All alone in the end zone

"When you realize how perfect everything is 

you will tilt your head back and laugh at the sky."

Buddha

Watching bright blue wall after wall of water peel its way towards me, I experienced my pinnacle surf moment.  I had the bliss of warm water lapping at my feet, the balmy breeze from sunny skies caressing my skin and the solitude of being all alone with perfectly empty, perfect waves.  

We spent many days exploring, searching, looking ever seaward, from one beach to the next, in search of perfect waves to ride and film.  Finally, the wind, the waves and the camera  converged together into one flawless moment in time.

“We're born alone, we live alone, we die alone. 

Only through our love and friendship can we create 

the illusion for the moment that we're not alone.” 

Orson Welles

The beaches we discovered further from town were often empty.  Any people we did encounter were friendly and following the exact same program we were, the fun program.  Fun with friends, fun with family, fun in the water and fun on the beach.

“It is more fun to talk with someone who doesn't use long, difficult words but rather short, easy words like "What about lunch?"”

Winnie the Pooh

We had become nomadic beach bums roaming the golden sands with Furd Explorer as our shining white steed.  There is nothing better than choosing a different view each day for a picnic lunch underneath the shade of a beach umbrella.  

When the conditions were clam with smooth waters and no wind we would SUP.  When the wind blew onshore we would drive to  leeward beaches always in search of that offshore perfection.  When the waves were small or the chop was bad we would boogie board.

Sometimes we would spend time alone in the water, but most times we would play in the surf together.  Laughing and absorbing the carefree Australian way of 'no worries'.

Sometimes the barrels were small and fast on other days big and scary.

The common thread of love for the ocean drew in long time friends to share the fun.  

We also gained some new friends along the way too.

 I tried to change from a Crouching Sheila to an upright charger.

Then onto the beach in search of shells.

But the biggest news of all was when the kids stood up and took their places in the line up.

Trying every angle, Greg wore out his trigger finger in the clairty of the tropical waters.

We learned to recognize the nuances of the weather conditions in this beautiful land.

One day we even took a chance to surf the sand.

We learnt how to catch fish with friends...

 and hijack an icecream truck...

and get a blue tongue.

New friends quickly become family while staring out into the beautiful bays.

Time passed and a birthday came and went.  With each passing day spent under the brilliance of the Australian sun the bond grew between our family.  The adventures and the shared experiences indelibly etched onto our memories. 

As the sun began its slow journey to the other side of the world  we would join the birds in their homeward flight. 

And we would always try to give Furd the Exploder a bedtime bath on the way home.

"You go through life wondering what is it all about but at the end of the day it's all about family."

Rod Stewart