2009 Seal Island

Chris Bertish is unsound. Unhinged some might say. One of South Africa's highest profile big wave surfers has made a name for himself by consistently pushing the envelope. Not content to take off late, backdoor sections as big as suburban homes and pull into huge gaping close-out maws, Chris also likes to be the first oke to do something. Remember he was the first guy to paddle into Jaws / Peahi in Hawaii and the first to paddle big Ghost Trees in California. He pretty much single-handedly re-established modern big wave surfing in the UK when he paddled out at the Cribber to catch some close-outs, and made the front page news. Then he was the first guy to catch a wave on an SUP at Dungeons.

Reunion-PARADISE LOST

After watching Occy tearing up those long fast and barrelling lefts of St. Leau in Reunion and dreaming of one day getting there, it was finally my turn, to make another dream come true and tick it off my list.

This quaint little island is bussling with first world progress, traffic and many traces of the very evident french/ Euro influences. Yet it still has managed to keep it's small island feel.  From the moment you arrive there is something special about Reunion.

Mavs 2008

Miss the biggest best swell of the season by a week before you come!!!  What?

Hi my name is Chris Bertish.  I’m 33 years old and I have been surfing for over twenty years.  I started getting into surfing bigger surf in my late teens and have been going over to California and Hawaii almost every year since 1999 to surf the big, winter swells of the north Pacific, over Dec through Fan/Feb.

Since the 2000/2001 season when I paddled into Jaws and won the XXL Award for a wave I paddled at Todos Santos, I have been on and off the Mavericks Alternate’s list numerous times. Now let me tell you..It takes a hell of a lot to be put on the Alternate list at the Mavericks event, let alone make the cut..the elite top 24.

2008 Big Wave Event

Red Bull 08 was a whirlwind year...The event opening period went green and within days there was already a monster swell on the charts which was looking good for a greenlight swell! Could the event run literally days after the two month waiting window opened, were the organisers and contest owners ready for all systems go!

2006 Mavs Journel

Reality Check!

14 Weeks ago I was desperately trying to get an emergency flight back from Northern Chile to the UK for emergency surgery, after I broke my Patella-kneecap into about five pieces, tow surfing before a surf event in remote South America. Three screws, a whole lot of wire, six weeks in a cast and an 8-12 month full recovery prognosis and rumours soon started circulating about me never being able to surf again….

Yeah, right…not if I can help it!  I’d been planning this winter surf trip back to Northern California & Hawaii for years.  Was this bad experience going to end all the hard work put in to achieve another dream?

Firstly, there is no such thing as a bad experience in life, as they are all just very valuable  life lessons.

Secondly, life is unpredictable and doesn’t often go according to plan.  You have to be versatile in this unpredictable, volatile world we live in and be willing to bend your plans around life, to still achieve your goals.

And thirdly, no matter what adversity we face, if you truly put your mind toward the healing process, solely believe it’s possible & you remain focussed & determined on achieving your goals & dreams, everything is possible!

Fijian Clarity - Feb 2006

This ended up as quite a trip…. What was meant to be an 15 hour flight, four days in Tavarua, then nine days on a remote western Island off Fiji called Nagigi, for a good friends wedding and more good waves!

Easter Island

Part 1

I flew out of England after a six-hour drive to Heathrow from Cornwall. I had zero luggage to check in, only boards. They were under the 25kg weight requirement but Iberian still stung me 276 pounds! Just to get to Chile, not even to Rapa Nuie! Don't fly Iberia, is all I can say.  Strike 1 ...

Morrocco 2005

Morocco- Deepest darkest Northern Africa.

A trip that I had been wanting to do for years..