Wild surf at Wild Point, South Africa
Dawn Patrol reports from South Africa
Dawn Patrol reports from Wild Point, South Africa
The swell is BIG. It’s mid-winter and there is a nip in the air. Louis has got us out of bed early and we are standing looking at the Wild Side. The wind is a north- wester – straight offshore here. The swell is 10-12ft coming out of the southwest in 5 wave sets.
“We gonna battle to find manageable waves in this swell guys!” chirps Jules.“What about G Reef?” says Glenn. “I could really handle 10ft plus lefts peeling for 300m!” The crew’s minds are working now, mentally ticking off the possibilities.
“We gonna surf Wild Point, guys”, announces Louis. “It’s spring low tide”, I mumble to no one in particular.“Then we’ll get it cooking on the push,” says Louis. “OK, your car, your call” is the consensus. Louis skillfully points the Hyundai northeast, and we’re on the road.
A good highway carries us towards the Wild Coast, but this smooth passage is going to get rougher. Oh yes, much rougher. Louis is on his cell phone.“Hello Dave. Listen, we are going to Wild Point. Remain on standby please”.“ Who was that, Louis?” we ask. “My mechanic”, he says.
Thirty minutes later we are on a dirt road, and Louis is practicing all his driving skills to find the smoothest section of a dusty road in the middle of nowhere. Fifty km later we are negotiating a little bridge over a stream that runs onto a remote beach. A hairpin bend takes us to a lookout spot in a bay.
“Holy mackerel” is the cry as a 6 ft set peels across the inside and runs for a time before bombing out on a shallow sandbar. The boys are out of the car. “That was a bit quick”, I exclaim. “That was a tube ride of note”, we agree. “ Let’s check out the point”, says Louis. “It’s gonna be firing”.
This is a bad road, but we negotiate it in record time and move steadily along the trail before bumping to a halt at the tip of the point. A perfect offshore is warm already and fans a set which rolls in slow motion down the point. Wild Point at last!
“When it’s slow motion it’s bigger than it looks”, say I, the wise one. “Let’s check out the next set”, says Glenn. “It’s only a little overhead”. The next set looks mellow. Probably get bigger as the tide pushes.
We wax up. The next set is way overhead and it’s a scramble to suit up. We gingerly pick our way along the waters edge where fresh spring water bubbles onto the shingle. As we stand on the point waiting to jump off, a 6-8ft set roars through. It’s getting bigger! The boys are whooping and screaming. I leap off the rock after these beasts have peeled past and get out without getting my hair wet.
The others follow but I’m first up on the first wave of the next set. The air rushes past my ears as I paddle like hell, and drop into a beauty. A bottom turn draws me onto a big wall which stands up in front of me. I must use all my skill to pick a high line along a thick wall. It feels like my board is just touching the water surface. My eventual exit far down the line is spectacular as I fly high like a kite surfer! Slow motion waves, my ass.
Whooping and yelling, we fly along fast powerful waves for 3 hours. Exciting drops. Power bottom turns. Carving high-speed top turns. Round tube sections. Jules gets the tube ride of the day.
Not a soul in sight. Good call Louis! This is our wild coast.
Louis and Roger run Dawn Patrol, a surf tour operator based in East London on South Africa’s south east coast. They and their support team move up and down the coast, surfing the best waves on offer between Jeffrey’s Bay and the Natal South Coast. Check out their site on www.dawnpatrol.co.za.
US Longboard Magazine
The US LONGBOARD MAGAZINE is now available in Australia at the following retail shops:
Victoria
Anglesea Surf Centre
NSW
Queensland
WA
For more information on how you can get hold of this fine longboarding magazine and US Longboard magazine videos and DVD's, please contact the Australian importer:
Right Foot Forward Surf Agencies,
161 The Avenue,
Ocean Grove, VIC 3226.
Fax:(03) 5255 5525
murfs@dodo.com.au
We are looking for distributors in South Australia and Tasmania.
The 6th Annual Lennox Longboard Classic 2003 - (Northern New South Wales, Australia)
Held over the weekend of the 2nd & 3rd August this year with 110 competitors. A decision was made early on Saturday morning to run some of Sunday’s semis, conditions permitting, to shorten the longer day on Sunday. The event drew competitors from as far north as Noosa Qld., to as far away as S.A. this year! We had some new faces & some well known regulars who enjoy our somewhat laid back friendly atmosphere and it was great to catch up again. The crew from Currumbin came down for the event again, great guys, but it appears since their exit the Lennox flag has once again been misplaced !!! We have our suspicions & are keen to follow that up this weekend at their contest!!!
Day 1, Saturday 2nd August 2003
Friday night’s weather report was for increasing southerly winds,
increasing swell 3-4 mts which was a worry as it had the potential to
blow some of the local beach breaks away.
With dawn on Saturday, low tide, high being about 11am, we were faced
with 1-1/12 metre waves onto a sand bar at Lennox Main, the preferred
contest site. It was a good choice with improving conditions with the
incoming tide. There were 8 divisions to surf through for the day, with
the extras (previously mentioned), if possible.
Saturday night board draw held at the Lennox Point Hotel (major sponsor) with Mal & the Longboarders for entertainment. Winner of the Astro (Gary Burden) Retro Egg comp board was a stoked grommet from the Sunshine Coast, Fraser Biden.
Day 2, Sunday 3rd August 2003
7am start with south westerly winds off shore for most of the morning,
south to south east in the afternoon slowly increasing into the finals.
Semis & all finals showed some great longboarding, especially the
Junior Under 18’s final.
Presentations held at the Lennox Point Hotel & a good time had by all.
Now for the important bit .... The Results
| Cadets
Under 14’s -
Sponsor – NSW Sport & Recreation 1st Harrison Roach Sunshine Coast 2nd Fraser Biden Sunshine Coast 3rd Ezra Norris Sunshine Coast 4th Angus Kay Lennox |
Juniors
Under 18’s -
Sponsor – Barking Wax 1st Rory Hugginson Woolgoolga 2nd Alex Glassington Lennox 3rd Rhett McIntosh Currumbin 4th Stewart Scholton Evans Head 5th Robbie Ferguson Byron 6th Ben O’Dwyer Lennox |
| Open
9Ft -
Sponsor – Lennox Point Hotel 1st Jackson Close Currumbin 2nd Steve Mills Ballina 3rd Paul Sholten Woolgoolga 4th Luke Glassington Lennox 5th Justin Sheridan Lennox Head 6th Robbie Ferguson Byron |
Over
30’s - Sponsor – Maddog (Ballina) 1st Haydyn Swan Byron 2nd Steve Mills Ballina 3rd Robbie McLucas Currumbin 4th Noel Francis Lennox 5th Steve Bergin Ballina 6th Wayne Gurney SA Mal Club |
| Over
40’s -
Sponsor – Beachlife Ballina/Lennox 1st Ross Cribb Evans Head 2nd Mike Pimm Currumbin 3rd Mick Riddle Gold Coast 4th Tony Abood Gold Coast 5th Forfar Pertrie Lennox 6th Scott Dorrough Gold Coast |
Over
50’s -
Sponsor - Golden Breed |
| Ladies
Open -
Sponsor – Headland Beach Resort, Lennox Head 1st Chelsea Williams Gold Coast 2nd Amy Clarks Evans Head 3rd Selby Riddle Gold Coast 4th Annie Watts Byron 5th Angela King Byron 6th Sally Paxton Gold Coast |
Old Mal -
Sponsor – Okanui Classics 1st Justin Sheridan Lennox Head 2nd Robbie Mc Lucas Currumbin 3rd Ron Silcock Currumbin 4th Alan Sheldon Logger Heads |
| Mystery
Final - Sponsor – Beddoes Trophies – Ballina 1st Paul Biletti Ballina 2nd Margaret Bryant Lennox 3rd Kirralee Donovan Byron 4th Mick Wilson Ballina 5th Peter Bryant Lennox 6th Deb Tinker Lennox |
Lennox
Longboarders / NSW Cancer Council Raffle |
| Best placed Over 35’s Ladies - Annie Watts Byron | McTavish Noserider – Robbie Ferguson Byron Bay |
All
in all another successful Lennox Longboard Classic. Some close scores
in both the junior Under 18’s and the Open 9ft. Waves were contestable,
a good feeling & atmosphere around the contest site.
Thanks to the committee, sponsors & especially the competitors.
Till next year, if the insurance hikes & council fees permit!
Wayne Booth
Contest Coordinator
Lennox Longboard Classic 2003
Gumby Lock is a proud sponsor of the Lennox Longboard Classic (Ed).
Surf & Water
sports Expo - Sydney Fox Studios 12-14 September 2003
HISTORY in the making!
The wait is over …… the team at Surf Expo HQ welcomes you onboard. Australia is now poised to become a major global draw card with the evolution and development of the country’s first ever Surf & Water Sports Expo.
The International Surf & Water sports EXPO 2003 (SWE2003) has been specifically tailored to suit enthusiasts of every passion from water skiing and white water rafting to canoeing, windsurfing, body boarding, kite-boarding, coastal lifestyle, fashion and of course ... surfing! SWE2003 promises to deliver entertainment, information and innovation with extremely cool products and services on display and on sale from the entire Water sports industry here at home and around the globe.
Less than 100
days to go & over 120 Exhibitors across the Expo's
already!
Surf & Water sports Expo will be held in tandem with The International
Dive Expo Australia and has surpassed all expectations. We now have
a very strong mix of national and International Exhibitors and visitors
will be able to gain access to both events off the one ticket!
With such a diverse expo we promise something for virtually everyone and will be presenting fashion parades, great films and live bands as well as seminars from industry leaders and celebrities. So meet up with friends, bring the family or just get to the expo because you’re a fanatic and have a great day out.
Our dedicated team represents the most talented and focused group of professionals in the industry and instead of reading about history we are now making it.
This is an EXPO for trade as much as consumers. The Surf and Water sports industry are able to present their brand and develop business on our special Friday "Trade Only" day as well as sell direct to public on Saturday and Sunday.
We look forward to seeing you all at the Expo.
Regards,
Mick Turner
Expo Principal
CLICK HERE to view WWW.SWE2003.COM web site.
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