Editor’s Note: These pieces are intended to offer a deeper look into each episode of surfer Fergal Smith‘s Line9 series, Growing, a new clip published every two weeks. The series is a year in the life of Smith and his brother. With a new clip published every two weeks, the series follows them as they take a step back from the rat race while spending days tending to a sustainable garden and surfing the readily available Irish slab.
Author’s Note: My main reason for doing this series is for showing the what else I’m passionate about — aside from surfing — and to try to promote all the good, positive things that people are doing.
I have a real strong passion for planting trees these days. I wanted to show a good friend on mine Andy Wilson’s tree nursery up in Westport. This little episode is about picking up a few trees off Andy and bringing them down to Tom DH the shaper and planting them on his land in exchange for a new Bonzer. Tom is a great guy who I have know since I have started living in Clare. He has shaped quite a few boards over the years and it was cool to plant some trees for his garden. We have surfed out under the cliffs together for years so its nice to put a few waves together in the clip.
Tom is probably the most regular fixture in the lineup out there, he really loves the place. It’s summer now and there no such waves like in this clip but it’s great to know that some day they will return again and I you can be sure to see Tom out there when its cracking.
Thanks so much to Tom for Shaping the boards and sharing the waves, and Andy for the beautiful trees. If you would like to check out Andys tree nursery, visit his website, FruitandNut.ie. And here is Tom’s website, DHSurfboards.com, if anyone wants to get in touch, or needs a new board.
