We are fortunate for many reasons here in South Africa. Another mag I sometimes read ran an article recently asking their contributers that if they could live anywhere, anywhen - what would that be. Most came up with fairly cultural answers - London in the 1690's, for example - which saw the advent of printing, the colonisation of the New World and all the wonderful new products it brought, the birth of modern finance, et cetera. Another picked the West Coast of America - circa 15000BC - a hunter gatherers paradise and certainly uncrowded surf. I don't think you're allowed to take a wetsuit or your modern board. Best start carving a redwood with that flint blade then.
I'm sure the point of the article was to get the reader to ask themself the same question: anywhere, and anywhen? Most of us are thinking already, and if you're like me, your answers are either around 40 - 50 years ago, or much, much further back. I'm guessing you're either in Indo or Hawaii. Possibly somewhere else in the South Pacific.
I thought a bit further and, perhaps short-sightedly, came up with: Cape Town, Now. Why? Because it's an amazing balance of things. Historically, it's a fascinating time for us - we are on the cusp of either making it or not as country. We are living in a chapter that will be closely studied in the future. We straddle the first and third world and enjoy some of the benefits of both, and of course a few drawbacks. We have third world freedoms, along with third world dangers. But we also enjoy first world services.
As a surfer, it's also an awesome balance between being an established surfing nation, and a bit of a backwater. We have 1st class shapers, who are ridiculously cheap. Generally, its a time when technology is really cool - forecasting, wetsuits, but we still have a relatively untainted coast. We have sufficient infrastructure and an economy which makes getting to out of the way spots possible. We can still explore our own backyard, and with going too far find ourselves alone in cooking surf. We have amazing talent amongst us in many fields of surfing, and we have a long enough history to have some great father figures to look up to. Which, after all that, brings me to my point:
This guy:
I surfed with Gavin a few months ago, not knowing at the time I was sharing the water with a legend. His stoke was infectious. He's sixty plus and froths like a 15 year-old grom. At one point, he paddles up to me and says he's sorry he snaked me on that last wave. I'm a bit confused - I'm pretty sure I had no chance of making that section so I'd pulled back. No snake in my book. Still, the next one's mine, he says. Back in the parking lot he's hooting as an unridden set comes through. I chat to him about his Firewire and mention I'm interested in one. He offers his for me to try out. I don't know the guy and he's more generous with his gear than a close buddy. One word: Legend. Did I mention that he's a former world champ and has won at macking sunset amongst some of the original Hawaiian heroes? And what credentials does your CV have? Didn't think so.
I think this image is of Yzterfontein, but you can see the JBay grooming coming through. I bet he went a long way down this wall before it caught him, or he kicked out, scanning the horizon for the next one as he did.
I'm sure the point of the article was to get the reader to ask themself the same question: anywhere, and anywhen? Most of us are thinking already, and if you're like me, your answers are either around 40 - 50 years ago, or much, much further back. I'm guessing you're either in Indo or Hawaii. Possibly somewhere else in the South Pacific.
I thought a bit further and, perhaps short-sightedly, came up with: Cape Town, Now. Why? Because it's an amazing balance of things. Historically, it's a fascinating time for us - we are on the cusp of either making it or not as country. We are living in a chapter that will be closely studied in the future. We straddle the first and third world and enjoy some of the benefits of both, and of course a few drawbacks. We have third world freedoms, along with third world dangers. But we also enjoy first world services.
As a surfer, it's also an awesome balance between being an established surfing nation, and a bit of a backwater. We have 1st class shapers, who are ridiculously cheap. Generally, its a time when technology is really cool - forecasting, wetsuits, but we still have a relatively untainted coast. We have sufficient infrastructure and an economy which makes getting to out of the way spots possible. We can still explore our own backyard, and with going too far find ourselves alone in cooking surf. We have amazing talent amongst us in many fields of surfing, and we have a long enough history to have some great father figures to look up to. Which, after all that, brings me to my point:
This guy:
 |
| Gavin Rudolph: more likely to tell you how to thread the barrel at Supers than the price of bread when he was your age. |
I think this image is of Yzterfontein, but you can see the JBay grooming coming through. I bet he went a long way down this wall before it caught him, or he kicked out, scanning the horizon for the next one as he did.
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