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G’day happyheads!

In case you hadn’t heard, our friends at Sanuk Australia are dishin’ out good vibes by the truckload. Every now and then, their trademark, smile-worthy ways make their way above the equator for a visit.

This summer, we had the privilege of meeting, mingling and jamming with Sanuk Australia’s beloved soloist/singer/songwriter/producer, Nick Saxon. Nick hails from Newcastle, NSW and has a sound all his own.

His rootsy, euphoric beats provide the jog for the high-spirited and soothe the souls of all. You know? The kind of stuff you’d want soundtracking your sun-soaked daydreams of an adventure “down under”.

Wouldn’tcha know, it’s been 12 months since Nick released latest album, “Hide & Seek“. Since then, Nick has been around the globe (even stopping by Sanuk HQ), to discover firsthand the “highs ‘n lows” of life as an international touring artist.

From Aukland, NZ to New York, USA & back again, Nick’s last trek sold over 3,500 copies of his album worldwide, clocked 50,000kms in travel, 200+ live shows and countless amazing encounters.

With such an incredible journey under his belt, Nick recently announced that he’ll be heading back to the studio to record a brand new EP. (Insert massive, shiny smile). Quite frankly, we’re so excited we just had to share! Kindly enjoy this sneak peak:

For more goodness, visit: Nick Saxon’s Facebook Fan Page and www.nicksaxon.com

Smile…pass it on!

Looking to break out of the norm, Sanuk teamriders, AJ Collins, Taylor Pai and Eric Tomlinson find a new hemisphere to explore. Struck with a sudden case of déjà vu and an urge to dance, the trio venture into new territory to find freshly harvested wine, an odd topless creature* and all of Australia in the Snapper Rocks line up.

Watch it here: http://vimeo.com/20417994

*Warning: Parts of this short contain nudity and are not work appropriate. If that sort of thing wrinkles your feathers, this one may not be for you.

Welcome to Chapter 5 of Shayne’s Sanuks – a growing collection of photos taken by Sanuk surf shredder/traveler/full-time family man, Shayne McIntyre.

This time, Shayne treks through the rough ‘n rugged coast of Canada with select crew of legendary waterman. While not typically thought of as a premier surf-destination, Canada does have waves… but, only for those salty (or crazy) enough to battle good ol’ Mother Nature.

The following snapshots and words are from the man himself:

My Sanuks: The Shunami Primo. The beaches in British Columbia are full of all kind of interesting flotsam from 10,000lb. logs to baline…

My favorite pic from the trip.  This is a photo of World Champion Surfer, Tom Carroll (center), Legendary Lensman, Jeff Hornbaker (left), and Quiksilver cinematographer, Pat Myers (right), in the moment.

Mark Healey, suited up in his 6ml + gloves & booties a long way from Hawaii.

First time I’ve driven through snow to get surf.

Tom Carroll SUPing a stream riddled with Steelhead Salmon the size of your thigh in crystal clear 40 degree water.

If a tree falls in the woods…it’s all about composition.

Never met a tough as nails surfer like Raph Bruhwiler – Canadian Frontiersman, Father, & ice cold tube aficionado.

Oysters for the picking.

Moe

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That wraps up Chapter 5.  Missed the first few chapters? Get caught up on the goods:

Shayne’s Sanuks - Chapter 1 - San Juan Streets

Shayne’s Sanuks – Chapter 2 – Somewhere in Puerto Rico

Shayne’s Sanuks - Chapter 3 - Sleepy San Diego

Shayne’s Sanuks – Chatper 4 - Cruising the Caribbean

The following is an excerpt from the travelogue of Sanuk surf teamrider, Torrey Meister.

I was really looking forward to traveling and checking out New Zealand. This year, there was a 6-star WQS event in Gisborne, so I knew there were no excuses not to go. My Mom and step dad also have a place in New Zealand and they always rant and rave about how beautiful it is with fun uncrowded surf. I was really excited to go down there with them and get the New Zealand experience.

The first part of the trip was a bummer. I showed up to Auckland, NZ with no boards or bags. We ended up staying the night in there waiting for the bags but they did not show. The airline “promised” us that the bags would be transported to the house we were staying at in Gisborne (a good 6 hour drive from Auckland) the next day.

With the contest starting in just two days and the promise we were given, we decided to start our long journey down to Gisborne hoping the bags would show up. Unfortunately, they didn’t they didn’t show up at all while we were in Gisborne. I had to borrow a board and a wetsuit from a local New Zealand guy so I could surf my heat. I ended up losing and we left Gisborne the next day on our way up to Bay of Islands, which is where my mom and step dad have a house. It’s an 10 hour drive to the Bay of Islands from Gisborne and we had to pick up my luggage in Auckland on the way. We spent all day and night in the car arriving to the house in the wee hours of the morning.

This is where the trip got good… I had a week to spend with them before I headed up to Western Australia for another surf contest and we took full advantage of the time we had. Surfing fun beach breaks every morning with no one around watching the sunrise and set everyday on the beach, I remember just being in awe of how beautiful this place was. We went on hikes in rainforest that had more different shades of green then I thought possible and we also hiked to a big waterfall and the best part about it was there wasn’t a soul around

We checked out a few historical sites where there were Maori canoes that were 70 years old. They were carved with all kinds of faces, animals, and symbols painted with reds and blacks. The Maoris reminded me a lot of the Hawaiians so I guess I felt right at home in New Zealand.

The last day the waves got really good which was just an exclamation point on how much fun we had in the Bay of Islands!

Smile…pass it on!

Got a case of the Mondays? Our friends at Walu International can fix that.

Walu International is a non-profit organization traveling the globe on a mission to create smiles for those living in the coastal communities of Papua New Guinea.

They’ve put together this lighthearted documentary to show just how they are making positive changes in peoples lives through education in water & sanitation, surfing, and smiling.

All smiles from these happyheads!

Groms of New Guinea.

Rahihi says, “Smile…pass it on!”

Learn more about Walu International: www.waluinternational.org

Smile with Walu International on Facebook: www.facebook.com/WaluInternational

Tweet with Walu International: www.twitter.com/WaluInt