By PHIL JARRATT
As I write this, the tumult and the shouting has pretty much died down (although the surf is still cranking!) and the captains and the kings have begun to depart.
That just leaves the hard workers on the beach in the hot sun, pulling down tents and lugging heavy scaffolding.
Many years ago at the conclusion of the Noosa Festival of Surfing I said to festival co-founder John Brasen as we lugged heavy weights through the soft sand “if I have to be the one pulling down the last tent, I’m not going to do this any more!”
There’s been a lot of lugging and laughing since then, but today there are others doing the heavy lifting while I sit under a cool fan and write my column.
This is the way it should be after more than 20 years of involvement in this great event, 15 of them as its director.
The 2015 Cricks Noosa Festival of Surfing started with a whimper and ended with a bang, the final few days conducted in near perfect First Point waves, with surfers from all over the world thrilled at the opportunity to compete in such pristine conditions.
The vibe in the festival village was electric, with new friends and old from all over the world (14 countries represented this year) sharing their experiences alongside so many three-generation surfing families like my own.
Central Casting couldn’t have come up with a more perfect ending to a role that has been a big, fat, crazy-happy chunk of my life.
On Saturday night on the sand at First Point, as the last perfect waves of the day were ridden by some of the best surfers in the world, my family and friends surprised me with a presentation marking my stepping down from the festival directorship.
My daughter Sam Smith, the festival manager for the past six years, made a tribute speech that brought the house down and left me a blubbering wreck.
Then Noosa’s world champion Josh Constable, a fine young surfer I’ve watched grow from grommet to loving father and husband (and still be the man to beat every time he paddles out), presented me with a Creative Army Jive model longboard I’ve coveted since riding Anna Constable’s six months ago.
This Jive was even more special because it had been lovingly decorated with the famous Echo Beach polka dot print of the boardshorts I insisted on wearing for years, to much ridicule from my fellow First Pointers.
It’s a beautiful board and the fact that it came with so much love from Josh and my family makes it priceless.
You can probably tell I’m still somewhat emotional about this transition in my life.
I know, it’s only surfing, it’s only a festival (even if it is the world’s biggest and best).
There is a reason.
Mark ‘Macca’ MacNamara, a great surfer and good bloke, caught a long and lovely wave at Currumbin Alley at the weekend, ran back up the beach for another and died of a massive heart attack, aged 52.
The latest in a long line of surfing friends who have passed in this way in recent times.
I’ve had two heart attacks in the surf in the past four months and I’m still here to write about it.
I’m blessed, no doubt about it. But it’s time to sit under a palm tree and write.
The major stresses in my life have to go, and the festival is so fortunate to have as its heir apparent the best event organiser I’ve ever worked with, my daughter Sam.
Together, we’ve built a great team, so nothing will change and, hopefully, my role on the sidelines will add some new creative elements to an already successful event.
It was wonderful to be able to run my last working festival from the comfort of the superb Netanya Noosa Resort and to be able to spend a little quality time with our sponsors and the champions and legends of surfing.
Even my first boss in surf media, the normally reclusive Albe Falzon, showed up for the party.
To all who have been along for the ride during my tenure, thank you for your love, your friendship, your understanding when things get a little rattled and, most of all, for your pure stoke. It’s the ingredient we must never lose.
A Cup Of Tea With God library launch
The dedication of the Noosa National Surfing Reserve on 6 March was a marvellous and joyful day for all of us in the community who love our beaches and surf.
It was great to hear our government representatives Glen Elmes and Mayor Noel Playford, neither of whom is seen in the line-up that often, speak so knowledgably and passionately about our ocean assets.
We’ve launched the Reserve, now it’s time to launch the book and video!
A Cup of Tea With God was how a surfer once described the feeling of surfing National Park at six feet.
It’s also the title of our book and DVD that tells the story of Noosa’s surfing history.
I’ll be launching the book and screening the Panga Productions short film at Noosa Library on Sunday afternoon from 1pm.
I’m really looking forward to this presentation and I hope to see you all there.
It’s a free show and I’m told that it’s filling fast, so please phone 5329 6555 to secure your booking.
