Finding Humour

Occasionally, I'll stagger to my lap-top, pre-coffee and be quite surprised and a bit bemused by the forecast on Windguru.  I'll be looking at a very strange forecast for Cape Town.  The wind is weirdly consistent, and the temperature with it.  There's no angry purple brusies of a gale followed by calm powder blues a few hours later with the.  The arrows don't swing violently like a compass bedevilled by a magnet.  Swells come and go with long periods, usually from the NW, before vanishing to windswell.  My intial reaction is that the models must have it wrong.  Some flaw in the data processing is leading to this.  Of course, we never think that the problem lies with us.  A few seconds later, I might notice that the page is still on its Maui default, and I'm reading the forecast for the North Shore.  Ah, mystery solved - again, fool.

I don't know if any other adherents to the 'Guru have a similar experience.  But, one that it does lead to is being pretty aware of what's going on there in surfing's answer to the Colloseum.  I remember a few years back, Cape Town was blessed with an unbelievable summer run.  And in seeing both forecasts, it was often CT summer > NS winter.  This year, neither areas can claim a boon of waves.  CT has had a fairly quiet winter by our own high standards, followed by summer doldrums.  The North Shore has been blighted, too, and there's much grumbling from the rock.

Still, with the world's elite packing into a small stretch of coast, there is some action going down.  Guys have been practising their aerial punts - not usually part of the Hawaiian repertoire, but better than nothing.  And I only hope that with everyone in it together, a sense of humour is prevailing.  We all know the grumpiest beast on earth is the wave starved surfer.  So how do you think Jordy managed this situation?

Jordy Smith, and friend

Of everything that this photo says, from what WTF factor, to the indignity of a older man lying down, to the way his gunning for it, pretending like he's charging, but actually seeming quite a fool.  There's a lot that's unsaid too.  What was the build up?  Was Jordy being a bit greedy and did he deserve it?  Is the booger a chop who reckons his age earns him priority?  Does he know what Jordy is capable of and where he can put his fins, should he choose?

And afterwards?  Some stern words or just a scowl?  Laughing it off - because, let's face it, it is quite ridiculous.  A scared booger heading for the beach?  Jordy heading to the beach, because if that sort of thing is going down, is it really worth it?

My best part is Jordy's elbow: retracted in a sort of don't-touch-that-thing manner lest it rub off on you.  Close second is the rest of body language:  Seriously, bru?

Shot to Zigzag for the image, photo credit Kolesky/Nikon/Lexar