Foam to the horizon: 80ft waves batter the KZN Coastline
“Hey Roosta, you better get ready to reverse pal!”, was me as I saw the first real set come charging in towards us in the gloom.
It has broken up into the carparks before and this was threatening to drown us as the huge waves towered up blotting out the horizon and sending plumes of spray hundreds of feet into the air.
Luckily it’s not as big as The Tides of March swell, but it’s up there. The surge from the set turned the bay and channel into a maelstrom but never made it up the pathway. With Roosta’s Hawaii experience, it was good to guage his reaction, as a reference to that place.
“We have to surf it at this size all the time. At least two or three times a week. We surf Sunset wild and woolly just to stay in the game.” – Roosta describing the scene.
“But the thing is, that theres a hundred guys, all prepared for this type of surfing, ready and raring to go, at any time!”
“Then the real hardcore guys, they surf the outer reefs, paddling traditional style, a kilometre or more, just to get to the huge waves. We offered a guy a ride once, we were on a power boat, but he just went – ‘Nah, paddling only for me’!”
Ouisurf in Mozambique – Surf travel show releases web version
Roosta and I were all muddled up on the south coast earlier in 2014- battered and fried after the swell just refused to stop, day after day, week after week. Roosta had an impending tour to Europe, and I was just getting through my days until something else came up. Which it did! Ouisurf in Mozambique!
Some history. About a year ago, this French Canadian TV show got in touch with Roosta asking if Roosta would guide a crew of four around the East Coast of Africa, to check out and surf the faraway and secret spots available. Roosta saw red and told them to get stitched. No chance pal!
A year later and the motley Ryan Poisson, call us up saying he got a job as a surf guide, and could he please borrow Roosta’s van for 10 days. Roosta helps a mate out and off Ryan goes. Half way through his tour, he calls us and asks us if we want to go to Mozambique with his clients. Me and Roosta jump at the chance – and yes – it’s the same crowd Roosta told to vanish all that time ago! Ouisurf.tv!
We accepted the invitation and what a trip that turned out to be. Since the show is in French mainly – I will give you a quick rundown.
Game reserves, obviously. Some hectic action with a tame elephant that charged us down the road a few hundred metres, and a million photos of giraffes. Early next day Ponto d’ Ouro. Huge easterly. Huge. Blast to Maputo for my birthday – we get a $2000 suite in a city hotel and don’t even sleep there! Inhambane the next gruelling, gruelling day. Then easy street. Baia Sonambula. Casa no Praia. Restaurants. Parties. Surfing small south-east swells and having a lot of fun around the Tofo area. Pomene for a night. More fun waves and so many memory sticks full of footage, drone, gopros…all kinds – mostly and professionally operated by a tall funny guy name JP. Benjamin the producer also flew the drone and co-hosted the show with his mate Jean-Michelle. The production manager Stefano was super proficient and had his eye on me and Roosta at all times. We killed and ate a goat, a chicken and a tuna. The last day spent island hopping, spearfishing and deep sea fishing. Lots of blood. And we ate a goats testicle! Cooked yes!
Check out the super duper web presentation of the show…
Click the image to check out the Ouisurf in Mozambique web presentation
A really good experience for Roosta and I, we both learnt an immense amount during our 10 days blasting around the place with a crew I was really stoked to be a part of – real professionals!
It was fun and fanfare yesterday at the original home of the Gold family, in Southport…a reunion of sorts, delicious biscuits and coffee and photos with the family. Bruce’s Mom at 90 was the star of the show, ably supported by Jenny (Brucifires sister).
Highlight: havin’ my photo taken with the Golden Family…
It’s no coincidence that Bruce grew up in this very house a few hundred metres from the most thunderous wave around for miles. It’s his closest beach?! Did he surf it alone back then? “Of course!”, is the convincing reply.
That’s my shirt! Bruce Gold Collectors edition Tee shirt by the Holmes Brothers. Shalom chom…(c) Holmes Brothers
The Holmes Brothers from Durban side have released a collectors edition tee-shirt starring Brucifire…and featuring a soul arch that could stretch across the whole of J-Bay! On a mean wave nogal! Write your name on it the same time you buy it bru!
Well, we have tried this before but were ruthlessly taken out of the sky by arguing IP control freaks. But luckily we are almost caught up with the content lost…the uploading of Shaloha by Bruce Gold and co, was one of those missing news items…
This video movie was shot from the West Coast to the East Coast of Southern Africa, by Bruce Gold and friends, in 2009. It is the end of a series of surf videos by the SurfTV organisation of old, made to pay tribute to, and preserve the heritage and culture, of travelling surfers. And who else but Bruce Gold, portraying Brucifire, to put the message across.
Rough roads, hard times, breakdowns, injury, disease, blowouts…and finally endless supplies of tropical and sub-tropical peeling and barreling waves.
The first few chapters are good to go and we will throw a few more later…enjoy!
“The journey’s over, the journey never began…!”, Brucifire.
