Author Archives: David Newstead

Shelley and I headed over to Queenstown for the festival, not really sure what to expect. I guess this would have been the same for festival organiser Daniel Joll, as this was the inaugural event. We turned up for registration at the Frankton Ale House on Thursday evening, and found the pub filled with keenContinue reading “Remarkables Ice And Mixed Festival”

How do you feel about localism and surf rage? I reckon it sucks! Here’s a piece I wrote on the topic for Surf.co.nz Localism and Surf Rage – News – Surf.co.nz

Last weekend Jamie Vinton-Boot and I went for a wander into the North Temple Valley in search of ice. There had been a big snowfall a week earlier, and temperatures had been consistently in the negatives since. We were optimistic about the prospect of ice. Unconsolidated, windblown snow kept progress slow as we plugged towardsContinue reading “It’s Cold But Where’s The Ice?”

‘Watch me,’ Jamie Vinton’Boot calls out. He dinks at aquamarine-hard ice with his tools, his front points scratching above the obsidian depths of a sepulchral crevasse. ‘All good mate. You’re looking solid,’ I shout back. The rope slivers over the narrow ramp of glacier beneath my feet. Jamie hasn’t placed an ice screw yet. IfContinue reading “‘The Glaciers Are Retreating’ – article in Alpinist”

It’s not every day your life flashes before your eyes. I was walking along a busy urban street in New Zealand’s second largest city, drinking a cup of takeaway coffee, glancing up towards the sky and wondering if I could squeeze a surf in before dark. The wind looked promising, and a few rays ofContinue reading “‘After The Earthquake’ – article in The Surfer’s Journal”

When once asked to explain why Cormac McCarthy was my favourite author, I uttered two words: ‘The Road’. This forlorn candle of hope in a post apocalyptic world was my first experience of McCarthy’s work, a random purchase at my favourite bookshop. That evening, in bed, I thought to read a few pages…and finished theContinue reading “Cormac McCarthy – a biased view”

Surf and travel go hand in hand. Whether it’s a weekend spent exploring down the coast or a month-long holiday in the tropics during our winter, surfers love the idea and the reality of searching for waves. And there are literally thousands worth searching for, both along New Zealand’s varied coastline and throughout the SouthContinue reading “New Zealand’s Top Surf Breaks”

The New Zealand Alpine Club has asked me to run a writing workshop in June as part of the Unwin Lodge Autumn Arts Workshops. The cost is $700 per person, including accommodation, dinners and transport between Christchurch and Mount Cook if required. A maximum of eight participants will be accepted, and they must be NZACContinue reading “Writing Workshop, Unwin Lodge, Mount Cook Village, June 21-25”

After hearing a small portion of this on National Radio, I raced out and bought the album. And I absolutely love it! I’d describe the music as traditional Maori vocals – moteatea, or chants – along with early instruments. The result is both haunting and fully engaging. Released in 2011, the album Te More hasContinue reading “Te More – album by Whirimako Black and Richard Nunns”