| Arriving in Cape Town is over whelming, the first thing | | | | around cape St Blaise. |
| you notice is the warmth and friendly attitude to you | | | | After the surf, we set off on the road again, the most |
| the surfer. This country has been through so much in | | | | beautiful scenery as we enter the 'Garden Route' is |
| the past 30 years and it has always been my dream | | | | breath taking and most of us all sighed with disbelief at |
| to set foot on its soil to surf the glorious waves that | | | | the views and the panorama that was unrolling ahead |
| caress its shores daily. South Africa is blessed with | | | | of us. Depending on the time of year, apparently the |
| some of the best and most consistent surf the world | | | | guides can surprise the group and dive for some |
| has to offer. Couple this with the mild climate and you | | | | crayfish (Cape Rock lobster) along the way for the |
| have a surfing paradise. During the South African | | | | evening dinner, this was not the case for my tour but I |
| winter the coastline is supplied with almost endless | | | | gather it can be the norm. |
| groundswell and offshore winds due to the constant | | | | It's up early to get the best swell the next morning and |
| flow of cold front activity in the southern Atlantic. So | | | | we all opted to head for a spot called Buffalo Bay |
| as a surfer arriving from a rainy Oregon to find | | | | Point - a very similar wave to Bruce's Beauties that |
| warmth and amazing surf is a dream come true. | | | | too me was going to be the highlight of the tour and |
| The tour I was on, involved sessions at numerous | | | | was to come so I took this as a trial event. The point |
| South African premier surf spots which include | | | | can get superlative in the right conditions by all |
| Jeffrey's Bay, Seal Point, Victoria Bay, Bruce's | | | | accounts and before leaving the US I had heard great |
| Beauties and as well as many other spots that "crank" | | | | reports of the conditions that can be found here so |
| in winter. Dylan collected me after arrival and we were | | | | was please to see a perfect 3ft day. |
| all packed up to head off along the coast. South | | | | That evening we checked into another local surf lodge, |
| African surfers are always so stoked it is amazing | | | | and zipped out for and evening surf! We headed off |
| and Dylan was no acceptation to that rule and | | | | to a place I had dreamed of since first seeing the |
| assured me that he had a thorough knowledge of | | | | movie Endless Summer - Bruce's Beauties - it breaks |
| surfing in the area and that he was our tour guide. | | | | a lot more often than is thought of and is by know |
| Furthermore he practically guaranteed me that I will get | | | | means a gentle long boarders paradise. When cooking, |
| to the respective spots when they are at their best, he | | | | Bruce's is a screaming right hand point that freight |
| just fell short in advising me he had arranged the swell | | | | trains along a jagged line of rocks. "Get ready for |
| as well. | | | | mean gaping barrels" Dylan shouted as he |
| As we arrived at the lodge on the outskirts of town I | | | | disappeared into the water, leaving the rest of us half |
| was greeted by the other surfers on the tour who had | | | | changed, running and falling every other step! It was |
| arrived a day or two earlier. Dylan whispered in my | | | | just like a clip from the movie here I was about to hit |
| ear and ensured me with an eager smile that the tour | | | | the surf of Endless Summer. |
| remains personal and that by limiting the number of | | | | The next day I found it very difficult to get up to be |
| people on each tour guarantees we all get a great | | | | honest, three great days of epic surf and with another |
| time. Like all South African's he is proud of the | | | | few more to comes I just could not cope... my body |
| countries surf and then could not refrain from telling me | | | | was feeling the flight and the perfect surf of the night |
| yet again for the 5th time that he would ensure I | | | | before. So rather than surf I just joined the tour to |
| surfed as many African barrels as possible. Umm.... I | | | | watch the rest of the group under a go some lessons |
| went to bed with that thought. My second day started | | | | on the beach and sat back enjoying the wild |
| with Dylan taking the tour to a place at Muzuimbrug, an | | | | environment that seemed as if Portland and US |
| ideal spot he assured me to get acquainted to African | | | | Airports was just a forgotten memory. I could not |
| Waves. 'Muzies' as it is known, is renowned for its | | | | believe that only 90+ hours ago I was crammed into a |
| rolling and very consistent A-Frame waves and | | | | bus in Portland with a huge longboard knocking |
| endless stretch of beach. Whilst Dylan provided surf | | | | everyone that moved. Now I lay head back on the |
| lessons for some learners on the tour I paddled out the | | | | sand listening to the sounds of sea birds and knowing |
| back to enjoy some glass morning surf. | | | | that I am totally at peace and having the best surf trip |
| After a hearty lunch we set off on an orientation tour | | | | in my life. Sure I have surfed some amazing spots but |
| of the stunning Cape Peninsula, Dylan believed this | | | | to surf a spot I have seen over a thousand time son |
| would help us get our bearing on the land and we also | | | | video and then to actually enjoy it going off better than |
| had a visit to the Cape Point Nature reserve as well | | | | in the film was beyond even my wildest thoughts of |
| as Cape Towns more famous tourist sights including a | | | | surfing in South Africa. |
| visit to boulders beach where wild penguins happily | | | | After a few more days of touring and surfing spots |
| play. | | | | such as Boneyards, Supertubes, Salad bowls, J-Bay, |
| The morning of day 3 was an important one for me | | | | Tubes, Point and Albatross it was time to start to head |
| personally as I could not wait to set out on our first | | | | back in the direction of the Cape. Everyone on the |
| port of call which was a 65-meter bungee at Gouritz. | | | | tour had become exhausted and tired but we were |
| This is optional on the tour but it's highly recommended | | | | now a travelling surf family too tired to talk but |
| to get you stoked and ready for the adventure that | | | | desperate for one more last surf before the Cape and |
| lies ahead and I was game for it. If you plan on doing | | | | we were not disappointed as slowly we drove |
| the worlds highest one later in the trip, I suggest you do | | | | towards Buffalo Bay again and it was just as we left |
| this one first to get a feel for it! I did not opt for the | | | | it, perfect... |
| higher... | | | | As we drove in to Cape Town the next day Dylan |
| Along the way we stopped at Mossel Bay for a surf | | | | turned to us all and said "How about Sky diving, or |
| session, there was a selection of 3 breaks to choose | | | | Paragliding? - We can even arrange a shark dive if |
| from, Inner and Outer Pool as well as Ding Dangs. | | | | you wish!" - in a great chorus we all said "shut up man... |
| Depending on the conditions and your standard the | | | | we are exhausted!" The one thing you can say about |
| surf guides will take you to the one with most zest, | | | | South African's they are a great friendly bunch and |
| and they selected one just fine for me. | | | | the stoke of surfing runs deep in there veins. |
| Inner Pool's wave breaks very close to famed outer | | | | The beauty of the tour I think was summed up by the |
| Pool off a section of rocks, walls up when at its best | | | | people on it, from 6 surfers who were learning to surf |
| and is usually surfed when Outers is flat. Outer Pool | | | | for the first time and having lessons daily to the rest of |
| Gets large and challenging in solid winter swell but is | | | | us who ranged from beginner to advanced. We all |
| usually surfed when clean and orderly in light westerly | | | | surfed well and all experienced the conditions first |
| winds. Outer offers a cooking right hand reef break | | | | hand. We all had our own experiences and that is |
| with a solid wall and a long ride. Ding Dang's a fun | | | | something all of us will take away and is our surf |
| hotdog wave that works when winter swell wraps | | | | memory - an amazing surf trip. |