The week that was...

8/27/2018

There were some waves to be had during the week, enough to satisfy the salt water injection cravings of our addiction. Nothing flash, but sure beat being absolutely flat. Even though the swell didn't quite match what the forecasts had predicted.

Look around the corner © James Jones

Had some beaut days interspersed with some that are what gave PE her moniker of the Windy City. It absolutely pomped on Sunday. Pity - cos there was swell. But ask any local surfer and they'll tell you 8 outta 10 times we have good waves the wind is there to stuff it up. It is what it is. Which is why everyone goes bossies when we have the superlative combo of swell and no wind. Bit like a four leaf clover though.

Seals looking peachy © Clive Wright

Just in case you were wondering how windy it was on Sunday...

But there were still a few places to get outta the blast.

Pipe © Riaan Vermaak

Everyone always gives the car guards a hard time cos they are generally fairly useless. But Rasta at Pipe gets a high five for hanging on to the wallet which some guy left on the roof of his car. He was waiting for him to come back to his car to give it to him. Hope he got a good tip for that!

Robbie Irlam snapped the local labs at Supers and coined it a "Lobby of Labs". Pretty neat. Not sure what (or if) there is an actual collective noun for them. Anyone know? Google wasn't very forthcoming. Although did discover a Grumble of Pugs...which is rather apt!

As usual we had our fare share of lekker sunrises and sunsets. Kudos to Chris Scott for braving the twilight hour out at Seals, not sure I'd be dangling my toes out there then.

Pipe © Andrew Garai

There really isn't anything that's much better than sitting on the beach watching the sun drop down over the ocean on a lekker evening.

OK, maybe there is. Watching the sun going down over the ocean whilst you surf an awesome wave all to yourselves, with the yacht anchored a short paddle away. FOMO (Fear of missing out) was real this week!

Schoenies resident and photag extraordinaire Luc Hosten always goes for an amble along the beach shooting interesting things. Dig how these footprints almost look inverted due to the play of the light and shadows. Or maybe there are some ou's walking under the sand?

There's nothing better to walk on the beach with than these guys. Hands up who does or has owned a pair! They are legend. I don't think you can call yourself a real surfer unless you've had these on your feet at some stage. They're also epic to skid along pools with! Ask any kid who borrowed their dads pair and took a flying jump into the pool and skated across the surface thanks to these waterski's! Grab a pair at the Croc Shop in Walmer Park (just do not buy Crocs though, unless your name is Dave). Who needs fancy-ass Havaiana's when you can have #localislekker Faith!?

Pipe got a mention by the Zag these week. Which you know is always gonna be the rip-off not the write-up variety, given it is admittedly one of the arbest waves about. Some ou's got a bit defensive of their home break, which is good to see locals will go to bat for their homie even though it is well, not exactly a premier wave. PE surfing wouldn't be PE surfing without da Pipe.

Well done to the lighties who made the Nelson Mandela Bay Surf riders team (NMBS)* The kids will be taking part in the 2018 Sea Harvest SA Junior Championships at Lower Point, Jeffreys Bay from 3/10/2017 – 7/10/2017
*side note - it rolled off the tongue a helluva lot easier when it was just called EP!

We're lucky to have heaps of talented lighties in the East Cape, and JBay's Angelo Faulkner has made the SA team to go over to the World Champs in the US. The hiccup is the kids are responsible for covering their own costs - which is really $$$. So please dip into your pockets and donate a few bucks towards helping Angelo get there. Every little bit helps. Drop Etienne a msg for banks deets.

RIP Mike Hornsey (1/9/1943 - 22/8/2018). East London surfing legend and 2014 inductee to the Surfers' Circle Walk of Fame. Mike was one of the first SA surfers to travel specificallly to surf and lived in California / Hawaii from 1965 to the early '70's. The 1965 Eastern Province champ also reached the final of the SA Champs at J-Bay Point in 1969 on a trip home to renew his US visa.

Mike considered himself one of the luckiest surfers alive, hanging out with Phil Edwards, Dewey Weber and David Nuuhiwa as they pioneered unridden spots in Baja and Mainland Mexico and on the North Shore in the late 60's.

Retired to a house overlooking Bruce's Beauties in 1983 and rode it uncrowded and perfect. I was fortunate to share many surfs with Mike out at Huletts in St Francis. At the time I didn't even know he was such a legend surfer, I just thought he was a lekker guy. Wish I had known back then, as would have peppered him with questions about all his travels. Wishing him perfect peelers and glassy days up there.
(thanks to Surfers Circle Muizenberg for the info)

Some surfable swell about most of the week - just the winds that might screw-ball things. Here's to us finding the four leaf clover.

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