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On one side a run down little church loomed eerily over the wave and overhead the stormy sky seemed furious with our discovery. |
After an angry swell and bad wind the banks we had been surfing at a quiet beach had been totally obliterated. It was time to hit the road in search of some beachies that were slightly less exposed.
After a few hours driving and scouring the coastline a bumpy dirt road revealed a slightly creepy looking beach break from the car window. The wave broke in a small sandy bay surrounded on both sides by black rocks. On one side a run down little church loomed eerily over the wave and overhead the stormy sky seemed furious with our discovery.
We ate our Huevos Mexicano (Mexican Eggs) in front of the wave watching with intent. James couldn’t shovel his eggs in quick enough as he inspected the rampy lefts hitting the shallow bank. Every now and then a solid set would feel it’s way into the bay exploding angrily over both sides, spilling into the surrounding beaches. The constant lightening strikes from the approaching storm forked on the horizon.
While getting my gear ready I met a local fisherman who was interested in what we were doing. We talked about surfing and photography and he informed me that nobody surfs here and that it was dangerous. “I would love to watch,” he added. So out we went.
The light was grey but as James pulled into a deep frothy pit I realised it didn’t matter. The wave nearly sucked dry in front of him as he was spat out narrowly avoiding a wave coming in the other direction.
After the morning surf the sun pierced through the clouds strengthening enough to burn them up permanently. James paddled out for a late arvo session in the golden light to finish a day that embodied the reason we travel. The song that played as we drove off echoed stories of vampires, so we decided to call the beach ‘Vampire Rock’.
The next day we were up early to make the low tide at a right hand point break we had noticed during our travels. Finally we arrived after hundreds of wrong turns down sandy tracks in our non 4-wheel drive van and some sketchy boggings.
As soon as we left the comfort of the car the unbearable heat hit us. The beach was hotter than anything I had experienced in the last 7 months and the wave was a good hour-long walk along the blisteringly hot sand. One thing you learn over here is that nothing is easy and after carrying 8kgs of gear in the midday heat for an hour I was done.
Though it was not massive it had some smashable sections and some of the most beautiful scenery. It broke off a rocky point covered in lush greenery and finished at a palm tree lined beach. We surfed the point until the tide got too high and then headed into the left hand beachy for a few more.
Exhausted from the sun and the water we ate a massive chilli-infused fish and were asleep by 8pm ready to do it all again tomorrow.
