The week that was...

Sunday smokers © Chris Taljaard

Yeeeuew! The ocean finally woke up on Sunday and sent through some stacked lines that even managed to hook round the corner into the bay. For once the phantom coin was flipped and landed the right side up. So often there's been swell on the charts and none arrives, so lekker when none predicted and some cookers show up.

© Robbie Irlam

Chris Scott getting caught the other side of the lens © Andre Hugo

Been such a wave drought in PE that everyone was so amped to get out there and get waves that no-one took any shots. But if your mates tell you it was cooking on Sunday arvo then don't doubt them.

© Robbie Irlam

After a week of super warm water the homping east followed up by homping west did it's usual trick of taking the temp straight down to the "freeze ya nuts off" variety. Reports of 9C water at Seals and JBay had some ou's turn round and head back to the beach after just paddling a few strokes. 

© Robbie Irlam

One of the Throwback Thursday shots this week had the ou's scratching their heads trying to work out where it was taken. Seems to be no consensus as to whether it was Sa's at St Mike's or at Buffels, as no-one can quite work out the light pole and house combo. Is taken mid 80's.

What's most cool about the shot is that everyone is engaged - whether watching the action or tuning mates. The life before the attention-eating cellphone. Won't get a surf comp shot these days without at least half of those in the shot face-down engrossed in the digital realm.

© Robin Graham

One of the funny things to arise from the FB post comments was that at those '83/'84 SA Champs the guys were all given a "shark stick". There'd been a couple of shark attacks at Nahoon so the organizers decided to be pro-active and gave all the competitors a piece of sawn off broomstick with a set of instructions wrapped around it that showed how to insert the stick vertically in mouth of an attacking sharks ... along with the helpful suggestion "do not bleed, as this will only excite the shark". Yah well, no fine.

© Reunion

On the subject of fins. Unfortunately another fatal shark encounter at Reunion last week. A 26 year old bodyboarder was bitten  - this time on the opposite side of the island from where the attacks commonly occur. Must be so hectic to live where there are amazing waves and know you are literally playing Russian Roulette every time you surf. 

For those who like their booties, if you have a full piggy bank that needs to be emptied you can grab these Prada booties for a measley $700. Am thinking for $700 they gonna have to do a lot better than that...

© James Jones

Not a week goes by when PE doesn't deliver an epic sunrise or sunset, and this week was no different. Think Friday took the win for the best effort of the week.

© Luc Hosten

Amsterdamhoek © Kurt Schmelzer‎

Schoenies © Luc Hosten

Might be a wave here and there this coming week, so don't be too bleak if you missed out on the Sunday swell.

© Chris Scott