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Water
Walker
A ghost, she walks on
water
In broadest light of day
A phantom, Huey’s daughter
Is what old legends say
If e’er you’re deemed deserving
As many will attest
You’ll think then of naught but surfing
As one of the obsessed
~ Geoff Rankin, 2017
This is the actual
photo. I’ve not removed the surfboard or any part of the
photo at all. It’s as is. Pretty cool, hey?
She's actually standing on the nose of a longboard which is
hidden by spray, but that's our secret. Shhh!
Snapper Rocks, Gold Coast, Queensland,
Australia
© Copyright Geoff
Rankin |
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Big Wave
I love the calmness
of the surfer. Faced with a massive wave that looks like it
could easily crush him and sweep him away, he doesn't flinch but actually
walks on ahead unfazed. Don't we all at times have 'big
waves' to face, waves that seem certain to sweep us away?
The calmness and confidence of the surfer is due to the fact
that he knows this wave is hitting the rocks and shooting
straight up - it's all show. He will hardly get a drop
on him.
Snapper Rocks, Gold Coast, Queensland,
Australia
© Copyright Geoff
Rankin |
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Sit
Take a moment, sit, and think about
all the things in life for which you can be thankful. You’ll
come crashing back down to earth soon enough anyway, but
that moment of tranquility, however brief it may be, might be
just what you need to help you through the day. This guy’s
moment of tranquility was over in under 1/10th of a second.
Snapper Rocks, Feb 2017.
Gold Coast, Queensland,
Australia
© Copyright Geoff
Rankin |
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Sun Set
Tahitian surfer Marie-Moana
Troja ejects as the sun sets at Snapper Rocks, Feb 2017.
Gold Coast, Queensland,
Australia
© Copyright Geoff
Rankin |
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Kurt With
The Beard, Board & Shirt
Kurt Jacobs, coach
of surfing rising star Isabella Nichols, shows his protégé
that experience is a fine substitute for youthful
exuberance. He also won my vote for best beard/board/shirt
combo! At Snapper Rocks, 2017.
Gold Coast, Queensland,
Australia
© Copyright Geoff
Rankin |
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Occy / Art
Version
Aussie surfing world
champ & legend Mark ‘Occy’ Occhilupo works his magic at
Snapper Rocks, Feb 2017. He’s not walking on water, but he’s
not far from it:) Photography &
art by me.
Gold Coast, Queensland,
Australia
© Copyright Geoff
Rankin |
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Surf's
Up, He's Down
If you don’t end up like this every
once in a while you’re simply not trying hard enough! Same
goes for the pros - they stack it all the time too. Snapper Rocks, Feb 2017.
Gold Coast, Queensland,
Australia
© Copyright Geoff
Rankin |
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Ready,
Set, Geronimo!
There are normally two modes of
entry into the surf when the swell’s up at Snapper Rocks -
either you walk in from the beach to fight against an
unrelenting barrage of oncoming waves, or you bypass them
entirely by CAREFULLY jumping in from the rocks. There is,
however, a third way… Geronimo!
Local rider & shaper Ben Webb launches himself into the surf
- I guess if he breaks his board he can just go make himself
a new one! (I love the fins, by the way.) Snapper Rocks,
2017.
Gold Coast, Queensland,
Australia
© Copyright Geoff
Rankin |
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Glowing
Marie-Moana / Art Version
The golden afternoon
sun illuminates Tahitian surfer Marie-Moana Troja as she
lights up Snapper Rocks, Feb 2017. Photography &
art by me.
Gold Coast, Queensland,
Australia
© Copyright Geoff
Rankin |
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Ahhhhhhhhhhh!
Sometimes it all comes
together. Sometimes it all falls apart. Snapper Rocks, 2017.
Gold Coast, Queensland,
Australia
© Copyright Geoff
Rankin |
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Like
Father, Like Son
Blood is thicker than water,
especially when it’s in the blood to be on the water.
Snapper Rocks, Feb 2017.
Gold Coast, Queensland,
Australia
© Copyright Geoff
Rankin |
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Shadow
Dancer / Art Version
Local pro surfer Codie Klein plays
and dances with her shadow on the waves at Snapper Rocks,
Feb 2017. Photography &
art by me.
Gold Coast, Queensland,
Australia
© Copyright Geoff
Rankin |
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Big
Waves, Big Braves, Big Saves
The driving desire of surfers is one
of those unstoppable forces of nature. Pit against this
other force of nature, skill levels can be no match for
thrill levels with the surfer suffering repeated defeat.
Even so, they return in turn, time and time again - the
thirst never quenched, the thrill ever alluring.
I can happily confirm that this guy stuck the landing.
Incredibly brave, super impressive and the ultimate thrill
ride! All this in the beautiful late afternoon sun at
Snapper Rocks, Feb 2017.
Gold Coast, Queensland,
Australia
© Copyright Geoff
Rankin |
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Jimmy
Getting The Lowdown
Local surfer Jimmy Heaney at Snapper
Rocks, 2017.
Gold Coast, Queensland,
Australia
© Copyright Geoff
Rankin |
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Dion
Atkinson
South Australian pro surfer Dion
Atkinson flies across the waves. He has that annoying habit
of making it look easy:) Snapper Rocks, 2017.
Gold Coast, Queensland,
Australia
© Copyright Geoff
Rankin |
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Sheer
Delight, Remarkable Day
She waits. She pauses. By that look
in her eyes you can tell she knows this is going to be a
remarkable day. She feels the sand, not only on her feet but
also in her hands. She smiles, such a beaming smile brimming
with sheer delight. The salty smell, the crash of the waves,
the frenetic energy of the bustle of surfers around her, all
wanting what she feels, all eagerly hoping to ride that most
perfect of waves. There’s nowhere else she would rather be.
Today she is in paradise. She waits. She pauses. She knows
this is going to be a remarkable day.
Or perhaps she was simply tired and in need of a short rest
after a long walk from where she eventually found a place to
park:) - Snapper Rocks, Feb 2017.
Gold Coast, Queensland,
Australia
© Copyright Geoff
Rankin |
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PHOTOGRAPHY
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