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John Barton

Swellnet Sessions

Pitstop Hill Mentawai: End of season report

John Barton
Mon 2 December 9:25am

Every time we tell tales of sessions that stretched our legropes, we also tend to stretch the truth. So as October started we werenʼt sure how much truth was in the stories we were reading. There were claims starting to emerge that this was going to be the biggest swell to hit Indonesia in several years.

Swellnet Sessions

Pitstop Hill Mentawai: End of season report

John Barton
Mon 2 December 9:25am

Every time we tell tales of sessions that stretched our legropes, we also tend to stretch the truth. So as October started we werenʼt sure how much truth was in the stories we were reading. There were claims starting to emerge that this was going to be the biggest swell to hit Indonesia in several years.

John Barton
Wave of the Day: Four to the floor and three to the sky - Kandui, Indonesia
John Barton
Wave of the Day: A study of speed, poise and anticipation by Usman Trioko
John Barton
Wave of the Day: How to defuse a north Indonesian bomb
Swellnet Sessions

Pitstop Hill - February Report

John Barton
Mon 18 March 12:00am

The media spotlights have been switched off, the fans were lured away by the Hawaiian winterʼs battle for the world title and the Mentawai stadium has been practically empty for months.

But thereʼs still a buzz here. Despite difficult low pressure systems pounding the region with rain and persistent NW winds, reports from friends who stayed behind over the December and January period say it was empty and pumping. As it turns out, some of the Mentawaiʼs key players have been training hard in the shadows all off-season.

Swellnet Sessions

Pitstop Hill - February Report

John Barton
Mon 18 March 12:00am

The media spotlights have been switched off, the fans were lured away by the Hawaiian winterʼs battle for the world title and the Mentawai stadium has been practically empty for months.

But thereʼs still a buzz here. Despite difficult low pressure systems pounding the region with rain and persistent NW winds, reports from friends who stayed behind over the December and January period say it was empty and pumping. As it turns out, some of the Mentawaiʼs key players have been training hard in the shadows all off-season.

Swellnet Sessions

Stomping Ground

John Barton
Tue 22 January 12:00am

You may recognise John Barton's name, he's the photographer whose credit appears under the Pitstop Hill Mentawai photos we run throughout the winter. For eight months of the year John wears nought but boardshorts and his job is to capture the punters getting pitted. Something he's very bloody good at.

Holidays mean returning home to West Oz, and, if there's swell, shooting the old stomping grounds. 

These photos were taken at one such place earlier this month.

Swellnet Sessions

Stomping Ground

John Barton
Tue 22 January 12:00am

You may recognise John Barton's name, he's the photographer whose credit appears under the Pitstop Hill Mentawai photos we run throughout the winter. For eight months of the year John wears nought but boardshorts and his job is to capture the punters getting pitted. Something he's very bloody good at.

Holidays mean returning home to West Oz, and, if there's swell, shooting the old stomping grounds. 

These photos were taken at one such place earlier this month.

Swellnet Sessions

Pitstop Hill - End of Season Report

John Barton
Tue 11 December 12:00am

Last call for drinks. The party is almost over. And boy what shindig 2012 has been.

Amped, freshly waxed, feeling good and ready to bust out some moves, groups of partygoers rocked on through the Pitstop Hill doors week after week. Some looking to relax, others looking to rage but whether they say it or not, all were looking to pick up and ride some beauties (and donʼt even get me started on the protection puns).

Swellnet Sessions

Pitstop Hill - End of Season Report

John Barton
Tue 11 December 12:00am

Last call for drinks. The party is almost over. And boy what shindig 2012 has been.

Amped, freshly waxed, feeling good and ready to bust out some moves, groups of partygoers rocked on through the Pitstop Hill doors week after week. Some looking to relax, others looking to rage but whether they say it or not, all were looking to pick up and ride some beauties (and donʼt even get me started on the protection puns).

Swellnet Sessions

Pitstop Hill September Report

John Barton
Thu 25 October 12:00am

Command + C, copy and paste. Job done, time for a surf. This report could have been an easy one. A carbon copy of the two months before it, the start of September felt like a bad Indonesian rendition of the movie Groundhog Day. Donʼt get me wrong, Bill Murrayʼs a pretty funny guy (well he was in the 80ʼs apparently). Itʼs just that we werenʼt very amused by the same old storyline we were watching everyday; SE winds, peak season crowds and only a handful of clean options.

Swellnet Sessions

Pitstop Hill September Report

John Barton
Thu 25 October 12:00am

Command + C, copy and paste. Job done, time for a surf. This report could have been an easy one. A carbon copy of the two months before it, the start of September felt like a bad Indonesian rendition of the movie Groundhog Day. Donʼt get me wrong, Bill Murrayʼs a pretty funny guy (well he was in the 80ʼs apparently). Itʼs just that we werenʼt very amused by the same old storyline we were watching everyday; SE winds, peak season crowds and only a handful of clean options.

Swellnet Sessions

Pitstop Hill August Report

John Barton
Fri 21 September 12:00am
No booze, no food, no smoking, no sinful speech and no waves in sight. Doesnʼt really sound like the components of an all-time surf trip does it? However, from very early on in the month, it was apparent that it was more than just the muslim community that would be observing the religious practices of Ramadan.
Swellnet Sessions

Pitstop Hill August Report

John Barton
Fri 21 September 12:00am
No booze, no food, no smoking, no sinful speech and no waves in sight. Doesnʼt really sound like the components of an all-time surf trip does it? However, from very early on in the month, it was apparent that it was more than just the muslim community that would be observing the religious practices of Ramadan.