had come to his rescue.</p> <p>“Ok. Last attention seeking post I promise. Just wanted to say a big thank you to all our mates on Straddie who have been so supportive,” he wrote. “Especially Ben & Sue Kelley for the fast diagnosis with MRI, CT scan. Fractured C6, torn C5, C4 ligaments. Safe to say I truly have dodged a bullet. Thank you everyone. On the road to recovery.”</p> <p>During his 15-year cricket career, <a rel="noopener" href="http://www.matthewhayden.com/the-cricketer/" target="_blank">Hayden </a>racked up 103 matches, 8600 runs and 30 centuries in Test cricket. He retired from Test cricket in 2009.</p>

Caring

Severe temperature warning issued for Australia

<p>After parts of the country started the year with stinking hot conditions you’d be forgiven for thinking we’d already seen the worst of summer in 2018, but if the Bureau of Meteorology’s (BOM) forecast is anything to go by, we haven’t seen anything yet.</p> <p>A severe temperature warning has been issued for parts of Australia, with the temperatures expected to regularly exceed 40°C over the coming weeks.</p> <p>The BOM forecasts a heatwave to hit Australia’s south east from Thursday this week which will affect Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne and Adelaide.</p> <p>“Thursday is when it gets stinking hot and it will stay hot well into next week,” Sky News Weather meteorologist Tristan Meyers told <a href="http://www.news.com.au/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>News.com.au</strong></em></span></a>.</p> <p>“We’ve seen so many heatwaves and now we’re in for yet another one with temperatures rising across broad areas of South Australia, NSW and Victoria above 40C. The heat is well and truly back.</p> <p>“We’ll see a severe intensity heatwave gripping South Australia by Wednesday which will push temperatures on Thursday to 41°C.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Low to severe intensity <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/heatwave?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#heatwave</a> conditions developing across southeast Australia from mid-week with hot days and warm nights ahead. <a href="https://t.co/HAQ5Af1M8e">pic.twitter.com/HAQ5Af1M8e</a></p> — Bureau of Meteorology, Australia (@BOM_au) <a href="https://twitter.com/BOM_au/status/952730792832184320?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 15, 2018</a></blockquote> <p>So when is the heat going to hit your city?</p> <p>Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra are gearing up for a dramatic rise in temperatures on Thursday, with hot conditions expected to continue into the weekend.</p> <p>Adelaide looks like it’s going to cop the worst of the heatwave, with temperatures peaking at 41°C on Thursday, while conditions in Perth with be comparatively milder.</p> <p>It’s going to be sunny in Brisbane without being as scorching as it is in the southern states, and Darwin residents can expect a warm week with some storms.</p> <p>By comparison, people living in Hobart are expected to enjoy a relatively mild week, with temperatures peaking at 29°C on Thursday, before lowering for the weekend.</p> <p>What are your thoughts? How have you handled the extreme heat?</p> <p><em>Hero image credit: Bureau of Meteorology </em></p>

News

Surf club rowers have close call with whale

<p>A team of surf club rowers have got the surprise of their lives in the surf off Coolangatta from an overly friendly whale that appeared out of nowhere.</p> <p>As you can see in the video above, it was a beautiful morning on the Gold Coast when this team headed out on their morning row. But we bet when they were heading out they didn’t think they were going to get a surprise from the world’s largest mammal. </p> <p>The whale emerges from the surf, mere inches from the boat, leaving the rowers absolutely stunned. They watch as it swims leisurely around the rowers, before they notice some more movement in the water on the other side of your boat.</p> <p>An animal emerges, and it’s actually the whale’s cub following its parent around.</p> <p>What a memorable experience, and they’re so lucky to have got it on film. Have you ever had a close encounter with a whale? Let us know in the comments section below.</p> <p><em>Video credit: Facebook / 7 News</em></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/2016/08/sea-narrowly-escapes-pod-of-killer-whales/"><strong>Seal narrowly escapes pod of killer whales</strong></a></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/domestic-travel/2016/09/baby-humpback-whale-provides-the-perfect-photo/"><strong>Baby humpback whale provides the perfect photo</strong></a></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/travel/domestic-travel/2016/09/quintessential-big-australian-animal-experiences/"><strong>5 quintessential big Australian animal experiences</strong></a></em></span></p>

News

Australian surfing legend Bernard Farrelly dies, aged 71

<p>Australia’s first surfing world champion and one of the true pioneers of Australian sport, Bernard 'Midget' Farrelly, has sadly passed away at age 71.</p> <p>Earning his nickname for his slight size, Farrelly dominated surfing in the 60s, winning the first official world championship at Sydney’s Manly Beach in 1964.</p> <p>Farrelly has since been described by the Encyclopaedia of Surfing, “From 1962 to 1970 he was arguably the best competitive surfer in the world.”</p> <p>Farrelly was officially inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1985.</p> <p>Farrelly also has a successful career outside of the competition, making his own boards, appearing in several movies and producing two books - <em>A Surfing Life</em> and <em>How to Surf</em>.</p> <p>Our thoughts are with Farrelly’s family at what must be a difficult time. </p> <p><em>Image credit: Twitter / Sydney Morning Herald</em></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="/health/caring/2016/08/wheelchair-allows-terminally-ill-patients-to-go-to-beach/"><strong>Smart wheelchair enables terminally ill patients to visit beach</strong></a></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="/travel/domestic-travel/2016/07/dogs-on-surfboards-steal-spotlight-at-festival-of-surfing/"><strong>Dogs on surfboards steal spotlight at Festival of Surfing</strong></a></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="/travel/domestic-travel/2016/05/sydney-builds-26-million-dollar-surf-break/"><strong>Sydney to build new $26.5 million surf break</strong></a></em></span></p>

News

66-year-old surfer retires in style

<p>Anyone who remembers surfing when they were younger (or still does it to this day!) can tell you just how physically exhausting it can be, even when you’re at your peak fitness. So, you can imagine just how demanding it would be for 66-year-old Hawaiian big wave surfer Clyde Aikau.</p> <p>If the name sounds familiar, you may have already been acquainted with Eddie Aikau, legendary surfer and older brother of Clyde. Ever since Eddie was lost at sea, the surfing community has continued to pay tribute to him with “The Eddie” annual event held in February.</p> <p>But this would be the last time Clyde would compete in his brother’s memorial event, after which he announced his retirement.</p> <p>Take a look at Clyde’s incredible last ride in the video above. While he doesn't exactly nail the exit, we think Eddie would still be very proud!</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/retirement-life/2016/06/over-60s-fitness-gurus/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Over-60s fitness gurus prove it’s never too late to get fit</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/retirement-life/2016/06/working-full-time-over-90/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Inspiring people who work full-time over 90</span></em></strong></a></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/retirement-life/2016/06/great-grandmother-walking-from-sa-to-darwin/"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Great-grandmother walking from South Australia to Darwin</span></em></strong></a></p>

Retirement Life

Dogs on surfboards steal spotlight at Festival of Surfing

<p>For most dogs, the only physical activity they’ll be getting up to today will probably involve fetching a plush toy from the lounge room, figuring out which end of the couch to lie on, or perhaps digging up some gardenias from their backyard.</p> <p>But the playful pooches in this video aren’t like most dogs.</p> <p>These dogs are part of the Dog Spectacular at the Noosa Festival of Surfing, the only surfing event in the world where a master and dog compete as a team.</p> <p>Dogs of all breeds and ages padded out with their owners for some pure, surf-loving fun as the catch the perfect waves on pristine Noosa Beach.</p> <p> “It’s a wonderful experience for dog and human,” said Festival Co-Founder Paul Jarratt. “It’s not really about winning or losing; it’s a celebration of all the good things we love about surfing, the ocean and environment that we are privileged to have in Noosa. I think that’s why we attract surfers and their families from all over the world, we’ve got 20 countries represented this year.”</p> <p>To see some of the highlights from this year’s competition watch the video above. Don’t you think the dogs look like they’re having fun?</p> <p>Or do you think it’s wrong for dogs to be surfing?</p> <p>Share your thoughts in the comments.</p> <p><em>Video: YouTube / NoosaSurfFestival</em></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2016/06/this-hilariously-awkward-dog-is-stealing-hearts/"><em><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">This hilariously awkward dog is stealing hearts</span></strong></em></a></p> <p><a href="/news/news/2016/06/puppy-born-without-back-paws-gets-second-chance-at-life/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Puppy born without back paws gets second chance at life</strong></em></span></a></p> <p><a href="/lifestyle/family-pets/2016/06/how-to-cope-with-a-jealous-pet-when-grandkids-come-along/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>How to cope with a jealous pet when grandkids come along</strong></em></span></a></p>

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