On 5 September 2009 a special day occurred in Cape Town. We had decent swell and zero wind. What an absolute pleasure. While Cape Town gets some monstrous swell, producing world class waves, we are often plagued by either the powerful south east trade wind in summer, or else the sometimes weaker but shiftier north west wind. But on this fine morning we had nothing, the sea was glassy.

 

 

I managed to convince my dad to come with and take a few photos and promised the session wouldn’t be too long. We drove around to check out a few locations. Big Bay was ok but there was a surf competition on, Derde Steen wasn’t too good but Blauberg or Table View was looking quite good. There was also a surf comp on the left side but otherwise there were loads of waves, and also a lot of people. But on the right corner, almost opposite Doodles was a cool wave with fewer crowds. It looked solid from the car park, it was good to go. Stefano Sessa joined me too, we stretched a bit and headed in. Needless to say, it was a lot bigger at water level.

 

Blauberg_5_September_2009_001_E1_CR copyStretching. Adrian Tregoning (left) and Stefano Sessa on the right.

 

Blauberg_5_September_2009_009_E1_CR copyAnd off.

 

Blauberg_5_September_2009_018_E1_CRP copyAdrian Tregoning heading out.

 

Blauberg_5_September_2009_032_E1 copyStefano Sessa (left) about to catch a wave.

 

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Adrian – Fisher King.

 Blauberg_5_September_2009_045_E1 copy Blauberg_5_September_2009_046_E1 copy Blauberg_5_September_2009_047_E1_CR copy Blauberg_5_September_2009_048_E1 copyBlauberg_5_September_2009_049_E1 copy Adrian heading out, narrowly avoiding a beating :-)

 

Blauberg_5_September_2009_068_E1_CR copy Blauberg_5_September_2009_069_E1_CR copy Blauberg_5_September_2009_070_E1_CR copy Blauberg_5_September_2009_071_E1_CR copy Blauberg_5_September_2009_072_E1_CR copy Blauberg_5_September_2009_074_E1 copy Blauberg_5_September_2009_075_E1_CR copy Blauberg_5_September_2009_076_E1_CR copy Blauberg_5_September_2009_077_E1_CR copy Blauberg_5_September_2009_078_E1_CR copy Blauberg_5_September_2009_079_E1_CR copy Blauberg_5_September_2009_080_E1_CR copyAdrian enjoying the Fluid Element on these glassy waves. Pity they didn’t have more form!

 

Blauberg_5_September_2009_090_E1 copy Blauberg_5_September_2009_092_E1 copyAdrian – going, and pulling off. 

 

Getting to the backline was hard work and I did take some serious beatings every now and then. The wave itself wasn’t of a great

quality but it was silky smooth and if you picked it right, the drop in was absolutely beautiful with a sometimes decent ride following. The view down onto that still blue water from the top of the wave was the stuff of dreams, almost surreal. At least it was big enough for some good speed, as the wave was not hollow, mostly, as can be seen from the photos.

 

Blauberg_5_September_2009_097_E1_CR copy Blauberg_5_September_2009_101_E1_CR copy Blauberg_5_September_2009_103_E1_CR copy Blauberg_5_September_2009_104_E1_CR copy Blauberg_5_September_2009_105_E1_CR copy Blauberg_5_September_2009_106_E1_CR copy Blauberg_5_September_2009_107_E1_CR copyStefano Sessa enjoying himself, but finding the Nemesis lacking in speed. He’s one of the first inline for the composite Element!!! I’m getting mine next week it seems. At last! :-)

 

Blauberg_5_September_2009_108_E1_CRELShips in the background, a constant site in Cape Town.

 

Blauberg_5_September_2009_117_E1 copy Blauberg_5_September_2009_120_E1 copy Blauberg_5_September_2009_121_E1 copy Blauberg_5_September_2009_122_E1 copy Blauberg_5_September_2009_124_E1 copy Blauberg_5_September_2009_126_E1 copy Blauberg_5_September_2009_127_E1_CR copy Blauberg_5_September_2009_128_E1_CR copy Blauberg_5_September_2009_129_E1_CR copy Blauberg_5_September_2009_130_E1_CR copyAdrian loving it. What a day… Wind still says like this are hard to find in Cape Town!

 

Blauberg_5_September_2009_139_E1_CR copy Blauberg_5_September_2009_140_E1_CR copy Blauberg_5_September_2009_141_E1_CR copy Blauberg_5_September_2009_142_E1_CR copy Blauberg_5_September_2009_143_E1_CR copyAdrian peeling out. Sometimes, you might find getting off the foam pile a bit difficult. I find that carving ultra hard, back into the wave and keeping your body low and holding the carve, you can actually get under the wave and away. Try it, you might find this technique quite useful. Works for me.

 

Blauberg_5_September_2009_153_E1_CR copy Blauberg_5_September_2009_154_E1 copy Blauberg_5_September_2009_155_E1 copy Blauberg_5_September_2009_161_E1 copyStefano Sessa coming in and avoiding some mild shore break. 

 

Blauberg_5_September_2009_171_E1 copyBlauberg_5_September_2009_174_E1_CR copy Blauberg_5_September_2009_173_E1_CR copyHappy days with no wind and good waves.

 

Blauberg_5_September_2009_175_E1 copyStefano, one more time, in some solid white water.

 

Blauberg_5_September_2009_180_E1_CR copy Blauberg_5_September_2009_184_E1_CR copyBlauberg_5_September_2009_185_E1_CR copyAdrian into a close out section, but making it, somehow.

 

Blauberg_5_September_2009_204_E1 copyOver and out – another great day with the Fluid Element. What a boat!

         

At one stage I noticed Stefano taking beating after beating as I just didn’t see him. In fact a lot of the time you couldn’t see the land. The photos are misleading because they’re taken from higher up. Eventually he hit the beach to rest! Shortly afterwards he joined me again and we finished off with a few more waves. I remember waiting for ages for a decent set. Then when it came, I left the first two or three, but the next wave was so big, it broke in front of me and took me almost back to the beach at super speed, extremely annoying! Otherwise it was a really lekker session! I have not had any wind still days like that again, with such good swell. One needs to appreciate and maximise those days when they do come by. Wherever you are, I hope you’ve also been getting good swell!!!! I have a huge 2 part article coming onto the site next month, it’s a spot guide to more than 30 different surf spots in and around Cape Town, I think you’ll like it.

 White Fluid Name deep etched with white inside copy_250

Photography by: Trevor Tregoning.

All Words by: Adrian Tregoning.

Next article: The next two articles will be a full on guide to many surf spots in Cape Town. Thereafter, you’ll be able to catch the first article from my trip to West Sumatra!