This (very) short surfing story was written on April 3rd 2020, when South Africa was in the midst of hard lockdown due to Covid:
My alarm goes off, I rub my eyes and sit bolt up right remembering the previous days forecast! My bedroom view looks out over False Bay towards the Hottentots – it’s still dark but I can make out scattered clouds and a few thick bands, I scan the surrounding palm trees for movement, nothing is stirring… it’s looking promising!
I hurriedly get dressed and grab my pre-packed camera bag, coffee mug, banana and rush down to the car – I can see a slight smudge on the horizon, my heart races a little as I back out of the driveway. I hit Muizenberg main road and I’m immediately behind a bakkie with two longboards strapped to the roof – another good sign!
I take a slow drive around the first circle at the beach – a calm ocean with a smallish 2ft ripple, a longboarders paradise, the faint smudge has now turned into an ominous glow over the mountains on the far side of False Bay!
I park and make a quick decision to just take my camera down to the beach for now – I don’t want to be weighed down with a backpack.
I skip across the road and dart between the beach huts – say good morning to Pat Garret a local longboarding legend, I jump down onto the beach.. I take a few steps towards the water and then let my toes sink into the soft sand…. I am home!