of Blue: After two years of capturing images up and down this little area of the coast I am publishing a coffee table book. Titled "of Blue" the 140 page book will make a great Christmas present for a friend or for yourself. Pre-order now by sending me an email with 'of Blue' in the subject line and I will reply with payment details.

'of Blue' retails for $70. There are 200 copies, each numbered as a limited first edition. So get in quick. please

The book would not have been possible without the generous support of Etnies, Haydenshapes Surfboards, Spy Optics and The Sugarmill.

Portrait: This week meet Simon Anderson. Local, National and International surfing legend. Shaping guru. Pipeline master and the inventor of the Thruster.
 

What is your favourite memory growing up here on the Northern Beaches?
It's been good to see the evolution of surfboards through the decades and all the great surfers that have called the Northen Beaches home surf those boards. From Nat and Midget to David Trelor and John Otton from Manly to Colin Smith, Terry Fitz, Grant Oliver, Mark Warren, Damien Hardman and all my mates surfing the best days from Palmy to Manly
 

Funniest memory from your shaping and surfing career?
I was in Japan shaping. I used to go there 3 - 4 times a year. My first trip was always late February in their winter, to the factory on the outskirts of Tokyo. I would work 10 days straight,15 boards a day then come home. After about the 3rd or 4th day I would get very tired. On the 8th day it had snowed the night before leaving a thick snow blanket on the shaping bay roof. When I started the morning shaping session I was already fatigued, there was brilliant sunshine outside even though the night before had snowed heavily, but I didn't think much about it and shaped steadily for 3 hours emerging from the bay for a well earned breakfast at about 10 am. I noticed it was raining outside the shed and opened the umbrella stored outside the bay and stepped out into the rain only to emerge on the other side into the most brilliant sunny day with not a cloud in the sky. I was standing there in the open with my umbrella up, the water was rushing in a torrent down the sheds sliding door opening from the roof by virtue of the fact that the bright sun was now melting the snow. I looked right then left, no one around. I closed the umbrella and trudged off with a little chuckle at myself for being such an idiot.
 

Best surf ever? Does one single surf stick out in your mind?
This is difficult but I think a session out at Dee Why point before the Coke contest in 1977. It was pretty good Dee Why point just under the max size before it starts closing out or getting too wide. All the touring pro's were out including Shaun Tomson, Michael Ho, Mike Tomson, Reno etc. It was first rock take off and I had the advantage of home field knowledge. Dee Why is very intimidating when you first surf it, so those guys maybe thought I was a little crazy that day.
 

What are you riding these days? Most common two boards we would find you on?
I surf many boards part of the job is to test new designs, at the moment you will find me on a 7'0 - 20 1/8 - 2 13/16 Round Pin step up DSC for good Narrabeen and a fish style thruster 6'4 - 20 3/4 - 2 3/4 with a wide Rounded Square Tail, deep single to double concave and vee at the tail for waves up to 3 or 4 feet. 
 

Is there one customer (who stands out) who just never stops coming back to you for boards? Yes I have many standouts some are tough demanding hardcore local guys that really keep you on your toes, but the main one is Glenn Walsh a 60 year old NN grommet still with great enthusiasm for surfing and board design.
What can we expect to see from you in the next few years? working on anything special? Working on my passion for watercraft, boards for old guys like myself to catch waves efficiently but still surf good. Boards for hardcore young guys, and SUP boards for training or recreational paddling and fun in small waves .
 

What is there outside of surfing that keeps you occupied and stoked?
Family and Footy, Tennis, Golf and Cricket on Foxtel.