Finally Some Good Surf

This project has been full on, and my energy level is rapidly dropping to zombie status. I’ve been promoted to team leader of the scan station, which means I’ll be hiking up Emu Mountain everyday instead of going on the boats. So much for tagging whales, I’ll have to be content with shooting them through the theodolite. It’s a hot unstable hike up Emu, especially with batteries, computers, binoculars, theo plus its legs, and chairs. We have discovered that Australia does have ticks after all, and they are much smaller and more difficult to see then the ones that lurk around coastal California. We also found what we are now calling swamp leaches along the trail after a rain squall. Swamp leach is a reference from “The Life Aquatic”, a movie I tend to refer to quite a bit.

The swell has bumped up to 3 meters over the last few days, and the surf at Noosa has finally started to break. Usually we’re restricted to beach breaks just north of the Noosa headland, but the points are firing. The benefit to working on the hill is that I at least get to go surf either in the morning or in the arvo (the Aussie word for afternoon). Surfed a break called Boiling Point a few days ago, it has a similar feel to Cowel’s in Santa Cruz. The wave breaks right along cobbles in maybe a few feet of water, so there’s little room for error. I didn’t make many errors, but someone else on the break did and dropped in on my wave (it was a nice one too). In fact you can see the guy on the left just about to drop in on my in the photo. I had nowhere to go but the rocks, and rolled around in the white water for some time. As I was surfacing I took a fin straight in the eye, it felt like it was going to gouge it out of its socket. When I finally made it to the surface, my eye was still intact, but blood was clearly gushing from a good cut along my brow, obstructing my vision. I was holding onto the other guy’s board, and he vigorously yanked it from my arm, without apologizing for nearly turning me into a Cyclopes. The cut isn’t too bad, I was hoping to get a shiner.

This morning was even more intense, the swell had picked up overnight, which was noticed by anyone with a computer and the internet (the problem with 21st Century surfing, everyone knows when the waves are good). Lou and I choose to head out to Tea Tree’s, just around the bind from Boiling Point. Tea Tree’s picks up more of the south easterly swell, so the waves of course are much bigger with a steeper face, and go on for a longer ride than Boilers. With better waves, unfortunately, comes more people, and the break was as crowded as 41st Street on a good day. I spent most of the session trying not to drop in on people, between watching the big sets roll in without me on them. Needless to say it was a turd frustrating. We finally found a little pocket that was less crowded away from the main peak, and I was able to practice my cross stepping on clean waist high bumps. I should be nose riding in no time.

What else has happened?...

- I bought a guitar and we’ve been having some fun jam sessions out on the balcony, which has now been deemed unsafe to use. Not sure where I’m going to pitch my hammock now.

- I may inherit a van from Lou, the yellow one from Straddie, and may soon be driving around Australia in search of waves. No more hostels for me.

- I’ve met an Aussie girl and have been acting very awkward around her, I’ve been telling people I’m like the 24 year old virgin. Nothing serious, just trying to have fun.

- I now have a steady job with Dave, and will soon be working one month on and off up until next August in a place called Barrow Island in Western Australia as an MFO. I would be working on a dredger and living on a cruise ship.

- I plan to come home for a visit in December, mainly to see Reef but I guess I’ll try and meet up with all of you readers as well. I may be able to stay into January and could be around for my birthday. I want to go on a surf trip with my new board…who wants to drive?

- Spotted a few sharks in the surf again, it’s become a common sight now.

- Someone found my red cap (bennie), I was very happy about that

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