Making Friends is Easy in the Surf

It's pretty easy to meet new people when you're out surfing.  If you surf the same spot long enough, you run into the same people.  It doesn't take long before you start conversing between sets.  It's especially easy to do that while SUPing.

Although I was only in South Africa for three weeks, I made plenty of new friends.  Surfing and visiting "the wreck", I ran into the same guys.  Currently, there aren't very many SUPers in SA but it's a sport that is getting popular.  I got to surf with a great crew of SUPers in Cape Town.  Have a look at who I met:

Here's the baby of the group, Mitch, who is 19 yrs old.
He's also the current West Cape Champ for Windsurfing.

Here's Paul dropping in on his son.
I guess surfing etiquette doesn't apply when it's Dad.

Here's Ivan Vuuren.  You might recognize him.  He's a Pro Surfer.
He loves leaning way back on his paddle.

Here's Andrew, aka The Stig.
He's the current fastest SUP racer in Cape Town.

Then there's Dazzle.  He just shreds!

Like many other times, I was the only female SUP surfer but I didn't mind.  These guys were very welcoming and always made sure I was doing okay.  They even hooted and hollered when I caught waves and that made me feel like a superstar!

Just My Size

 Here's a few pics from yesterday's visit:

Here's Stamps at work designing an optimal surfboard for me.

Here's a sneak peak of my board.

A TRUE Surfer

You can easily recognize a TRUE surfer by checking for a few simple things.  Most passion-hearted surfers carry some special attributes: drives a sandy truck, has a year-round tan, happens to be sick for work on the same day surf is good, mind-surfs at work when the surf is bad and would rather walk around in slippers or bare feet.  Eh... sounds like any typical surfer but what makes a TRUE surfer stand out from the rest?  His CUSTOM surfboard.  Someone who is serious about the sport and lives to surf knows how important it is to have the right equipment and will spend the bucks to get it.  As a matter of fact, those TRUE surfers who have been at it for a while will most likely have a quiver of custom surfboards.

Well, guess who has joined the ranks to become a TRUE surfer today?  Duh.  ME!!  I'm so stoked to finally get to the point where I'm purchasing a board that is custom-made especially for me.  It was a somewhat spontaneous decision.  I knew I'd want to order a custom board some time in the near future but it really wasn't scheduled into today's agenda.  But after a fun surf day and visiting the Stamps shop, surrounded by shiny new boards... I had to have one NOW.  It was so exciting to walk into the shop and talk to Tim Stamps (yes, the man himself) about the specifics of the board I wanted.  Stamps knows his stuff and has been shaping for many years so he helped me come up with a rockin' design.  He creates some awesome boards out of his shop and I can't wait until my board is done.  Now I feel like an anxious little kid having to wait for Christmas Day to my open present!

My Love Grows Deeper

You know that feeling you get when you fall for someone you really like?  Just his mere presence makes you smile.  And you can't stop thinking about him.  You want to spend every moment with him.

You don't think it can get any better but when you see each other again and spend some time together... you fall deeper.

That's exactly what happened to me and Seli in South Africa.  I fell hard.

Here's a photo of Seli and I on day 1:

It was love at first surf.

The Seli 1 (Turkish ship) was run aground more than a year ago due to a heavy storm and most likely, miscalculation by the Captain.  Apparently, there are many wrecks common through that area they call the Storm Route.  The Seli 1 has been through so much trauma during the past year:  it was run aground, caught on fire for a couple of weeks, abandoned and slowly being dismantled.  But little does the "Wreck" (as I call it) know how much happiness it causes for so many, especially surfers.  The Wreck creates these fun waves.  I couldn't get enough time with the Seli while I was in South Africa.

But really... what it boils down to is that I'm really getting hooked on SUP surfing.  It has distracted me from concentrating on other important things, including the SUP race scene.  It's tough to find a balance sometimes when your mind wants to focus on one thing.  In my case--- surfing.  Each time I go out I learn something new.  I'm progressing a little more faster now so I'm excited to surf whenever possible.  I DO think about it all the time.  I mind surf every day.

Early morning surf on a weekday is a dream.
You have the waves all to yourself.

The sad part of this story is that I may never be with the Seli again (because eventually they'll be able to tear it all down).  The good part is that there are fun waves EVERYWHERE around the world and the FUN part is searching for them, then surfing your heart out!

That giant hole you see in the Seli was done during the time I was in SA.
They thought that it would cause the ship to sink....  wrong!

One Last Hurrah

By the time our last day in Cape Town came around, I was ready to go home.  I had been somewhat sick since the Knysna Oyster Festival (still don't know if it was too many oysters, bad oysters or a bug).  I had planned to do the Primi Naish SUP Race Tour at Canal Walk since I found out about it on Day 2.  I woke up feeling tired and had the shivers so it looked like I wasn't going to be able to do the race.  Of course, we had to appear at the race to show our support.

If you're a competitor, then you know how difficult it is to sit out.  While I sulked under the sun in a thick winter jacket, I watched all the racers prepare.  I couldn't stand not being a part of it.  I decided to do it.  I figured that I'd rather try and perhaps struggle through it than not try at all and wonder how it would have been.

The canals are narrow so passing is tough.
You need to get ahead from the get go.

I almost gave in.  I was feeling very light-headed after the first loop (mile 3) and was going to throw in the towel.  I do need to give credit to my kiddo, Dakotah, for pushing me to continue the last loop because I had already pulled over and started hydrating when Dakotah said, "Never give up!"  (Winston Churchill's famous words.)  Just hearing those three words from the one person that means the world to me gave me the drive necessary to move on.  I threw her the water bottle and pushed out to join the race again.  I ended up finishing second in the women's division.

The most I've ever gotten for a race: trophy, 200rand
around ($35), 150rand gift certificate (we ate there for our last dinner)
and Naish swag.

Here I am with one of my new friends and fastest
SUP racer in SA, Andrew AKA The Stig.  He just
started racing 3 months ago and is dominating!
It helps to be an Exterra race champion and triathlete.

Better Than the White Shark

I met some new friends in JBay and was invited to drive down to Mossel Bay to surf.  Sounds great, right? New friends, surf... what's the problem?  Well, I was warned by my friends in Cape Town that if I was worried about sharks that I shouldn't surf Mossel Bay or Plett because those places were known to be "very sharky".  That thought was not on the forefront of my mind.  I just wanted to surf another new spot and there was my opportunity.

Of course, before I jumped in the water I asked about the shark.  The locals told me that Seal Beach was just right there (you could see it right from the beach and I could actually SUP to it if I wanted) and the sharks had enough feed that they didn't want a human.  Okay, sounded good to me.  So I jumped in to surf.

I only caught a couple of waves when I started paddling out again and saw a dark figure in the distance.  I thought to myself, "Too big to be a seal".  My curiosity got the best of me and I started paddling toward it (Why? It could have been a shark but I still went for it.)  It breeched and I saw its ugly head, "A hippo!"  I turned to start paddling back to shore because Hippos are one of the Big Five and have more attacks on humans than the other four (due to humans swimming in unknown hippo-infested territory).  Well, if you know your mammals, you'll know that hippos don't swim in the ocean.  Duh?!  (When you check out the video, you'll see why I thought it was one.)  A surfer yelled out, "Did you see the ____?"  Immediately I turned back to check it out.  See the clip below:



It was a Southern Right Whale!  I couldn't believe my eyes.  When he went back under, I quickly paddled back to shore to grab a camera and then paddled back out to see it.  I probably got as close as 20feet next to it.  After a while, a chopper started circling above.  I was a little suspicious but stayed on lock with the whale.  But when I saw the speed boat coming our way I didn't want to stay to see what they wanted and I booked it to shore.  I found out from the locals that there is a law that states you can only get as close as 200m close to a whale.  If I would have gotten fined, it would have been worth it.

Sharks CAN Fly

The entire time we were in South Africa I debated on whether or not I wanted to go cage diving or take a tour to Seal Beach to check out the White Sharks. I was forwarned by the surfers at 4Beaches beach house not to do it. They said it would mess me up because I'd think about it every time I got in the water to surf. I thought that their reasoning made sense and I decided that I didn't need to see a White Shark. Below is a video taken in SA... I'm so glad I decided not to see them. I've only watched this video once and will never watch it again because it freaked me out! But here it is for your entertainment.





After watching this, would you go cage diving??

There's No Place Like Home

After 30 hours of grueling airplane flights, not including the layover times in Amsterdam and New York, we're finally "home sweet home". Don't get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoyed every minute in South Africa but there is something to be said about the comfort of your own bed. It was a long trip and I was ready to come home... for now.

It was tough driving through this National Park hoping not to
accidentally run over one of these tortoises. 

Our "orphanage visit" slash "surf trip" was packed with fun and excitement. At the end of it all, we clocked in a total of 3,000km (that's 1,865 miles). Most of the mileage involved the journey from Cape Town to Jeffery's Bay Supertubes.

This stop, Arniston, was an hour out of the way from our destination
but the scenery was worth the drive.

Don't let the conservative appearance of our  rented (very) compact, silver Chevy Spark deceive you. This little vehicle took us through many miles, including rugged terrain that typically one would want a 4x4. Who said bigger is better?

So Many Stories... Just a Synopsis

We paddled the Knysna Lagoon. That's the Heads in the background. It was nice to catch up with friends here and attend the Knysna Oyster Festival, which they are well-known for. I had a ton of oysters prepared in different ways. Downside- I got food poisoning from a bad batch... Ouch.




Visited Jeffrey's Bay and saw Supertubes, which wasn't really cranking the couple of days we were there but the delicious surfers made up for it and distracted me from my stomach ailment. They were setting up for the Billabong Pro while we were there. We also couldn't miss going to the Billabong Outlet (everyone raves about it) and eating at the Walskipper. Most importantly, we made some cool new friends who invited us to surf in Mossel Bay the next day.




Most memorable experience of the entire trip! How many people can say the've SUPed next to a Southern Right Whale? I can!! More about it later. (I'm having issues trying to upload the video so you'll have to wait to see it on a later post.) I promise you that the whale is there. It was only me out there so that's the best still shot I have.




Here I am with my buddies, Paul and Mitch, after my second sprint race. I didn't do as well as I wanted (to beat Brigette again) but I was still a little ill and exhausted from the food poisoning (at least that's my excuse). I beat my previous time by a minute, this time riding " The Clog".




I finally got Dakotah out on the ocean. It was a nice, calm day so I convinced her to paddle out to the Celi. Check out my girl! Of course, "Green Peace Child" started complaining about the oil spillage from the wreck.

Just a few more days and we're back in Cali. I do miss home and my warm, cozy bed. Look forward to more when we return.

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Location:Cape Town, SA

Pearls of Wisdom from SA Zigzag Surf Magazine

So here's the advice from the best in the business for those who want to charge big waves:

Get fighting fit- "Anyone can take a couple of waves on the head, but it's dealing with the third, fourth, fifth or even sixth wave in the set that separates the committed charger from the surfer who's out of their depth. Being fit will help you relax in a heavy situation and deal with it."

Equip yourself- "Equipment has everything to do with how you perform. Yes, you need some skill and a bit of balls, but if your equipment is going to work in the waves you are trying to ride, you have no chance."

Paddle like hell- "The golden rule is to paddle as hard as you can, matching the speed of the wave and getting in as early as possible. Don't ease off the gas until you are on your feet and negotiating the drop."

He who hesitates...- "Once you commit, don't back down. 99% of wipeouts are from hesitation."

Learn to read the ocean- "sit and watch the lineup, study where the sets break and how the swell moves in. Watch the way the waterr travels and second guess where waves will break, and how they will break."

Take it like a man (or woman!)- "an important part of surfing heavier waves is being able to cop a beating. It something we all try to avoid, but none of us can escape. Remember: don't panic."

Keep pushing yourself- "By continuously testing yourself, you gain experience and learn a lot about your limits, which in turn bring on more challenges and opportunities. Surfing is a never ending rush like that.

Although I'm not looking to surf big waves ever, all these things I already apply to SUP surfing (thanks to a very knowledgeable SUP surfer who has taught me everything I know.)

Sprint Race in SA

I was invited to participate in a 2-mile sup sprint race here in SA. How could I pass this up? I knew I haven't trained in a few weeks, been off of my "training diet" and haven't exercised at all aside from surfing but I thought, "It's only 2 miles." Man, I don't know which was worse- sprinting for 2 miles or enduring the 12 miles Coronado Loop. Sprinting is definitely a whole different breed of racing. At the finish (and even somewhere in between) I thought I was gonna hurl. It hurt, but I was out to beat their fastest woman, Brigette.



Bay Sports let me race their Open Ocean Starboard race board, which is quite different than the Starboard Ace I used for a timed trial the day before.



By the time the race started, it was cold, windy and dark. It was so cold that I decided to keep on my track pants. Visibility wasn't that great so I was glad I checked out the course the day before.



Here were are celebrating with a few Windhoek beers. That's Paul, owner of Bay Sports Cape Town, on the left. Andrew (in the middle) has the fastest timed race at these events and he beat his best time tonight. He has only been SUP racing for 2 months! Watch out for him and his daughter in front of him who also did the race. I'm happy because I beat their fastest woman, Brigette, by more than a minute! Next week I'll be back to try to beat her fastest time.

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Location:Intaca Island

Getting Accustomed to SA

Things I'm getting used to (in no particular order):
-driving on the left side of the road,
-shifting gears with the left hand,
-paying "security" for watching our parked car,
-1800s style turn keys for door locks,
-turning outlets on/off to save energy,
-four seasons in one day,
-surfing in cold water,
-no left turns on red,
-SUPing in absolutely glassy conditions, even when the wind is blowing in your face. Intaca island (where they have races) is protected by tall plants.
-getting up and/or getting out around 9am after rush hour morning traffic (you only need to be in it once to learn this one!)

Things I don't know if I'll ever get used to:
-right turns,
-pedestrians randomly jumping out on the street,
-hearing about the white sharks,
-highway signs don't tell you north, south, east, west. They give names of cities in that direction so you need to know your geography.

The Fun Keeps Getting Better

Here is the entrance to the surf house we're staying at. The first thing you see is this poster which states, "precious few are born with it... even fewer know what to do with it".




Surfed "the wreck" again this morning. It was low tide today so you can see the giant hole underneath that big tower that they blew out the other day. Paul took some photos with his 500m zoom so I'll get some surf pics posted soon.




It started raining when we got to Zandvlei to take the HOKISA kids SUPing, but the sun did eventually come out (for a few minutes) and produced this beautiful rainbow.




A big thanks goes out to Paul and Mitch at BaySports who came out with all the equipment and helped instruct and supervise the kids in the water.




We checked out Muizenberg after our time with the kids. No way was I going out with the Black flag up, which means that the water is murky and the spotters can't guarantee shark sightings. Muizenberg has shark spotters up in the hills and a horn goes off if one is sighted. I'll wait for a Green flag, which means that the water is clear and spotters can spot any sharks easily.

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Location:Zandvlei

And the Fun Continues...

Cruised around Intaca Island to check out the race course for this Monday. It looks like I'll be joining in the fun on this Starboard (of course while wearing my BOGA gear to represent!). Check out the glassy conditions- which they tell me is always the case.




This is a bird's eye view of Muizenburg. I'm hoping to surf this spot soon.




The children presented their photos today for the photo journal project. Each were asked to take pictures of things, people, etc that are significant to them and had to present their favorite photos to the group. Here is Leletu showing her favorite photo.




We gave each kid a hat and stickers that were donated by Ocean Minded. Here is Nontombi being silly.




We ate lunch at Noordhoek Farms. The kids enjoyed playing on the playground and the teens sat and talked to Dakotah.

Lastly, surfed "the wreck" at Dolphins Beach. It's a Turkish ship that got stuck last year and was abandoned by the Captain. The City blew out a whole on the side of it yesterday hoping it would fall apart. They are planning on sinking or towing it out somehow. "The Wreck" causes awesome, mushy waves right in front of it. I surfed the Starboard Whopper (10x34), which surprisingly caught some speed on these waves. Yesterday I was told not to surf because it was way overhead. Today's surf was more manageable for me- waist but mostly shoulder high. There were a few head high that I let the big boys deal with. We have an early morning surf tomorrow as well. Can't wait! I want to surf it as much as I can before they take it away.

Look forward to pics from "the wreck" surf session soon.

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Location:South Africa