What elevates a spot you frequently surf to “your favourite surf spot”? Is it the consistency of how good it is? The proximity to your abode to said wave, possibly within walking distance? Is it the good memories it evokes – your first floater, your first barrel, the time you felt up Laura Solomons in the dunes behind the spot?
Perhaps you’re one of those adamant crowd-avoidant types (yes, we all are to an extent, folks – but some surfers take it to the extreme), and your favourite is a wave no sane surfer would enjoy; like on a river mouth next to a crematorium.
Does your favourite wave have to be norm-standard “good”?
Despite living in a country with some of the world’s premiere surf breaks littered along our coast, perhaps it’s a bit obvious and unimaginative to state your favourite spot is, say – Supertubes. That’s ‘coz it’s everyone’s favourite spot. It’s the village bicycle of the coast. Indeed, not just for South Africans. From the likes of Kelly Slater, to the hordes of pack mentality Brazilians, to Gandalf-like legendary hippies, to entitled locals with all the decorum of a pit bull in a playpen, many people who have surfed there would declare it their favourite wave.
Yet, unless you live in J Bay or go there all the time – it’s unlikely you’re on it whenever it’s firing. And when it’s firing, half the country’s on it. So unless you’re an actual local there, you can claim it’s your favourite wave all you want, but if you transgress even slightly… the locals may feel even more temperamental than usual and chuck you outta there faster than a bunch of pissed teens ejected from a 24 hour Steers. So, if not Supers or Bruce’s or Elands or Vic Bay etc etc – think broader. Or rather, think narrower. Think closer to home. Think local if you will.
If say – Supertubes is a supermodel, then your favourite local break is the winner of your high school beauty pageant. Not quite as well known. And well, definitely, not quite as attractive. But on its day, in the right light and the right conditions – damn does your local wave look good. The potential is there for your local break to be a supermodel. Using the same analogy of what one may find attractive, there are plenty of people out there with weird fetishes. We’re not judging at all. So, although you may not personally enjoy a fat, mushy, log-kinda wave, just like people who find morbidly obese folks attractive, to some people that’s their favourite wave. Your cup of tea may be someone else’s cup of, well, any disgusting fluid.
But… Does your favourite wave have to be less than half an hour away?
Perhaps it’s disingenuous to assume your favourite break must be within shouting distance. Indeed, maybe your favourite break is some distant left in Sumatra. However, as it’s unlikely you’ll fit in a 24 hour plane trip during a lunch time break “paddle-fit” session to this fabled wave, let’s stick close to home shall we?
Here’s another point. Maybe you’re a weekend warrior, and your favourite wave is Muizenberg, or Anstey’s or Pipe or whatever. What’s wrong with that? Trident says. We don’t all have the luxury of time – or the luxury of time to be properly fit. What we all do have is a right to enjoy our surfing. For some that means big, fast ramps to boost. Or round hollow waves to get pitted. Or a combo of both kinds.
Maybe hands down your favourite wave is Supertubes, and this Trident article be damned – it’s lekker working those fast walls and getting barrelled off your nuts.
Or maybe your favourite spot is just down the road, where everyone knows your name, and you’re guaranteed to get the sets of the day if you play by the rules. Your favourite wave is like your favourite watering hole. It’s your Cheers of the surfing world.
