He is, as always, emphatically low-key yet remains an inspiration to surfers everywhere. Not least of those is Karl Bromelow who took these shots near Bells Beach during the Rip Curl competition. When the comp was over Karl drove home to the Mornington Peninsula where it was quieter and he could surf alone.

When the Rip Curl comp moved to Winkipop during Day 3 it was an opportunity for the Bells Legends (read: crusty old blokes) and freesurfing pros to hook into the Bells Bowl.

After all, Queensland and Northern NSW are usually the regions that get delivered the festive joy, while Vicco rests its weary head. Not this time however, Vicco - at least the stretch east of Melbourne - received a pumping post-Christmas swell while everywhere else languished (parts of WA and SA not withstanding...settle down tribesmen). Karl Bromelow took the shots of a summer that has been turned on its head.//STUART NETTLE

There's 200 guys in the water at Rocky Point today, and there's 300 photographers on the beach shooting them. Yet here's Karl Bromelow walking his local beaches alone, looking at empty line-ups and asking the question: where the bloody hell are you?! That question only works for dippy blondes, Karl.//STUART NETTLE

Karl Bromelow is the sole witness to a magnificent morning of wave

These shots are a bit different from the usual and give a feel of another mellow, country side of Victorian surfing on a decent weather day, at long last.

Josh Morgan and the Victorian arm of the Bomb Squad

Who needs a full belly when their soul is feasting?