drift, perspectives in surfing

Gran Canaria is already a favourite getaway for many Europeans. Year-round sunshine, virtually no rain and an abundance of home comforts have the tourists flocking in by the thousands. But Drift discovered a far better reason to visit - literally hundreds of hidden surf spots that can be yours alone to enjoy all year round.

They're trained to defend their country and protect our freedom and liberty, but when active service is over, many soldiers find themselves struggling with personal and mental problems that the army just doesn't want to know about. Could surfing provide some answers? Words & photos: Russ Pierre

Chris Preston interviews Sydney's Matt Chojnacki. His surfing may be heavily influenced by the glories of the past, but to tag him as just another retro dude is missing the mark. Words: Chris Preston. Photos: Matt Johnson / thesealife.com.au

Chris Brunt chats to west Penwith's prodigal son and professional journeyman Sam Bleakley about his thirst for adventure and love of longboarding. [All photos by Chris Brunt.]

Drift catches up with multi-award winning photographer Lucia Griggi whose office is the ocean and who is one of the most respected surf photographers in a male dominated industry. www.luciagriggi.com

Cyrus Sutton made an impression on the international film circuit with his 2003 breakthrough movie 'Riding Waves'. Now the EMMY award-winning documentary maker has turned his attention to the divergent surf scenes of Australia's Gold Coast and Byron Bay. Words: Tommy Leitch Photos: Courtesy of Cyrus Sutton

Big-wave riding is an awe-inspiring experience, but what happens when things go wrong? In an exclusive extract from his new book, Al Mennie explains what it's like to survive the mother of all wipeouts.

Dreamt up over 20 years ago by Renaud and Thomas Cardinal, two French brothers with a passion for board making, UWL has grown to become one of the biggest factories in Europe, while building a reputation based on performance and quality. Rui Ribeiro talks with Renaud about the past, present and future of UWL...

Meet Nick Blair of Joistik Surfboards, whose distinctive decal gets a regular flashing as some of the Gold Coast's best surfers do their thing. Photos & words: Mat Arney

Jimmy Newitt pays homage to one of South Devon's treasures - not a break but a surfer who stands tall in the crowd. Words: Jimmy Newitt Photos: Ollie Howe

Kye Fitzgerald recounts the tale of the unusual return of Bobby Owens' magic board. Photos: Mark Onorati, Aitionn