Harry Grufter Reports on the birth of Barnacle

Posted Wednesday 26th September

September 19th-ish

Shannon decided (dreamed) one afternoon that we should all take some wood up to Taiba and build a slider for a sunset session. Now, in some countries this idea may seem not to far fetched but in Brazil, as Bill and I knew, the birth of Barnacle, the slider, would take more than just one afternoon. Beaten on the first day, Shannon swore (I mean really swore) that he would be back to tomorrow to finish it off.

Slider Construction

The sun rose and Shannon didn't. The new day arrived as normal in Brazil except for Shannon's need to build a nasty slider. He needed a drill. He went for a drill and by 4 pm in the afternoon and 6 hrs of searching Shannon had a drill. But, Shannon needed to charge the drill ... 8 hrs, not enough time in the day. Two days down.

NB – At this stage Bill and I both explained to Shannon you needed about a week to do such ambitious projects in Brazil.

Birth

Slider

On the third day, and with some minor political uprisings and power struggles over the use of the car, Shannon charged towards the lagoon with his wood-laden chariot (Toyota hilux 4WD, diesel, turbo, just moving) ready for battle. Bill had left for Peru by now and was a little sad not to ride the slider before he left. But he knew the facts: this could take time, so he walked away graciously for a new adventure. Shannon on the other was digging frantically with the help of Beto (the fisherman's son) and Lil' Alex Brown to finish placing the support poles into the lagoon's edge. Some cross beams and the rail were actually placed on the slider that day ... until the battery in the drill ran out.

Bill 05 (if bill stayed he would have been doing this to Barnie)

Lil'Alex

There was something different about Day 4. Shannon was up and ready to go do a morning shoot. Off we went to shoot. Even Lil' Alex was awake to witness Shannon awake. Poor Shannon. This early morning start at Taiba was probably the windiest morning this year with easy 30 knots plus winds firing sand across the lagoon. It was way too windy for freestyle and photo shoots. So more work was done on the slider as Shannon and the crew slowly but surely added rotten nail-riddled wood in random locations along the support beams. Would it be finished on the 4th day?

Cruise

Alex Junior

That afternoon with a fresh clip in the drill Shannon did the impossible. He completed constructing something in less than a week for the price of a drill and a few bolts. Barnacle was born! One of the ugliest sliders in history with concern for serious injury if you messed up. In fact the waters edge had filled in with the strong winds and blowing sand. Barnie was now over dry land!

Shannon

Junior

It's been a week now since Barnie was born. It was a painful and trying birth but Shannon has his new toy figured out. Lil Alex has been sliding the rail too, but I'm not sure who else will hit Barnie. In fact, if you didn't help build it over 4 days then its probably wiser to leave Shannon slider alone and go do some freestyle down wind.

Sunset