The end of an Era – the surfing saga continues

As mentioned in several previous logs, we have taken up the sport of surfing. No longer is it a hobby, but now a passion. Any spare time we can find, we are on the beach trying to catch wave. We’ve experienced any and every condition you could possibly throw at us and we still keep on fighting.

In recent days we have experienced a phenomenon in Sydney which hasn’t happened in over 30 years. It began as any other ordinary day at work, waiting until the final bell rang before we were off to the beach to catch our usual surf. As we approach the beach, we could see it from a mile away. The waves were the biggest we have ever seen as they gathered to well over 20 feet at some points. Apparently the night before, a cyclone had blown through and built up enough power to create such a magical sight. At first, we spent several minutes watching in awe (as did several other surfers). Once that moment was over, it was time to take on the challenge.

As we entered the water, it was some of the most powerful rips I have ever come across. In seconds we would be swept back where we came from, yet we weren’t about to give up that easily. I am the first to admit that I am by no means an expert surfer and did stay closer to shore as it was probably the safer thing to do (as lifeguards on skidoos were plucking/saving the odd person out of the backwaters). What I can tell you is that once we did get picked up by the wave, the surge of the swell instantly took us to our feet. When we sat on top of the water, it was one of the greatest feelings we ever had.

Once we got out of the water, we knew that we would probably never see this again. That coupled by the change in daylight savings meant an end to our weekday adventures on the beach. As the sun set that final day, our season slowly came to a close leaving us with only the memories of Bondi Beach.

A special thanks to our mate Lee who graciously took us out each day in the vehicle shown on the right. It has definitely been a great ride!

- the lone asian