symondrake.com » New Zealand

The Mair Park Bigfoot pays off

Symon — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 04:01:00 +0000

Many moons ago while surfing Amazon’s Listmanias I came across an author by the name of Jeremy Robinson. To cut a long story short, he was running a viral video contest to promote his new book, Pulse. I bribed my good buddy Lesmondj into spending a Saturday afternoon in the bush and what eventuated was two versions of the now infamous Bigfoot attack video (over 10,000 hits now on Metacafe and YouTube).

We won by a landslide, the closest (and only) opponent trailing by 9000ish hits (but who’s counting) and I was delighted to recieve the promised books last week.

A massive THANKYOU to Jeremy Robinson for the very generous prize (and for forking out mega moolah for the postage). Please check out his site here.

And for all those dying to know how the movie magic was created, here is some Bigfoot Attack Footage trivia…

1. No, the Bigfoot wasn’t real. There was more than one concerned person thinking the footage was authentic. Lesmondj and I must have the mean acting skills (and girls dig guys who have skills…).

2. The entire attack scene was done on the first take… with an imagined Bigfoot, yes imagined, not real.

3. Jon Dylan used his computer hacking skills to overlay the Bigfoot sound effects (purchased from Itunes for $1.79).

4. Apparently, the Bigfoot growls sound identical to a real Bigfoot, as one reader commented (as she deals with them on a daily basis – seriously).

5. The Mair Park Ghost legend is mostly true.

6. On the short version, Yes, the blood was real… from my nose. Don’t ask.

7. The rotting bone at the cave’s entrance (tedious version) was stolen from my dog.

8. Lesmondj spent the majority of the attack scene voluntarily lying in a puddle of water. The mark of a true friend.

9. There was no script.

View the short (and exhilirating) version below:

Footage of Bigfoot Attack? – Click here for more blooper videos

View the long (but informative) version below:

Mair Park Ghost Footage

Symon — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 06:52:00 +0000

About this time last year, I wrote of the time when my parents had a close encounter with the urban legend known as ‘The Mair Park Ghost. The original post created quite a stir, and you can read the subsequent shenanigans here:

The Mair Park Ghost

Haunted houses, ghosts and demons

Ghost mystery solved… or is it?

Symon Drake… Ghostbuster (heh)

Revenge of the Mair Park Ghost

On Saturday, my good buddy Lesmond and I decided to make a small video diary/doco about the ghost legend. What ensued was far from expected, or rehearsed. Disturbing footage follows.

Revenge of the Weta!

Symon — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 06:46:00 +0000

New Zealand Giant Weta

A year ago I confessed to blogosphere that I was scared of spiders. Over the space of three months, I willed myself to tolerate them, and now actually like them in a warped kind of way. You can read my journey from considering spiders eight legged freaks, to eight legged furry friends here, here, and here.

Confession time again… I’m not fond of Wetas either.

When I was five, a lone Weta terrorized my primary school. I, being the bravest of them all, climbed up the tree where it was scaring us witless with its pure horror and crushed it with a rock. I faced my fears, saved the day, and then faced Weta pulp. Problem was I felt ashamed for what I’d done and my fear for Wetas only grew.

Last night a discovered a Weta on my back doorstep (perhaps a descendant of the one I murdered seeking vengeance?). As I am ‘not of those who shrink back’ I picked it up, got Paisleyjade to get photo proof and have now begun a new journey… overcoming my fear of Wetas.

The plan:

1. Make a Weta Motel
2. Pray hard that I don’t get bitten by Wetas
3. Handle Wetas
4. Kiss a Weta
5. Overcome fear of Wetas

Dad, will you join me?

My not-so-giant New Zealand Tree Weta

Flipper… shark repeller!

Symon — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 06:47:00 +0000

Q: What do you get when you cross Flipper with Jaws?
A: A fish that will bite you in half then save you from drowning.

But seriously folks, as a follow up to my Surfing With Jaws story, I would like to retell the events which happened at a local beach (about 45 minute’s drive from here) in 2004.

Four people were doing lifeguard training about 100 metres off Ocean Beach, Whangarei when they were menaced by a 3 metre great white. Frightening stuff indeed (I wonder if it was the same shark that menaced me? ;-)

Incredibly, a pod of dolphins came to their rescue and surrounded them until they could get to safety. The dolphins ‘herded’ the swimmers to shore, continuously swimming tight circles around them and slapping the water with their tails to scare the predator away, which at times was only a couple of metres from them. The ordeal lasted a lenghty 40 minutes and the group were in no doubt that the dolphins were trying to protect them.

It sounds almost too good to be true doesn’t? Lovable Flipper and his friends protecting man from certain death by Jaws… At the time it made global headlines. What is more startling, is that it isn’t the only time this senario has played out.

In November 2007, Surfer Todd Endris was badly mauled (sharks maul?), by a 12-15 foot shark and was in desperate need of a miracle. I wonder if he prayed, because miraculously a pod of dolphins surrounded him and safely got him to shore, where he was air-lifted to hospital (read the story here).

I have always had a bad attitude towards dolphins. Mainly due to the fact that so many people love them more than unborn children. I guess it’s not the dolphins fault that mankind is so badly misguided.

So in conclusion, I say hooray for Flipper… shark repeller!

Surfing with jaws

Symon — Sat, 13 Dec 2008 07:57:00 +0000

It was the summer of 99… oooo yeah (in my best Bryan Adams voice). Me and my good buddy Les were surfing at Elliots’ beach, Far North, New Zealand. It was a brilliant summer’s day, the waves were small but clean, and I was out the back by myself waiting for the next set (Les was grovelling further in due to his board being too short).

While waiting for the next set I saw a huge form cruise slowly past me, about 10′ away and about 4′ from the water’s surface. It took a couple of seconds for my mind to register what it was… a huge shark, longer than my 9′ longboard (10′-12′ would not be an exaggeration). For a brief moment I was in awe of the creature, until I realised that it looked remarkably like a Great White, and that my legs were in very close proximity to it’s jaws.

Anyone else ever had a terror-rush? It’s something you never forget.

I prayed silently while trying to gently catch a wave in using only my fingers to paddle with. Somehow, I managed to ride in (an angel must have pushed my board ;-). I came up beside Les, who was in wastedeep water, and pointed to the water out yonder. We both saw the shark’s silouette in the oncoming wave… it was a truly awesome sight, albiet for only seconds. Wonder had overtaken fear.

Needless to say, we didn’t go surfing again… that is, at least for a couple of hours.

I’ve read recently that it is not the shark you do see that is dangerous. It is the shark that you don’t see that is dangerous, as sharks use the element of surprise and attack their intended morsel unseen from underneath. So, next time you are out surfing or swimming, remember… if you don’t see a shark, be afraid… be very afraid.