Passengers:
Nigel Mills, Brian Round, Peter Shaw, Richard Cohen, John Malane, Robin Megson, Timothy Bolch, Beau Fahnle
In 8 seasons, the Capt had never seen this wave break. A head high shelfing thing that did more than take a few of the boys out. It tweaked Dick's shoulder and effectively ended his trip. With only 3 days to go, it could have been worse. We were claiming the break and named it Tortoises (everywhere else has a Turtles).
Betadine was just about habis (finished) this trip. Voltarin sent the over 40's into muscle relaxant slumbers. Blood flowed freely over the decks. An old footy coach once said,"if you're not bleeding, you're not having a go" These guys had a real go.
Dick, before the accident, was chucking reos like there was no tomorrow, and making them. He showed all the style of a Vicco vetran. The Capt couldn't believe he had not surfed in months.
Weather smashed us on a couple of days. Smashed the whole fleet actually. Boats were hiding from the wild winds. Water tanks were filled. At a few spots, it blew that offshore that it was hard to paddle in.
Rob, the kneeboarder, was unlucky as his boards were left in Singapore for a few days and he sat on the boat with the patience of Saul. Mind you, when the boards did arrive, he made up for lost time by scoring many, many waves. Some-one said it was the yellow rashie that caused him to be in most of the video·reality being that he caught some of the best waves each day. The dying breed of fin clad wave riders lives on!
Bos's incessant grin was a pleasure to behold. "I'm not a very good surfer, so tell me where to sit" He did not listen and paddled deep with his mates to score a few epics. It only enhanced that grin. When he, Beau, and Selemat came back with a rather large sailfish in the dinghy, they were all grinning. Apparently the fine fish was fingered by the time they got it to the tinboat. So we took some photos, made a hunters' sacrifice to the Gods in the form of an ancient fisherman's jig, and ate it.
Beau took everything in. Kept surfing, kept fishing and kept us supplied with tasty morsals from the sea, and generally loved it all. Good luck on your forthcoming adventure mate.
Johnny's silver flash on several slashes had all the boys gaping in awe. He never let a wave go by. He made the most of each session, surfed his guts off, and relaxed in true form each arvo in the Lizard Lounge.
Millsy, the organizer, was on his second trip aboard the BJ. He saw new ground, discovered new spots, and relived old times with his mates. Millsy is a ski instructor by trade and promised he would take the Capt down the gnarliest double black diamond run as a payback for some of the heavier waves he was coaxed into, if it ever so happened that the Capt stumbled along his way. On ya Millsy!
Tim was the only goofyfooter in a trip with predominantly rights, one would of thought he would be at a disadvantage. Not so. Those years of surfing Lagundri Bay paid off and he cranked the backhand regardless.
Shawy's comment summed the trip up after the big day at the right. "I haven't had a surf like that since 8ft Nias when I was 25!" He is another one of those blokes somewhere over 40.
12 days, 2 swells, many fish and a lot of laughs··.a classic trip!