The swells keep coming....life in Middle Earth and the grand opening of Lord of the Rings

Well ...as Id mentioned ...the best time of the year and its all good. Clear blue skys and hardly any wind.

Had another session ...this time being sunday morning ...had a lay in with Mrs NZed and kept and eye on the tide at the same time.

Great timing ...high tide

Wasnt too consistant ...2 to 3 ft with the odd 3 ft plus. Wind was offshore in the morning with a change to a light onshore late morning.

So it was to join the sunday crowd with the longboard club....Had a number of memorable long rides....good fun to throw the old board around again.

If today was an indication of what summer is going to bring ....heaps of surfers....I have to make a special effort to get up earlier.

A mellow time....not too competitive as there was waves breaking everywhere.

I was also expecting to bump into the cast of Lord of the rings....who have an appreciation for the finer things in life...surfing. Over the past two to three years making the movie Hobbits had been seen surfing at our local breaks.

For those interested ...its the grand opening of the third movie here in Wellington NZ. Already heaps of people arriving from overseas and around the country.

The studios and scenes from part of the movie where shot within 10 minutes of where I live and surf.

Monday is the big day...The grand opening ....the roads closed with the red carpet and one of the monster figures hanging off the Embassy theatre. ..A huge crossbow bolt going into one building...another dressed up like a camera....and a huge orc on another building.

Probably more signage as you visit Wellington from the airport....Welcome to Middle Earth.

For those intersted ...will keep you posted. Will almost be certainly taking the kids downtown to join in the festivities.

another hobbit movie-surf connection: legolas styling as he rides a shield down the stairs at helms deep while getting off 80-100 arrows per minute with an implied 100% accuracy. those elfs have deep quivers as they never run out.

btw - is helms deep completely fabricated or did they use an existing fortress?

Helms Deep All completely fabricated....built in a quarry and when filming was done....all day and night. Could be seen next to the main road. Facinating Stuff. It was also filmed in winter and the actors faced the condtitions...wet and cold. Subsequently suffered hypothermia.

Its monday here now and the place has gone mad....have some photos from last night ...Setting up and theres a red carpet...the longest I have seen...about 5 km. From parliment...beehive to the embassy theatre ! People already camping out last night to get the best positions.

I will be also keeping an eye out for hobbits surfing in the next week or two.

NZed www.wellingtonnz.com