Teaching the kids to surf

I first started surfing back in the early 1990s but gave up about  1995 when  I got into white water kayaking instead. When the kids came along I no longer had the spare time for kayaking either so for the past decade or so have mainly been using my playboat for surf-kayaking and can count on one hand the number of times I’ve been on a river in the past few years.

Looking south from Kakanui towards Moeraki

 Over the past 3-4 summers the kids have been doing plenty of boogie boarding at Kakanui and for the past year or so Finn has been asking me to get him a surfboard. At the end of last summer one of my soccer mates gave Finn one of his old boards so he has been very keen to get started. Finn gave it a go the last time we were at Kakanui but wasn’t too successful (he quickly realised it is harder than it looks) and wanted some help. I'd been thinking about getting back into surfing so while we were in Blenheim for his soccer tournament I caught up with a mate who I’d given my old surfboard and arranged to get it back. I picked up the board when I was in CHCH for Conquest but one look at it I realised I’d be struggling to use a short board these days so last week I bought myself a 7’ 9” mini-mal - short enough to be able to control pretty easily, long enough to be able stand up on without too many issues and have “loaned” my short board to Hana to learn on.  

Kakanui- not a bad spot really!

  I took the kids out both yesterday and today and they had a blast. Both were able to get onto their knees and it’s only a matter of time before they’ll be standing. It took me awhile but I managed to catch a few waves. By the end of today Hana had, very briefly, managed to stand a couple of times.  They’ve bruised knees, arms and legs from being hit by the boards but both are rearing to go again next weekend. Tonight they spent their time watching how to surf vids on Youtube to get a few more tips. I’m not sure if they will stick with it, at this stage it looks like they might. They spent about 6 hours in the water over 2 days (not bad since they only have spring suits and the water is a “tropical” 14 degrees celcius!) and were both absolutely buzzing once we’d finished. Surfing is a great sport, so I hope they get bitten by the surfing bug and stick with it. There are a hell of a lot worse things they could be doing.

Alas, this isn't me.

Craig

Bolt Action

Kent, Dave and Nigel came round last night for a game of Bolt Action. Kent’s been really busy lately so it was great to see him again. Neither Dave or Nigel had played BA before but were seen to give it a go and I must say it played really, really well.

We had 80tp each, and the game was set in Malaya in 1942 (so I could sue my Perry Desert rates)

Nigel and I ran a British Rifle force:

HQ + NCO

Observer (free)

4x sections with LMGs

1x Vickers MMG

1x 3” mortar

1x Recce Carrier

1x 6pdr

Kent and Dave ran the Japanese:

HQ + NCO

Medic

2x sections with LMGs

1x jungle fighters section + LMG

1x MMG

1x ni mortar

1x 37mm AT gun

1x Chi Ha tank

To keep things simple we played Maximum Attrition. Nigel and I put two sections and our carrier into reserve.

The British advance begins. 3" mortar and 6pdr are deployed to defend the flank while a squad advances in the centre. 

 Japanese jungle fighters advance on the Japanese left. 

 Another section advances on the right as well.

 The British section advances to the far side of the trees.  

 The section is hammered by MMGs, the Chi H and rifle fire and are destroyed in hand to hand combat. First blood to the Japanese.

 Having assaulted the destroyed the infantry section the jungle fighters slink back into the jungle.

 On the far right the Japanese advance continues to advance.

 British reserves arrive and the Japanese infantry are destroyed.

More Japanese infantry hide in the centre of the board.

 The invincible Japanese tank.

 In the last turn we'd both destroyed 5 units so the British lieutenant and NCO charge the Ni mortar in a vain quest for death or glory.

 The Jungle fighters charge and destroy the 2 pdr for the Japanese to win 6-5

 A great game, everyone thoroughly enjoyed it. Luck swung one way then another but the game went down to wire. I am looking forward to the next one.

Craig

Next up?

Some more FoW. A few ideas for Day of Days. I've been working on a few bits and pieces.

Option 1: (My preferred option)  US Armoured Recon built round HQ and 2x troops of Greyhounds. I've the HQ hounds still to arrive.

If I need to go Germans I want something simple and easy to run.

 A Tiger company of 5x Tiger 1s. Can't get fewer models than that!

Option 3: a Lehr panzrspah built round 10x pumas. Bob has said 22 fit into the 1100 pts, but 10 is more than enough for me.

At this stage I am on the Allied side of the ledger but that could change.

Thanks to Robert at Conquest I am also keen to get some Landmattesses (the models are so cool)
 to run a Canadian Rifle Company at Valleycon in January (at this stage I am planning on going).

Hopefully Wednesday night we will get a game of Bolt Action set in Burma in 1942.