The Slab 14 July 2009

Author: Mike Dei-Cont

14th July 2009

The Slab 14 July 2009

So there we were again, finally! The usual suspects, JMO, Peter, DC and an unsuspecting Ryan, the newbie but apparently quite the charger fresh back from Down Under. As always, it was a scramble to bunk work, stave of clients and dash in under ominous clouds on the tail end of the torrential downpours of the Cape in the last few days.

The duck sat deep and heavy as we motored out from the calm of the harbour with 4 guys on board and already toes and knuckles were white with cold - or was it the towering sentinel that was sucking the blood from our extremities? Light banter on the way out turned to a very brief exchange about the submerged 'wildlife' which should have been left at the boat launch - Ryan wanted info. I lied...

JMO idled the duck around the back-line as we looked for our position and checked there were no obvious clean-up sets. Kelp was another factor as no one wants the prop to get tangled and stall on the inside... James being the expert pilot suggested Peter hit it first -" No, no, you go first, No you, No you..." Peter wanted to swim it with camera but eventually he was coaxed into diving in together with Ryan. We still hadn't quite figured it out but they were committed and up for the challenge.

James made a few runs in from the outside to the kelp-line and then out again while I tried to get a few shots off. Both Ryan and Peter slid into some of the better waves but hoots went out when Peter chucked himself over the edge of a sucking Slab - Instead of going down however, he first went up, up and up, before being unceremoniously pitched out under the ceiling in a spray of lip and trailing limbs. Kaboom! JMO howled with delight and I could hear the envy laced with a bit of relief that it wasn't him! "Waaaaah - did you check that!?! wooooohaaaa!" - "Oh wow, I got pinned upright against the reef!" Pete exclaims cheerfully as he surfaces! Nut!

By this stage JMO's frothing to have a go and neither Ryan nor Pete are ready to join me in the duck so I can continue shooting. Pete bails the board for his water-cam, I pilot while he shoots from the impact zone. I was not however very keen on sitting too close in the duck which just bucked under my inexperienced throttle hand so instead I motored out and sat beyond the back-line waiting patiently in he freezing wind.

Ryan had his fair share of waves and caught one particularly late drop which left him squirming on the inside with subsequent sets drilling him for a while before he made it out, only to get caught on the inside by one of the larger ones that snuck through. The wind started to swing though and Ryan bailed and so we both hunkered down in the boat while James and Pete dangled in the clear water. James scooped a few crackers but things were pinching and shutting down and at one stage they both got cleaned up by a rogue wave washing them way into the inside and close to the rocks. Game over for one day.

Several bombs, some awesome views and a whole bunch of laughs later we were back on dry land swearing allegiance and committing to return. It was far from perfect but again we're fuelled with a taste of great things to come the next time it's properly on! - Next time... - Bigger, Fatter, Heavier! Let's do it!

Big Up to Mark Clark for the generous use of the old faithful duck and to JMO for the towing, prepping and stowing!

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