Adrian Tregoning

In June this year, Fluid Team paddler Craig Rivett was out in Cape Town visiting with his girlfriend. We hooked up for a few sessions and one mission was to Betty’s Bay. The forecast was for NW wind which limited our choices on the west coast so we drove out to the east coast to Betty’, about 100km out from Cape Town. Somehow, the waves weren’t as good as the forecast but we made the best of it anyway.

I took photos from the water with my housing while Craig surfed my composite Element – the first person to ever paddle it, apart from me. Do you lend your wife out?! :-) Another good mate, Braam Rademeyer was out knee boarding so I got some snaps of him and at the end of the session I tried it myself. Being a very keen bodyboarder I was impressed with the speed, but found it fairly challenging for the first two tries. After 3 waves I was too tired and cold to carry on anyway as taking photos had tired me out. I’ll let the photos do the talking.

Just to the right of Caves were some serious waves smashing into the cliffs.

We checked out the Palmiet River too, as it’s close by. Levels were quite good actually!

Braam Rademeyer kneeboarding at Betty’s Bay.

Craig Rivett on a sweet little wave at Betty’s Bay. 

Random surfer. Craig just making it over a great barrel. I wish I had brought my bodyboard!

The wave builds up fast and throws the lip…

…and with timing, luck and some mad skill you can get some barrel shots! :-)

Self portrait. 

Braam trying to climb into a little barrel. 

Craig again.

Same random dude.

Craig on a close out section. Braam sweeping past again.

This is the typical Betty’s Bay style of wave. But when you get a wave with a flatter shoulder you can get some very long rides and some super sick barrels. 

Craig over some whitewater. 

Half underwater shot of that random dude. 

Craig heading into what will throw the lip and barrel or punish him 

Craig with what was going to a super cool entry move. Still worked anyway except he flushed. 

Braam too far from the camera. 

Craig Rivett showing the speed of the Element. Look at that hull. Raymond surfing a wave while Craig looks on.

Craig coming out again, while I was fishing, using myself as bait. This isn’t too far from Gansbaai, where they film a lot of Great White sharks. But no point being afraid, if it’s your time, it’s your time. Nothing you can do about it. And I think people hype them up a lot anyway.

Same random dude on a very sweet wave!

Raymond getting something in the distance. 

Craig with a solid blunt. 

Looking up at Craig from below. The shark’s eye view. Hmmmm, tasty! Nom, nom, nom.

Craig heading down and towards me. I shoot at 18mm with this setup, and that cannot be changed unfortunately. 

Craig with helix!
And another! Lekker… Heading home we stopped past Caves again. It was juicing. Kayaking there, unless it’s small, is a sure way to break equipment, or yourself. It’s a lot heavier at water level than it looks from high up on the road.    

After almost 2 hours the waves got smaller and I decided not to even bother kayaking at all. Craig had scored a few ok waves but they closed often too quickly. Ironically, the following days forecast was for smaller waves. Braam sms’d me the next day and said it was bigger and just way better. Hmmm… that’s life I guess. Unpredictable and nothing assured. 

Photography by: Adrian Tregoning.

Words by: Adrian Tregoning.