Surf School

Laurine Croasdale has worked as a book editor and packager, written several fiction and non-fiction books for children and teenagers, scripts for the television show
Hi5
, and produced audio books. She spent her teenage years hanging out on the northern beaches of Sydney with a group of girls who remain her friends to this day.

For Shel
and
in memory of Steph

First published 2007 in Pan by Pan Macmillan Australia Pty Ltd
1 Market Street, Sydney

Copyright © 2007 Laurine Croasdale

The moral right of the author has been asserted.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted by any person or entity (including Google, Amazon or similar organisations), in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publisher.

National Library of Australia cataloguing-in-publication data:

Croasdale, Laurine.
Surf School.
For children.
ISBN 978 0 330 42336 6 (pbk).
1. Surfing – Australia –Juvenile fiction. 2. Teenage girls – Juvenile fiction. 3. Friendship in adolescence – Juvenile fiction. 4. Parent and teenager – Juvenile fiction. I. Title.

A823.3

The characters and events in this book are fictitious and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

Internal design by Liz Seymour, Seymour Designs.
Set in Fairfield LH Light by Midland Typesetters, Australia
Printed in Australia by McPherson's Printing Group

Papers used by Pan Macmillan Australia Pty Ltd are natural, recyclable products made from wood grown in sustainable forests.
The manufacturing processes conform to the environmental regulations of the country of origin.

 

These electronic editions published in 2008 by Pan Macmillan Australia Pty Ltd 1 Market Street, Sydney 2000

The moral right of the author has been asserted.

All rights reserved. This publication (or any part of it) may not be reproduced or transmitted, copied, stored, distributed or otherwise made available by any person or entity (including Google, Amazon or similar organisations), in any form (electronic, digital, optical, mechanical) or by any means (photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise) without prior written permission from the publisher.

Surf School

Laurine Croasdale

 

Adobe eReader format   978-1-74198-131-5

Microsoft Reader format   978-1-74198-132-2

Mobipocket format   978-1-74198-133-9

Online format   978-1-74198-134-6

Epub format   978-1-74262-463-1

Macmillan Digital Australia
www.macmillandigital.com.au

Visit
www.panmacmillan.com.au
to read more about all our books and to buy both print and ebooks online. You will also find features, author interviews and news of any author events.

Even though the writing process is a solitary one there are a number of people who have generously given their time, knowledge, support and encouragement. I would like to thank the following people for their help in shaping this book: my family; Margaret Connolly; Steph Gilmore; Lynne Dickinson from
Curl
magazine; Matt Grainger and Christo Hall from the Manly Surf School; Brian Williams Design; Gary Dunne at Rip Curl; Laura Enever and her family; Amber Radford; the organisers of the Havaianas Beachley Classic; the staff at Narrabeen Sports High; Helen Cross-Glover; NSW Department of Sport and Recreation; Kurt Jacobs at Roxy; Liz Seymour; Felicity Pulman; Lindy Batchelor; Kristina Schulz; Ali Hand and Amy Dunn for letting me use the Blood Book; and the staff at Pan Macmillan who have been magnificent in their support of this book, in particular Claire Craig, who got me writing again.

I, Marlee Rose Finn, and I, Matilda (aka Tilly) Elizabeth Anne (my parents couldn't choose) Hoye, are the traditional owners of the Blood Book.

This Book is sacred to us because it holds the truth as we see it and for that reason, NO-ONE is allowed to read it. This includes you, Sam Hoye.

Signed,

Marlee and Tilly

30 NOVEMBER

Ouch! You know how much I hate blood Marlee Finn, especially when it's mine. I feel sick just looking at it. I can't believe you're making me do this.

Okay. Found another spot. This one is nice and pink; soft looking.

Here goes.

Right. I'm really going to do it.

Owww! Owwwwwwowow. There. Three nice big drops, right next to yours.

And that's all you're getting. If you don't realise that I'm serious about pro surfing and the World Championship Tour, then you've got sand in your boardies.

I WANT IT AS MUCH AS YOU DO.

Don't think that because I don't deliver five million pamphlets on the hilliest run in town or go to a selective sports jock high that I don't want it just as bad. In fact I'm going to jog to your place now and shove the Blood Book under your door for when you get home.

Do your worst. I'm in for the ride.

Tilly

In a few years time, when I'm holding up the World Surfing Cup and you're next to me on the dais, you'll thank me.

Do you remember that first day we met at the Surf School? Pink had cut her foot and you gagged when you saw the blood.

I thought you were such a sissy I was prepared to hate you then and there, but when you caught a wave straight off, I saw your face. That's when I got this tingling feeling that you loved surfing too. I even forgave you for pushing me off the next wave.

Okay. Here's the plan for every day except my pamphlet run days:

 

• up at 5 (that's am in case you're in doubt)
  

• stretches
  

• jog along Diamond Beach to the end and back
  

• surf for 40 minutes (or more if we can)
  

• breakfast (I'll work out the food later)
  

• school (there's always a down side)
  

  
And the NO list …

• NO boys, only friends
  

• NO takeaway food
  

• NO alcohol
  

• NO late nights
  

  Marlee

You are tough. I've just told Dad and Sam that they have to move out on account of them having penises and all. But they said that I'll have to move in with you. Your mum didn't like it when
you
moved into the garage. I can't imagine how she'd take it if two of us lived there! So I'm guessing that male family members are okay?

No, you're not seeing things, that 5 am is now a 6 AND, before you start – let's just ease into it. Six until the sun rises a little earlier and the heat kicks in – and let's jog Diamond Beach one way
only
to start, the full 6 ks on sand will kill me first up. (I'm doing push ups as I write this in case you think I'm slacking off.)

WHO'S holding up the World Cup?

WORLD CHAMPION

Tilly Hoye

Best Moment
: Going on the WCT with Marlee and winning the World Title.

Best Friend
: Marlee Finn.

Biggest Influence
: My dad, Phil, and the amazing Diamond Beach Surf School.

Favourite thing in the whole world
: Me charging the left, Marlee going the right.

Training Regime
: Coke and pizza (he he he).

Best Manoeuvre
: The 310, for sure. Aiming for the 360.

Surf Faves
: Melanie Bartels, Layne Beachley, Steph Gilmore, Sofia Mulanovich, Chelsea Hedges. And groms: Marlee Finn, Laura Enever, Carissa Moore, Co Co Ho, Airini Mason, Sally Fitzgibbons, Bethany Hamilton.

Other Interests
: Photography, eating and …
BURNING THE DINNER! GTG!

Tilly

Six am it is, but only for a couple of weeks and then let's crank it up.

I'm totally serious, Tilly.

We did this whole goal-setting thing at school last week, and this is what I jotted down:

• Start training program
  

• Go in the club friendly in a couple of weeks and win the board
  

• Apply for a wildcard to the Juniors next year; Win as many contests as I can
  

• Get some sponsorship
  

 

It doesn't seem like much written down but it's huge, this dream of ours. And being in it together makes me feel so strong, so sure, that I could do it for both of us. Just remember, once we're cruising to remote islands around the world and catching waves for a living, a bit of hard work now will be worth it.

If we want it bad enough, it'll happen. That I do know.

Marlee