About Surfing.

[Jewbacca]

pfffft, special agent Johnny wasn't even the best surfer in his own family

 

http://bodyboardmuseum.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/hauoli88.jpg

Yeah, but does Aioli take the skin off chicken and did he get Pavic TWO?!

[popcorn_skollie]

I'm a massive Rob Machado fan. His style and grace seriously influenced how I like to think I ride waves.

 

Me too! Although I wouldn't tribute my lack of snappy cutbacks to emulating his style. Its mostly because I can't do it. Even when my foot is right at the back of the board I struggle to do a big quick turn. I tend to surf with super wide bottom turns and a bit of rail in between. Depending what the wave is doing. If its wide open I love me some straight line speed. Nothing beats the surge of fast water beneath the board when the fins lock in. Especially if you takeoff on a solid one in that  split second window just as it starts to pitch. Like Machado I love me a fish. I personally feel like I never need to surf a thruster ever again. I'd much rather have a quiver of fishes like he does. 

 

But, my favourite surfer of all time re grace, innovation and style is our very own Frankie Oberholzer.... What a legend.

 

Mine has to be Gerry Lopez. The rest of the OG hawaiins are up there too. And most of them would probably point to Aikau. But despite how well documented the legend behind him is. There just isn't enough footage of him actually surfing. Aikau had this Action Hank type stance on the board. He surfed massive consequential waves and always just seemed sure of everything. As if the wave followed him. Real eye of the storm type stuff. But Gerry? Man that mustache. That rooi kort broekie. The gun with the lightning bolt. And the infamous lean back and chill. Cool as **** mister. It just looked like he's style was a symptom of having zero f's to give. Well that and talent. Watching him surf pipe is unlike watching any other surfer to date. Hawaiin's in general I think have this kind of approach to surf. I think the culture of showboating agility and aggressive shredding landed on hawaii's shore when the Ozzies and Saffas showed up. 

[Jewbacca]

 

I'm a massive Rob Machado fan. His style and grace seriously influenced how I like to think I ride waves.

 

Me too! Although I wouldn't tribute my lack of snappy cutbacks to emulating his style. Its mostly because I can't do it. Even when my foot is right at the back of the board I struggle to do a big quick turn. I tend to surf with super wide bottom turns and a bit of rail in between. Depending what the wave is doing. If its wide open I love me some straight line speed. Nothing beats the surge of fast water beneath the board when the fins lock in. Especially if you takeoff on a solid one in that  split second window just as it starts to pitch. Like Machado I love me a fish. I personally feel like I never need to surf a thruster ever again. I'd much rather have a quiver of fishes like he does. 

 

But, my favourite surfer of all time re grace, innovation and style is our very own Frankie Oberholzer.... What a legend.

 

Mine has to be Gerry Lopez. The rest of the OG hawaiins are up there too. And most of them would probably point to Aikau. But despite how well documented the legend behind him is. There just isn't enough footage of him actually surfing. Aikau had this Action Hank type stance on the board. He surfed massive consequential waves and always just seemed sure of everything. As if the wave followed him. Real eye of the storm type stuff. But Gerry? Man that mustache. That rooi kort broekie. The gun with the lightning bolt. And the infamous lean back and chill. Cool as **** mister. It just looked like he's style was a symptom of having zero f's to give. Well that and talent. Watching him surf pipe is unlike watching any other surfer to date. Hawaiin's in general I think have this kind of approach to surf. I think the culture of showboating agility and aggressive shredding landed on hawaii's shore when the Ozzies and Saffas showed up. 

 

haha yeah.... watching Machado surf pipe on a single fin is also pretty special.

 

But yeah, Lopez was fantastic. I've watched a fair few grainy hours of him looking very in control on boards most of us couldn't even surf at Muizenberg......

[Bernard Horn]

Leonard Muscles

[capediver]

Leonard Muscles

Yeah...the aforementioned mayor of Vic Bay!! Legend

['Dale]

Wow

 

[capediver]

My "home break" growing up and surfing in the EC from the 70's to the 90's....sheez....makes me homesick!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=230&v=frEopQw2wU0&feature=emb_logo

[mazambaan]

Don't forget the body boarders - SA has churned out 3 or 4 recent World Champs; latest (and another now resident elsewhere) from WC methinks.  Bummer covid stopped the competitions as WC has come on strong as well as talk of a World event.

[Robbie Stewart]

Leonard Muscles

 

There were some big ego's throwing their weight in the line-up back when I was a grom and later when I managed to earn my spot at the top with Leonard, Shaun, David Pfaff etc. at Vicbay The afore mentioned 3 never had any issues with people, but Len stood out head and shoulders above the rest. He is a well respected presence in the lineup. One of my fondest recollections of him was when the 2 of us were sitting at the top with an approaching set. I asked him if he is going for the first wave. He looked and replied "nah, you go". I turned, paddled and slotted into the longest and widest barrel I've ever ridden. It was a literall dry-tube, with not one drop of water out of place. As I paddled back up the point, Len was busy obliterating a bomb with some serious backhand gouges and carves.

 

But to really see him in action properly, you'd have had to be in the lineup at Herolds Bay when he was out on the left. There Len firmly sat in the echelon of kings. He dominates that spot with a quiet confidence rarely seen elsewhere, speedo and all. 

[Bos]

I was supposed to follow this up but got busy with work.

I was a bodyboarder/doormat/etc from a very young age into my late 20's.

I did well in competitions and had a few smallish sponsors.

Then my eyesight went, and it went spectacularly! The only type of contacts I could wear cost a few thousand per set and they are super uncomfortable to wear.

 

So yeah I get the longing of watching people surf and I feel the sadness of knowing I cant do it anymore. 

I tried a couple of times but when you cant see waves well enough to read them and you cant do what you used then its not really worth it.

Its a bit like watching old MacGuyver episodes, they were awesome at the time but going back there ruins them.

 

**** brother that is sad. We take health for granted until something goes wrong. I am not even 40(close) and I have so many aches and pains I'm starting to fear the future, but It does make me think twice before doing stupid stuff. Your eyes though, darn man..That sucks.

 

I have Glaucoma, but It was picked up early and my eyesight is still good with the help of 3 sets of eye drops a day and lazer treatment, but my neck (Fractured my T3 it my back when I was 18) and rotor cups especially worry me. So much so that I'm in pain when I push my fork down. Taking my bike down from the provide on my roof is another story in itself. I literally have to drop my bike from that height as lowering it passed shoulder height is excruciating. 

 

But I can still see, and enjoy riding, playing with my kids, and try surf when I get to the sea. I find when I surf once every 3-4 months, It takes a session or two to get back into it so Arriving at hollow spitting barrels when I haven't been surfing, Is a waste on me, and just frustrating to be honest. 

I am in the process of shaping a new board which will hopefully help a bit. 

[Bos]

There were some big ego's throwing their weight in the line-up back when I was a grom and later when I managed to earn my spot at the top with Leonard, Shaun, David Pfaff etc. at Vicbay The afore mentioned 3 never had any issues with people, but Len stood out head and shoulders above the rest. He is a well respected presence in the lineup. One of my fondest recollections of him was when the 2 of us were sitting at the top with an approaching set. I asked him if he is going for the first wave. He looked and replied "nah, you go". I turned, paddled and slotted into the longest and widest barrel I've ever ridden. It was a literall dry-tube, with not one drop of water out of place. As I paddled back up the point, Len was busy obliterating a bomb with some serious backhand gouges and carves.

 

But to really see him in action properly, you'd have had to be in the lineup at Herolds Bay when he was out on the left. There Len firmly sat in the echelon of kings. He dominates that spot with a quiet confidence rarely seen elsewhere, speedo and all. 

Wow, we really sound like a bunch of ballies don't we? LOL!

 

I grew up in Knysna Boogie'ng Buffs, Plett etc but made a few turns up at Vic when lifts with the standup guys were available. Had some wide eyed experiences, more specificly during a winter's day when it was proper 3x overhead, and I got cleaned up and washed onto the bricks at the top of the point when paddeling for a smaller one. Not being a local there, I wasn't getting set waves and didn't want to get caught inside again so I paddled over to the far side (that left peak at the back of the beachbreak) got one sick left hand barrel and then got detonated - caught inside again. 

[Ed-Zulu]

As long as you're not flat on your stomach or holding a paddle, then yes, it does...

I notice the comic sans, but when the shoulder is buggered, floating toast is the only other means of finding stoke, then flat we go!

[Rocket-Boy]

**** brother that is sad. We take health for granted until something goes wrong. I am not even 40(close) and I have so many aches and pains I'm starting to fear the future, but It does make me think twice before doing stupid stuff. Your eyes though, darn man..That sucks.

 

I have Glaucoma, but It was picked up early and my eyesight is still good with the help of 3 sets of eye drops a day and lazer treatment, but my neck (Fractured my T3 it my back when I was 18) and rotor cups especially worry me. So much so that I'm in pain when I push my fork down. Taking my bike down from the provide on my roof is another story in itself. I literally have to drop my bike from that height as lowering it passed shoulder height is excruciating. 

 

But I can still see, and enjoy riding, playing with my kids, and try surf when I get to the sea. I find when I surf once every 3-4 months, It takes a session or two to get back into it so Arriving at hollow spitting barrels when I haven't been surfing, Is a waste on me, and just frustrating to be honest. 

I am in the process of shaping a new board which will hopefully help a bit. 

Im going to be 41 in two months time, the creaks really start setting in!!

I have learned that we have to get used to things changing, you pick up new sports and hobbies that suit what you can do.

Neck and back pain isnt something I would wish on my worst enemy, its something you cant escape when it gets bad.

 

Im definitely slowing down in my older age though, the thought of the backflips off a cliff into the sea from my youth just plain scare me now!

[forkie]

Im going to be 41 in two months time, the creaks really start setting in!!

I have learned that we have to get used to things changing, you pick up new sports and hobbies that suit what you can do.

Neck and back pain isnt something I would wish on my worst enemy, its something you cant escape when it gets bad.

 

Im definitely slowing down in my older age though, the thought of the backflips off a cliff into the sea from my youth just plain scare me now!

you are still a wipper snapper. i turned 50 this year.    the only way to stay young is to stay active. i find the odd surf does amazing things for my physical and mental well being....until some little grom drops in on me, then the mental thing is out ofthe window.

[Robbie Stewart]

Wow, we really sound like a bunch of ballies don't we? LOL!

 

I grew up in Knysna Boogie'ng Buffs, Plett etc but made a few turns up at Vic when lifts with the standup guys were available. Had some wide eyed experiences, more specificly during a winter's day when it was proper 3x overhead, and I got cleaned up and washed onto the bricks at the top of the point when paddeling for a smaller one. Not being a local there, I wasn't getting set waves and didn't want to get caught inside again so I paddled over to the far side (that left peak at the back of the beachbreak) got one sick left hand barrel and then got detonated - caught inside again. 

 

Ja Buffs is a lekker spot. I have spent many easter weekends camping there. The point is a strange wave, but if you've get it on the right tide and swell direction, it's a lekker fun wave. Wildside is something else. Some good waves to be had there. 

 

But the shark presence in that bay is something that always hangs in the back of my mind. There have been too many attacks over the years, many of them fatal.

 

I never really ventured Plett side, as if the swell was up at Plett, odds were JBay was on, so we'd always drive past. 

 

Vicbay used to be a good spot that could easily carry 2x overhead (standup), but in the early 2000's one year there was a massive storm swell, and it cleaned out the sand in the bay, leaving the beach exposed with rocks. So then the owner of the shop decided to bring in truck loads of sand as December was upon him. 2 months later, another big swell hit and all the sand returned from Kaaimans around the corner. That wave never carried the same size again after that. At 8 foot max the whole bay would close out and all that was left was a wall of whitewash. All we were left with was the memories of being able to take off on 12' plus waves way beyond the point rock and ride them all the way in past the pier into the beachbreak before kicking out.

 

So many memories are flooding back...

[Robbie Stewart]

you are still a wipper snapper. i turned 50 this year.    the only way to stay young is to stay active. i find the odd surf does amazing things for my physical and mental well being....until some little grom drops in on me, then the mental thing is out ofthe window.

 

Some things never change...

 

I had a kid drop in on me at Vic once as I was setting up for the snap under the lip. I ended up kicking the board out, and it proceeded straight up into the air. As I resurfaced again, the board was on a downward trajectory and the rear fin sliced my temple open on the left with a deep gash requiring 13 stiches. I was paddling back to the top and everyone was screaming at me to exit the water due to all the blood. Only later did I realise it was not because anyone cared for my wellbeing, they were sh1ting themselves that I was attracting sharks...