It has been a long and cold spell here in this place. The sunshine and offshore and blue water has been replaced by rain and onshore and brown, smudgy waves. As they say in the classics, ‘this too shall pass,’ but in the meantime we are all forced indoors and looking out at the wind-lashed river and the polluted canals.
There are joys and dismal times when living in a coastal resort. We get the pleasures of perfect waves when there is no one around, and we suffer the onslaught of visiting hordes whenever it is holiday time. It’s not that bad. Holidays are short and winter lasts forever in South Africa.
I get bummed out by the traffic and the noises at night. Last night there was a break -in near us and there were alarms going off and noises and people driving fast and music blaring. The kids are on the jorl, but we were all kids on the jorl once and I’m not that grumpy. Not yet.
Thing is, we’ve got waves coming. So all the surfers in the hood are going to be frothing but they are also going to be on the afore-mentioned jorls. So if you know the waves are coming and you’re not afraid to get up early, you could be in for some bombs. It’s so cool going for a dawnie, driving past the jorl, and checking all the drunken people shouting, screaming and pissing in the streets.
So it’s all about planning. It’s all about being ready with your board waxed, with fins in place and leash attached. Coffee and travel mug ready by the kettle, and petrol in the car. If you’re planning on driving further than just down the road, then put your travel time into account so that you arrive 10 minutes before the South African Weather Service has predicted sunrise. Suit up in the dark and head on down to the water’s edge. As soon as you can, just paddle out and start surfing. That way the pressure’s off, and the day is yours. 
