Andre Hartslief
It’s rare that one finds a deserted shore except for when the conditions there are less favorable, like adverse weather, early morning and late at night. But on this particular day, the weather was fine, the sun was out and there was hardly a breeze blowing. Even the palm fronds were motionless.
<a href="https://pixabay.com/en/photos/surfing/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Source</a>
When he stepped off the hot tarmac onto the slightly cooler sand of the beach, he knew, that today he was in for the wave of his life. Carelessly flinging down his towel and surfboard wax, he raced down towards the waiting cool waters of the Indian Ocean. It has been a long while since he visited Anstey’s beach at the northern most point of the Durban Bluff, The Pipe as all locals called this great fishing and surfing spot.
Just as the last wave of the set of 7 rolls in, there is a moment of calm, this is the exact moment to paddle out to the backline. He sits, waiting, his board almost motionless. Off his right shoulder, a school of Bottlenosed dolphins is hunting a shoal of Carrantine. “There are no Johny’s around.” he thought. Sharks were called Johny’s by the locals for as long as he can remember.
His wave arrives, it’s a pipeline for sure and there’s no one around to share it with. 4 swells, then five and suddenly swell number 6 is just right. He yanks the board around, pointing the nose directly at the beach, he paddles frantically at first then the ancient Safari “Nose-Rider board starts gathering momentum, the wave rears right up, he is crouching midway down the curve, there it suddenly is what he has been waiting for 30 years, the familiar utter silence inside the translucent blue pipeline, the ghostly images of three dolphins joining him in the ride of rides. This time the tube stretches out ahead of him almost urging him to lean forward even further towards the light spot 40 meters ahead.Will it hold? Yes, yes it does, he kicks out flipping backward. By Jove! 66 years old and he had grabbed the legendary Anstey’s pipe, just him and the 3 dolphins.
Yes, Tasartcraft, I agree, I’m not the photographer though.
Sounds like a moment you will never forget. Good for you!
Priceless experience thanks, Carol, I’m doing it again on my 90th birthday! But it will have to be a one-legged effort, as my right leg has been amputated since then. Lol.
Wow, good for you Andre! Good luck and enjoy the moments!
great premise, love the tale.
Glad you liked it, Paul, thank you for commenting.
good
Thank you Muhammad
Loved the story!
Thank you, Andrew, glad you enjoyed it.
A good story, although I don’t see how anyone can “own” a wave!
It’s not rocket science, you “own” that specific moment because you were the only 66-year-old riding that wave on that day, at that specific spot in time. Even if there will be countless other people doing it better or worse, earlier, later, perhaps older even at the same time, it won’t be that time.
Hm! I think that’s a misunderstanding of the word “own”!
Yeah, well, I could probably have found a more suitable word in my own mother tongue which is Afrikaans.
At the top of the wave. There is a lot of courage and adrenaline in this sport
When you are young, you seldom consider danger, doing it when you are 66 is a bit different, there are things like muscle fatigue stamina and general fitness.You also have a healthy regard for safety. But what a ride it was! Almost like being re born. Thanks for commenting.