I am not a whale.

On the two occasions that I have been seen in a wetsuit I am reasonably certain that I closely resembled a hippopotamus that had been forced in to a sausage skin, along with two ferrets and a gherkin. No sooner had I entered the water than Greenpeace arrived and began trying to coax me into deeper waters lest I beach the remainder of the pod. Needless to say I now leave the surf to the surfers and instead confine myself to standing on the beach, at a safe distance from the water, with only my boots, jeans, jacket and camera for company.

[Delia]

Wise move. Great shot, you can still enjoy surfing without getting wet!

[Anne with an E]

LOL at the description! Lovely shot of the surfers at the beach.

[Graeme Stevens]

@anne15 Thanks very much - every word of it is the truth ;)
@deliad I have trouble staying afloat in the shower, so it's best that I stay on dry land - and thanks

[Leigh Anne Sanderson]

Thank you for making me smile! Not on the commentary, but the blue water is my peace!

[Richard Sayer]

Normal photos two days running - are you having a mid-life crisis or something?

[Graeme Stevens]

@lsanderson55 You're most welcome, pleased to be of assistance
@vignouse I know...it's disturbing for me as well

[Sam]

I stroll struggle to believe that NZ has waves for surfers :)

[Nancy]

Super layers of colors! Love the blues..fav :)

[Sam]

@graemestevens Stoll = *still* :)

[Annie D]

More colours - oh my
I love the beach I do stay away from wetsuits though for all the very same reasons - minus the ferrets and gherkin

[Graeme Stevens]

@nanderson Thank you so much :)
@annied It's very odd...normal service will be resumed as soon as I get some inspiration again.
@gigiflower I still struggle to believe people want to go in the water. But will I struggle to believe that I do stroll ;)

[Annie D]

@gigiflower @graemestevens no true Australian would struggle with swimming at the beach - it is a National pastime Miss Sam - you must partake

[Graeme Stevens]

@annied @gigiflower As long as she doesn't wear a bikini. I bet her legs are worse than mine.

[Sam]

@graemestevens @annied Mr Stevens you are a very mean man.

[Marnie]

My mind boggleth with the whole concept.

[Melissa]

Ferrets and a gherkin. That's fantastic!

[Graeme Stevens]

@divast8er You say that...until you see it ;)
@golftragic It's a bit of a stretch I know...I may have made it up ;)
@gigiflower @annied I'm awful, heartless, hideous, nasty...but you did just admit that I'm a man, so at least that's no longer in doubt ;)

[Annie D]

@graemestevens I don't think you are heartless

[Rachel]

But surely the water in NZ is so cold that most people shrivel to half their normal size?! Cool shot.

[Graeme Stevens]

@annied Naaawwwww...thanks. Everything else applies though?
@888rachel Not usually...but I still don't go in...there are things in there that eat you...

[Annie D]

@graemestevens haha not at all - although Graeme you are 'awful' ( said with accent and lilt to voice ) if you know what I mean lol

[sally agnew]

Ah those waves look enticing, desperately need a beach fix. Surely you would have to be an improvement on some of the sights in lycra on bikes, especially when the lycra is a little on the thin side :(((

[Graeme Stevens]

@annied I do know ;)
@hermann Oh that I am, especially when wearing my gold medallion ;)

[*lynn]

wonderful capture .... beautiful waves and colors

[Annie D]

@graemestevens ha ha then all is good with the world

[Tammy]

I am absolutely loving the color of that water....and it's an awesome action shot to boot! And I am positive that you look nothing like a hippopotamus!

[Graeme Stevens]

@lynnz Thank you kindly :)
@tabarlett Thank you, thank you, and you're right...more like a mutated strain of salami
@annied Rather old chum. Not that you're old...but you know what I mean ;)

[Ukandie!]

Super capture.

[Graeme Stevens]

@ukandie1 Thank you, a bit uninspired but it will do ;)

[Yao RL]

He is trying to pump up the courage, It reminded me the look what my cat with all hairs stand up when facing a tom cat.

[Graeme Stevens]

@yaorenliu I think he is too...I know I would be

[Rachel Withey]

Fantastic action shot. On the rare occasions I don a wetsuit I chose to believe everyone looks as you describe. Makes people do that fast run to the sea so no one can see them.

[Annie D]

@graemestevens well there are bits that feel old - and then I drink some wine

[Graeme Stevens]

@rachelwithey Fast? Run? What are these things of which you speak? ;) And thanks :)

[Graeme Stevens]

@annied I never feel old. Probably because I'm never sober.

[Brigette]

We used to boogie board in wetsuits.. nice shot

[Graeme Stevens]

@brigette Thanks very much - I used to body surf but I have so much body these days that the water displacement is more than disturbing

[Annie D]

@graemestevens and why would you be sober - who wants to feel old?

[Graeme Stevens]

@annied Not me. I'd rather struggle to get up in the morning, battle a hangover until 10.30, stumble through the day and then get drunk again.

[Brigette]

@graemestevens oh dear! perhaps best not then! stick to dry land with camera in hand!

[aikiuser (jenn)]

Darn those pesky Greenpeacers.

[Annie D]

@graemestevens exactly!

[Newbank Lass]

What about pants?

[kali]

if you headed to farewell spit you might be a good decoy and lead the pod to safety

[Graeme Stevens]

@kali66 True, I'm on my way.
@newbank Never wear them, far too restrictive ;)
@aikiuser If only they'd leave me to frolic in the waves in peace!

[Taffy]

Great action shot. Your commentary cracked me up!

[Graeme Stevens]

@taffy Thanks very much :)

[dh (delena)]

I'm glad you're not subjecting us to pictures of yourself in a wetsuit - the description was disturbing enough.

[Denise fuller]

great action shot, your story is interesting too. I think maybe you are more of a chicken than a hippo :)))

[Graeme Stevens]

@dh Putting me in a wetsuit is certainly one way to get the beach to myself...
@denisefuller I think you may be right, but why would I go in the sea? There are things in there that think I'm "lunch"

[☠northy]

your write-up has me in stitches... but really, you've worn a corset - could a wetsuit really be worse?

[Graeme Stevens]

@northy Oh yes...a corset holds it in, the wetsuit...well...I was almost free range

[Kane Arlow]

I get that treatment from Greenpeace as well. But I keep going and tell them to bugger off.
I would like to go surfing in NZ. that and going snowboarding in NZ are on my bucket list.

[Graeme Stevens]

@karlow75 They keep throwing buckets of water over me...bastards!

[Leanne M Williams]

Ha ha ha lmao!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You are so funny, thanks for the visual and making me laugh :-D beautiful shot by the way :-)

[Graeme Stevens]

@leanne333 Thank you very much and you're most welcome

[Harbie]

I love the layered colors of the water!

[Graeme Stevens]

@harbie Thank you very much :)

[David]

OMG... He's walking on water! Is it the same guy or a rival cult leader?

[Graeme Stevens]

@yrhenwr It's a rival cult leader. He did not succeed.