Talk about a mission. All winter we’ve been keeping an eye on the right window to do the iconic “Surf & Snow” trip in the one day. There’s not many places in the world where you can score waves and shred on snow in the one day. New South Wales happens to deliver both in a reasonable distance from each other. With spring time delivering great weather, conditions and snow. It was game on.
We hit up some crew that we knew could shred both in the surf and on the snow. The lucky individuals that get to enjoy both the mountains and ocean throughout the winter season. Dedicated to the board. Hockey Dad, the Aussie rock band from Wollongong that has blown up over the past few years were down to jump in the car for the day as well as 15 year old snowboard phenomenon from Narooma, Valentino Guseli.
Hockey Dad consists of two talented and great humans – Billy Flemming and Zach Stephenson. Growing up in Wollongong, they have been surfing since they could walk and have recently found a new love…snowboarding! They’ve been onboard with the Volcom team and over the past few years have been joining the Volcom snow trips to get in on the action. They’re addicted. The band have released a number of successful albums over the past few years, playing to sold out shows throughout Australia, USA and Europe. When COVID hit earlier in the year, the tours stopped and for the first time in five years, they’ve been able to spend more than just a few days back at home. Over the past few months, they’ve dropped a new album ‘BRAIN CANDY’, been recording, hanging and simply surfing. Safe to say, they jumped at the chance to hit up a trip to get some snowboarding in.
Valentino Guseli, is the best junior snowboarder at the moment…in the world. The 15 year old man child, is taking the snowboard scene by storm with his freakishly good level of riding, tricks and down to earth attitude. He’s being backed hard to compete in the upcoming 2022 Olympics and he wants to try for every snowboard discipline at some point! A never been done. When Val isn’t ripping the resorts to pieces, he’s hanging at home on the South Coast of NSW in Narooma where all he does is surf…and a little bit of school. Val is one of those kids we all wish we were – cool, calm and naturally talented with everything he plants his feet on.
We kicked the mission off in Jindabyne, NSW. Big day, means early start! 6:00am pick up from Rydges where we linked up with Hockey Dad and Valentino. Val had been up since 5:00am checking out the surf conditions, and his excitement levels were rising. He knew the perfect spot. Don’t argue with a local.
We had 4 snowboards, 4 surfboards, 4 wetty buckets plus everyones snow gear. It was going to be a tight fit. Lucky the Ford Ranger is a weapon and fit everything in…just. Once we had everything in the car, we headed straight to the South Coast, opting for the dirt road route.
Valentino made the move to Narooma a few years ago and knows the Far South Coast of NSW like the back of his hand. Surfing every nook and cranny there is. He also knows all the best bakeries to hit along the way, he does the drive with his dad a few times a week – surf, school, snow…repeat. We stopped for some body fuel at Bemboka bakery – coffee, pastries and some sugar to keep us going till we get in the ocean.
We arrived at the surf spot, and excited is an understatement. Fun waves were peeling as we pulled into the car park and with the crew being seated for roughly 2 hours, they were out and in their wetsuits before we knew it.
The goal was to surf for around an hour, but it was so fun we lost track of time and it ended up being around 2 hours. Having the entire beach to ourselves and consistent surf, if was too good not to keep surfing. Val, Billy and Zach were all going wave for wave and a couple party waves were thrown into the mix for good times.
Once everyones arms started to give way and the sun and salt had worked it’s magic, it was straight to the car, out of wetsuits and back to the Snowy Mountains for some snowboarding.
The road trip element of the surf & snow day is the best bit, we drove through so many different areas and towns. Up mountains, past coastlines, through farms and dirt roads. The crew were psyched on how stunning the drive to the coast and back was, highly recommend to anyone keen for an adventure.
We arrived back in the Snowy Mountains at around 2pm. We had the afternoon to surf the earth up at Thredbo Resort. Again, the crew were out of the car in a heartbeat and into their snow gear. A few weird looks from people who were finishing up for the day as we were getting ready to go up the mountain…or maybe it was the wetsuits and surfboards that were lying around the car.
Val led the charge, showing us his afternoon hot spots up at Thredbo. The goal was to cut some serious hot laps. Two hours till lifts shut…time to get it. Billy and Zach both ripped it up, always on Valentino’s tail. Valentino ducked into the park and showed us a thing or two, Billy and Zach stepped it up and hit some features also. The best part was how everyone was still ‘surfing’ in their minds as we rode down the hill – looking for white waves to lay some turns down.
To end the day we headed to the top of the mountain, just making last lifts, for a top to bottom run down to the car where some ice cold Pirate Life beers were waiting to be enjoyed. Probably the hardest earned thirst we’ve experienced yet.
We had the run to ourselves all the way down, similar to the surf. Once we arrived back at the car it was just before 5:00pm. We were wrecked! But stoked! Mission complete. We toasted to the day and enjoyed a frothy to celebrate. Everyone’s final comment was – “let’s do that again”.
Huge shout-out to our partners for making these winter missions possible! It’s a pretty crazy time right now to be supporting a travel series and it’s rad to see brands we love, support what we love. Thanks to Ford Australia for the wheels, Go Pro for all the cameras, YETI for all the gear, Tourism Australia for the get around knowledge and Pirate Life for the frothies to end the day in style.
