Passengers:
Robert Hatton, Michael Law, Stephen Cox, Martin Loosemore, Stephen Sugden, Paul Baker, Jason Andrews
Somewhere else in the world storms raged and oceans smashed coastlines. Way down in the Roaring Forties, low pressure systems stirred up swell and sent it marching across the Indian Ocean. The first real swells of the year. The boys wanted to go here, so we went there. No point in hanging with other boats, when you can be surfing uncrowded waves by yourself. What has previously been classed by the spoilt operators who were fortunate enough to be here in the halcyon days, as 'B grade' are becoming surfed more and more. In doing so, we are learning that they are actually bloody good waves. We had a few on this trip.
Is a double over head wave 8ft? We asked ourselves this when looking at the video of Coxy at one particular left. The lads did not want double overhead at the start of the trip, but thought it was pretty bloody good at the end of the day.
The Wailing Welsh Maniac, Martin, was on his second trip. This year he had new boards and experience to guide him into every surf. It showed. He had improved a hundred fold, spent many hours in the water, and left the trip with countless waves under his fins and that good old Welsh laugh.
The Flying Doctor, Mike, who had just completed a stint on the islands, was loving the comfort and mobility of a boat. Like his mates, he took to the heavier sessions with gusto, fought some demons and came out with a grin from ear to ear.
Then there was The Argonaut, Jason. The quiet achiever. The Red Pelt, whose rail grab cutties reminded us all of that great Italian Icon·.Occy.
The artistic Guru, Paul, whose stories of unsurfed Tasmanian mammoths and kinetic energy kept us all entertained. A quiet bloke by nature. When asked at the end of the trip if he had enjoyed himself, no-one was surprised with his answer·.yes!
The Sandon Point Duo of Suggo and Rob "the wounded Gull" showed their South Coast power participation in the perfect rights on offer and never let their mate, Coxy, get too many waves.
Coxy's Indo savvy had done it again. Put him in the best spots on the waves. Took plenty of photos for us all to enjoy and proved that at·.how old was he? Age is no barrier to surfing perfect waves. The eternal grommet.
Special mention must go out to Kelly Slater. After watching him surf the left, then the thick rights, we all agree that he still is way ahead of anyone when it comes to surfing.
Oh, and also special mention to the shark that scared the crew out of the water at that other left on that day. Martin and the Capt shrugged off the dangers and scored the most glassy of sessions! Ha!