It was great to see the septic boys again, for one on a friendship level, it’s been a while since we’d hooked up, the other, I was thankful they turned up to pick me up as it was a red eye flight and I didn’t feel like sleeping in the airport like a lonely dog ... We were all pretty excited about our future adventure and also on catching up. Joe Curren definitely had a hint of Emo slipping into his eloquence, with a a dark rince in his hair, then the dirty jokes came on strong and I new things don’t change. Chris  Del Moro had ruffed up a bit from his boot camp haircut and clean shave in El Salvador, no doubt getting ready for the dirt tracks ahead and Todd Glazer definitely hasn’t lost any of his sprightly ginger enthusiasm , ready to pounce on anything going.

It was nice to see not much had changed on the Island. A lot of dinky towns on the way south, entailing not much more than a pub, petrol station, and a bunch of simple 50’s style weather -board clad homes.It gives a feeling that the corporate high collar white-shoed sharks are a long way away. Although it is starting to happen. We meandered our way for a few hundred K’s down to Dunno’s and stopped for a break at our regular Thai resturaunt. Above average curries, and good service, it holds about 20 people max, and brings back memories of past trips. this is a Uni town which boasts a lot of happenings, always fun.

finally arrived at bretts house, I think the guys were delirious from my leaking gas pipe.Brett was out rustling sheep so we check the local beachie. the swell was on its way up at about 3-4ft so we went out and washed off the farts that had left a layer of gunk on our skin. The banks had actually changed a bit, for the first time in 8 years. still fun peaks , but not the usual barrells. Brett had mentioned they had recieved a lot of nth swlls this summer which was responsiblefor the suspect banks, my thoughts opned up a whole new can of worms with the waves that would light up on these swells. Brett meets us out there and we catch a bunch of fun ones. Our tropical blood runs thin and welast about 2 hrs before the 12 degree water takes its toll. So back to the pad where Brett’s family and co all converse over spates brews and lamb chops, some of bretts home butchered. A few of the local lads turn up and we talk surf,boards, fins, crustations,beards,vegetarianism, treks, secret locations, west coast isolation, sandflys, local economy and breweries.

We wake up to a solid 6ft swell and make the call to head to a point break 1 hour away, the only thing is it involves a trek through a river gauge, some rock climbing and  a couple of k’s walk along the coast. I found this wave through some local whispers and a bunch of time on Google earth.We arrive at a bridge, the starting point, all jump into our wetsuits, grab some water, snacks and head off full of enthusiasm. About a K down the  cockle covered  river bed we found a fishing Bach accessible only via boat .No one was there so we sniffed around and saw on the wall amongst posters of women and photos of fish caught  a framed map and aerial photograph of the local area. The boys were stoked to see the 2 point set ups with waves wrapping  down them. That got us going double time as we new the coast was just around the corner.

After negotiating the rocks and cliff, we arrive to the coastal view. Green sheep paddocks rolling down to three coves and in the distance , a long point  resembling  J-bay. The wind had picked up and the swell has to wrap around and up the coast from the deep south, so it looked about 3ft with10-15ft plooms of spray blowing of the back. We thought it looked OK and then a set came through the far point running for about 200m then as the swell filtered into the bay they hit what looked like another flat rock shelf then funneled around and into  the cove. Everyone screamed and hooted and it looked like we were to surf this second cove. More and more swell moved in and it was on!. With a draining ledge then a long wall,onto another slab ledge then  on to a running wall on sand.

Chris and I got out there first as Joe and Todd minced around with taking shots. It looked kina heavy from the beach and there were  some really big sea lions hanging on the rocks, so the nerves were a bit jumpy. I know the dangers of sea lions from previous trips, not only attracting white pointers, the lions themselves can take a nasty bite , as I have been told from the locals, they have septic teeth and the wound doesn’t heal for up to years. I also have been harassed and witness Andrew Kidman being mounted by one.

It’s always great taking new equipment on a trip , getting to trade feelings off each board  and fine tune fins, really put some time in and surf. enjoy new elements and surroundings but also design elements. I rode my 6’4 x 19 3/4 x 2 1/2  2+1 cuttlefish , bit more beef for the suits, easy paddling with lower nose entry and a flat even rocketweeking slightly through thenose and tail, slight double and deeper between the feet. A solid cruiser board, fast, good over dead sections, but holds in when hollow and good off the bottom and top. We were trading waves , Chris was riding a double ender quad, canard fins, he said inspired from the board I rode in ElSalvador. A single concave with a bit more curve but fuller outline, looked the goods. Some of the better surfing I’ve seen , flow with speed and carve.

So Joe came out and we all shared 4-5ft long funnelling walls, although Chris always seems to get twice as many. All are stoked and we come in buzzed but knowing we have another trek ahead and this time the wind is blowing at 40 knots head on.