It's only ever a positive experience. This weekend disappointed surfwise, but the blame lies with me. I reckon there are a lot of us who had elevated expectations - a surefire way to shaft yourself. That, and a few bad calls here and there - where to go, when to look and when to look elsewhere. And then picking the wrong peak, the wrong wave, and surfing badly when it does come your way. The lessons, the learning curve, and the feeling that after 3 dry weeks, I've slipped a little backwards on that curve.
But, there is much to be grateful for. I had 4 very different sessions this weekend. Different waves, different crowds, and a completely different vibe to each of them.
My favourite was Friday evening. It was a last minute call out of desperation. The thought matrix went something like this. "I haven't surfed for a while. I can surf now. Therefore, I should surf. Done." It was a very good call, as it changed my weekend. For example, I learned then that I'd forgotten my wesuit in Cape Town. If I learned that truth on Saturday morning, it would have been a very different weekend and would have involved a lot more profanity. So, I managed to borrow one on Friday, and hit the 'whatever' waves on a gloomy evening with only one other desperate soul out.
There was a very nice bowly right sucking out into a rip. The other guy wasn't interested - sitting on a bank off to the side. It took me few minutes of fighting the current to work out why. Good wave, yes. But, just holding your position was the first of many challenges to riding it. I gave up after a while and went over to join him.
It turned out to be an old friend and we chatted for a bit, mostly in reference to the wave which had beaten us. But, about then, a squall came through as the late sun found a gap under the clouds near the near horizon. And that's what made the session. The golden sun on the sea, the water in the sky filling the world with a champagne light and fizz at it fell in. At that moment, we couldn't care less about the waves, or our abilities. There was a double rainbow that was full circle. There was so many droplets around us that it appeared arms length. You just wanted to reach out and spin it like on your finger like a hoop. After that, it was only going to be a good session.
A few average waves later, my buddy called it and went in to have a braai with the family. I stayed on ace out. Now, after sunset, the gloom returned heavier. It still didn't matter. I sat and waited. A set appeared and I just caught a spalsh of disturbance in the crest of one wave as it disappeared before then wave ahead of it.
As I stroked over and into the trough, my thoughts were confirmed. A pod of dolphins had arrived for a dinner and a surf on the edge of the bank. I sat in the building darkness as hunted around me. I could hear their echoing clicks and squeaks in the wine-dark water. They would burst up next to me and vanish a swirl. Aware, but indifferent.
Then, they were gone along with the last light. I surfed a final close-out and flopped down prone to ride the foamy in. Surfwise, awful. On the whole, amazing. The lesson: there's always a positive. After that, the rest of the weekend's misadventures didn't seem to matter.
But, there is much to be grateful for. I had 4 very different sessions this weekend. Different waves, different crowds, and a completely different vibe to each of them.
My favourite was Friday evening. It was a last minute call out of desperation. The thought matrix went something like this. "I haven't surfed for a while. I can surf now. Therefore, I should surf. Done." It was a very good call, as it changed my weekend. For example, I learned then that I'd forgotten my wesuit in Cape Town. If I learned that truth on Saturday morning, it would have been a very different weekend and would have involved a lot more profanity. So, I managed to borrow one on Friday, and hit the 'whatever' waves on a gloomy evening with only one other desperate soul out.
There was a very nice bowly right sucking out into a rip. The other guy wasn't interested - sitting on a bank off to the side. It took me few minutes of fighting the current to work out why. Good wave, yes. But, just holding your position was the first of many challenges to riding it. I gave up after a while and went over to join him.
It turned out to be an old friend and we chatted for a bit, mostly in reference to the wave which had beaten us. But, about then, a squall came through as the late sun found a gap under the clouds near the near horizon. And that's what made the session. The golden sun on the sea, the water in the sky filling the world with a champagne light and fizz at it fell in. At that moment, we couldn't care less about the waves, or our abilities. There was a double rainbow that was full circle. There was so many droplets around us that it appeared arms length. You just wanted to reach out and spin it like on your finger like a hoop. After that, it was only going to be a good session.
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| About as close as the entire internet can get to dsiplaying that moment. Thanks, Brian Nevin |
As I stroked over and into the trough, my thoughts were confirmed. A pod of dolphins had arrived for a dinner and a surf on the edge of the bank. I sat in the building darkness as hunted around me. I could hear their echoing clicks and squeaks in the wine-dark water. They would burst up next to me and vanish a swirl. Aware, but indifferent.
Then, they were gone along with the last light. I surfed a final close-out and flopped down prone to ride the foamy in. Surfwise, awful. On the whole, amazing. The lesson: there's always a positive. After that, the rest of the weekend's misadventures didn't seem to matter.
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