There was a huge fire on Sir Lowrey’s Pass, about 60K East of Cape Town. The strong winds sent the smoke all the way to us here in the city, very quickly. 

The whole Mountain was on fire. Houses destroyed. 

We have tremendous fire fighting forces here. Dedicated women and men always on call in the dry summer months. With the current drought, the summer will be even more frightening. Another parallel between South Africa and California. 

Anyway. 

Peace is why I’m writing. Muizenburg Peace. Finally, away from it all.

We went to my favorite AA Meeting on Saturday. It was my wife, Landi’s 28th AA Birthday! We met when she was 7 and I was 1. It been a fantastic journey! The best years of my life!

Even my best SA friend William joined us! It was a very energized meeting filled with gratitude. Great stuff. 

Then… we went for some dog therapy for Landi at William’s house. He has two beautiful Staffordshire Bull terriers! Juno and Jelly! Nothing like dogs to help you heal!

Then… to my favorite place in the entire world, I think,  for now anyway, Muizenburg! 

Two and a half days of bliss.  Small surfable waves, just the way I like it. Warmish  water.  

I’m really bad a surfing now. No. Really.  I know how to be safe in the water with a board. I know how to not be in anyone’s way. I know how to read the ocean. I know where I should be positioned on the board and in relation to the swell, when I take off. I can catch the wave. Then.

I have trouble getting up quickly. I have balance problems and by the time I’m up, it’s almost always too late to turn and ride across the unbroken wave. Mostly, I ride the whitewater on an angle, hoping I can reach the shoulder, or that the wave breaks a second time, so I can actually feel the power.

You see, the real joy of surfing  comes when you ride across the breaking wave. Then the centrifugal power of the wave is transferred into you and your board. If you are just getting pushed by the whitewater, it’s not the same. 

There is nothing like it. Nothing. I’ve snowboarded. I’ve waterskied. Riding a moving wave is the best. It was life changing for me. A land locked Pennsylvanian.

You catch the wave, turn and dig the edge into the wave’s wall, and then your heart goes into afib! For me, it is the ultimate high. Pure earthly joy. 

When I surf these days at age  66.9, I get one decent ride, every say? 8 attempts. The others are just ok.

Everything I talked about is happening up there. The guy on the right at the top is about to get the feeling. It won’t be as great as it is in a bigger wave, but it will still be great. 

Like I said. Maybe 1 out of 8 for me. Thank goodness I love EVERYTHING about surfing. Just being in the atmosphere works for me: 

I had the light blue version ot that van in 1967. 

Kids coming in from a lesson.

Any vehicle looks good with a board on top.

My new fin! We called them a skeg in  my day…and they weren’t this cool! I’m taking this one home for my  SUP.

I love just being near any surf activity. Always have, my whole life. I probably always will. It’s too late to change. 😊

Why would I ever want to.

🔨🔨