Blue Monday? Buy a board!

Let's all agree. Monday's are generally kak. It started out as a mediocre day. Really arb swell, funky winds. Decided to get some work done. Lunch-time comes and think it'd be a good idea to get wet, despite lack of surf. Swim with a surfboard beats sitting working on computer any day.

Wetsuit on, sunscreen on. All good. As about to leave my flat to go down and get board suddenly hear our block's generator go on. Not good. Means electricity has gone awol. Double not good cos my garages have electric doors - which mean I can't get to my surfboards. Ah, wait. I installed a manual key lock specifically for when the power goes out and I still need to be able to get my boards. Had planned ahead. Clever.

But now not so clever. Where is the key? Eish, she be gone. K, who can I bum a board off?....cos now all dressed up ready for a surf...with no board. Rule #1....if you are in your wetsuit you may not get out of it again if you haven't got into the water. Maybe I can just go bodysurf? Nope, fins in garage too.

Call John at Surf Centre hoping he can drop a shop board off as he comes past. Cos car stuck in basement. Door is electric. But John was already at Pipe for a quick surf. K, scratch that off the list.

K, who else is in walking distance with boards? Ah, Mush! He's in 5th avenue and has a huge board rack. Call Mush. No answer. Mush sucks at answering his phone. Call Mush's guesthouse. Mush is out. Don't want to just go take board without asking. K, scratch that off the list. Next option?

Think, think, think......

Wait a minute...have got Greg Smith's number, and he's just down the lane. Call Greg. "Apologies for random call...please can I come borrow a board!" Greg's like, for sure, no worries. Good man, Greg.

Run down the lane, grab Greg's mini-simmons 5ft6 keel finned square-tailed wave gobbling machine. Yes please! Love trying new boards, and have been seeing Greg rip on this lil thing and been keen to give it a bash.

Eish, this board went like a Boeing in the pap, lumpy conditions. Plenty volume up front and a massive square tail at the back give it lotsa lift, making paddling a dream. Still has ample rocker and kiff sharp rails at the tail - with a nice double V concave, so turns on a dime. Soft rails and a wide, high volume nose make late take-offs a dream and are very forgiving on turns and getting you back down off the lip. Fun, fun, fun.

How much fun? I went and dropped the board back at Greg's after my surf....and ordered one for myself! 

So what started off as a kak day ended up with me getting a new board. Happy with that. There is always a silver lining to a dark cloud. 

PS no idea how peeps surf Millers without booties. Got plenty holes in my feet making the walk out and back in over the reef. My booties were stuck in the garage too. First time have ever surfed Millers without booties. Won;t repeat the exercise in a hurry. Happy to admit am a wimp.

PPS - this is a super fun board to have in your quiver. Just ask Brian du Plessis - he is absolutely ripping his to pieces. Tune Greg on 083 230 5531 if you wanna get one.