explore: Twenty Bliss

We caught up with curator Sarah Kohler to find out a little more on the Twenty Bliss collective! Check our the images and article below on how it all came about and whats in store for the future!

 

I decided to start a blog to collect stories from creatives in their twenties. Actual stories. I was tired of reading bullet pointed lists of excuses and “You know you’re in your twenties when…”. I don’t want to be defining anyone, but rather, let young creatives be heard, inspired and empowered on a creative platform. It can be lonely and scary at times being at this age. I wanted TwentyBliss to be real and relatable.

We should be seeking inspiration, not validation.

I had also been trying to curate a group show with friends where I could show some of my photography. I got turned down by a couple galleries, some confirmed then fell through last minute etc. and it just didn’t work out for some time… Until 2013! I decided to turn TwentyBliss into a series of exhibitions as well. A series of group shows for emerging artists that people could lend their spaces to and not only invest in them, but be a mentor to a community of artists. It gave people more of an incentive to help because it meant they could be a part of something too.

TwentyBliss is definitely a community first and community driven platform and that will always be my priority for it. The internet is inherently very social and I’m going to use it to build something that’s inclusive of the rest of the world.

We just did our first international show in Los Angeles this year and am looking to be in London next year. I hope to be a brand of exhibitions that will be independently curated, where artists and curators from all over the world will be able to apply and host their very own TwentyBliss show. Supporting local artists and curators globally.

Our first two exhibitions were in Hong Kong. We put out an open call for submissions for the second show. For the third show, a curator from LA actually approached me and asked if he could host one over there. I gave him the materials he needed and he just went for it. Finding his own artists and sculpted a show himself under the TwentyBliss name. It was awesome!

what happens at 30?

Yikes. A lot can happen in a year and I’ve got about 6 more years ‘till I’m 30… However, I  am true believer of being the person you needed when you were younger and I hope to still be doing the same thing (and preferably full-time! haha). Helping even more young creatives / content creators in even more places and with even more resources!

Sarah Kohler

explore: Kahana Bay

Located on the windward side of Oahu, the Ahupua’a O Kahana State Park is just a shorts drive from the North Shore and about 26 miles out from Honolulu. This quite and unspoilt area sits on ancient Hawaiin land which was once home to an thriving fishing village before the 19th century!

The park itself consists of 2 hiking trails that are both relatively easy. We went on the shorter one of the which is more commonly known as the lookout trail or the Kapa’ele’ele trail. You start from the orientation centre and there will be signs to a dirt path leading to the 1.2 mile trail up to the lookout. A lot of trail is covered by the natural canopy of trees and plants, until you walk higher up where parts begin to open up to the stunning view below.

Once you get to the actual look out you can see clear right across the bay below and the surrounding mountains where you realize how the spot gets it name. The bay itself isnt really clear water as you may expect, but is murky because of the runoff from the Kahana stream. The entrance is opposite the beach park side which you can drive to via the Kamehameha Highway.

Back in the day, fishermen would be able to spot schools of fish from the lookout by the reflection on their scales and shadows in the water. Using smoke signals, they would be able to signal to the fishermen waiting below where to go!

 

explore: Zambales

A 3 hours drive away from Manila, Zambales is the perfect place to get away for a reef break. Magical Left- the best spot during south swell, offers a chance for both beginner surfers and the more advanced to experience the excitement of the ocean.

Whilst its proximity to Manila may ward off some, there is no need to worry, as the lack of crowds is evident in the fact that Zambales is a popular weekend get-away for city surfers. There are numerous points to go surfing: Magic Left, Mags, Liw Liwa, San Narciso and River Mouth. The variety of different locations allow surfers to test themselves against all kinds of breaks- a challenge that many enjoy.

Thankfully, for those who can’t take a full on surf weekend, there are numerous activities that one can enjoy ranging from hiking, fishing, island hopping and adventures into the wonders of nature.

Ways to get there:
–    3 hour drive via SCTEX highway to Subic then to Zambales province.
–    Bus 5-6 hours bus ride (Victory Liner).

Places to stay:
–    Punta De Uian (Magsaysay) https://www.facebook.com/PDUofficial – provides a more upscale feel with a family resort and a very nice location close to the beach
–    Villa Janella Residences and Beach Resort http://www.villajanella.com/ – modest family resort.
–    Megan’s Resort https://www.facebook.com/pages/Megans-Paradisio-Beach-Resort/144706228902343 – surfers discount and low-priced stay and food. Excellent location on beach front.
–    Capones Vista Resort http://www.caponesvista.com/ – busy and popular due to proximity to Mags beach.

explore: Maldives

Surf, eat, sleep, surf, eat, sleep and repeat. Sounds like a good plan? After almost a year of planning, we finally pulled the trigger and decided to book a surf charter / boat trip to the Maldives. This was something we had been talking about for years and there was no better time to do it!

9 of our closest friends met in Hong Kong to take the new Cathay Pacific flight to Male, the capital of the Maldives which is where we boarded our boat, the Carpe Vita. For most of us this was our first ever surf surfari which we booked through The Perfect Wave out of Australia.  Everyone was frothing and eager to surf some rippable waves. We were also stoked to try out our new Float captain boardies and tees which we handed out to everyone on arrival.


The Carpe Vita is a stunning locally built motor yacht complete with it all the necesities you could need, as well as a Dhoni to ferry us out to all the breaks. Our Aussie Surf guide Brian James was awesome with amazing stories and knowledge of the Surf in the Maldives. He did his best to put us onto the best waves on offer depending on the swell direction, tides and wind direction. Likewise with our local guide Anko who made sure we were getting the waves we were after, they both can rip! 

The 11 day trip was nothing short of epic and we lucked out with the Swell pulsing the day after we arrived. We started out north of Male surfing Sultans, Jails and Cokes for the first 3 days which immediately threw us into some ovearhead perfection. We bust out our step ups for a session at Cokes with spitting solid 4-6 foot surf reeling in.  Many of us took our beatings but scored some sick waves with relatively mild crowds.

Each day was finished off with beers, hot tubs and dinner at sunset following by more beers and fishing off the back of the boat. Some of us had a bit of rotten luck when it came to fishing, catching coral was super popular most nights. If we werent fishing we were chilling out playing poker or watching movies…depending out quickly you lost.

The rest of the week was spent motoring to the South Male atolls where we scored more sick waves at spots like Riptides and Kates.  A  particularly memorable session was had at Kates where the outside allowed our longboarders super long rippable walls to get some tip time and bury their rails on cutbacks. The inside was a super hollow, racetrack of a righthander that was uber fun for the short boarders among us. Getting shacked on almost every wave for three hours really became one of the highlights of the trip despite some of us bouncing off the reef after going over the falls!

After venturing south for a couple of days where we also swam with Manta’s and check out Kandooma resort, Brian decided to take us back north to catch an incoming swell.  What prevailed over the last three days of the trip really put an exclamation mark to finish things off.We woke up to Sultans on Friday morning going off at glassy 3-4 foot. Everyone surfed their brains out over three sessions really only coming in to re-fuel before heading back out for more. The following two days saw the swell grow to 5 foot with occasional 6 foot bomb sets and an even better lined up Sultans with less crowds.


Sultans got as good as it gets with a super shreddable outside section where you could throw in a few hacks before rifling into the inside section which provided some really hollow tubes. Everyone scored probably the best waves of our lives and got to meet and share the waves with people from all over the world in the line-up. One of the unbelievable moments was our last session at Sultans, we had the wave all to ourselves in perfect conditions and everyone was just stoked. After that most of us were completely and utterly surfed out. There’s something magical about surfing perfect waves with your closest friends for 11 days straight.
Shortboard, longboard, fish, we managed to ride it all and score just about everyday of the trip. Turns out our new stretch boardies were really popular and everyone gave us really positive feedback. The most positive and popular saying was “no ball rash guaranteed!”
Special thanks to the Perfect Wave and Brian James who really made our trip memorable. The Crew on the Carpe Vita were also a really cool bunch with a really positive vibe. Finally we’d also like to thanks Anko for being our local Maldivian surf guide and all around stoked individual and also Joel Coleman from Saltmotion who took some amazing water shots of our trip!
We really can’t wait to get back to the Maldives for more. There are lots of other spots we want to check out down south where the crowds get even thinner! It’s a must for any surfer at some point in their lives.

Dont forget to check out The Perfect Wave, we’ll be going back to them for sure!
www.theperfectwave.com

 

 

explore: Baler

Intoxicating, heavenly, and amazing- my three words used to describe Baler. Located in the Aurora province of the Philippines, Baler is a paradise for any and all to just come and chill. The long coastline was host to the classic film Apocalypse Now and ever since has been regarded as a surfer’s dream. It has beach break points, river mouths and reef breaks- the perfect place for surfers to just go all out.

Walking across the soft grey sand into the crystalline water is an incomparable experience. This doesn’t just apply to one beach, fortunately. For a surf, you can go to Sabang beach, Cemento beach, Charlie’s point and Lindy’s point, all offering unique but memorable surfing experiences. The friendly people of the place get to enjoy beach weather for the whole year with a 35 degree summer and a (at low) 18 degree December with the best waves roll between October and Febuary when the NE monsoon comes down from China. You know what that means- surfing in boardies all year round.

But after you’re done riding the waves, you can enjoy the view and the hundreds of other activities Baler offers. The summer months blow in a light sea breeze, prefect to go windsurfing, diving and snorkelling and to eat the all-time favourite Baler seafood.

Serene and popular as Baler is, there are many places to stay and enjoy. Costa Pacifica offers comfy stay, while those seeking more budget rooms, can go to Mahdox surf school.

Baler is without a doubt a place to add to your bucket list to go and check off. Enjoy the surf.

How to get there?

4-5 hours drive from Manila

6-7 hours bus ride from Cubao (Genisis Bus Co.)

explore: Tai Long Wan

Your average Joe would never believe that surfing even existed in Hong Kong. Surprisingly, we get our fair share of swell during our NE monsoon and Summer typhoons which can produce some decent surf at various spots dotted around Hong Kong. The most fabled of these is Tai Long Wan in Sai Kung which is located inside  a country park and consists of three bays with beaches. Each of these produce their own surf setups and the most popular being the largest bay which produces the  strongest and largest waves during a strong NE monsoon or typhoon swell. It’s a neat setup with beautiful scenery and best surfed at a mid tide at 4-6ft on a NE swell.

The beach is beautiful and long and hugged  by big mountains on all sides providing a stunning backdrop. Popular with hikers, campers and surfers, this is a special place for many of us; a place where we escape the rigors of city life and where all our problems seem to dissipate. The surf can get very good with hollow left and right peaks running down the beach and even on a bad day I still feel rejuvenated after making the trip here.

Its the long distance from the city that makes it special and keeps it pristine. We are proud to have such a place and must ensure we keep it this way. still feel rejuvenated after making the trip here. During the winter months you will need a wetsuit, but a good 3/2 will do just fine. In the summer you can surf in your boardshorts no problem as it can get scorching hot in Hong Kong too! Its the long distance from the city that makes it special and keeps it pristine. Part of the hike from the national park will cover Section 2 of the MacLehose Trail which is a favourite for hikers.

How to get there?

– take the MTR to Diamond Hill and go out of exit C2

– take the 92 bus to the Sai Kung terminus.

– At Sai kung bus terminus take a green taxi or  the 29R minubus to the Sai Wan Pavillion or the 94 bus to Pak Tam Au. Both will take around 90 minutes to get into the main beach (the other bays are a little quicker)

Spot Check : Zambales

Spot Check – Zambales

Fancy a reef break? Wanna bust an air  on fast beach break? Zambales has a bit of everything. In particular Magic left offers a very rippable long left hand point that can get epic on a typhoon swell.
Its close proximity to Manila makes it a popular weekend get-away for city surfers, it’s usually not crowded during the week except for a few friendly locals.

Flat? Hiking, fishing, island hopping and nature tripping are good alternatives, boat trips to close by islands can also be arranged through local surf guides.

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Zambales works on a South, North and Typhoon Swell, giving different setups for each swell type.

Breaks:

Magic Left (left point break) for beginner to intermediate surfers.

Mags (beach break) for intermediate to advance.

Liw liwa, San Narciso and River Mouth for beginner to advance.

How to get there:

Drive 3 hours Via SCTEX highway to Subic then to Zambales Province.

Bus 5-6 hours bus ride (Victory Liner)

DSC_6706

There are quite a few places to stay in the area. Circle Hostel offers backpacker style accommodation. Punta De Uian near Mags is another option, decent place and good for families. Pit Bowl offers modest accommodation and they have a skate bowl for when the surf goes flat!

Sai Kung – Tai Long Wan

sai kung - tai long wanYour average Joe would never believe that surfing even existed in Hong Kong. Surprisingly, we get our fair share of swell during our NE monsoon and Summer typhoons which can produce some decent surf at various spots dotted around Hong Kong. The most fabled of these is Tai Long Wan in Sai Kung which is located inside  a country park and consists of three bays with beaches. Each of these produce their own surf setups and the most popular being the largest bay which produces the  strongest and largest waves during a strong NE monsoon or typhoon swell. It’s a neat setup with beautiful scenery and best surfed at a mid tide at 4-6ft on a NE swell.
The beach is beautiful, long, covered in white sand and hugged  by big mountains on all sides providing a stunning backdrop. On a good day we have seen it with crystal clear water. Popular with hikers, campers and surfers, this is a special place for many of us; a place where we escape the rigors of city life and where all our problems seem to dissipate. The surf can get very good with hollow left and right peaks running down the beach and even on a bad day I still feel rejuvenated after making the trip here. During the winter months you will need a wetsuit, but a good 3/2 will do just fine. In the summer you can surf in your boardshorts no problem as it can get scorching hot in Hong Kong too!
sai kung - tai long wan

Its the long distance from the city that makes it special and keeps it pristine. Part of the hike from the national park will cover Section 2 of the MacLehose Trail which is a favourite for hikers.

How to get there? To get there by public transport you can:

– take the MTR to Diamond Hill and go out of exit C2

– take the 92 bus to the Sai Kung terminus.

– At Sai kung bus terminus take a green taxi or  the 29R minubus to the Sai Wan Pavillion or the 94 bus to Pak Tam Au. Both will take around 90 minutes to get into the main beach (the other bays are a little quicker)

Guilty Pleasures..Typhoon Soulik Swell

Didnt know what to expect, seems like Typhoon Soulik was a bit too far and swell was highly unlikely.

vlcsnap-2013-07-12-21h43m41s70

It was a good altogether, lots of familiar faces, good vibes and stoked faces.

Guilty Pleasures..Typhoon Soulik Swell

But did not expect a huge crowd, i bet most of them pulled the “call-in sick” card.

South Swell is Here.. (Monsoon Surfing)

“Every wave is considered a blessing”
Stoked to see some nice waves come through Zambales.

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Liwa surfer DK stoked after a longboard session.Image