Safetosea

ONE GOOD WAVE

Yesterday I snuck down for a much deserved splash.

I was greeted with strong offshore winds, perfect 4-5 ft waves and a lineup filled with a bunch of guys just as wave starved as me, given the near month of drivel we've suffered as the east coast of Australia single handedly consumed the rest of the world's quality surf.

It was hollow, fast, straight as an arrow, and... could I get a decent wave?

Too far inside, blown takeoffs, just "one of those days". Scored a couple of near misses, short speed runs that had hope writ large, only to see them race off ahead, a couple of beauties that I thought were mine! mine! mine!.. only to see a flash of board out of the wrong corner of my squinty little eye.

Getting tired, but not getting cranky as I was enjoying just being there... and then it came.

A medium-large one, an under the lip take off helped by a hot young kid that paddled up my leg trying to get into it, only to nudge me that little bit and help me catch it instead.

A sign of a quality ride is when you don't remember much, but it did have that fast, reactive quality that marks a good one, and it eventually saw me me setting up a loooong clean barrel that I, almost , nearly just quite didn't make it out of. I'd tried hard to keep my line open, my stance looser and more responsive, stayed higher, learning the lessons of three weeks ago, weaving, weaving and whack!

Came up smiling, a young guy said ' that must have been a good view mate.. I thought you were gonna make it out but then it just ran away from ya' .

Glad to hear that as I thought I just stuffed up.

Went in soon after. No chance of matching it so off home with a smile.

After all, it only takes one, doesn't it?