Back then ....

Terry Fitzgerald spent almost a year travelling and surfing in the States and Mexico. He surfed the Islands at the end of last Winter before heading to the mainland to gain shaping experience. I met him in the Islands on his return there and spent a month at Rocky Point with himand his little lady. Prior to his going to the States we travelled the North Coast, Queensland and Victoria looking for some good tubes.

Terry is a very determined yet graceful surfer. You see more of his gracefulness in the smaller Australian waves and more of his determination surfing Rocky Point in the Islands. Surfing in Hawaii is an incredible test for any surfer but for your first time there it's even more so. The waves are entirely different to the average Australian wave. There's more energy and power in the ocean. The sea is continually moving and to surf it well requires an incredible amount of experience.

In the month we were there he surfed Rocky Point, Sunset, Velzyland and just about every other North Shore location. He surfed them witha determination that got the respect of a large number of very good local surfers. Where most of the local surfers ride low and around the peak Terry was surfing high and into the bowl, instead of going around it he was heading into it. Ilike his style of surfing because he's always going for it, he doesn't lay back. The Islands was a tremendous experience for him as it is for everyone, one way or another you find out exactly how good you are.

— AF