Tim Baker is the author of four best-selling books on surfing, including “Bustin’ Down The Door“, “High Surf” and “Occy”. He was editor at both Tracks and Surfing Life magazines, and won the Surfing Australia Hall of Fame Culture Award twice. Check out Tim’s website for the full run-down: www.byTimBaker.com.
We caught up with Tim for a chat…
BH: Hey Tim, how are you doing?
TB: Yeah good, just trying to get back into work mode after the holidays and kinda fighting a losing battle right now.
BH: Been getting many waves lately? And where?
TB: I’ve actually been pushing my two kids into waves all through the hols and loving it. It’s the first summer they’ve both got keen on surfing and I’ve been loving it, can barely describe the joy of watching your offspring hurtling shorewards on a wave.
BH: We loved “Surf For Your Life“. How much did you enjoy Mick Fanning’s world title win in 2009?
TB: It was very sweet. I had no expectation of this being a world title year for Mick, especially after Joel’s start. What he did in the back half of the year was truly remarkable. I was on the beach with his mum Liz, his wife Karissa and coach Phil at Pipe so it was all very emotional. Lots of hugging.
BH: So, what are you working on next?
TB: A bunch of magazine stuff for Surfing World magazine at the moment. I’m also off to Yallingup for a surf film festival in a week so been watching lots of movies, because I’m on the judging panel. A surf movie festival in a winery? Are you kidding me? Sounds too good to be true.
BH: Do you think youll write a fiction novel?
TB: Funny you should ask. I have been tooling around with the great unfinished novel for years and I’ve decided to start posting it online, kinda like a blog, just to put some pressure on myself to finish the damn thing, but also hopefully to generate some interest, invite comments and feedback, have a conversation about it – the world’s first interactive, e-novel in progress. Not sure if you will be able to vote characters off like big brother, but it should be fun, just kinda playing with the medium to see what’s possible.
…can barely describe the joy of watching your offspring hurtling shorewards on a wave.
BH: Doing any exciting trips in 2010?
TB: Well, Yallingup, but also hoping to take the family on the big round Australia trip in mid-2010 or early 2011. I’ve had lots of great opportunities to travel with my work but I’m kinda sick of leaving the family behind and so am trying to plot ways to take them with me and make it pay, so want to do a book about the journey.
BH: Ok, a set is coming…left or right?
TB: Ah, right, if it’s all the same to you. You don’t want to see me surf on my backhand, trust me.
