For those of you new to the term, a Paipo is a small surfboard designed for riding waves whilst lying on your belly. These unique wave riding crafts are also known as belly boards and many experts believe they originated in Hawai'i'. Although they can be shaped from foam and fiberglass, traditionally Paipos are shaped from timber. "A Paipo is a board every surfer should have in their quiver," says master craftsman and surfer Jon Wegener, who is in part responsible for the revival of this and other ancient Hawaiian surfing crafts.
Andy Clingsky is a talented fourth generation woodworker and has a passion for sustainability. He and his wife Holly founded Wooden Anchor and have established a beautiful family business in the Byron Bay hinterland. They operate an environmentally conscious sawmill using sustainable Australian timber to create handmade furniture, a range of collectibles as well as surfing crafts for which they now offer workshops. Andy is a patient and thorough teacher, and his stoke for all things handcrafted is contagious.
Like anything, the whole is greater than the sum of all of its parts. That said I will do my best to break down the process by which I made a Paipo with Wooden Anchor. My board is made from sustainable Australian grown Paulownia.
Once your outline has been drawn it is time to start cutting back the wood to fit the outline. If you are using a flat piece of wood this can be much easier than a big log, however the process is the same. As the artist, Michelangelo said of stone, "Every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it." The same applies to wood...
Andy showed me how to use these incredible hand tools which slowed down the process to a delightful human pace. A most enjoyable experience indeed. Power tools can be used, which expedite the process, though I do feel something valuable would be missed in doing so. As a woman, it felt great to hold and handle these handmade planers, and the satisfaction of creating the shape of the concaves and rails with them was unexpected.
*Planers are made locally by Colen Clenton
When shaping my Paipo at the Wooden Anchor workshop, two Python snakes came for a visit. Entangled in a hypnotic dance, they made their way from the rafters to the floor and back moving with determination and strength. Their energy inspired my wood burning. The art of wood burning is something to be admired, I found it to be challenging, and opted for a simple design...
Get out and share the good vibes and stoke of riding your very own handcrafted sustainable surf craft! The more people see and surf these fun machines, the sooner the lineups will be smiling.
Gather with friends, plant a tree, wait for it to grow, harvest it and then start crafting, or buy some sustainable Paulownia wood from your local woodsniffer (self given name for woodworkers).
If you are like me and want to do everything, yet knowing where to start and how to keep on task is challenging then I recommend you book into one of Wooden Anchors "How to make a Paipo' workshops. Materials and tools will cost near the price of a workshop and DIY on your own may take much longer.
Since I enjoyed making my Paipo so much I am now keen to get more experience and help others handcraft their own boards! My friend Alice Forrest and myself will be assisting Andy in his upcoming Wooden Anchor "Paipo" workshop on Oct. 29. Click here to find out more.
Big Mahalo Nui Loa to Andy, Holly and the Wooden Anchor crew for having me at the mill as well as sharing your knowledge with me. I am stoked and very grateful for this new journey with shaping and riding my own wooden crafts!
Photos by Chrystal Dawn and Joel Fitzgerald. Location Byron Bay Australia. Workshop Wooden Anchor. Tools H.N.T Gordon & Co. Wax Beesknees Surf.
MORE DIYS
]]>Seeababe Chrystal Dawn Fitzgerald shares why she loves escaping from Byron Byron Bay to the chilled out vibes and pastoral backdrops of Lennox Head.
]]>Beach pebble walk outs though pandamus trees wearing the Leucadia bikini and Rincon jacket. Photo by Joel Fitzgerald. |
Chrystal going left in the Leucadia Bikini and Rincon jacket. Photo by Joel Fitzgerald. |
Chrystal going right in the Leucadia Bikini and Rincon jacket. Photo by Joel Fitzgerald. |
Post Surf stoke! Chrystal wears the Leucadia Bikini and Rincon jacket. Photo by Joel Fitzgerald. |
Chrystal and Chad Campbell on the green way. Chrystal wears the Leucadia Bottom and Doheny Rashguard. Photo by Joel Fitzgerald. |
Chrystal going down the line wearing the Leucadia Bottom and Doheny Rashguard. Photo by Joel Fitzgerald. |
Locals only. Photo by Joel Fitzgerald. |
Winged migration. Photo by Joel Fitzgerald. |
Days like these…Photo by Chrystal Dawn Fitzgerald. |
Pandamus trees are great natural shelters! Chrystal wears the Leucadia Bottom. Photo by Joel Fitzgerald. |
This is our neighborhood. Photo by Chrystal Dawn Fitzgerald. |
Serenity. Wearing the San-O. Photo by Joel Fitzgerald. |
Byron shire Hinterland, taken from Hot Air Balloon photo by Joel Fitzgerald. |
Chrystal staying low in the San-O. Photo by Joel Fitzgerald. |
Volcanic green photo by Chrystal Dawn Fitzgerald. |
The anticipation was rising, and Byron Bay's famed glassy perfection didn't disappoint.
]]>The anticipation was rising, and Byron Bay's famed glassy perfection didn't disappoint.
Being foreigners in roaming cell phone tower zones, connecting in real life with our Aussie family branches was a game of comment tag through Instagram posts and email chats on stolen Wi-Fi. And when the stars finally aligned for California Seeababes Mele Saili and Lola Mignot to share waves with Byron Babes Chrystal Dawn Fitzgerald, Lauren L. Hill and photographer Ming Nomchong, it was heaven-sent fun.
Special thanks to Ming Nomchong for capturing the blissful session. Don't miss her blog, The Drifter for more salty inspiration.
Mele Saili wears the Seea Swami's in Blue Fossil. Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
Lola Mignot wears the Seea Mundaka Wrap Top and Solimar Bikini Bottoms in Luna. Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
The inspiring Lauren Hill slices through the crowd. Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
A brilliant dance. Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
The graceful gliding of Mele Saili. Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
Chrystal Dawn Fitzgerald wearing the Leucadia High-Waist bottoms in Luna. Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
Lola over the edge. Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
Filmmaker Nathan Oldfield joined in the fun. Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
Bing surfboards team rider, Lauren Hill. Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
Lola Mignot. Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
MORE SEEABABES IN OZ:
]]>Seeababe Chrystal Fitzgerald shares her unforgettable experience of meeting creatures of the deep blue sea in Tonga last year with friends Lauren L. Hill, and photographer Ming Nomchong.
]]>Whatever you imagine to be the most heavenly tropical island— water so clear you can see straight to the bottom, eggshell white sand, and rustling palm trees overhead as you sink into your hammock — Tonga exceeds the imagination with a magical ancient beauty that feels like the world before time.
The Kingdom of Tonga’s cluster of islands in the middle of the South Pacific ocean are barely a speck on the world map next to the nearest bodies of land: Australia and New Zealand. As one of the oldest Polynesian settlements, many of Tonga’s islands have retained much of their native, uninhabited state, and the eco resorts on the larger islands take care to be holistically integrated with the native land to preserve it's natural splendor.
Photo of Tonga by Chrystal Dawn Fitzgerald. |
Photo of Tonga islands by Chrystal Dawn Fitzgerald. |
Sitting on the dock of the Tonga bay. Photo by Chrystal Dawn Fitzgerald. |
Chrystal Fitzgerald wears the Riviera One-Piece in Rosa, coming soon. Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
Home sweet home for the trip. Chrystal wears the Swami's Playsuit in Tiles, coming soon. Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
The 22-acre private island of Eueiki is completely self-sustaining, using solar power, rainwater tanks, and traditional thatched fales (bungalows). Locally staffed and operated by conscious caretakers Veronica and Mark Belvedere, Treasure Island is a haven of coconut trees, rain forests and white sand is surrounded by colorful shallow coral reefs that drop off to fathoms within a few feet from the shore. The clear cosmic blues — hues from every imaginable mix of ocean, sky, and elsewhere dreamy— juxtapose the rich greens, thick sand and earthy thatched bungalows in a seamless marriage of tropicana that transfixes the soul.
Chrystal wears the Swami's Playsuit in Tiles, coming soon. Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
Chrystal wears the Swami's Playsuit in Tiles, hanging around with Lauren. Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
Eueiki and the Vava’u islands were mesmerizing. We enjoyed every moment, constantly saturated with salt—water activities, and on the lookout for migrating humpback whales.
Chrystal taking a quiet moment to soak in the surroundings. Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
Chrystal wears the Gaviotas One-Piece in Tea Leaf. Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
Chrystal wears the Doheny in Luna and Ensenada bikini bottom in Nautique. Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
Spending our time playing in the tropical waters and soaking up the serenity of the Eco resort were blessings enough, yet we had really hoped to swim with whales. To learn more about these mammoth cetaceans we met up with our scientist friends Malia Rouillon and Alice Forrest, from the Australian conservationist group Protect the Reef. The two along with a team of others were stationed in Vava’u doing research.
Close encounter with these special ocean creatures. Photo by Chrystal Dawn Fitzgerald. |
On our final day at Eueiki, Mark and Veronica’s trusty dog Honyo sounded her signature whale alert of rapid barking along the shoreline. Led hastily by Mark and Nolo, the rest of us piled into the wooden outrigger and set out to sea. Honyo is renowned for her gift with knowing when whales were near, even when they were far out of sight, was right yet again.
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Lauren and Chrystal off to the waves. Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
The morning after our miracle swim with the whales at Eueiki, we departed to Tongatapu, Tonga's main island, to ready for our flight home to Australia. In sync with divine timing as our entire trip had been, just hours before our flight, Lauren, Ming and I scored fun waves at Ha’atafu beach. We surfed the clean reef pass ‘til our taxi arrived to whisk us away to the airport. Sandy feet, wet hair and salty as can be, we boarded our plane home, filled with gratitude to the Kingdom of Tonga, all her people, islands, whales and waves, for the trip of a lifetime!
Frothing waves. Photo by Chrystal Dawn Fitzgerald. |
Chrystal drops into a fun wave in Tonga wearing the Gaviotas One-Piece. Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
Special thanks to photographer Ming Nomchong and Lauren L. Hill as companions in the journey.
Get closer to the whales in this special video by Chrystal!
KEEP TRAVELING: ]]>
In honor of our arrival into the Southern Hemisphere, Seeababe Chrystal Fitzgerald and our Australia representative Leana Rack teamed up with photographer Ming Nomchong for just another day in the life of a Bryon Bay babe — with a 1950s twist.
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Leana in the Palmas in Copper and Chrystal in the Gaviotas in Tea Leaf. Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
Chrystal in the Hermosa in Tea Leaf. Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
Leana in the Palmas in Copper. Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
Leana in the Leucadia in Blue Fossil. Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
Leana in the Leucadia in Blue Fossil. Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
Chrystal in the Hermosa in Tea Leaf. Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
Chrystal in the Monterey Bottom in Black Diamond. Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
Chrystal in the Monterey Bottom in Black Diamond.Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
Leana in the Palisades neoprene high-waist shorts. Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
Chrystal in the San-O in Black/Ivory. Leana in the Riviera in Zilian. Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
Chrystal in the San-O in Black/Ivory. Leana in the Monterey Top in Black Diamond and Palisades high waist bottom. Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
Chrystal in the San-O in Black/Ivory.Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
Chrystal in the San-O in Black/Ivory.Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
Chrystal in the Leucadia in Blue Fossil. Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
Leana in the Jalama in Sea Glass. Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
Leana in the Jalama in Sea Glass. Chrystal in the Leucadia in Blue Fossil. Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
Chrystal in the Leucadia in Blue Fossil. Rincon jacket available only on conciliacionconstrupaz.com.Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
Chrystal in the Leucadia in Blue Fossil. Rincon jacket available only on conciliacionconstrupaz.com. Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
Chrystal in the Leucadia in Blue Fossil. Marina neoprene pants available only on conciliacionconstrupaz.com. Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
Chrystal in the Leucadia in Blue Fossil. Marina neoprene pants available only on conciliacionconstrupaz.com. Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
Chrystal in the Marina neoprene pants available only at conciliacionconstrupaz.com Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
Chrystal in the Marina neoprene pants available only at conciliacionconstrupaz.com. Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
Chrystal in the Carmel neoprene one-piece available only at conciliacionconstrupaz.com. Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
Chrystal in the Carmel neoprene one-piece available only at conciliacionconstrupaz.com. Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
Chrystal in the Carmel neoprene one-piece available only at conciliacionconstrupaz.com. Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
Chrystal in the Carmel neoprene one-piece available only at conciliacionconstrupaz.com. Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
Chrystal in the Carmel neoprene one-piece available only at conciliacionconstrupaz.com. Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
Chrystal in the Carmel neoprene one-piece available only at conciliacionconstrupaz.com. Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
Chrystal in the Carmel neoprene one-piece available only at conciliacionconstrupaz.com. Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
Chrystal in the Rincon neoprene jacket and Marina pants one-piece available only at conciliacionconstrupaz.com. Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
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Thanks to all the hip Australians and Kiwis that were amongst the earliest supporters of Seea. Check out the list of shops below where you can now touch, try on and buy these Seea suits in Australia and New Zealand!
Fandango Surf Co., Yamba, NSW
Finbox Boardstore, Thirroul, NSW
Noosa Longboards, Noosa Heads, NSW
Patagonia Byron Bay, NSW
Salt Living, Coolangatta, Queensland
Siberia, Iluka, NSW
Sunhouse Surf Shop & Cafe, Coolangatta, Queensland
The Surfing Tribe, Christchurch, New Zealand
MORE AUSTRALIA & SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE GOODNESS:
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What’s the best wavecraft to ride? The one that will be the most fun! The latest issue of Surfgirl magazine featured Seeababe Chrystal Dawn Fitzgerald and Seea’s Southern Hemisphere sales rep, Leana Rack talking about the boards they reach for the most.
]]>Aussie babes with their diverse wavecrafts. Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
Chrystal Fitzgerald featured in the "Foam Glide Fun" story in Surfgirl magazine. Photos by Ming Nomchong. |
Chrystal with a board shaped by her husband, Joel Fitzgerald. Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
Chrystal with her handplane wearing her favorite bodysurfing combo: the Seea Palomar Crop Top over the San-O One-Piece. Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
Chrystal gets down low. Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
Chrystal catches a little peeler. Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
Leana Rack featured in the "Foam Glide Fun" story in Surfgirl Magazine. Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
Leana has a blast on her mat. Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
Leana wears the Seea Palomar Crop Top and Palisades neoprene shorts. Photo by Ming Nomchong. |
Leana makes a smooth turn on her longboard. Photo by Ming Nomchong. |