Desert Point for Beginners: Part 2

The second installment of an epic tale of bravery and daring!  What fate awaits our hero?  Will he get shacked off his pip?  Or will his pip get shoved up his own arse?  Read on... (Or catch up with Part 1 here)

Part 2:

Laying down the gauntlet

Impossibles, despite its name, was a fine learning wave.  It’s a bit of a warm-water Elands– the wave that had convinced me to abandon my sponging days and get to my feet.  Not hollow, but then not shallow and a fine challenge for me at the time.

An Ozzie, Bezza, had become a good friend.  He also liked having me around to split the cost of anything we got up to.  This suited me as well as it forced me to surf where he did – which was often right on the fringe of my ability.  

We spent a few weeks cruising the Bukit on a scooter.  One drove, the other held boards.  We’d also hooked a few longer trips to Canggu and Balian, doing home-stays when there was no accommodation to suit the budget.  

Bezza, waxing up for a Balian session

In the water, I was coming along; surfing longer, not caring about what the bottom was made of anymore.  My first few sessions had left me exhausted after about an hour, and with those curious bruises on your last few ribs.  Now, I was passed that and could surf until the hunger pulled me to shore.  Despite inhaling all food put in front of us, the boardies that had been snug when I stepped off the plane were now hanging off my arse, especially when wet.

“Thinkin’ about heading over to Desert Point.  You in?”  he laid down one evening as we sat on the balcony, the evening glassed off on Padang.

“Jeez, I dunno.  It’s quite heavy, hey?”

“C’mon.  It’s about the best wave in the world.”

“Yah, its super shallow…”

“C’mon.  Come with – come back a hero.”  Not for the first time, I submitted to the superior Ozzie logic.